Personal tragedies

While his sisters were on their way to becoming famous authors, Branwell had failed as a painter and lapsed into alcoholism and drug abuse. Eventually, his health betrayed him and he died in September of 1848, and his death marked the beginning of Emily's own illness.



Upon returning home for her brother's funeral, Emily caught a cold that eventually led to her having tuberculosis. The tuberculosis killed her rapidly, perhaps because she consistently. refused to take any medications for her illness health. She died with heroic fortitude on December 19th, 1848, at the age of 30, and did not have time to appreciate the outstanding success of her novel.