Tenant of Wildfell Hall — LibriVox Audiobook

This synopsis covers the underlying book linked to this recording: Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Recording-specific abridgements, added material or adaptation changes have not been verified.

The novel is divided into three volumes.
Part One (Chapters 1 to 15) is narrated by farmer Gilbert Markham as a letter to his friend Jack Halford, beginning with an account of how a mysterious widow, Mrs Helen Graham, arrives at Wildfell Hall, a nearby mansion. A source of curiosity for the small community, the reticent Mrs Graham and her young son, Arthur, are slowly drawn into the social circles of the village. Initially, Gilbert casually courts vicar's daughter Eliza Millward, despite his mother's belief that he can do better. His interest in Eliza wanes as he comes to know Mrs Graham. In retribution, Eliza spreads (and perhaps creates) scandalous rumours about Mrs Graham. With gossip flying, Gilbert is led to believe that his friend Frederick Lawrence is courting Mrs Graham. At a chance meeting on a road, Gilbert strikes the mounted Mr Lawrence with a whip handle, causing him to fall from his horse. Though she is unaware of this confrontation, Mrs Graham still refuses to marry Gilbert, but when he accuses her of loving Mr Lawrence, she gives him her diaries.

Part two (Chapters 16 to 44) is taken from Helen's diaries, in which she describes her marriage to Arthur Huntingdon. The handsome, witty Huntingdon is also spoilt, selfish and self-indulgent. Before marrying Helen, he flirts with Annabella Wilmot, and uses this to manipulate Helen and convince her to marry him. Helen, blinded by love, marries him, and resolves to reform him with gentle persuasion and good example. After the birth of their only child, also called Arthur, Huntingdon becomes increasingly jealous of their son and his claims on Helen's attentions and affections.
Huntingdon's pack of dissolute friends frequently engage in drunken revels at the family's home, Grassdale, oppressing those of finer character. Both men and women are portrayed as degraded. In particular, Annabella, now Lady Lowborough, is shown to be unfaithful to her melancholic but devoted husband.
Walter Hargrave, the brother of Helen's friend Milicent Hargrave, vies for Helen's affections. While he is not as wild as his peers, he is an unwelcome admirer and Helen senses his predatory nature. Mr Hargrave informs Helen of Huntingdon's affair with Lady Lowborough. When his friends depart, Huntingdon pines openly for his paramour and derides his wife, but he will not grant her a divorce.
Huntingdon's corruption of their son – encouraging him to drink and swear at his tender age – is the last straw for Helen. She plans to flee to save her son, but her husband learns of her plans from her diary and burns the artist's tools with which she had hoped to support herself. Eventually, with help from her brother, Mr Lawrence, and her servant, Rachel, Helen escapes and finds a secret refuge at Wildfell Hall.
Part Three (Chapters 45 to 53) continues Gilbert's letter to Mr Halford after reading of the diaries. Helen bids Gilbert to leave her because she is not free to marry. He complies and soon learns that she has returned to Grassdale because her husband is gravely ill. Helen's ministrations are in vain, and Huntingdon's death is painful since he is fraught with terror at what awaits him. Helen cannot comfort him, for he rejects responsibility for his actions and wishes instead for her to come with him to plead for his salvation.
A year passes. Gilbert pursues a rumour of Helen's impending wedding, only to find that Mr Lawrence, with whom he has reconciled, is marrying Helen's friend Esther Hargrave. Gilbert goes to Grassdale, and discovers that the wealth was Helen’s originally as Huntingdon was penniless. She lives at her estate in Staningley. He travels there, but is plagued by anxiety that she is now far above his station. By chance he encounters Helen, her aunt and young Arthur. The two reconcile and marry.