Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Brontë, widely considered a classic, gave new truthfulness to the Victorian novel with its realistic portrayal of the inner life of a woman, noting her struggles with her natural desires and social circumstances. This is true of Jane Eyre, which continues to attract new generations of readers, who perceive the book in a different way than its original readers but continue to find its themes relevant. It’s easy to see why Jane Eyre has experienced the long-lasting popularity that it has.

When the novel begins, the title character is an orphan who is being raised by her cruel and wealthy aunt, Mrs. Reed. Other than the servant named Bessie, the family despised her. Jane is later sent away to a school at Bessie and Mr.Lloyd's suggestion.

Once she was at the Lowood School, Jane finds that her life is far from ideal. The school’s headmaster is Mr. Brocklehurst, a cruel, sanctimonious, and abusive man. Brocklehurst preaches a principle of poverty and privation to his students while using the school’s funds to provide a wealthy lifestyle for his own family. There was an epidemic that resulted in the departure of Mr. Brocklehurst and a group of more sympathetic gentlemen took Brocklehurst’s place, Jane’s life improved dramatically. She spent eight more years at Lowood, six as a student and two as a teacher.

After teaching for two years, Jane desires new experiences. She accepts a governess position at a manor called Thornfield, where she teaches a lively French girl named Adèle. The housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax runs the estate. Jane’s employer at Thornfield is a dark, impassioned man named Rochester, with whom Jane finds herself falling secretly in love. Jane sinks into discouragement when Rochester brings home a beautiful but savage and ruthless woman named Blanche Ingram. Jane expects Rochester to propose to Blanche. But Rochester instead proposes to Jane, who accepts almost disbelievingly.

Few readers would not be familiar with the love story between Jane and Mr. Rochester as it is an enduring major of popular culture, in music, film, and literature, and the shock that comes towards the end of the book might not surprise many, but I will not offer any spoilers.

It is interesting to read a book written long ago, but with a female protagonist who is far from the submissive woman that was often portrayed in fiction, and preferred in society, of the time. Yet, there are some parts of the book that might not sit so well with the modern feminist, including some of Mr. Rochester’s actions.

Jane Eyre’s charm was partly due to the fact that it was written in the first person and often addressed the reader, creating great closeness. In addition, Jane is an unconventional heroine and a self-reliant woman who overcomes adversity, distress, and societal norms.

Victorian society was notoriously hierarchical and rigid, a fact that is extensively explored in Jane Eyre. However, our heroine does not advocate for the termination of England’s rigid class system. Rather, Jane Eyre views the class system as a useful means of determining character. Those at the top and bottom, the very rich and the thoroughly impoverished, can be dismissed safely. It is those who float around the system, defying classification, who merit attention and praise in the novels.

When reading Jane Eyre, we must always bear in mind that it is a novel told in the first person, by a fascinating, passionate, intelligent, and flawed woman. Brontë’s views on class may not be exactly the same as Jane Eyre’s, in fact, she may want us to view Jane’s prejudices with the same kind of disbelief with which Jane observes the very rich and very poor. Jane’s views are not meant to be the last word in class, but rather a provocative viewpoint that inspires us to examine our own opinions on society.

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