introduction to jane eyre essay

Charlotte Brontë

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Jane Eyre: Introduction

Jane eyre: plot summary, jane eyre: detailed summary & analysis, jane eyre: themes, jane eyre: quotes, jane eyre: characters, jane eyre: symbols, jane eyre: literary devices, jane eyre: quizzes, jane eyre: theme wheel, brief biography of charlotte brontë.

Historical Context of Jane Eyre

Other books related to jane eyre.

• Full Title: Jane Eyre: An Autobiography
• When Written: 1847
• Literary Period: Victorian
• Genre: Victorian novel. Jane Eyre combines Gothic mystery, a romantic marriage plot, and a coming-of-age story.
• Setting: Northern England in the early 1800s.
• Climax: Jane telepathically hears Rochester's voice calling out to her.
• Point of View: First person. Jane recounts her story ten years after its ending.

Extra Credit for Jane Eyre

Bells and Brontës: The Brontës became a literary powerhouse when Charlotte, Emily, and Anne all wrote successful first novels. Each sister published under a masculine-sounding pseudonym based on their initials. Charlotte Brontë became "Currer Bell"; Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights (1845-46) as "Ellis Bell", and Anne Brontë published Agnes Gray (1847) as "Acton Bell." Women could enter the marketplace as writers and novelists, but many writers, including the Brontës and Mary Anne Evans ("George Eliot"), used male pseudonyms to keep from being dismissed as unimportant.

A Summary and Analysis of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Here’s a seemingly uncontroversial statement: in 1847, a novel called Jane Eyre was published; the author was Charlotte Brontë. One of the most famous things about Jane Eyre is that the male love interest, Mr Rochester, has locked his first wife, Bertha Mason, in the attic of his house.

Whilst this statement is fine as far as it goes, there are several things we might question about it. But we’ll come to those in our textual analysis of the novel. First, let’s briefly summarise the plot of Jane Eyre , which is now regarded as one of the great Victorian novels: not bad for an author whose school report had once said that she ‘writes indifferently’ and ‘knows nothing of grammar, geography, history, or accomplishments’.

Jane Eyre : plot summary

Jane Eyre is perhaps the original ‘plain Jane’: ordinary-looking rather than beautiful, and a penniless orphan, she lacks the two things, beauty and wealth, which would greatly improve her marriage prospects in adulthood. Her uncle, Mr Reed, had taken her in when her parents died, but upon his death she fell under the care of Mrs Reed, who disliked Jane and treated her differently from her own children.

After Jane strikes out at her step-brother, John Reed, when he bullies her, she is locked in the ‘red room’ of the house, in which her uncle died. She is then sent away to Lowood, an orphan asylum run by a strict Calvinist clergyman named Mr Brocklehurst. There, Jane makes friends with Helen Burns, but Helen dies of typhus soon after. Conditions at the school subsequently improve and Jane stays on as one of the teachers, but when the teacher who had shown her kindness, Miss Temple, leaves the school, Jane decides to apply to become a governess.

Jane is offered the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, owned by Mr Edward Rochester, who is away on business. Mrs Fairfax, the housekeeper, introduces Jane to the young girl she will be teaching and looking after, who is a ward in Mr Rochester’s care. Mr Rochester returns and Jane is attracted to this brooding, haunted, Byronic figure. One night, she sees smoke coming out of his bedroom and rescues him from being burnt to death. He tells her that Grace Poole, a sewing-woman who lives in the house, was probably responsible for the fire.

When Mr Rochester brings home the beautiful Blanche Ingram, Jane realises she has been deluding herself with thoughts that he might love her, plain governess that she is. A man named Mr Mason from the West Indies arrives at Thornfield Hall and is attacked while in the upper portions of the house; once again, Jane assumes that Grace Poole was responsible. Mr Rochester announces to Jane that he plans to marry Blanche Ingram.

Jane is summoned by Mrs Reed, who is dying. Mrs Reed confesses to Jane that another of her uncles, Mr Eyre, had written to her because he wanted to make Jane his heiress. Mrs Reed had lied to him, writing back that his niece was dead. And then, when Jane returns to Thornfield, she discovers that Mr Rochester isn’t going to marry Blanche but wants her to be his wife instead. Jane accepts, but she also writes to her uncle to tell him that she is alive, in the hope that she will receive her inheritance and, with it, some financial independence.

Before the wedding, a mysterious woman enters Jane’s bedroom and tears her bridal veil in two. Then, on the day of their wedding, the ceremony is interrupted by Mr Mason, who declares that Rochester is already married, and his wife is concealed within Thornfield Hall.

Jane discovers that Rochester had married this woman, Bertha Mason, while out in Jamaica, under pressure from her family to do so. There’s a history of insanity in the family, and it was Bertha who set fire to Rochester’s bed and tore Jane’s bridal veil. Grace Poole is the one who keeps watch over Bertha, not the one responsible for these crimes.

Jane doesn’t want to be Rochester’s mistress, so she leaves Thornfield Hall and falls into poverty, almost starving to death until she is taken in by a clergyman named St John Rivers and befriended by his sisters, who live on the brink of poverty.

Although Jane conceals her true identity, St John discovers the truth after reading in the papers that her wealthy uncle has died, leaving her his fortune. By (rather far-fetched) coincidence, it turns out that St John Rivers’ sisters are Jane’s cousins, and Jane promises to share her inheritance with them.

St John wishes to travel to India as a Christian missionary, but before he leaves he proposes marriage to Jane, not out of love for her but because he wants to enlist her to his cause. In a romantic plot line that mirrors Rochester’s wooing of her, St John gradually wears her down until she is on the verge of accepting his offer. But then, from outside, she hears a voice calling her name: it’s Mr Rochester.

Jane returns to Thornfield Hall to discover that Rochester has been living as a recluse since the revelations came out on their wedding day. Bertha set fire to the house, destroying it, and fatally falling from the roof in the process. Rochester went to live at another house, having become blind in the fire.

Jane marries Rochester and nurses him back to health. He partially recovers his sight and Jane gives birth to their first child. Jane hears from St John Rivers in India, where he is pursuing his Christian mission with zeal.

Jane Eyre : analysis

Jane Eyre is, like Wuthering Heights , a novel which bears the influence of Gothic fiction: the haunted castle has become a country house, the ghost has become the (still very much alive) madwoman, Rochester’s first wife; and, in true Gothic fashion, there is a secret that threatens to destroy the house and its inhabitants if (or when) it comes to light. Brontë fuses these Gothic elements with the genres of romance and melodrama, with Jane’s two suitors representing erotic love and Christian fervour respectively.

As Gilbert Phelps observes in his analysis of Jane Eyre in Introduction to Fifty British Novels, 1600-1900 (Reader’s Guides) , the fire at Thornfield is symbolic, mirroring Jane’s own act of purgation as she rejects relationships founded on both the body and the soul at the expense of the other, until she and Rochester are ready to be together.

Curiously, the namesake of Edward Rochester, the Earl of Rochester, was one of the most erotic poets in English literature (we have gathered some of his most famous poems together here ). Lord Rochester was a kind of Byronic hero before Byron himself even existed, with his work dominated by the physical and sensuous side of love and relationships. St John Rivers, by contrast, has a name derived (in rather heavy-handed fashion, it must be said) from the Christian Evangelist, so we can never forget what he represents.

Jane’s journey of self-knowledge and experience leads her to understand that she must reject both extremes: to be Rochester’s mistress is to privilege the physical at the expense of the spiritual (because their union is unlawful in the eyes of God), but to marry St John when he does not love her nor she him would be a betrayal of the physical and romantic love that Jane realises is equally important.

But in terms of its central romantic plot between the plain, poor orphan girl and the rich, noble male protagonist, Jane Eyre owes something to the fairy tales of Cinderella , Snow White , Beauty and the Beast , and, in a more sinister turn, Bluebeard , with his castle concealing his (dead) wives. Brontë weaves together these various influences into a largely successful whole, even if the plot hinges (as noted above) on some pretty wild coincidences.

In his study of plot, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories , Christopher Booker goes so far as to categorise Jane Eyre as a ‘rags to riches’ story, comparing it with the tale of Aladdin . Both are poor children who attain a romantic partner above their social station, only for the presence of some other (Bertha Rochester; the sorcerer in the Aladdin story) to bring their plans crashing down. They must then rebuild everything until they can legitimately attain the life they want.

To conclude this analysis, let’s return to where we started, with those opening statements about Jane Eyre . Of course we know the author of the novel now as Charlotte Brontë, but that wasn’t the name that appeared on the title-page of the first edition in 1847.

There, the book was credited to Currer Bell, the androgynous pseudonym chosen by Brontë, much as her sisters Anne and Emily published as Acton and Ellis Bell respectively.

The novel soon won her the respect of a number of high-profile literary figures, including her hero William Makepeace Thackeray, who was reportedly so moved by Jane Eyre that he broke down in tears in front of his butler. Brontë would dedicate the second edition of the book to the Vanity Fair author and later met Thackeray (in 1849).

To England, then, I conveyed her; a fearful voyage I had with such a monster in the vessel. Glad was I when I at last got her to Thornfield, and saw her safely lodged in that third-storey room, of whose secret inner cabinet she has now for ten years made a wild beast’s den – a goblin’s cell.

‘That third-storey room’, not ‘that attic’. And Jane makes it clear that the attic of the house is above the third storey of the house: ‘Mrs. Fairfax stayed behind a moment to fasten the trap-door; I, by dint of groping, found the outlet from the attic, and proceeded to descend the narrow garret staircase. I lingered in the long passage to which this led, separating the front and back rooms of the third storey ’ (emphases added).

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2 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre”

I love this book, despite the totally bonkers plot!

So glad it’s cleared up Rochester did not lock his wife in the attic. It should be mentioned how horrible insane asylums were at that time, so Rochester should get credit for saving Bertha from that fate. However, the bigamy stunt is definitely inexcusable.

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Introduction Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte was published in 1847. Interestingly, Charlotte did not choose to publish her work with her real name. Instead, the book was published with her pen name, Currer Bell. The novel proved an instant success, winning her a literary status among other English writers of her time. Following its popularity, the novel appeared in the American publishing market and proved more popular than in England. This bildungsroman (a novel dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education) follows Jane Eyre, its eponymous heroine, throughout her life to highlight her growth as an adult after going through grueling life experiences with her relationships, education, and life.

Summary of Jane Eyre

The story begins when Jane, aged 10, is living at Gateshead Hall, the family manor of the Reeds, with Mr. Reed, her uncle and his wife, and their three children of the same age group. However, she faces cold-shoulder, including occasional ill-treatment of being kept at bay from the family gatherings and provision of cheap clothing. It’s only her Uncle and Bessie, the nursemaid treats her kindly in the house. When he passes away the torture both physically and mentally escalates.

Despite this, she demonstrates resilience and stands tall against the maltreatment she becomes a victim of. On the other hand, Mrs. Reed does not stop at that and sends her to Lowood, a boarding school for poor and orphan girls to get rid of her as she has been becoming an irritant for her. During her audience with Mr. Brocklehurst, Mrs. Reed declares Jane with ‘tendency for deceit’., and demands of him to warn the teachers and pupils at Lowood which Mr. Brocklehurst comprehends as a liar. Before Jane leaves for school, she confronts her and tells her that she will never call her ‘aunt’. This hurts Mrs. Reed feeling but wouldn’t show them.

When she reaches Lowood school, she finds life harsh and the atmosphere stifling. The boarders are mostly ill-fed and thinly dressed even in frosty season. Surprisingly, she adjusts to the situation rather quickly and befriends Helen Burns, a girl older than her, due to her kindness including her unquestioning obedience to corporal punishment and unreasonable reprimanding. Jane sees that most of the pupils face the same treatment on daily basis. Both friends discuss religious and psychological issues for hours.

Jane narrates how she was mistreated by Mrs. Reed but then Helen responds by telling her it would be better if she holds no grudges. Her good nature soon wins her the confidence of the kind and caring superintendent, Miss Temple, whose help publicly vindicates Jane, declaring her an honorable young girl despite bad repute spread by Mr. Brocklehurst during his visit to Lowood. It is in Miss Temple’s company that she finally finds a true mentor. Both Helen Burns and Miss Temple, who play an important part in her moral , psychological, and spiritual development, become her true friends and role models. Among the total eighty pupils at Lowood of whom many died in the outbreak of Typhus, Jane stays safe and healthy. However, his friend, Burns, develops consumption and dies, leaving aggrieved Jane alone .

Having lived for eight years at Lowood with the last two as its teacher, Jane decides to venture out of the school boundary and look for work to stay at some other place. She advertises herself in a newspaper, offering her services as a governess to find a better opportunity. She receives a reply from a certain Mrs. Fairfax of Thornfield, comprising an offer to teach a French girl, Adele Varens, that she immediately accepts. At Thornfield, she finds that Mrs. Fairfax is quite kind and compassionate. Above all, her student, Adele, is a good girl having a good living place. Soon she faces Mr. Rochester, the master of the mansion, though, she stays unaware of his real status until she meets him again at Thornfield.

To her own surprise, she quickly finds herself attracted to Mr. Rochester despite his coldness. She, too, tries her best not to reveal her feelings as he stays indifferent at first but starts paying attention to her after some time. Finally, Jane has to give in to Rochester’s advances. But never confess her feelings towards him. Once, she saves him from the mysterious fire, and he thanks her dearly. The next day, he leaves for a gathering and comes back with the whole party including the beautiful Blanche Ingram. Then, it was rumored that Mr. Rochester and Blanche were to get married. Usually reserved Jane, infuriated during a conversation, Jane and Mr. Rochester both admit their love for each other and decide to marry.

On their wedding day, Mr. Mason, Mr. Rochester’s first wife’s brother, and a lawyer appear and stop the proceedings, declaring that his first wife, Bertha, is alive and kicking. This news not only causes consternation to Jane but also infuriates Rochester. Seeing Jane feeling betrayed, Mr. Rochester explains to her the lunacy of Bertha and his life with her. Although she accepts his explanations and feels sorry, too.  He suggests they elope to France and live as husband & wife without getting married. Even though tempted by his words, she didn’t want to go against her Christian values. Then, she decides to leave Thornfield.

After leaving Thornfield, she wanders in the heath as a destitute and accidentally reaches the Moor House where her cousins Diana, Mary, and St. John Rivers are living. There, she comes to know her being an heiress of a thousand pounds’ fortune that one of her uncles John Eyre has left for her. Meanwhile, St. John proposes to her for marriage since she would make a good missionary wife as he was going to India to serve Christianity. Even though she accepts going to India, she denied the marriage and suggested they travel as brother and sister.

Before leaving for India, Jane mysteriously hears Mr. Rochester’s voice and reverts to Thornfield which to her surprise has been burnt down by Bertha. Rochester, too, has lost his sight and an arm in an attempt to save Bertha from burning alive. Mr. Rochester asks her ‘Am I hideous, Jane?’. She replies ‘Very sir, you always were, you know.’ In spite of his repulsive appearance, she declares her love and assures him of never leaving. Finally, both of them find themselves in each other’s company to marry without any external restriction. Later, Mr. Rochester regains his eyesight and sees their newborn son.

Major Themes in Jane Eyre

• Role of the Family: Jane Eyre, the novel, shows the theme of the family role through Jane, for she is left alone in this world to fend off herself. Although she becomes independent at quite an early age, it comes at a price that she has to rely on Miss Temple and Mrs. Fairfax instead of her parents. When it comes to her relations, she finds that even relatives do not treat a lonely relation fairly. The example of St. John and Mrs. Reed are cases in point that she has to return to Miss Temple to demonstrate her love. Because of that situation, she has to spurn Rochester’s offer to verify his genuineness instead of going for marriage with him in one go. In the case of having a family, she would not have to take too many troubles.
• Religion: Jane Eyre learns that religion plays an important role in a person’s social life when she meets Mr. Brocklehurst but she also learns that this evangelicalism has been adopted to facilitate social superiority, for it is very much couched in hypocrisy. She sees that Mr. Brocklehurst uses the funds of the children for himself and yet mistreats them. She, then, meets Helen Burns, whose tolerance surpasses the clergy, while St. John shows piety and virtuosity to win her. However, she chooses Mr. Rochester to show her own loving side.
• Social Status: The theme of social status emerges quite early and often peeps through different strands in the novel when Jane Eyre has to go through the ordeal of attending boarding school. Although Mr. Reed is her uncle, yet she becomes a butt of their ridicule only because of her social status. She sees that although Mr. Rochester is a reasonable man, he marries Bertha only because she belongs to an aristocratic family. And he suffers for it, too. Later when she finds a niche for herself in society, the same Rochester becomes very sincere and leans toward her. However, she finds sincerity in him, giving him a second chance, and accepts his proposal, though, belatedly.
• Gender Equality : Jane Eyre shows gender inequality through different characters. Jane is confined to the red room merely because of her being a girl and the same goes for Bertha Mason because she depends on Rochester. It shows that the Victorian Era’s idea about femininity was still based on the deprioritization of gender roles. For example, St. John is free to select any career, while on the other hand, Jane could not choose her career due to her gender. However, she becomes slightly independent by the end when she visits Rochester to accept his previous proposal.
• Gothic Elements: Jane Eyre shows the thematic strand of Gothic elements such as through the manor of Thornfield, which is not only mysterious but also very bizarre. Bertha Mason’s behavior, too, becomes strangely mysterious in such an atmosphere where the supernatural rules the roost, or at least seems so. When Rochester is left alone after the suicide of Bertha, he, too, seems to have something Gothic in him.
• Class Struggle: One of the significant themes of the class struggle emerges from the character of Jane and her interaction with her relations, Mr. Reed, and his family. She stays with them as a working hand as long as she is poor with attendant issues of loneliness and depression. However, as soon as she becomes independent, her significance with her relations improves. She not only becomes independent but also marries a gentleman, Mr. Rochester.
• Self-Discovery: Self-discovery or self-knowledge that is also called bildungsroman is also a significant strand as it runs throughout the novel. Jane witnesses this transformation coming gradually to her after she lives with Mr. Reed and then leaves the family for a better prospectus after she discovers that she can survive and improve her life. She, then, does not respond to St. John’s overtures replying to him that she does not love him. With courage and for love, she chooses Mr. Rochester with whom she thinks he is equally in love. This self-discovery becomes a significant theme of the novel.
• Love and Marriage: The novel shows the theme of love and marriage through the character of Jane, St. John, Mr. Rochester, and Bertha. Although St. John tells her that he is ready to marry her, she does not love him. She confesses her love for Mr. Rochester who is already married to Bertha Mason, a mentally ill person, who has become a burden in his life, causing frustration and fear. Ultimately when Bertha Mason commits suicide, Jane responds to Rochester’s proposal, and both of them ready for marriage.
• Colonialism: Many aspects of the novel point to the thematic strand of colonialism that has been going on in the world at that time. Jane’s uncle, John, who lives in Madeira, shows that he has amassed wealth for her. Mr. Rochester, too, has married Bertha Mason, a Jamaican Creole lady, while St. John is ready to set sail for India, an English colony at that time.

 Major Characters Jane Eyre

• Jane Eyre: The eponymous girl, aged 10, Jane Eyre is the protagonist of the novel. From a sensitive orphan, she grows into an assertive and independent young woman who dares to propose to the blind Mr. Rochester, when he needs love and support. However, the journey from a sensitive and dependent teenager to an independent lady has never been an easy ride, for she has had to pay the price in the form of ill-treatment she receives at Lowood and occasional advances from St. Johns, who also proposes to her and asks her to accompany him to India. She, however, stays patient in the face of maltreatment from her uncle and resists love from St. John. This stable and balanced persona wins her the title of the heroine of the novel.
• Edward Rochester: Rochester stands tall among the male characters. He displays a genuine feeling toward Jane and his heroic qualities. He has suffered so much from his hasty marriage with Bertha Mason that he longs to marry a girl like Jane. Although he knows that socially he is quite an aristocrat but he needs an emphatic and sympathetic person like Jane to make him a balanced person. Therefore, when he is paralyzed by the fire in which Bertha Mason burns herself, he accepts Jane’s proposal understanding that it is not out of pity but his sincerity and love.
• John Rivers: St. John is Jane’s cousin, who has devoted his life to preaching as an evangelist and longs to visit India to spread the civilizational message. His stoic and strict brand first seduces Jane but she realizes soon his would-be patriarchal domination that may undermine her independence in the future. Therefore, instead of going for St. John, she prefers Mr. Rochester, for his sincerity of feelings and goodness of his heart in that he needs Jane at this point in his life.
• Helen Burns: Helen Burns is Jane’s schoolmate as well as her mentor. Her faith in Christianity and the goodness of the human heart is buried deep in her psyche that she does not budge from her stand come what may . Jane is not moved much by her staunch religiosity, yet she has a very strong influence on her personality.
• Brocklehurst: Mr. Brocklehurst in the novel is known for the cruelty and torture he inflicts on the children of Lowood School. He stands as a perfect example for a hypocritical figure, delivering Christian sermons but practicing quite opposite. His embezzlement in the school funds later proves this public impression of him.
• Bertha Mason: As the wife of Mr. Rochester, Bertha Mason has a strong impact on her surroundings and Mr. Rochester’s life. Suffering from hereditary mental illness, Bertha becomes a cumbersome burden for Rochester to whom he could not leave. Rather he has had to employ Grace Poole to keep watch on her in case she might commit suicide, and that she does when she burns down Thornfield Manor.
• Reed: Despite being Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed abuses her as a child such as confining her to the red-room as a punishment even for trivial situations. She continues to resent Jane’s presence and does not repent her behavior even on her deathbed.
• Miss Temple: A very considerate lady, Miss Temple treats children with kindness and takes up the responsibility of caring for them about their food and clothing at Lowood. She is specifically kind to Jane and her friend, Helen, and treats them with kindness. Jane and Helen both treat her as their motherly mentor to whom they follow as a role model in their lives.
• John Reed: Jane’s cousin and brother of Eliza and Georgiana, John Reed does not show his relationship with Jane by taking care of her. He rather bullies her whenever he finds a chance and conjoins with his mother to hurt and abuse Jane. Excessive motherly love spoils the kids in that he becomes a gambler when he grows up and commits suicide due to the pressure from the creditors.
• Grace Poole: The significance of Grace Poole lies in his supporting role for Rochester in taking care of Bertha at Thornfield. However, his little negligence provides Bertha time enough to set the entire house on fire, causing severe injuries to Rochester and making him almost dependent on Jane.

Writing Style of Jane Eyre

Descriptive and formal, the novel shows the use of complicated sentences with formal diction suitable for fiction . The formal narrative of Jane also points to her formal education. The novel shows the narrator ’s sympathetic view of other characters in the first-person point of view when addressing all of them “We” instead of merely using “I.” Although sentence structure is complex and elaborate, yet it is understandable for the common readers. Jane often narrates in her cultivated language yet uses very difficult and formal diction that is fit only for academic purposes but simultaneously does not make the reading of the novel hard for its readers. The use of common features such as metaphors and similes and realistic dialogs make the novel fit to be suggested for course work in schools.

Analysis of the Literary Devices in Jane Eyre

• Action: The main action of the novel comprises the whole life and growth of Jane Eyre to an adult. The falling action occurs when she comes to see Thornfield Manor, crumbling to the ground after Bertha Mason sets it on fire, while the rising action occurs when she meets Mr. Rochester to positively respond to his past proposal of marrying her.
• Anaphora : The novel shows examples of anaphora as given in the below example, “I like this day; I like that sky of steel; I like the sternness and stillness of the world under this frost. I like Thornfield, its antiquity, its retirement, its old crow trees and thorn-trees, its grey facade, and lines of dark windows reflecting that metal welkin: and yet how long have I abhorred the very thought of it, shunned it like a great plague-house? How I do still abhor—” (Chapter-XVI) The example shows the repetitious use of “I like.”
• Alliteration : Jane Eyre shows the use of alliteration at several places as given in the below example, Nor could I pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores of Lapland, Siberia, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland, with “the vast sweep of the Arctic Zone, and those forlorn regions of dreary space,—that reservoir of frost and snow , where firm fields of ice, the accumulation of centuries of winters, glazed in Alpine heights above heights, surround the pole, and concenter the multiplied rigours of extreme cold.” (Chapter-1) ii. Two young ladies appeared before me; one very tall, almost as tall as Miss Ingram—very thin too, with a sallow face and severe mien. There was something ascetic in her look, which was augmented by the extreme plainness of a straight-skirted, black, stuff dress, a starched linen collar, hair combed away from the temples, and the nun-like ornament of a string of ebony beads and a crucifix. (Chapter-XXI) Both of these examples from the novel show the use of consonant sounds such as the sound of /s/, /r/,/t/ and again /s/ occurring after an interval to make the prose melodious and rhythmic.
• Allusion : The novel shows a good use of different allusions. For example, I returned to my book—Bewick’s History of British Birds: the letterpress thereof I cared little for, generally speaking; and yet there were certain introductory pages that, child as I was, I could not pass quite as a blank. (Chapter-I) ii. Nor could I pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores of Lapland, Siberia, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland, with “the vast sweep of the Arctic Zone, and those forlorn regions of dreary space,—that reservoir of frost and snow, where firm fields of ice, the accumulation of centuries of winters, glazed in Alpine heights. (Chapter-I) iii. I put both plate and tart away. Bessie asked if I would have a book: the word book acted as a transient stimulus, and I begged her to fetch Gulliver’s Travels from the library. (Chapter-III) iv. “And, Miss Eyre, so much was I flattered by this preference of the Gallic sylph for her British gnome, that I installed her in an hotel; gave her a complete establishment of servants , a carriage, cashmeres, diamonds, dentelles, &c. (Chapter-XVI) The first example shows the reference to a book, the second to different places, the third to Jonathan Swift , an English author, and the fourth to mythology.
• Antagonist : Reed is the antagonist of the novel as he tries his best to obstruct all avenues for Jane Eyre, and also puts her in a situation of mental agony.
• Conflict : The novel shows both external and internal conflict . The external conflict is going on between Jane and the external world like Mr. Reed. The internal conflict is going on in the mind of Jane about her actions and her relationship with Helen Burns and Mr. Rochester.
• Characters: The novel shows both static as well as dynamic characters. The young girl, Jane Eyre, is a dynamic character as she shows a considerable transformation in her behavior and conduct by the end of the novel. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation such as Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, St. John, Georgiana, and Mr. Rochester.
• Climax : The climax in the novel occurs when Mr. Rochester is trapped in his burning manor and is taken out injured. Then Jane visits him to console him and respond to his previous marriage proposal.
• Foreshadowing : The novel shows many instances of foreshadows as given in the examples below, There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question. (Chapter-1) ii. I resisted all the way: a new thing for me, and a circumstance which greatly strengthened the bad opinion Bessie and Miss Abbot were disposed to entertain of me. (Chapter-II) iii. The next thing I remember is, waking up with a feeling as if I had had a frightful nightmare, and seeing before me a terrible red glare, crossed with thick black bars. (Chapter-III) The mention of winter, resistance, and nightmare show that the times for Jane are going to be very difficult. They foreshadow her difficulties lying ahead.
• Hyperbole : The novel shows various examples of hyperboles in the below examples, In five minutes more the cloud of bewilderment dissolved: I knew quite well that I was in my own bed, and that the red glare was the nursery fire. (Chapter-III) ii. According as the shifting obscurity and flickering gleam hovered here or glanced there, it was now the bearded physician, Luke, that bent his brow; now St. John’s long hair that waved; and anon the devilish face of Judas, that grew out of the panel, and seemed gathering life and threatening a revelation of the arch-traitor—of Satan himself—in his subordinate’s form. Curtain of rain were drawn around the car. (Chapter-XXI) Both of these examples exaggerate feelings such as bewilderment which can’t become clouded, or St. John cannot be such a devilish person.
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, He stood between me and every thought of religion , as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun. I could not, in those days, see God for His creature: of whom I had made an idol. (Chapter-XXIV) ii. A kind of pleasant stupor was stealing over me as I sat by the genial fire. In an undertone she gave some directions to Hannah. Ere long, with the servant’s aid, I contrived to mount a staircase; my dripping clothes were removed; soon a warm, dry bed received me. (Chapter-XXVIII) These two examples show images of color, sound, and feelings.
• Metaphor : Jane Eyre shows good use of various metaphors as given the examples below, I really saw in him a tyrant , a murderer. (Chapter-I) ii. This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire; it was silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchen; solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered. (Chapter-II) iii. I caught scraps of their conversation, from which I was able only too distinctly to infer the main subject discussed. (Chapter-III) These examples show that several things have been compared directly in the novel such as the first shows comparing a person to a tyrant, the second shows the room compared to a person, and the conversation of the third shows compared to bread .
• Mood : The novel shows various moods; it starts with quite a somber and bitter mood but turns out to be highly exciting at times and tragic when it reaches Mr. Rochester’s burning in his house, and happy when Jane returns to him.
• Motif : Most important motifs of the novel are winter, fire, ice, spirit, and anger.
• Narrator : The novel is narrated in the first-person point of view, who is Jane herself. The novel starts with her as a child and ends when she finally settles down with Mr. Rochester.
• Personification : The novel shows examples of personifications as given in the below examples, For me, the watches of that long night passed in ghastly wakefulness; strained by dread: such dread as children only can feel. (Chapter-III) ii. Its grey front stood out well from the background of a rookery, whose cawing tenants were now on the wing: they flew over the lawn and grounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separated by a sunk fence, and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty , and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion’s designation. (Chapter-XII) These examples show as if the watches and the trees have feelings and lives of their own.
• Protagonist : Jane Eyre is the protagonist of the novel. The novel starts with her entry into the world and moves forward as she grows young and becomes a lady.
• Rhetorical Questions : The novel shows good use of rhetorical questions at several places. For example, “Who talks of cadeaux?” said he gruffly. “Did you expect a present, Miss Eyre? Are you fond of presents?” and he searched my face with eyes that I saw were dark, irate, and piercing. (Chapter-XIII) ii. “Once more, how do you know? By what instinct do you pretend to distinguish between a fallen seraph of the abyss and a messenger from the eternal throne—between a guide and a seducer?” (Chapter-XV) This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed but different characters not to elicit answers but to stress upon the underlined idea.
• Setting : The setting of the novel is somewhere in northern England during the time of George III.
• Simile : The novel shows good use of various similes as given in the below examples, She had Roman features and a double chin, disappearing into a throat like a pillar: these features appeared to me not only inflated and darkened, but even furrowed with pride; and the chin was sustained by the same principle, in a position of almost preternatural erectness. (XVII) ii. It seemed to me that, were I a gentleman like him, I would take to my bosom only such a wife as I could love; but the very obviousness of the advantages to the husband’s own happiness offered by this plan convinced me that there must be arguments against its general adoption of which I was quite ignorant: otherwise I felt sure all the world would act as I wished to act. (Chapter-XVIII) iii. What a hot and strong grasp he had! and how like quarried marble was his pale, firm, massive front at this moment! (XXVII) These are similes as the use of the word “like” shows the comparison between different things such as the first shows the lady compared to a pillar, the second shows the person compared to another gentleman, and the third shows facial features likened to marble.

Related posts:

• Jane Eyre Characters
• Jane Eyre Quotes
• Jane Eyre Themes
• Jane Austen
• Literary Writing Style of Jane Austen
• Charlotte Bronte

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Introducing Jane Eyre: An Unlikely Victorian Heroine

Portrait of Charlotte Brontë.

Wikimedia Commons

When Charlotte Brontë set out to write the novel Jane Eyre , she was determined to create a main character who challenged the notion of the ideal Victorian woman, or as Brontë was once quoted: "a heroine as plain and as small as myself" (Gaskell, Chapter XV). Brontë's determination to portray a plain yet passionate young woman who defied the stereotype of the docile and domestic Victorian feminine ideal most likely developed from her own dissatisfaction with domestic duties and a Victorian culture that discouraged women from having literary aspirations. Through the following activities, students can learn the expectations and limitations placed on Victorian women. Contemplating Brontë's position and desire for literary achievement in that context, students will compare Jane Eyre to other literary heroines and discuss her social class in relation to other characters.

Guiding Questions

How does Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre refute the notions associated with the ideal Victorian woman?

Learning Objectives

Analyze qualities and traits associated with the ideal Victorian woman and how that affected women's status in society.

Compare and contrast Jane Eyre to other iconic female heroine from this literary era.

Analyze the opening chapters of Jane Eyre in the context of criticism of the novel.

Lesson Plan Details

During an era when etiquette guides circulated freely, empire waists gave way to tiny-waisted corsets, and tea parties grew in popularity, it might seem incongruous that realistic novels would set the Victorian literary trend. Perhaps the socially conscious novel may have been a result of the belief of the rising middle class of Victorian England in the possibility for change, since they had witnessed such economic changes in their lifetimes. With works such as Charles Dickens' Hard Times , George Eliot's Middlemarch and Charlotte's Brontë's own sister Emily's Wuthering Heights featuring female characters that represented trapped and repressed Victorian women marrying for the wrong reasons, disillusioned with family life, and relying on their physical beauty, Jane Eyre serves as a breath of fresh air for women. Jane is a heroine battling the same societal limitations as her literary counterparts, but her raw narrative voice never fails to expose her Romantic sensibilities, psychological depth, and her adamant desire to stay true to herself.

Charlotte Brontë Resources

Browse the " Biography " section of the Charlotte Brontë page of the EDSITEment-reviewed Victorian Web website to find additional biographical information on Charlotte Brontë.

Chapter VIII of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1857 biography The Life of Charlotte Brontë  provides insight into Brontë's life as a whole and her letters with Robert Southey that reveal what Brontë was going through on her way to becoming a published author.

Resources on Victorian England

Victorian Web also has a wealth of resources related to Victorian social history , including the brief The Position of Middle-class Women , which provides some context for Jane Austen's status as a governess.

A general overview of the Victorian Age is also available on Victorian Web.

This  "Victorian Women's Rights"  game is an interactive resource that provides students with information to familiarize them with women's rights and suffrage in the Victorian era.

Students can also use this  Brief Summary of the Most Important Laws Concerning Women (1854)  that features laws that governed women in the Vicotrian Era.

Text Related Sources

The full e-text of Jane Eyre is available at the EDSITEment-reviewed University of Virginia Electronic Text Center .

An audiobook version is available online in two parts ( Part 1 , Part 2 )

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.8. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

Activity 1. Who is the ideal Victorian woman?

Part 1: magazine free write.

Have students free write for a few minutes in response to the prompt, "How do publications reflect and mirror a time and culture?" Have student volunteers share their responses and examples before beginning a brief discussion of how media outlets target different populations and therefore have different content. Use the following questions to generate discussion:

• What media outlets do you regularly view and why?
• Do the media outlets you subscribe to cater to specific demographics?
• How do advertisers target specific audiences through online and print advertising?
• How has advertising and targeted media evolved over time?
• Are you susceptible to media influences?

Part 2: Godey's Lady's Book Examination

Direct students to the March 1850 issue of Godey's Lady's Book , which is available via the EDSITEment-reviewed Internet Public Library. Using the ideas generated in the previous discussion, have students consider the intended audience, likely advertising, and content of the  Godey's Lady's Book  from the title.  Now have students consider that this was a popular periodical to which women could turn for fashion, literature, and even moral guidance. While this is an American publication, the themes in the articles do have similar concerns as those in British society. It should be read, however, within the context of the material presented in the remainder of the lesson plan.

Have students form small groups to explore the March 1850 issue of Godey's by clicking on different pages of the text and skimming some of the text and images. Have them discuss the following questions:

• What generalizations can you make about Victorian culture based on Godey's ?
• What is featured in the section entitled "The Work Table"? What does this say about a middle-class Victorian woman's perception of "work"?
• What major themes are present in these articles and how do those themes relate to the women that read this publication?
• What details stand out in these articles?

Direct students to read the Godey's entry " The Sphere of Woman " by Goethe and to examine its accompanying illustration.

• How does Goethe define the role of the Victorian woman?
• How does he see the woman's role as having advantages over the man's role?
• On what is the woman "dependent"?
• What was produced at the time to challenge this text?

Ask students, "Based on your interpretations of this issue of Godey's Lady's Book , how would you describe the ideal Victorian woman?" After briefly discussing how students envision the ideal Victorian woman, have them read the section "The ideal Victorian women" from Dr. Lynn Abrams article " Ideals of womanhood in Victorian Britain ," via EDSITEment-reviewed Internet Public Library.

Part 3: Wake Up!

In partners or a small group, students will create a script for a morning news program called "Wake up!" that draws upon the research they have done thus far for Activity One. The premise of the morning news show is to illustrate the social, cultural, political, and economic norms regarding gender during the Victorian era and how those same elements of life are dealt with today. One half of the partnership or group will focus on the Victorian Era and the other half will focus on today, with all members of the group using multimedia evidence and original research to support their claims (i.e. what they present as part of the sketch). Sketches may include, but are not limited to, discussing politics, jobs and employment, sports, entertainment, music, literature, and more. 

Activity 2. A Controversial Heroine

"She (Brontë) once told her sisters that they were wrong—even morally wrong—in making their heroines beautiful as a matter of course. They replied that it was impossible to make a heroine interesting on any other terms. Her answer was, 'I will prove to you that you are wrong; I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself, who shall be as interesting as any of yours.'" - Elizabeth Gaskell,  The Life of Charlotte Brontë (chapter XV)

Using this quote as a starting point, start a class discussion using the following questions:

• What does this quote reveal about Brontë's intentions for the character of Jane Eyre?
• Why did she wish to create a heroine that stood out among other Victorian literary characters?
• In what ways was Charlotte Brontë successful in reaching her goal?
• How is Jane Eyre a reflection of Charlotte Brontë? How is she different from the author?

Share with students the words of one critic, Elizabeth Rigby, who in the 1848 issue of The Quarterly Review  , claimed that Currer Bell committed the "highest moral offence a novel writer can commit, that of making an unworthy character interesting in the eyes of a reader."

Have students read an excerpt from Rigby's review that pinpoints the character trait that Jane possesses that makes her an "unworthy" character in Rigby's eyes. Students should scroll down the document about two-thirds and read the two paragraphs beginning with the line "We have said that this was the picture of a natural heart" (or use Edit and Find to search the page for this paragraph).

Ask students to consider the following questions:

• Of what sin does Rigby claim that Jane is guilty?
• What evidence does Rigby choose from the novel to support her criticism?
• In Rigby's opinion, how should Jane have acted under her circumstances?
• How might Jane Eyre be viewed if it were published today?

Read the first three paragraphs of Chapter 1 in Jane Eyre aloud and ask students with what words does Jane (as the first person narrator) assert from the beginning that she is considered "unworthy" in the Reed household. Elicit quotes from students from the first three paragraphs that support the idea of Jane's "unworthiness" and write these quotes on the board.

Have students read Jane Eyre  looking for evidence to support and refute Rigby's claims about Jane. Students should look for both evidence that supports and refutes the criticisms and can record notes using the Activity Two  handout .

Activity 3. Jane Eyre and Victorian Literary Heroines

After looking at real Victorian women and comparing Jane to her historical time period, this activity puts Jane in the context of other romantic literary heroines of the Victorian era. With activities that analyze Wuthering Heights , The Importance of Being Ernest , and Middlemarch in the light of Jane Eyre, the Activity Three  activity guide will help students discuss Jane’s individuality and unique identity. 

Activity 4. Jane's Declaration of Independence 

Throughout these activities, students have explored how Jane’s circumstances often dictate her life. Start a class discussion considering the following questions and any questions that students may have about the topics of love and independence in the novel. After the discussion, have students use the Activity Four  handout  to draft a declaration of independence on behalf of Jane with the goal of freeing herself from her most pressing influences. In the declaration, have students reference at least two specific instances from the novel that show influence over her decisions.

• How is Jane a product of her time period?
• How does she resist many of the stereotypes of women in her time period?
• Who/what influences Jane’s decision making in the novel?
• How does Jane’s love for other characters in the novel influence her decision making?
• Do you consider Jane to be an independent woman?

Activity 5. Character Social Class Mapping

Jane’s social standing was an important part of her identity to most people in the Victorian era. Throughout the novel, consider how the social status of other characters contributes to their characterization. Have students consider the impact of social class as both a positive and negative element to each character. Using the Activity Five  handout , have students collect evidence from throughout the novel that demonstrates the impact of social class on major characters. At the end of the novel, begin a class discussion considering the following questions and others that may arise:

• To what extent was Jane's future determined by her social class?
• Which character's story line was most/least impacted by their social class? Why?
• How does this class system disproportionately affect women, people of color, immigrants, and others?

Essay Prompt/Debate - Using the evidence students have collected throughout their reading, have them write a persuasive essay that either supports or refutes Rigby's claims about Jane.  This activity can also be done as a classroom debate. If desired, split the class into even teams and have them form arguments regarding Rigby's criticism of Jane. At the end of the debate, have students write concluding statements that have supporting evidence for their argument, evidence for the counterargument, and evidence to disprove that counterargument.

Ask students to keep a reading log throughout their reading of Jane Eyre in which they document examples of how Jane's role as a heroine evolves in the novel. Students can keep Brontë's intentions for the character Jane and Rigby's criticisms of Jane in mind as they read and reflect on her development. Writing log entries will help students clarify their assessment of Jane's character. Encourage students to provide textual support when they agree with Jane's actions and attitudes, or when they agree with Rigby's assessment of Jane. Finally, in what ways does Jane conform to Victorian ideals and in what ways does she not conform?

This lesson also may serve as an appropriate introduction to any number of other Victorian novels, including those by Brontë's siblings. Additionally, teach other Victorian writers, such as Robert Browning, who is featured in the EDSITEment lesson plan Browning's "My Last Duchess" and Dramatic Monologue .

Selected EDSITEment Websites

• Godey's Lady's Book Online
• BBC: " Ideals of womanhood in Victorian Britain ." by Dr. Lynn Abrams.
• Victorian "Women's Rights" game
• Rigby Review
• The Life of Charlotte Brontë (e-text)
• "The Brontë Pseudonyms: A Woman's Image—The Writer and Her Public" by Marianne Thormahlen, University of Lund
• A general overview of the Victorian Age
• A Brief Summary in Plain Language of the Most Important Laws Concerning Women (1854)

Materials & Media

Jane eyre - activity 1 handout, jane eyre - activity 2 handout, jane eyre - activity 3 handout, jane eyre - activity 4 handout, jane eyre - activity 5 handout, related on edsitement, introducing jane eyre, jane austen's pride and prejudice : the novel as historical source, charlotte perkins gilman's "the yellow wall-paper"—writing women, scripting the past: exploring women's history through film.

Essays About Jane Eyre: Top 5 Examples and Prompts

Writing essays about Jane Eyre? Take a look at our essay examples about Jane Eyre and be inspired by our additional prompts.

Jane Eyre is widely considered a classic novel that poignantly exposed the struggles of Victorian women through a story of love and emancipation. Jane Eyre is a Victorian novel written by Charlotte Brontë and published in 1847. Many aspects of the novel are said to derive from the personal story and experiences of the author herself. 

Brontë published this masterpiece with the gender-neutral pen-name Currer Bell to evade criticisms as the rebelliousness of Jane Eyre was defiant of the accepted social mores of its period. While it stirred controversy in its time, the heroine of the novel, with her grit to conquer adversities, break the rules and achieve her desires, offers many lessons that inspire many to this day. 

Read on and see our top essay examples and writing prompts to help with your essays about Jane Eyre.

1. Jane Eyre And The Right To Pester by Olivia Ward Jackson

2. jane eyre: content warnings are as old as the novel itself by jo waugh, 3. the tension between reason and passion in jane eyre by nicholas johnson, 4. reading jane eyre: can we truly understand charlotte brontë or her heroine today by sam jordison, 5. christianity as a form of empowerment in charlotte bronte’s jane eyre by noam barsheshat , 1. summary and personal reflection, 2. pervasive imageries, 3. jane eyre in the perspective of feminism, 4. best jane eyre film adaptations, 5. how is jane eyre’s life story similar to brontë’s, 6. what are the primary themes in jane eyre, 7. describe the characters, 8. how did jane eyre find her “true home” , 9. jane eyre as a bildungsroman, 10. jane eyre and economic independence, top 5 essay examples.

“Indeed, parallels can be drawn between Jane Eyre and those trapped in a professional hierarchy today. In rejecting an unwanted pass from a superior employee, far worse than damaging a fragile male ego, a woman could offset a chain of consequences which could threaten her entire career.”

The essay pays attention to the similarities between the class conflicts during Jane’s time and the hierarchies in the modern workplace. Finally, as feminists today argue over what practices and behavior would qualify as sexual misconduct, the essay turns the spotlight to Jane, with her determination to stand up against those who pester her, as a possible model.

“Why was the novel considered inappropriate for young girls, in particular? Many Victorians considered it “coarse and immoral”…The novel’s addictiveness might also have been an issue.”

The essay takes off from a university’s warnings against reading Jane Eyre and fellow Victorian novel Great Expectations, citing the “distressing” passages in the novels. The essay collates and presents the commentaries of people in shock with the warning. However, the piece also shows that such cautionary measures were not exactly new and, in fact, the first reaction when the book came to light.

“​​At the end of many trials Charlotte permits Jane to return at last to her lover…. They feel no passion or intrigue..  Instead of fire and ice, Charlotte gives us warm slush. Perhaps she never resolved the tension between reason and passion for herself, and so was unable to write convincingly about it.”

Johnson dives deep into how Brontë juxtaposed reason and passion in her novel’s imageries, metaphors, and even characters. In his conclusion, Johnson finds the resolution to the tension between passion and reason unsatisfactory, surmising that this weak ending conveys how Brontë never resolved this conflict in her own life.

“It’s easy to think we are more sophisticated because we now know more about – say – the early history of Christianity. Or because Brontë is, of course, ignorant of modern feminist theory, or poststructuralism. We can bring readings to her work that she couldn’t begin to imagine. But she could easily turn the tables on us…”

The essays reflect on how one from modern society could fully comprehend Brontë through the protagonist of her masterpiece. Jordison emphasizes the seeming impossibility of this pursuit given Brontë’s complex genius and world. Yet, we may still bask in the joy of finding an intimate connection with the author 200 years after Jane Eyre’s publication. 

“Through her conflicts with various men―specifically, Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers―Jane’s spiritual identity empowers her and supports her independence.”

This critical essay points out how Jane Eyre reconciled feminism and Christianity, highlighting the latter as a vehicle that empowered Jane’s transformation. Despite Jane’s determined spirit to find true love, she reflects her spiritual view of Christianity to prevent falling into an illegitimate love affair, preserving her well-being and self-empowerment. 

10 Best Prompts on Essays About Jane Eyre

Check out our list of the best prompts that could get you started in your essay about Jane Eyre:

Provide a concise summary of the life of the young, orphaned Jane Eyre. First, cite the significant challenges that have enabled Jane’s transformation into a strong and independent woman. Next, provide a personal reflection on the story and how you identify with Jane Eyre. Then, explain which of her struggles and experiences you relate with or find most inspiring. 

From the chestnut and the red room to the ice and fire contrasts, investigate what these imageries signify. Then, elaborate on how these imageries impact Brontë’s storytelling and contribute to the desired effect for her writing style. 

Jane Eyre is highly regarded as one of the first feminist novels. It is a critical work that broadened Victorian women’s horizons by introducing the possibilities of emancipation. Write about how Brontë portrayed Jane Eyre as a feminist if you do not find that the novel advances feminist ideologies, write an argumentative essay and present the two sides of the coin. 

It is estimated that over 16 film adaptations have been made of the book Jane Eyre. Watch at least one of these movie versions and write an analysis on how much it has preserved the book’s key elements and scenes. Then, also offer insights on how the movie adaptation could have improved production, cinematography, cast, and adherence to the book plot, among other factors. 

Draw out the many parallels between the lives of Jane Eyre and her maker Charlotte Brontë. Suppose you’re interested in knowing more about Brontë to identify better and analyze their shared experiences and traits. In that case, The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell is highly recommended. 

Some of the themes very apparent in the novel are gender discrimination and class conflict. First, point out how Brontë emphasizes these themes. Then, dive deep into other possible themes and cite scenes where you find them echoing the most. 

Describe the characters in the novel, from their roles to their traits and physical appearances. Cite their significant roles and contributions to Jane’s transformation. You may also add a personal touch by focusing on characters with whom you relate or identify with the most,

While Jane grew up in Gateshead with the Reed family to whom she is related by blood, the despicable treatment she received in the place only motivated her to take on a journey to find her true home. First, map out Jane’s search for love and family. Then, explain how finding her “true home” empowered her. 

A bildungsroman roman is a literary genre that focuses on a protagonist’s mental, spiritual, and moral maturation. Discuss the criteria of a bildungsroman novel and identify which parts of Jane Eyre fulfill these criteria.

You may also compare Jane Eyre against heroes of other bildungsroman novels like Pip in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. Lay down their similarities and key differences.

In the latter part of the novel, Jane gains greater economic independence thanks to the substantial wealth she inherited. But before this discovery of inheritance, Jane had struggled with economic stability. So, first, tackle how finances affected Jane’s life decisions and how they empowered her to see herself as an equal to Rochester. Then, write about how women today perceive economic security as a source of self-empowerment. 

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . 

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Introduction & Overview of Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre Summary & Study Guide Description

Published in 1847, Jane Eyre brought almost instant fame to its obscure author, the daughter of a clergyman in a small mill town in northern England. On the surface, the novel embodies stock situations of the Gothic novel genre such as mystery, horror, and the classic medieval castle setting; many of the incidents border on (and cross over into) melodrama. The story of the young heroine is also in many ways conventional—the rise of a poor orphan girl against overwhelming odds, whose love and determination eventually redeem a tormented hero. Yet if this all there were to Jane Eyre, the novel would soon have been forgotten. In writing Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë did not write a mere romantic potboiler. Her book has serious things to say about a number of important subjects: the relations between men and women, women's equality, the treatment of children and of women, religious faith and religious hypocrisy (and the difference between the two), the realization of selfhood, and the nature of true love. But again, if its concerns were only topical, it would not have outlived the time in which it was written. The book is not a tract any more than it is a potboiler. It is a work of fiction with memorable characters and vivid scenes, written in a compelling prose style. In appealing to both the head and the heart, Jane Eyre triumphs over its flaws and remains a classic of nineteenth-century English literature and one of the most popular of all English novels.

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by Charlotte Bronte

Jane eyre essay questions.

How does Charlotte Brontë incorporate elements of the Gothic tradition into the novel?

In the Gothic literary tradition, the narrative structure of a text is meant to evoke a sense of horror or suspense, often through the use of the supernatural, hidden secrets, mysterious characters, and dark passion. Brontë incorporates each of these elements into the novel and especially highlights the importance of the mysterious Byronic hero in the form of Mr. Rochester. Brontë also emphasizes the Gothic nature of Thornfield Hall and incorporates the figure of the Madwoman in the Attic as the primary conflict of the novel. Brontë uses these Gothic elements as a way to heighten the tension and emotion over the course of the narrative, as well as to reveal an almost supernatural connection between Jane and Mr. Rochester.

Is Jane Eyre a likable protagonist? Why or why not?

Jane is an atypical heroine for the Victorian period, and even for contemporary literature, because she is not beautiful in a traditional sense. Unlike Georgiana and Blanche Ingram, who are each lauded as exceptional beauties in the text, Jane is small and slight, with ordinary features and a slightly elvish appearance. With that in mind, Jane is particularly likable protagonist because she is not an idealized figure; her personal and physical faults make her seem more realistic and allow readers to relate to her more closely. At the same time, however, Jane's firm morality and harsh rejection of Mr. Rochester may seem rather cold and unlikable to the more passionate readers. Still, Jane's independent spirit and courage against all obstacles ensure that she is a protagonist to be valued and encouraged.

How does Jane Eyre compare to Bertha Mason?

As the stereotypical Madwoman in the Attic, Bertha is presented as a clear antagonist to Jane in the novel. Not only does she personify the chaos and dark animal sensuality that contrasts so sharply to Jane's calm morality, Bertha is ultimately the sole obstacle between Jane and Mr. Rochester and their eventual happiness. However, while Jane and Bertha seem to be wholly distinct from each other, Bronte does suggest that the two characters have significant similarities. Although Jane is calm and controlled as an adult, she exhibits much of the same passion and bestiality as a child that Bertha displays in her madness. Moreover, though Jane leaves Thornfield rather than become Mr. Rochester's mistress, she still possesses the same qualities of sensuality as Bertha but is simply more successful at suppressing them.

How does the novel comment on the position of women in Victorian society?

As a woman, Jane is forced to adhere to the strict expectations of the time period. Thought to be inferior to men physically and mentally, women could only hope to achieve some sort of power through marriage. As a governess, Jane suffers under an even more rigid set of expectations that highlight her lower-class status. With this social construct in mind, Jane has a submissive position to a male character until the very end of the novel. At Lowood, she is subservient to Mr. Brocklehurst; at Moor House, she is under the direct control of St. John Rivers; and even at Thornfield, she is in a perpetually submissive position to Mr. Rochester. Over the course of the narrative, Jane must escape from each of these inferior positions in an effort to gain her own independence from male domination. After her uncle leaves her his fortune, Jane is able to achieve this independence and can marry Mr. Rochester on her own terms, as an equal. Yet, Bronte emphasizes that Jane's sudden inheritance and resulting happy ending are not typical for women during the time period. Under most circumstances, Jane would be forced to maintain a subservient position to men for her entire life, either by continuing her work as a governess or by marrying an oppressive husband.

Considering his treatment of Bertha Mason, is Mr. Rochester a sympathetic or unsympathetic character?

Although Mr. Rochester's treatment of Bertha may seem to be cruel, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for his situation. Mr. Rochester married Bertha under false pretenses; he was unaware of her hereditary madness and was swept away by her exotic beauty and charm. After discovering his wife's madness, Mr. Rochester does not cast her out but rather attempts to make her life as comfortable as possible. Although Bertha's chamber in Thornfield seems inhumane, it is important to note that the conditions in madhouses of the time period would have been far worse. Mr. Rochester also is more sympathetic when we consider his extreme unhappiness and loneliness: he was fooled by the appearance of love and has been paying for his mistake ever since.

How does Mr. Rochester compare to St. John Rivers?

Throughout the novel, Bronte associates Mr. Rochester with fire and passion and St. John Rivers with ice and cold detachment. Bronte also presents Jane's potential union with each man as profoundly different. With Mr. Rochester, Jane would be forced to sacrifice her morality and sense of duty for the sake of passion. With St. John Rivers, however, Jane would have to sacrifice all sense of passion for the sake of religious duty. Significantly, Bronte also suggests that St. John may not be too different from Mr. Rochester. He is passionately in love with Rosamond Oliver, and his feelings for Rosamond seem to mirror Mr. Rochester's fiery emotions for Jane. However, St. John forces himself to suppress his feelings in favor of a cold evangelical exterior and, as a result, lives his life in solitude.

Why is Jane unable to stay with Mr. Rochester after his marriage to Bertha Mason is revealed?

Although Jane is very much in love with Mr. Rochester, she is unable to give in to the passion that she feels. Her eight years at Lowood School and her conversations with Helen Burns taught her the importance of suppressing passion and lust with morality and a sense of duty. If Jane were to stay with Mr. Rochester, it could only be as his mistress, and Jane is unwilling to sacrifice her sense of right and wrong in order to placate her personal desires. However, because Jane's love for Mr. Rochester is so strong, she realizes that she will be unable to resist him and her own desires if she remains at Thornfield Manor. Thus, when Jane leaves Thornfield, she sacrifices her personal happiness in order to save them both from committing a sin that would destroy the purity of their love.

What is the significance of Charlotte Brontë ending the novel with a statement from St. John Rivers?

In the last chapter of the novel, Brontë describes Jane's happiness with Mr. Rochester: they have married, had children, and Mr. Rochester has regained sight in one of his eyes. Yet, instead of ending the book on this happy note, Brontë concludes the novel with a letter from St. John in India in which he mentions a premonition of his death. St. John has done his duty to God by working as a missionary in India, but his existence still seems small and lonely in comparison to the joyous life that Jane has made with Mr. Rochester. Brontë suggests that even the most pious life is meaningless if it is devoid of love. St. John has a chance for love with Rosamond Oliver, but he sacrificed his happiness with her because he did not believe that love could co-exist with religion. Jane's ending with Mr. Rochester demonstrates the falsity of St. John's beliefs and reminds the readers of what could have happened to Jane if she had given up her love for Mr. Rochester.

What is the role of family in the novel?

The novel traces Jane's development as an independent individual, but it can also be read as a description of her personal journey to find her family. In each of the five stages of the novel, Jane searches for the family that she has never known. At Gateshead, the Reed family is related to her by blood and, while Bessie serves as a sort of surrogate maternal figure, Jane is unable to receive the true love and affection that she desires. At Lowood, Jane finds another maternal figure in the form of Miss Temple, but again, the school does not become a true home to her. When Jane reaches Thornfield and meets Mr. Rochester, she finally finds the love and family for which she has thirsted: Thornfield becomes her home because of her love for Mr. Rochester. However, because of Mr. Rochester's existing marriage to Bertha Mason (a union which nullifies any of Jane's familial connections to the Manor), Jane must move on and attempt to replace the family that she has now lost. Ironically, when Jane stays at Moor House, she actually discovers her true family: the Rivers siblings are her cousins. Yet, Jane's true sense of family remains with the love she feels for Mr. Rochester and, by returning to him at Ferndean and finally accepting his marriage proposal, she is able to fulfill her desire for a true family at last.

How does the novel relate to Charlotte Brontë's personal life?

Many aspects of the novel are autobiographical. Lowood School is based on the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge, where Jane and her sisters studied after their mother's death. Brontë's school has similarly poor conditions, and Brontë modeled Mr. Brocklehurst after the Reverend William Carus Wilson, an evangelical minister who managed the school. Brontë also informed the death of Helen Burns by recalling the deaths of her two sisters during a fever outbreak at their school. John Reed's descent into gambling and alcoholism relates to the struggles of Brontë's brother, Patrick Branwell, during the later years of his life. Most importantly, Jane's experience as a governess were modeled directly on Brontë's own experiences as a governess in wealthy families.

Jane Eyre Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Jane Eyre is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why did Jane go to the party?

Jane attends the party out of curiosity, she leaves because Rochester's guests are rude and arrogant.

What is it that you most admire about Jane?

I think this is asking for your opinion rather than mine. What do you admire about Jane? Is it her sense of independence as a woman in a patriarchal culture? Is it her thirst for education? Is it her resilience?

Why was Jane so invested in the ingrams?

I think your quesstion is embodied in the character of Blanche Ingram. The young and beautiful society lady who is Jane's primary romantic rival. Jane is convinced that the haughty Miss Ingram would be a poor match for Mr. Rochester, but she...

Study Guide for Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a book by Charlotte Brontë. The Jane Eyre study guide contains a biography of Charlotte Bronte, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Jane Eyre
• Jane Eyre Summary
• Jane Eyre Video
• Character List

Essays for Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Brontë. Jane Eyre literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

• Women in Literature: Examining Oppression Versus Independence in Henry V and Jane Eyre
• Jane Eyre: The Independent and Successful Woman Of the Nineteenth Century
• Mystery and Suspense
• In Search of Permanence
• Jane's Art and Story

Lesson Plan for Jane Eyre

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Jane Eyre
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Jane Eyre Bibliography

E-Text of Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is an e-text that contains the full text of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

• Chapters 1-5
• Chapters 6-10
• Chapters 11-15
• Chapters 16-20

Wikipedia Entries for Jane Eyre

• Introduction
• Major characters
• Adaptations and influence

• Jane Eyre: Examining Themes of Freedom and Oppression (Essay Sample)

Paper details

Themes of Freedom and Oppression in Jane Eyre

Introduction

In response to the Jane Eyre piece of literature, there are various forms put in place to create an insight on the major overview of the intention of the story. It is understood that there are words, statements, passages and phrases which are delving into the development of the clear intention of the author. However, from my understanding, I pick on the phrase set forth by Jane Eyre that ‘like any other rebel slave, she felt resolved in her desperation to go all lengths in which even the starkest punishment cannot quell the mood of a revolted slave’. In the response herein, there is an endeavor and a comprehensive analysis on the small excerpt highlighted above with the aim of refuting the claims that Jane Eyre is a perfect romance escaped.

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There is the element of slavery which makes the whole idea out of touch with the concept of love or romance as may be looked at from the analysis perspective. From the passage above, Jane was more inclined and dedicated as seeing into it that she moved out of the bondage which characterized her life. It is precise that Jane was in a bondage and was in her mission of breaking even and get off the shackles of slavery. Jane first strikes back at her young tormentor after which she verbally attack her aunt Reed (Mardorossian p.6). Even though there is conflict between Jane and some of the characters, it is not in the context of romance or love. Instead, contestation is crave for freedom in which the main character is committed to change the whole narrative. The center of conflict which brings about antagonism between these characters is off the grid of the romantic theme which might have taken the epicenter of discussion as insinuated in the better part of the text. From my understanding, I can assert that the protagonist and her supposedly antagonists are more embroiled in a conflict which is brought about by hatred and contempt from each other.

From the text above, there are historical connections and connotation both from political and social spheres. Specifically, there are point outs regarding slavery and the determination of the main character to break the chains on the same. From the text on the introduction paragraph, it is highlighted that Jane was more determined to see into it that she earned freedom. In connection to the political aspects of patriarchy and male imperialism, there is observed resemblance on the same. On a sympathetic balance, feminists from the United States have remarked that some of the authors are not showing the required justice to Jane in the story (Spivak p.244). The text has a historical significance especially on the political and social perspectives. The text represents the fight women undergo to ensure they turn tables of oppression. From the argument on the passage, the author asserts that Jane was determine as a slave in the verge of seeking for her freedom. Further, there are claims that Jane wanted to launch an all-out assault in changing the social and political narrative which raked her society. When freedom and oppression is highlighted in any story or literature, there is inevitability of attraction of political and social commentaries. The review of the story create the impression that there are limited connection of romance and the content of the passage above.

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• Exploring Jane Eyre's Character Development through Key Themes (Essay Sample)
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Children’s Books

Whose Folk Tale Is It Anyway?

A comics collection’s sibling narrators and a graphic novel’s hapless heroine change their stories as they go along.

From “Night Stories: Folktales From Latin America.” Credit... Liniers

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By Sabrina Orah Mark

Sabrina Orah Mark is the author, most recently, of “Happily: A Personal History, With Fairy Tales,” based on her Paris Review column.

• May 17, 2024

For the last 10 minutes, my son Noah has been walking around the house holding up a hand mirror, staring at himself, tripping over the cat, bumping into furniture. He can see only what he’s looking at, which is himself and what’s behind him. “What are you doing?” I ask. “I’m trying to feel what it would be like if I existed only in third person,” he replies. “I see,” I say. “Stay away from the stairs.”

Myth does what Noah is doing. It holds a mirror up to the first person to extract the third. Folk tales leave the first person crumpled on the ground, like an old bathrobe, and refigure its outline into allegory.

On the cover of NIGHT STORIES: Folktales From Latin America (Toon, 48 pp., $17.99, ages 7 to 9), by the Argentine cartoonist Ricardo Liniers Siri, known as Liniers, the “O” in the title is cleverly replaced by a moon with a furrowed brow. Once an open vowel, once a hole in the word “stories,” the worried moon shines on a brother and sister as they tell each other Latin American folk tales from a bunk bed set against a starry sky.

The sky shown behind them in subsequent comics sequences — whorls and loops of black ink on gray watercolor — resembles a fingerprint. But whose? Maybe it’s a folk tale fingerprint that belongs to all of us at once; a fingerprint shared by persons first and third, the storytellers and the characters inside the tales.

Depending on how scared the other sibling is, the brother and sister change the endings and twist the middles of their stories. Around these ad-libbers, Liniers draws soft, circular borders reminiscent of dream bubbles, as if the folk tales themselves are dreaming up the children retelling them. I’ve always believed we tell stories to survive, but maybe I’ve had it backward. Maybe folk tales dream us up so that they never die.

Without ever climbing out of bed, this boy and girl travel across South America, frightening each other with stories of Brazil’s Iara (a mermaid who lures young men to leave everything and live with her underwater forever); Mexico’s La Lechuza (an owl with the face of an old woman who “lost a child to cruelty” and now seeks revenge); and Argentina and Uruguay’s La Luz Mala (an evil light named Mandinga, “a demon that arose from the souls of those who were not buried properly” and spooks weary travelers on the pampas during the driest months).

Below the brim of his black bowler hat, in a panel that takes up three-quarters of a page, Mandinga’s hair shoots out in straight black lines from both sides of his head. His eyes are yellow with red pupils, his mouth and nose hidden by the high collar of a red overcoat. Underneath this panel are terror and its echo: a traumatized gaucho on the left and the brother listening to the folk tale on the right.

Now firmly lodged in the story, the brother is scared enough to ask if, “just for tonight,” the lights could be left on. Not a bad idea given that on the last page — seemingly unaware of one another and contemporized — the mermaid, the owl and Mandinga all appear on a street that could easily be right outside the window.

The book’s introduction, by David Bowles, touches on the Aztecs’ and other Nahua people’s creation myths, reminding us that sometimes it takes five tries to get a world right. And a treasure trove of back matter in turn explains the origins of Liniers’s three “night stories.”

Vera Brosgol’s underwater folk tale, PLAIN JANE AND THE MERMAID (First Second, 368 pp., $14.99, ages 10 to 14), is a cabaret of tropes and figures from many tales we know and love, spun anew. Flecks from “Alice in Wonderland,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Beauty and the Beast” sparkle across the pages of this graphic novel like antique glitter.

Plain Jane feels like a figure not only rescued from the imagination of Hans Christian Andersen, but ultimately relieved of the agony his protagonists often suffer. Brosgol gives Jane the chance of a “happily,” rather than only the darkening fate of an “ever after.”

One might think a world populated with a crone, selkies, zombies, evil mermaids, a water demon, an anglerfish, a lost brother, dead parents, eviction and lovesickness would leave no room for a discernible plot, but Brosgol must have drunk the same potion Jane drinks, giving her the power to breathe underwater, cohere the story and know exactly when to come up for air.

At the heart of her tale are a mermaid who keeps her youth and beauty by eating beautiful men; a mermaid-gone-crone who sacrifices her beauty because she can’t bear to eat the man she loves; and Plain Jane, whose heroic adventures in the depths of the sea enable her to finally see through herself.

Sometimes to get to our truest reflection, we must swim past the many myths that warp our mirrors to where the water is clearest.

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

As book bans have surged in Florida, the novelist Lauren Groff has opened a bookstore called The Lynx, a hub for author readings, book club gatherings and workshops , where banned titles are prominently displayed.

Eighteen books were recognized as winners or finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, in the categories of history, memoir, poetry, general nonfiction, fiction and biography, which had two winners. Here’s a full list of the winners .

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