However, I found myself more interested in the smaller list of titles from the 19th century. My search narrowed as I decided on what themes I was interested in pursuing: society, women. Primarily, this intrigue stemmed from the many times I have read (and listened to audiobook versions of) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. After asking around for the second time, this time with more specificity, I got significantly few hits: Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Emma, Wuthering Heights, Little Women, Jane Eyre, etc. I would be lying if I did not admit how intimidated by this list I was.
Taking the advice of my sister, I settled on Jane Eyre. For the most part, she eased my worries— calling it “fantastic” and her “favorite book.”
So…
Welcome to this literary blog on Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre!
Going into Jane Eyre, I knew little about what I should expect. “Fantastic” had set the bar for enjoyment very high and similarly, Google’s description as a “bildungsroman” had set the bar for niche vocabulary to an extreme.
A bildungsroman is a coming of age novel. As this genre implied, thus far Jane Eyre has been mainly character driven. I have seen the titular character Jane develop from age 10 to 18.
Jane implies that she takes the blows wielded by the Reeds silently. She is “accustomed to John Reed’s abuse” and “never had an idea of replying to it” (12). However, less than a page later, I was surprised to learn that Jane Eyre is not a martyr. While she is later unfairly given the blame for the fight, I was shocked to see her verbally retaliate to John and get into a brawl. Originally, I was under the impression that Jane would be a powerless child, wholly innocent and a very stereotypical victim. Before this altercation, Jane gave me strong Harry Potter vibes. She ticked all the major boxes: Orphaned pre-teen child; abusive un-loving relationship with an aunt and/or uncle; seemingly more intellectual, thin (less greedy), and quiet than the other children of the house.
However, thus far I prefer Jane Eyre to the Harry Potter series. Although writing style is the most major and obvious reason, I think Jane is also a preferable protagonist. She is more relatable because she acts in her own self-interest, while simultaneously enduring her adverse circumstances. Jane is more passionate, strong-willed, and angsty. While Harry has virtually zero hobbies or interests, Jane spends the first pages of her narrative introducing herself as an avid reader.
Jane’s most impactful act of defiance occurs when she is finally ready to leave Gateshead for school. I liked how Jane had enough confidence to call out Mrs. Reed for being a terrible benefactress, saying “the very thought of [Mrs. Reed] makes [her] sick, and that [Mrs. Reed] treated [her] with miserable cruelty” (38). Furthermore, I enjoyed how Jane’s reasoning for these remarks, telling the truth, painted Jane as a very honest person.
Over time, Jane matures significantly. A large influence in Jane’s progression is her character foil, Helen Burns. Both quiet orphans with an affinity for intellectual gain, Helen Burns and Jane are very similar. However, Helen is significantly less passionate about her treatment and is more receptive to blows upon her honor. Helen is thus more mature, complains less, and is better suited for life at Lowood.
However, Jane is perceptive and learns a lot from her conversations with Helen. In Chapter 7, Jane acknowledges their differences:
Taking the advice of my sister, I settled on Jane Eyre. For the most part, she eased my worries— calling it “fantastic” and her “favorite book.”
So…
Welcome to this literary blog on Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre!
Going into Jane Eyre, I knew little about what I should expect. “Fantastic” had set the bar for enjoyment very high and similarly, Google’s description as a “bildungsroman” had set the bar for niche vocabulary to an extreme.
A bildungsroman is a coming of age novel. As this genre implied, thus far Jane Eyre has been mainly character driven. I have seen the titular character Jane develop from age 10 to 18.
Gateshead
She begins the novel as an abused orphan in the care of the inhabitants of Gateshead. Jane’s benefactors — the living members of the Reed family: Mrs. Reed, John, Georgiana, and Eliza — resent her presence and only keep her due to Mrs. Reed’s obligation to uphold her dead husband’s final wishes.Jane implies that she takes the blows wielded by the Reeds silently. She is “accustomed to John Reed’s abuse” and “never had an idea of replying to it” (12). However, less than a page later, I was surprised to learn that Jane Eyre is not a martyr. While she is later unfairly given the blame for the fight, I was shocked to see her verbally retaliate to John and get into a brawl. Originally, I was under the impression that Jane would be a powerless child, wholly innocent and a very stereotypical victim. Before this altercation, Jane gave me strong Harry Potter vibes. She ticked all the major boxes: Orphaned pre-teen child; abusive un-loving relationship with an aunt and/or uncle; seemingly more intellectual, thin (less greedy), and quiet than the other children of the house.
However, thus far I prefer Jane Eyre to the Harry Potter series. Although writing style is the most major and obvious reason, I think Jane is also a preferable protagonist. She is more relatable because she acts in her own self-interest, while simultaneously enduring her adverse circumstances. Jane is more passionate, strong-willed, and angsty. While Harry has virtually zero hobbies or interests, Jane spends the first pages of her narrative introducing herself as an avid reader.
Jane’s most impactful act of defiance occurs when she is finally ready to leave Gateshead for school. I liked how Jane had enough confidence to call out Mrs. Reed for being a terrible benefactress, saying “the very thought of [Mrs. Reed] makes [her] sick, and that [Mrs. Reed] treated [her] with miserable cruelty” (38). Furthermore, I enjoyed how Jane’s reasoning for these remarks, telling the truth, painted Jane as a very honest person.
Lowood
Jane’s honesty is seemingly important to her honor. While she moves from Gateshead to Lowood (a not-so-charitable charity school for young women), she retains her values of intellect, honor, and honesty. In her first year at school, she seeks out friends who similarly value books and continues to be torn up over issues of shame and honesty.Over time, Jane matures significantly. A large influence in Jane’s progression is her character foil, Helen Burns. Both quiet orphans with an affinity for intellectual gain, Helen Burns and Jane are very similar. However, Helen is significantly less passionate about her treatment and is more receptive to blows upon her honor. Helen is thus more mature, complains less, and is better suited for life at Lowood.
However, Jane is perceptive and learns a lot from her conversations with Helen. In Chapter 7, Jane acknowledges their differences:
Jane states, “It seems disgraceful to be flogged, and sent to stand in the middle of a room full of people; and you are such a great girl: I am far younger than you, and I could not bear it.”
To which Helen replies, “ yet it would be your duty to bear it, if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what is your fate to be required to bear” (58).
Although I have not yet deciphered Bronte’s overarching messages about societal expectations on women, I can tell that Helen and Jane contrast each other's adherence to social duties. In this encounter, Jane is less mature (and acknowledges it) and more focused on upholding her own honor. As Jane reveres Helen’s “greatness”, although she can’t yet “comprehend this doctrine of endurance” (58), Jane learns to follow Helen’s example.
This passage foreshadows a future event in which Jane demonstrates a large character development. When Mr. Brocklehurt returns to Lowood and questions Jane’s honor by revealing her believed terrible nature, Jane is forced to face what she cannot bear: standing in shame in the middle of the room. I believe it is here where she transitions from shame to understanding.
Importantly, after 8 years, Jane outgrows the school. I think this shows that Jane’s character has matured beyond the lessons of childhood and is now about to learn about what it means to be a woman in real society. I appreciate that it is Jane that seeks to leave Lowood because her initiative makes her an inspiring role model.
I am intrigued to see what her role at Thornfield will be. Unfortunately, I don’t feel as if I know very much about it yet. All I can tell is that Lowood appears to have prepared her well for her role as a governess thus far. Her knowledge of proper French has helped her and she gets along pleasantly with Mrs. Fairfax and Adele Varens.
I hope to get to her eventual relations with Mr. Rochester very soon, who has not yet been fully introduced. I am curious to see what the shortcomings of Jane’s unconventional childhood will be. She has yet to have a long lasting positive male relationship (as her doctor hardly counts) so I will be interested to see if this is where she falls short.
To which Helen replies, “ yet it would be your duty to bear it, if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what is your fate to be required to bear” (58).
Although I have not yet deciphered Bronte’s overarching messages about societal expectations on women, I can tell that Helen and Jane contrast each other's adherence to social duties. In this encounter, Jane is less mature (and acknowledges it) and more focused on upholding her own honor. As Jane reveres Helen’s “greatness”, although she can’t yet “comprehend this doctrine of endurance” (58), Jane learns to follow Helen’s example.
This passage foreshadows a future event in which Jane demonstrates a large character development. When Mr. Brocklehurt returns to Lowood and questions Jane’s honor by revealing her believed terrible nature, Jane is forced to face what she cannot bear: standing in shame in the middle of the room. I believe it is here where she transitions from shame to understanding.
“What sensations were, no language can describe; but, just as they all rose, stifling my breath and constricting my throat, a girl came up and passed me: in passing, she lifted her eyes. What a strange light inspired them! What an extraordinary sensation that ray sent through me! How the new feeling bore me up!” - Bronte, 69In this moment, Jane begins to find comfort in her own suffering, for she knows that bearing it strongly is something to be proud of. For Jane, this feeling is only momentary, as she cries that she is “a girl whom everybody believes to be a liar” (70). However, I still think that this step began the development of Jane’s improvement. After this event, Jane begins to mature much more rapidly. Unfortunately, Helen meets an untimely death from consumption but Jane grows to fill her role as a leader at the school.
Importantly, after 8 years, Jane outgrows the school. I think this shows that Jane’s character has matured beyond the lessons of childhood and is now about to learn about what it means to be a woman in real society. I appreciate that it is Jane that seeks to leave Lowood because her initiative makes her an inspiring role model.
I am intrigued to see what her role at Thornfield will be. Unfortunately, I don’t feel as if I know very much about it yet. All I can tell is that Lowood appears to have prepared her well for her role as a governess thus far. Her knowledge of proper French has helped her and she gets along pleasantly with Mrs. Fairfax and Adele Varens.
I hope to get to her eventual relations with Mr. Rochester very soon, who has not yet been fully introduced. I am curious to see what the shortcomings of Jane’s unconventional childhood will be. She has yet to have a long lasting positive male relationship (as her doctor hardly counts) so I will be interested to see if this is where she falls short.
Works Cited
Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York, Vintage Classics, a division of Random House, 2009.
Short, Stuart N. Charlotte Brontë. Flickr, www.flickr.com/photos/summonedbyfells/8109336290. Accessed 17 Feb. 2021.
