Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Bronte
# Pages: 507
Published: 1847
Rating: 4 stars
Jane Eyre was the first novel published by Charlotte Bronte, and it was originally published under Bronte’s pen name, Currer Bell. Charlotte Bronte was a member of a very creative and literary family–she and her sisters published a book of poems in 1846, and by the end of 1847 both of Charlotte’s sisters also had novels published.
The story is of Jane, is a poor orphan being raised in the home of her late uncle. Since her uncle has died, she is the responsibility of her aunt who clearly has no love for her niece. Her cousins are mean to her while they grow up, and they ridicule and look down on her due to her position as a poor orphan. Jane is eventually sent away to boarding school, where the conditions are deplorable but, as happens in so many good stories, she meets a wonderful friend and a wonderful mentor. Bronte patterned the boarding school after one that her two older sisters attended, both of whom passes away as children because of illnesses contracted at the school.
After boarding school, Jane decides to move on with her life and finds a position as a governess. She finds happiness there and enjoys teaching, spending time with her student, and speaking with her master, Mr. Rochester. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot, though it ends up pretty much the way you would expect it to.
One of the defining features of Jane Eyre is the Gothic theme that runs throughout the story. From ghosts to secret rooms, Bronte gives the reader everything a Gothic fan could hope for. It’s also fraught with symbolism, which makes it fun for people who like to dissect their literature.
Favorite Quotes:
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
“I do not think, sir, you have any right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.”
“Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.”
“I would always rather be happy than dignified”