Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre was Charlotte Bronte's first novel to be published back in 1847, although she eventually had a total of six novels published. One of the famed Bronte sisters, Charlotte originally was published under the pseudonym Currer Bell, while her sisters Anne and Emily published under Acton and Ellis Bell respectively. Charlotte was the third of six children born to her family, but she outlived all of her siblings despite dying at the young age of 39 years old. Jane Eyre deals with bullying, child abuse, death, mental illness, ableism, religious bigotry, death of a parent, fire resulting in injury, suicide, gaslighting, abandonment, and classism, as well as references of racism.

Jane Eyre never knew her parents, she was raised in the home of her mother's brother - who also died but forced a promise on his wife that she would care for Jane. And Jane's aunt, Mrs. Reed, did that in the loosest terms possible. Jane did not have a happy childhood, not even when she was sent away to school since her aunt made sure that Jane went to a school that would keep her miserable. But after a few years, a large outbreak of tuberculosis, and a complete overhaul, the school Jane attended had a turn around. For a time she was happy, until she grew restless and continued to look for someplace that could be a home for her long term. When Jane accepts a job as governess to a wealthy man's ward, Jane believes she may have found just the place. But soon, Mr. Rochester's secrets are revealed and Jane must made a decision. Can she continue to live with Mr. Rochester even knowing what she knows now, or should she follow her conscious and leave behind the only place she's ever really been happy.

I realized last year that I hadn't actually read Jane Eyre, despite knowing quite a bit about the plot of the novel and having read several works based on it. I set out to remedy that right away. I was surprised by how much I liked the personalities of Jane and Mr. Rochester. Jane is a little naive and Mr. Rochester is a little gaslighty, but putting that aside they are both quite funny. Jane is fairly refreshing as a character - unable to not speak her mind and very opinionated. I enjoyed her progression through the book and the different people that came into and out of her life and the different effects each character had on Jane and how she looked at the world. How she interacted with the world. And I can understand why this novel was so popular, the premise must have been mind blowing at the time it was published. I feel like, even though I knew a lot about what happened, it was still worth reading and seeing how Charlotte allows the story to play out. I did really like it, but it was a bit long. Every character is very long winded. It could have been shorter and it could have had less of men knowing what Jane Eyre really wants in life (let a girl decide for herself!) but other than that, I enjoyed it.

I'm giving Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 4.25 stars out of 5. If it were published today, I think the dialogue would have been tightened up some. I can't imagine people were so wordy back then.

Pairs well with porridge and camping out for the night.

My favorite quotes:

"'Life appeared to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.'"

"There are people who seem to have no notion of sketching a character, or observing or describing salient points, either in persons or things: the good lady evidently belonged to this class."

"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the hear whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones."