A Classic for All (Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte)

Member Name: rachelkanga

Product:	Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Date:	25/02/05 (1218 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story

Disadvantages: None

I was first introduced to this book when I took AS Level English as a mature student. I was about 21 at the time and loved the book from the moment I started to read.

~The Author~
Charlotte Bronte was born in Thornton, Yorkshire on 21st April 1816, the third daughter of Patrick and Maria Bronte. In1817 her brother Patrick Branwell Bronte was born, with Emily the following year and finally Anne in 1820.

In April 1820 the family moved to Haworth, on the moors where her father took up the post of curate until his death in 1861. A year after moving to Haworth Maria Bronte died leaving 5 daughters and a son. In 1824 when Charlotte was only 8, all of the girls except Anne were sent to a clergyman’s daughters boarding school called Cowan Bridge in Lancashire.

In 1825 Charlotte’s eldest sister Maria died of Consumption and Charlotte and Emily returned to Haworth in time to see Charlotte’s second eldest sister Elizabeth, die also of Consumption a month later. The remaining children were now looked after by their aunt Elizabeth Branwell. From 1831 - 32 when aged only 14 Charlotte attended Miss Wooler’s school at Roe Head, returning there as a teacher in 1835 when she was 19. In 1838 Charlotte left Miss Woolers school.

In 1839 Charlotte rejected a marriage proposal from Henry Nussey because she planned to take up the post of Governess at Miss Sidgwick’s at Stonegappe Lothersdale. However she only remained in this post for two months before leaving later the same year Charlotte also rejected a proposal from Bryce and returned to Haworth. In 1841 Charlotte became Governess at Mrs White’s, Upperwood House, Rawdon. In 1842 Charlotte and her sister Emily left to go to Pensionnat Heger in Brussels to study languages. In 1843 Charlotte became a teacher at Pensionnat Heger but she only stayed a year before returning once more to Haworth.

In 1846 Charlotte, Emily and Anne published poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. Later the same year Charlotte’s first novel The Professor, was rejected by several publishers, but on October 19th 1847 Jane Eyre was published under the pseudonym Currer Bell and achieved immediate success. In the December Wuthering Heights by Emily and Agnes Grey by Anne were also published.

In 1848 Branwell died soon followed by Emily, and less than six months later in 1849 Anne also died.

Charlotte went on to publish Shirley in 1849 and Villette in 1853 both again under the pseudonym of Currer Bell. In 1851 Charlotte refused a proposal from James Taylor but did finally marry on 29th June 1854 her father’s curate, the Rev. Arthur Bell Nicholls but she died only a year later on 31st March 1855. She was 38. The Professor was finally published in 1857.

~The Book~

Jane Eyre is an orphan, living with relatives she really cannot stand and obviously do not like her, Jane narrates the story herself and it starts with her being packed off to Boarding School. Sound familiar - JK Rowling possibly took inspiration from this for her character Harry Potter but the similarity between the two characters ends here. This book is set in the 18th Century and unlike Harry she hated school more than she hated home.

Jane struggles to learn at school as she finds rules oppressive. She meets Helen Burns, a fragile girl, who shows her what friendship and love are all about. Although her time at the school is unpleasant, her determined character help to mature into a trusted pupil and knowing that her relatives do not ant her back she applies for the position of governess.

The bulk of the book is set at Thornfield Hall, where Jane is the governess to a young French girl, the ward of the ill-tempered Mr. Rochester. Unfortunately despite his faults Jane finds herself immediately attracted to him but knowing he is from a different class, is considerably older than her and surrounded by attractive women one of whom he obviously set to marry, perceives there to be no chance of a romance between them. Nevertheless they enjoy some cosy evenings together, and discuss all sorts of topics and develop a discussing everything under the sun, and developing a pleasant friendship.

Unbeknown to Jane, Mr Rochester has a dreadful secret, a secret which is hinted at throughout the book but still comes a terrible shock when revealed. Jane had sworn to forgive him anything he had done in his past, but even she can not forgive this and knowing she cannot stay and keep her integrity, she runs away, almost destitute, and is eventually taken in by a kindly parson and his sisters.

Eventually, after some slightly unlikely events, everything ends well.

~Conclusion~

It is difficult today to see why at the time of publication this book was considered inappropriate for the daughter of a clergyman to have written as the references are to passion rather than anything said or done but it may have also been that is was unheard of for a woman to write.

Perhaps the fact that Mr. Rochester was able to persuade the young innocent Jane to become his mistress and that Jane would do so despite his obvious failings would have turned such staunch moralists against the novel when it was written. Perhaps if they had understood the fantasy in Charlotte’s head which helped to produce the character of Mr. Rochester they would have been even more concerned. The love Jane Eyre had for Mr. Rochester was the love that Charlotte believed in, yet the man she fell in love with was the Belgian professor of the Brussels school yet she married the dull, despised Irish curate more out of loneliness when the rest of her family had died. Mr. Rochester was the character in her dreams not in her life.

This is a lovely book full of melodrama and unrealistic happy events. The appalling childhood and early school days fill you with great sympathy for the character. You can only wish her to find true love and happiness. When she is within moments of making a terrible mistake it is a relief that she runs away yet somehow you can not hate Mr. Rochester - he is not a young handsome man and at firs there is little to like about him but you grow to love him.

It is a book that would probably appeal more to woman than men, although it is more and more commonly read at A’Level English courses and the men who studied it with me, did enjoy it also, though they sympathised more with Mr. Rochester than with Jane. A great book which I could easily read over and over again.

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