When ‘Jane Eyre’ was published, in 1847, it met with extreme reactions. One enthusiastic supporter declared Charlotte Brontë’s novel to be worth ‘fifty Trollopes and Martineaus rolled into one counterpane, with fifty Dickenses and Bulwers to keep them company.’
Opponents, many of whom were female, denounced the book as ‘dangerous’, with its ‘outrages on decorum’, its ‘furious love-making’ and its ‘grossness’. There is definitely something compelling about the relationship between the Byronic Mr Rochester and the vulnerable governess.
Jane is a remarkable heroine. Starting out with the disadvantages of a bullied orphan, forced to make her own way in life, she faces her troubles with courage, retaining her dignity and integrity.
J147 under CC-BY-SA licence
North Lees Hall, inspiration for Thornfield Hall
At times she is restrained and demure; but on other occasions we witness her anger and passion. She asserts her right to think for herself, telling Rochester that they are equals: ‘I have as much soul as you, - and full as much heart!’
As you follow Jane on her journey, notice the place names: Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Ferndean etc. How do the names reflect the phases of her life?
And if you enjoy ‘Jane Eyre’, follow it up with the haunting novel ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, by Jean Rhys, about the life of the first Mrs Rochester...
Jane Eyre was the March 2004 title for the .
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