Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Illustration by F.H. Townsend (1868-1920).
Jane Eyre is a novel by the British author Charlotte Brontë. It was first published in 1847.
Plot[]
The story is about an orphan girl, Jane Eyre, who loses both her parents and is raised by her aunt in Gateshead. Her aunt, Mrs. Reed, hates the girl and only takes care of her because her brother made her promise to do so. Jane lives a nightmare life there until Mrs. Reed sends her to study at Lowood, a charity school directed by Mr. Blocklehurst. There, Jane and all the girls are badly treated by the teachers and the owner: they are not fed properly, they do not have enough clothes and they are insulted and punished. An epidemic of typhus strikes the school and many students die, including a dear friend of Jane. After that, the school receives greater public attention and conditions get a little better.
Jane Eyre spends eight years at Lowood, six as a student and two as a teacher. After that, she goes to work for Mrs. Fairfax as a governess. She teaches Adele, a child adopted by the master of the house, Mr. Rochester. There, she finds a strange mystery concerning Mr. Rochester and Grace Poole (a servant with a diabolical laugh). Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and after some time, he asks her to marry him.
Style[]
The novel is gothic in style. It falls into the genres of romance and mystery; there is a central mystery Jane Eyre must solve, that of Mr. Rochester and Grace Poole.
See also[]
- The Eyre Affair -- a modern story that plays off Jane Eyre