Setting: 19th century England, Yorkshire Moors Point of View: first person Narrator: Jane Eyre telling it as an adult flashing back to her childhood.
CHARACTERS: Jane Eyre: Jane is the orphaned daughter of a poor parson and his disinherited wife. She lives at Gateshead Hall in the care of her aunt, Sarah Gibson Reed. She is lonely and depressed here because she is abused emotionally and physically. She later enrolls at Lowood, a boarding school for poor, orphaned girls. There, Jane distinguishes herself in her classes and finds love and compassion through the kindness of Ms.
Temple and Helen. She eventually takes a position as a governess to a little French girl, Adele Varens, the ward of Edward Rochester, the master of Thornfield Hall. Jane and Rochester develop a mutual admiration and love for each other. Their marriage plans are interrupted, however, and Jane flees to Thornfield Hall. In the intervening years separation before their eventual marriage, she establishes her independence. The two finally find happiness together and produce a son.
John Reed: The 14 year old who bullies Jane and is spoiled by his mother. He is violent and abusive and is condescending in his treatment in his treatment to Jane. Later in life, he reduces his mother to poverty and dispair by leading a dissipated life. At the age of 23, he dies and is rumored to have killed himself Eliza Reed The older daughter of the Reed family.
She is frugal to the point of being greedy. She keeps chickens, hoards her eggs and chicken money, and lends it to he mother at a high interest rate. When her mother lies on her deathbed, she cold-heartedly ignores her and devotes herself to religion. After Mrs. Reeds death she becomes a nun at a convent in Lisle, France, and eventually rises to a position of Mother Superior, leaving her fortune to the nunnery. Georgiana: The vain, self-indulgent beauty of the Reed family.
She is acrid and selfish (wont let Jane play with her toys). She accuses Eliza for ruining her plans to marry Lord Erwin Vere. She later goes to London and marries a wealthy man. Aunt Sarah Reed: The mean-spirited widow of Jane Eyres uncle who torments Jane at every opportunity.
She is hypocritical and feigns to Janes benefactress. Despite Janes attempt to make up for the past, Mrs. Reed rejects Janes reconciliation and dies alone, and unloved. Bessie Lee: The servant at Gateshead Hall who consoles Jane with treats from the kitchen, Gullivers Travels, and sang her songs when she was excluded from the family festivities, and visits Jane at Lowood. Bessie later marries Robert Leaven, the coachman, has 3 children, and continues working for the Reed family.
Miss Abbot: The servant at Gateshead Hall who treated Jane condescendingly and referred to her as a toad. Mr. Lloyd: The apothecary who treats Jane at Gateshead. He perceives Janes unhappiness and thinks of solutions to her problem: live with her fathers poor relatives or go to boarding school. Mr.
Brocklehurst: The head of Lowood School who interviews Jane. His grim, hypocritical evaluation of Janes shortcomings follows her to Lowood where he publicly labels her a liar. He is austere and preaches fire and brimstone; however, his wife and daughters are luxuriously dressed. Helen Burns: The 14 year old motherless child from Northumberland.
She befriends Jane at Lowood and offers encouragement by word and example as the two friends endure the hardships of school life. She is punished by Ms. Scatcherd to wear dirty clothes and slattern across her forehead. On her deathbed, she anticipates contentment with God and a reunion with Jane in heaven. Maria Temple: The superintendent and music teacher at Lowood. She positively influences Jane by showing her kindness and sympathy, and how to nurse her animosity.
She later marries Rev. Mr. Nasmyth. Edward Fairfax Rochester: After Rowland, Edwards brother, receives the entire Rochester family inheritance, Edward is tricked into marrying an insane woman whom he barely knows. His love for Jane rekindles love, although his wife is secretly locked up in a third story room of Thornfield.
Following the death of his wife, the loss of his home to a terrible fire, blindness, and the amputation of his left hand, he is reunited with Jane at Ferndean, marries her, and recovers enough vision in one eye to see their son. Blanche Ingram: The shallow daughter of Lady Ingram who uses her glamour to lure Rochester toward a marriage proposal. However, her enthusiasm for Edward fades when he discloses that his fortune is not as large as he had thought. Celine Varens: The French mistress of Mr. Rochester.
Edward, however, broke of their affair after overhearing her ridicule him to another man. Adele Varens: The child of Celine whom Edward refuses to claim as his own daughter, but raises her as his ward at Thornfield anyway. Her association with Jane Eyre, her governesses and friend, brings happiness to both of them. Bertha Antoinette Mason Rochester: The daughter of a West Indies planter who conceal her retardation and madness characteristic of her mothers side of the family and marries Edward, a son of her fathers business partner.
After 4 years, Edward takes her to Thornfield and locks her in a room under the care of Grace Poole. She cleverly escapes from her keeper at intervals and causes mischief. Aware that Rochester plans to marry Jane, Bertha ignites Janes bed, then leaps from the roof to her death. Richard Mason: A merchant and Bertha Masons brother. He visits Thornfield and suffers bitings and stabbing from his sister.
After learning of Janes engagement, he makes a second visit to Thornfield and halts the wedding by announcing Edwards intention to commit bigamy. Grace Poole: A trustworthy employee at Thornfield Hall whose position remains a mystery until Rochester reveals the existence of his wife. Graces fondness of gin gives Bertha occasional opportunities to wander around Thornfield and harm its residents. St. John Rivers: The overly zealous minister of the parish at Morton He serves as the head of his family after his fathers death and saves Jane from starvation. He attempts to repress his passion for Rosamond Oliver, prepare himself for the mission fields of India, and force Jane to marry him, and serve as his missionary assistant.
Jane refuses and St. John remains unmarried. John Eyre: Janes uncle; her fathers brother. He is a self-made man who attempts to locate his niece, Jane, in order to leave her his fortune after his quarrel with St.
Johns father makes it impossible foe him to leave his money to the Rivers children. THEMES Preternatural Motif: Things cant be explained according to nature or natural event.
- the story that Bessie told of Gytrassh
The ghost of Mr. Reed in the red room
The recurring dream that Jane has of an infant wailing, laughing. This is supposed to be a bad omen as Jane recalls Bessies dream which results in the death of Bessies sister. After Janes dream, she hears of John Reeds death.
Jane has a dream of her mother who tells her to “flee temptation” She leaves before dawn with 20 shillings. She then takes a coach to Whitcross. That was the farthest her money could take her. Realism: In literature it is a manner of presentation that stresses an accurate even perhaps factual presentation Of subjetal manner.
The emphasis is on the rational. It depicts accurately the human condition. It also presents ills of society. Ex: treatment in schools- Brontes sister died because of this Ills of Society:
- prejudice against different classes This is revealed in the servants and the Reeds condescending treatment of Jane. She is considered inferior since she is poor.
This is revealed also when the apothecary is called in instead of a doctor when Jane is sick The upper and lower class do not speak to each other. Mr. Rochester tells Jane to sit quietly and speak only when spoken to.
- child abuse and neglect (seen by Mr. B and Mrs. Scatcherd) Jane-punished to stand on a stool, called a liar Helen- wear dirty clothes, “slattern”
- Mr. B orders Julie Saverns curls to be cut “privation fosters the spirit”
- poverty deprivation – depriving people of the basic necessities ( food, clothing )
- burnt porridge, chilblains, lack of medical attention hypocrisy.
