The story opens with Jane, aged ten and an orphan, living with some ghastly relatives who dislike her, and cousins who bully her. An opening scenario which has inspired many novels over the years, including, of course, those by JK Rowling. Jane, who narrates the book, hates her relatives with a passion, and is sent away to boarding school. However the similarity with Harry Potter ends at this point. Firstly the setting is that of the late 18th century, and secondly the school is even more unpleasant than her home.
At school, Jane does her best to learn, but finds the rules oppressive. She meets Helen, a delightful but fragile girl, who shows her the first love and friendship she has ever experienced. She comes up against unpleasantness too, but shows her strength of character by her determination, and eventually becomes a mature and trusted pupil. Since her relatives don't want her back (and she has no wish to see them again, anyway) she applies for a job as a governess.
The main part of the book then revolves around Jane's
life at Thornfield Hall, tutoring a small French girl, the ward of the bad-tempered Mr Rochester. Jane is immediately attracted to Mr Rochester, but has no serious thoughts of romance since he is from a different class, is considerably older than her, and is surrounded by attractive women, one of whom he is apparently betrothed to. Nevertheless they enjoy some cosy evenings together, discussing everything under the sun, and developing a pleasant friendship.
However Mr Rochester has a dreadful secret, one which is hinted at frequently, but which is shocking even when reading the book for the third or fourth time; the first time I read it, I was quite devastated. Jane had sworn to forgive him anything he had done in his past, but when she finally discovers what the secret is, she cannot stay and keep her integrity, so she runs away, almost destitute, and is eventually taken in by a kindly parson and his sisters. Eventually, after some slightly unlikely and somewhat surreal events, everything ends well.
* * *
I was fifteen when I first read this book. We were assigned the first two chapters of 'Jane Eyre' to read for English homework. I wasn't generally very impressed by the books we'd been studying at school, so I finished my other weekend homework first; then, with a sigh, I pulled out this rather dull-looking book and started to read...
A couple of hours later, my mother called me for lunch, and I emerged, starry-eyed, from the most wonderful book I had ever read! I was completely hooked. Lunch over, I rushed back to my bedroom and finished it that same day.
Later in the year I asked for a copy of my own, and my grandmother bought me a beautiful black and gold hardback edition, one which I have re-read two or three times during my teens and early twenties. For many years it was my all-time favourite book. As I developed more adult tastes, I realised that, although deservedly a great classic, there rather too much melodrama and coincidence towards the end of the book, which make the happy ending somewhat unrealistic, albeit satisfying and encouraging.
But still it's an enjoyable read. Jane's appalling childhood and early school-days are narrated in a pragmatic, common sense style which attracts my sympathy each time I read it, and also considerable admiration. Her integrity shines through the entire book, and I find myself longing for her to find lasting love and happiness. When she is within moments of making what is clearly a terrible mistake, the melodrama comes into play... and it's such a relief that she is turned away from a dreary future that it's difficult to criticise Charlotte Brontė for finding this way out.
As for Mr Rochester, he still stands in my mind as the romantic hero of all time. He's not young, or even handsome; he doesn't make any effort to charm Jane - indeed there is very little about him that is likeable at first glance. Yet somehow he manages to capture my imagination, and my heart, just as he captures Jane's.
This book can be bought in many different covers, ranging from the £1.50 Penguin popular classic paperback through to hardback versions with commentaries up to £30 more more. Most libraries have at least one copy in stock, and any good bookshop (or of course Amazon.co.uk) will have it in stock, or can order it.
I would recommend 'Jane Eyre' to anyone over the age of about ten or eleven. The language is dated, but not so difficult as that of Jane Austen. As a story about a girl, it tends to appeal more to women than to men; however I read it aloud to my sons when they were 13 and 15, and rather to their surprise they enjoyed it. I shall probably continue to read it every five or six years, and to enjoy it afresh each time.
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Aug 24th, 2003
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