Celebrated Classics Book Review: Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte wrote the novel Jane Eyre under a male pen name, and let the book have its recognition for all the right reasons before the big reveal. Back in those days, women writers were looked down upon and any piece of writing would have been judged with those eyes before even looking at the content of the book.

Jane Eyre is an orphan who lives with her maternal uncle and aunt. Her cousins and aunt are very rude and impolite with her, and when her uncle dies, she is sent off to Lowood school for orphan children. With the past of being notorious, Jane is imprinted with that image for the first few years of school, after which people start to recognize her as a smart, hardworking and sincere girl. Later, she starts to teach at the very same school for two years and then accepts the job of a governess to a little girl at Thornfield manor- the only reply to her newspaper advertisement.

She is happy with her pupil, Adele, and the housekeeper. One day, she meets a stranger on the road, who turns out to be her master, Edward Rochester. She gets to talk to Mr. Rochester on topics of the heart and the world and both are impressed with the knowledge of company of the other. Even though there is an age gap, they start to fall in love. But the presence of another prospective lady for Mr. Rochester sends Jane away to her ill aunt. And with a few more turns, the story of Rochester and Jane find an ending.

In this book, we can clearly see the conflict between love and independence, passion and conscience, and the struggle of a young girl and woman to maintain her self-esteem. It is truly one of the best books I’ve ever read. It is not like the other romantic Victorian love stories that end up in the same way. Jane’s character has her own life, is strong, independent and knows how to think for itself, without causing harm to others.

Throughout her life, Charlotte Bronte preached and practiced tolerance rather than revolution. She had high moral principles. Although she was shy in public, she was always prepared to argue her beliefs. All of these traits come through in Jane Eyre. She is a masterful creator of stories and characters that grip you from the very beginning. You root for them and feel drawn to the charisma of the English world.

Classification: Hybrid- the Gothic novel, he romance novel, and the Bildungsroman (narrates the story of a character’s internal development as he or she undergoes a succession of encounters with the external world)

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Suspense Rating: 4 out of 5

Complexity Rating: 4 out of 5

General Pace of the book: 4 out of 5

Recommendation: Must read!