Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847)

Cath’s classic quote: “It is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous Channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapped; and then I’ve a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly.” – Edward Rochester

[be warned, my friends – spoilers await you]

Have you ever heard of the ‘mad woman in the attic’ trope? Well, it originated from Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 gothic romance novel, Jane Eyre. The riveting tale, set in the late Victorian period in the north of England, follows the life of the vulnerable, ‘plain and little’, Jane Eyre as she overcomes childhood misfortunes and gains employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall under the master of the mysterious, charming, and very explicitly mentioned average looking (not handsome) Edward Rochester (who is interestingly noted as a Byronic Hero). Some other romantic and mysterious and classically gothic things happen. Namely, Jane finds out Rochester has a mentally ill wife, Bertha Mason, hidden in the attic. If that hasn’t got your attention, you’re a tough reader to please!

One of my favourite things about this novel is the discussion around it. Many think the novel represents early feminist writings, but others argue that feminism, the way we understand it now, didn’t exist during the publication date. Moreso, was Mr. Rochester the tyrannical, gothic male antagonist we come to expect of the genre? Was his hidden wife, Bertha Mason, the antagonist (who is described by Mr Rochester as a devil from the ‘mouth of hell’, with ‘red balls yonder’ for eyes)? Or was the ‘antagonist’ the lack of knowledge around mental illness and the harshness of asylums and institutions that made Mr Rochester ill-equipped to deal with Bertha Mason, and therefore, somewhat contributed to his desire to hide her in the attic? These are all great questions to ponder, plus my favourite one for debate: Was Jane ridiculous for marrying Mr. Rochester at the novel’s end?

When first considering Jane’s character, I found her as the protagonist particularly appealing, however ‘plain’ she might describe herself. She portrays a sharp wit, fierce passion, and an independent and outspoken nature that was uncharacteristic for women during this period. Despite her harsh upbringing at the Lowood School, she exhibits grace and determination and has strong creative and academic pursuits. She flees Thornfield Hall and Edward Rochester after finding out about Bertha Mason. She spends time, though heartbroken, finding her strength again after so long serving her master (and lover). With religion a point of strength, she decides to return to Mr Rochester, and that is what I admire the most. Was she ridiculous for marrying Mr Rochester? Or was Jane simply exercising her freedom of choice – something she lacked as a child entirely? I feel Brontë stresses the importance of this question. Jane, in the resolution, is a character with choices. She didn’t choose her unkind aunt and cousins as her family, and she didn’t choose to attend Lowood School. However, she chose her employment. She chose to leave Thornfield Hall and return. She chose Mr. Rochester. I think this novel reflects how Jane chases freedom throughout the entire novel, and in the end, she receives it in the form of her own independent rights.

Expect some gothic tropes from this one – the isolated gothic mansion, the supernatural hidden and haunting ‘force’ locked in the attic, the morally compromised but tragic romantic male lead, and his passionate, forbidden (rather large age-gap) romance with the female protagonist, who finds herself stuck in a perilous, seemingly impossible situation. I declare this a 5/5 read – every time I pick it up, it still gives me goosebumps! Let me know your thoughts on here or on socials if you’ve read it already!

Until the next captivating read,

Farewell and goodbye,

Traditionally and timelessly,

Yours truly,

classicallycath xx (maybe one day I’ll have a shorter farewell, but alas, I am a fan of words)

As always, here are my references for your curious eyes: (Brontë originally published the book under the pseudonym, Currer Bell)

Bell, C. (1847). Jane Eyre: An Autobiography. Smith, Elder & Co. of London

Caruso, S. (2014). JANE EYRE by Charlotte Brontë [Artwork]. The Folio Society. https://www.foliosociety.com/row/jane-eyre.html

Fornina, M. (2014). Edward Rochester: A New Byronic Hero. Undergraduate Review, 1(10), 85-88. https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol10/iss1/19