Jane Eyre

Written by Charlotte Brontë and Clare West

Narrated by Multiple Narrators

Jane Eyre is alone in the world. Disliked by her aunt's family, she is sent away to school. Here she learns that a young girl, with neither money nor family to support her, can expect little from the world. She survives, but she wants more from life than simply to survive: she wants respect, and love. When she goes to work for Mr Rochester, she hopes she has found both at once. But the sound of strange laughter, late at night, behind a locked door, warns her that her troubles are only beginning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Release date: Nov 29, 2007
• ISBN: 9780194215787

Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was an English novelist and poet, and the eldest of the three Brontë sisters. Her experiences in boarding schools, as a governess and a teacher eventually became the basis of her novels. Under pseudonyms the sisters published their first novels; Charlotte's first published novel, Jane Eyre(1847), written under a non de plume, was an immediate literary success. During the writing of her second novel all of her siblings died. With the publication of Shirley (1849) her true identity as an author was revealed. She completed three novels in her lifetime and over 200 poems.

Reviews for Jane Eyre

[misslizzy_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first read this during my senior year of high school as part of this huge, ridiculously complicated final assignment for my Advanced Placement English class. Now I read it at least once a semester, after (I know, this is bad) skipping the first few chapters, beginning when Jane arrives at Lowood School. I find the dichotomy between plainness and beauty to be fascinating--Jane, with all those descriptions of her as "plain" hanging over her head, manages to be more beautiful than even the gorgeous Miss Ingram, proving the adage that my grandmother says: "Pretty is as pretty does."

[katie_h_11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm always a little apprehensive when I begin a 19th century classic, mainly because I tend to trudge through them, forcing myself to finish. In contrast, Jane Eyre turned out to be a fairly easy read, and now sits at the top with the best books I have ever experienced. It is essentially a romance with a complex plot line. The reader follows the orphaned heroine, Jane, through the events of her life, on a path that ultimately leads to her beloved, Mr. Rochester. The road is difficult for Jane; she experiences poverty, abandonment, suffering, and being underestimated and unwanted, but her extremely strong will, independence, and perseverance are absolutely amazing and inspiring under the circumstances. Bronte's writing is elegant, superb, and believable, making the story of Jane and Mr. Rochester one of the greatest love stories of all time. I think women would appreciate this story the most, but I'd recommend it to anyone with maturity enough to "get it;" if I could give this masterpiece 6 stars I would! Get a footnoted edition, such as Norton, to help with the 19th century colloqualisms, literature references, and occasional French translations, and you'll be good to go!

[rachelellen_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always have a very difficult time choosing a favorite book. However, when I am forced to make a short list (I never can just come up with one), Jane Eyre is always on it. Yes, it's dark and gloomy and has a very gothic feel. Yes, it has its preachy moments. But what a wonderful story, what living characters. What sigh-worthy romance. (sigh).

[sriemann_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome. Completely understand now why it is a classic, and why 27 movie versions have been made.

[golfguy_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Better than I thought but still very drawn out and boring.

[pummzie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know that 2.5 stars may seem a little severe for a book that has a guaranteed place on those annual lists of Britain's top reads - however a) that coveted place is only achieved as it happens to be a set text for many GCSE pupils (Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mocking Bird end up on the list for the same reason) and b) Jane Eyre is one of the most maddeningly, annoyingly, ridiculously perfect, goody-two-shoes, downtrodden characters ever written. I couldn't stand her. Not when I was thirteen and not now. Just about everyone in the story is two-dimensional. Jane's family are fairy-tale appalling, Mr Rochester is the archetypal mysterious, brooding man who women love to fear and harbour dreams of taming and there is even a monster in the attic, so to speak. All the ingredients are there for a winning story.... if only Jane were not so Snow White, I would be able to countenance that this is indeed a novel for adults...

[shirfire218_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion--greatest all time love story. I thought so when I was 10; and I still think so now upon re-reading.

[quiltinfun06 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It seems hard to imagine that someone who reads as much as I do had never read Jane Eyre. Until this past week that was the case, however, I now can count myself among the millions who have. This enticing novel was by far the very best I have ever read. It seems silly to write a review on a timeless classic. What could I add that hasn't already been said and realized by everyone who has read it. I will say this though; Jane Eyre has the recipe for writing novels. Scenes that are descriptive, characters that are memorable, mystery, intrigue, angst and much more are the ingredients for classic, timeless novels.If there is anyone other than myself who has not read Jane Eyre, pick up a copy soon/now and start reading the unforgettable story of Jane and Mr. Rochester.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being forced to tear this book part in English at school is the worst way to be introduced to Jane Eyre. Read it again if your opinion is formed on that because it is worth much more.(PS same applies to Jane Austens Emma)

[beckworth_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite love stories. I have probably seen all the movie versions.

[jenreidreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I attempted to read this when I was about 14. My best friend loved it and wanted me to, as well. I did not. I think I barely made it halfway before giving up. Clearly, it was all about the timing - at age 27, I really enjoyed this book. Jane is a great character, someone who truly knows herself, a survivor through abuse and hardships. Even though I wasn't able to relate to her completely (her religion, way of life at that time), her independence is admirable. I was, of course, familiar with the famous line, "Reader, I married him," but I was honestly unsure who the "him" was for a while! The whole novel was sweetly, tragically romantic, and I can see why so many people call it their favorite. I can see myself re-reading this in the future.

[artikaur · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is by far one of my favorite all-time reads. It has everything- romance, drama, mystery and mental illness. It was an amazing story, and each character was so complex and well-developed. The strange, twisted love affair between a lonely Jane Eyre and her tormented master, Mr. Rochester, make for delightful reading. A school-girl's working knowledge of French may be helpful, as some of the text was not translated into English. This is a great book to read when the weather is gloomy and dismal outside, with a nice cup of tea.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a classic that I just never got around to reading. I'm glad I finally did. I enjoyed the book immensely. I had never seen a movie of it either, so I didn't know what was going to happen in the end. The book ended right, so to speak. I adored the character of Jane and felt sorry for her, but I don't think Jane herself would have liked that. I wish I could be more like her and be accepting of what befalls me. Wonderful novel!

[stouthearted_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my most favorite novels, I reread it at least a couple times a year, and it never ceases to hold my attention. While it can be criticized that it contains many cliches (like the rogue lover and the sudden, convenient inheritance) its structure is very comforting. A gothic subtext prevents the novel from becoming schmaltzy; the story is best when it is thrilling, dark, and passionate in its scenes at Thornfield. The story by now is a familiar one: Poor, orphan Jane Eyre leaves the abusive school in which she was brought up for a governess position in the wealthy home belonging to Mr. Rochester, a man with skeletons in his closet. They strike up a friendship which turns into something more, but Rochester's past threatens to tear them apart. The two are significant for a relationship that wavers between repressive, passionate, and dsyfunctional. Yet they are both eccentric outcasts in their own right, and connect through their strangeness.The romantic story aside, the novel is also significant for other themes that reveal much about the author's time. One theme is the poor treatment of orphans in the charity schools to which they were sent. Bronte herself lost two young sisters to a poorly-run school riddled with disease, so this is not just a devise written for dramatic purposes. Bronte exposes the hypocrisy of the schoolmasters who live in luxury while the students starve and freeze, of unjust punishments for crimes such as having naturally curly hair, and being given dubious religious instruction solely centered on God's wrath, rather than love. Indeed, these children are so love-starved, it is no wonder that Jane falls for the first man who treats her with any semblance of understanding.Another theme indicative of the author's time is Christianity and its misinterpretation and affects on the community. At its evilest is at the school in the conditions described above. At its saddest is when Jane meets St. John, a man whose piousness denies him his heart's secret desire. Like Lowood school, St. John believes that his Christian duty is to deny himself love and happiness. Jane is of another opinion. Having lived a lonely childhood, she has faith enough in God to believe that love is a gift that should not be turned away. (Indeed, it was gut-wrenching for her to leave Rochester after learning of his past. If it was not necessary for her to leave, she would not have done it.) St. John believes that by living a life deviod of joy, sacrificing himself to be a missionary in India and married to a woman he does not love, he can secure God's approval. Bronte wants to assert that love and morality can be achieved in harmony, and Jane is permitted a happy, though bittersweet, ending as reward for her faith and morality.

[lizzybeans11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have always found this story a little disturbing. I didn't understand the attraction between Jane and Mr Rochester until I saw the movie version with Cairan Hines - who is quite handsome! I never pictured Mr Rochester as being very attractive as I don't believe he's described to be so. However, the added tension between our leads brought me into the story more and I was able to forgive his "surprise" in the attic.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this for the first time many years ago when I was in the 8th grade. Since then, I have read it at least 4 more times. It is one of my favorite books, ever.

[nu5bibliophile · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love love Jane Eyre and I'm so excited of adding this edition in my library (collection).

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this to make sense of "Wide Sargasso Sea." It helped, certainly, but it crushed whatever hope I had of enjoying Jean Rhys's work: you see, "Jane Eyre" was a pleasure to read, and the kind of book I tend to enjoy. It tells a good story in a very pleasing manner; I'm not especially keen on books that want to prove their cleverness by switching narrators and presenting dreams as reality. Just tell me a good story - that's much more important.

[aapike · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite classics. I love Jane's character because she's not the typical type of beauty and she invented herself and her own sense of individuality.

[ladystorm_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was the first classic book I ever read and I became hooked on classics and have read many more. I loved Mr. Rochester and reading the way that Jane and him talked to each other and how she never back down from him was great. It has been a long time since I have read this book, but it always stuck with me and I believe that is what makes a book great.

[june6bug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book to return to over and over again.

[christajls · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane Eyre's youth has been filled with nothing but hard times. An aunt who doesn't want her, cousins who abuse her and a tight fisted school where she has next to no friends. No wonder she can't wait to leave the school and set out on her own. This brings her to the new world of Thronfield Manor, owned by Edward Rochester. What she thinks will be an average teaching job turns into a whirlwind romance accompanied by dark secrets and impossible choices. It seems like everyone has read this book and with the new movie coming out it seemed almost criminal that I've never picked it up. I'm so gald I finally did though because I have fallen in love with this book. It really feels like Jane is talking right to you and as a result you are able to really connect with her, in a way that I usually don't with female characters from this time period. Bronte doesn't skimp on Jane's feeling and you feel her anguish, frustration and happiness right along with her. This book has everything. A great romance, that was intriguing, not cheesy, heartbreak, plot twists, a mystery and it even made me laugh. Mr. Rochester is so ridiculous and awkward you sometimes find yourself laughing out loud at the exchanges between him and Jane. All these elements come together to make a really great story with some really great and gripping characters and what more could a reader really ask for?

[zibilee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Jane Eyre’s parents die unexpectedly when she is only an infant, she’s benevolently taken in by her maternal uncle to live amongst his small but wealthy family. But when said uncle dies as well, it’s left up to her aunt to raise the girl, whom she despises and treats rather cruelly. After one particularly difficult incident between Jane and her aunt, the woman decides to place Jane in a stringent and horrific school for orphan girls, where Jane initially wilts and suffers but somehow rallies and becomes an instructor there after many years of residence. When Jane finally decides to move on, she finds employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, the manor house of Mr. Rochester, and begins life anew. Mr. Rochester, aside from being rather homely looking, is an eccentric with calumnious mood swings that initially shock Jane, but soon she learns to find harmony and pleasure in his company. As her time with Mr. Rochester grows, Jane begins to feel the first stirrings of romantic love, which is new and strange to her, as she has been somewhat sheltered from this particular emotion all her life. But it seems Mr. Rochester has another woman at the center of his designs, and though there’s no doubt he feels strongly for Jane, the future between them is uncertain. Through joys, sorrows, surprises and mystery, Jane and Rochester find themselves at last together. Just when it seems that all is well and their story will draw to a close, a strange and disastrous complication arises and leaves Jane fleeing her once secure home and the light of her life. As Jane now finds herself at the mercy of strangers, she becomes involved in a rather strange predicament with a man named St. John Rivers. Will Jane and Rochester ever find their way together after the horrible discovery that has separated them so painfully, or will Jane move forward into a very different and alien life, forgoing the only love she has ever known to become only a survivor in a landscape of loss? In this classic and remarkable piece of literature, Charlotte Bronte creates two of the most beloved and wondrous characters in all of literature and forms around them a Gothic Victorian narrative of remarkable imagination and triumph.Initially I had been hoping to read A Tale of Two Cities for my February classic choice, but when I saw that the wonderful Marie over at Boston Bibliophile was hosting a Jane Eyre read-along for February and that the new movie version was slated for release in March, I changed my plans and made it my choice for this month. Sorry Charles! I have to say that although my expectations of this book were really rather high, I found that they were totally surpassed in every way by the actual realities of this book. I’ve read classics in the past that just left me sort of tepid, but this book excelled in every area in which I could have thought to place it.Jane in herself was a rather extraordinary heroine. Though ill-used and harshly judged for most of her life, she doesn’t revert into periods of self pity and self loathing. Rather the opposite, in fact. She becomes self-sufficient, observant and independent. I got a little angry with the fact that everyone called her ugly and plain all the time, and took offense to it mightily. Jane was so much more than her outside wrapper suggested and it was only the strange and passionate Mr. Rochester that ever took the time to notice that. The realities of her life were harsh and unpleasant, but instead of bowing down and succumbing, Jane learned to blossom under her own care and confidence. She was constantly questioning, seeking and learning, and the more her personality began to flourish, the more admiring I became of her. Jane had a persistence and strength in her character that I very much admired. No matter what the fates threw at her, she was remarkably placid and yielding towards it. From her time as an orphan up until the final sections of the book, she was constantly searching for a home in which to shelter her heart, and it seemed none was to be found. As she makes her way through her solitary world, she never loses her high morality, and more than once this causes her to sacrifice the ease and happiness that she would obtain by leaving it behind. Though she’s not a traditionally stringent religious woman, she has her eye set on the Christian ideals of life and often spends time praying and considering God. At times she could be a little inflexible and prudish, especially when it came to how she dealt with Rochester and his proposed plans, but overall, I found her to be a rather complex and spirited person with a unshakable moral compass.Rochester was another animal indeed. At first cold and aloof, he seems to manifest his passion on Jane quite suddenly, and is rather inflamed by it. An inflamed Rochester is sometimes a scary thing, and more than once I wondered if Jane was getting in over her head. In parts of the book I didn’t like his all-consuming passion, but underneath it all I felt he was indeed right in being so passionate in his feelings for her. I think the disconnect came in the way he expressed himself. He could at times seem overwhelmingly controlling and demanding. I wavered between feeling that he was too pushy and self centered, and feeling that he was protective and loving in just the right degree. But Jane’s reluctance to submit to his will when events took an unexpected turn made me a little scared because his passion bordered on the violent at times. Do I think he would have been violent towards Jane? No. But his speech at these times made me think him a little overwrought by passions he couldn’t quell. I also didn’t like that he was deceptive towards Jane more than once in the story, and these deceptions revolved around his suiting his own ends. When Jane flees him, I felt a curious feeling of relief and sadness, because while I think she definitely did the right thing, I knew no man would ever love her the way he did and was unsure if they would ever be together again. I’m happy to say that towards the end, Mr. Rochester does indeed become less agitated in his passion, which made me a lot more comfortable with him as a whole. He was a great character and I felt torn about my perceptions of him for most of the book. I wanted to fully embrace him the whole way through, but like Jane, I had reservations that kept me from doing that.Though this book is ostensibly a love story, it also spends much time on the life Jane lives before meeting Rochester. It goes into great detail about her life at the hands of her abusive aunt and her period at the orphans’ school. Though these parts were what led to the major crux of the story between Rochester and Jane, they were also fully engaging and did a lot to flesh out Jane’s character and the adversity she faced. While I enjoyed the time that delved into the relationship between Jane and Rochester, I felt these other sections really honed in on who Jane was as a person and how her character was formed.There was also a section given over to Jane’s life after leaving Rochester, and here was another example of a life that was stringent and without real love and affection, only tolerance. These sections were no less passionate, only in a different scope and degree. In the majority of these sections we see Jane as being downtrodden and excluded, as well as living under harsh privations. What’s interesting about these two sections is that her light still shines just as brightly, but what that light reflects is a sinister quality of life that has trapped her in its barbs. I admired her greatly as she fought through it all and felt that if there was some degree of justice, she would one day break free, which I was pleased to discover that she did.I have to admit this book was a pleasure to read for a lot of reasons. Not only was the story filled with unexpected twists and turns, it was accessible to modern readers and had a great level of tension and suspense running through the narrative. I may have cried a little while I was reading the story of Jane and her life, and it’s unusual for me to cry over the books I read. If you haven’t given this book a chance, I must say that you’re missing out on a brilliant story and a character that seems so far beyond her times that it’s genuinely surprising. It was a wonderful read all around and I admired it greatly.

[bellettres · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this in high school and didn't care for it. I read it again last March and loved it. Besides the love story, there is so much here: how to be a woman in a world ruled by men, what constitutes true power, the danger (and the attraction) of religious fanaticism. I loved this book!

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my lifetime favorites. I have read and reread it starting when I was in junior high and again in college and since. The story is of Jane's suffering, first under Mrs. Reed who treats her poorly and then at Lowood the boarding school she is sent to. Jane develops a strong character and excels in her studies. This novel as all the aspects of the traditional bildungsroman and that is one of the reasons I enjoyed reading it. Jane eventually takes position as governess and it is at this point that the novel develops into a romance for she finds a job working for Mr. Rochester teaching a young French girl named Adele at Thornfield. As she teaches there a while, she falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and he falls in love with her. Needless to say there are several more changes in her life before the novel ends, but it never grows old as Bronte's tale seems to inhabit my being more closely than most others.

[tropic_of_cancer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Jane's character. She's one of my all time favorite 'heroines'.

[yoshikawa_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had its moments, but was way too long! (Could've been better)

[taramatchi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have finished this book, hooray! I really did enjoy the book, although I can't say it was the most exciting book. I truly fell in love with the story, especially the ending, which I had been curious about since I read The Eyre Affair, which actually I am glad I read first. It was a wonderful story about a resilient and strong woman.

[trisarahdactyl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Eyre is the story of an orphan girl and the difficult life choices she must face. It centers around an intriguing love affair with her master, Mr. Rochester. The pace of the book is perfect; just when you begin to settle into the story, it takes an unexpected turn. These sudden twists continue to the very end.

[vialys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books, a great subject for study of adaptation to film. I have at least 7 film versions - and a script of my own to place it in a modern setting!