Most readers are at
least loosely acquainted with the story of Jane Eyre, and indeed many
probably studied the Victorian novel in a high school English class.
Why revisit the novel? The characterization of Jane Eyre is a reason;
she could be a role model for women of our own day. Mistreated at the
home of her guardian, then abandoned at an inhumane school for
impoverished girls, then supporting herself in the lowly status of a
governess, Jane maintains her self-respect and integrity. Yes, she gets
her man at the end, but she had no hope or expectation of doing so and
amply proves herself up to the challenge of self-support. Moreover,
when they finally marry, Mr. Rochester is more dependent on Jane than
the other way around.
Some of the plot of Jane
Eyre is fantastical, from the madwoman in the attic to
Jane's rescuers turning out to be her cousins to the fire that lays low
the hero. Gothic details attracted readers in Brontë's time.
Not everything stands up to modern scrutiny (the treatment of mental
illness, for instance). But this is a book to be read for its
psychological penetration into its main character's soul. Jane Eyre is
a plain, unprivileged woman who struggles against an oppressive society
for self-determination and independence — a theme that is as
relevant today as 160 years ago.
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