“Jane Eyre” Well Deserves the Praise

You’ve no doubt heard of this famous classic. A young woman who grew up a friendless orphan becomes a governess for Mr. Rochester, but there is something off in his huge, eerie mansion. Strange laughter peals in the night and the servants seem to be keeping a secret. Sound familiar?

Even though I knew enough of this book beforehand that hardly any of the plot twists came as a surprise, I could never guess how wonderfully atmospheric the writing would be. It was the kind that was deliciously creepy and made me shiver out of fear and excitement.

Nor could I fathom what a strong and independent character Jane Eyre was until I had the pleasure of meeting her myself. Jane’s behavior was the kind that turned people’s heads and caused them to raise their eyebrows disapprovingly. She stated her opinions bluntly and ignored society’s expectations of a “quiet and mannered lady.” This quality of hers was so admirable and made her an amazing role model.

It’s easy to understand why this book is so widely praised. Phenomenal writing and narration aside, you know those super boring classics that you have to force yourself to finish? Well, this wasn’t one of them. It was a real page turner and kept me up into the wee hours of the morning reading.

Now, this is a romance book, but if you’re looking for a light, funny, warm-hearted story then you’ve come to the wrong place. Try Pride and Prejudice instead. This book is darker, stranger, and with more of a character study.

As the passionate, forbidden romance ensued between Jane and Mr. Rochester, the author pointed out all the unlikeliness of their situation—their twenty-year age gap, difference in class, and Mr. Rochester’s role as her master. But the point was driven home that it doesn’t matter how opposite your backgrounds are so long as you love each other. Jane described Rochester as “the equal to her soul” in mind and spirit.

Also, Jane and Rochester were both “plain” or perceived as ugly. This showed that they weren’t drawn to each other by physical appearance, but were attracted to each other’s minds, stubborn opinions, and ruthless tempers. And heck if they didn’t have some heated moments of banter.

Brilliant writing and character dialogue, breathless descriptions of the English moors, and a wonderfully strange romance. Also, I couldn’t get enough of Jane’s self-reliant mindset:

“Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags.”