Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë ( 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855) was an English novelist and poet, whose novels are English literature standards. Charlotte was born in Thornton, Yorkshire in 1816. In 1820, the family moved to Haworth, where her father had been appointed Perpetual Curate of St Michael and All Angels Church. Charlotte's mother died of cancer on 15 September 1821, leaving 5 daughters and a son to be taken care of by her sister Elizabeth Branwell. In August 1824, Charlotte was sent with 3 of her sisters, to the Clergy Daughters' School in Lancashire (which she would describe as Lowood School in Jane Eyre). Its poor conditions permanently affected her health and physical development and hastened the deaths of her 2 elder sisters, who died of tuberculosis in June 1825. Soon after their father removed them from the school. At home in Haworth Parsonage Charlotte acted as "the motherly friend and guardian of her younger sisters". She and the other surviving children— Branwell, Emily, and Anne – began chronicling the lives and struggles of the inhabitants of their imaginary kingdoms. The sagas prepared them for their literary vocations in adulthood. Charlotte continued her education at Roe Head, where she met her lifelong friends and correspondents, Ellen Nussey and Mary Taylor. In 1839, she took up the first of many positions as governess to various families in Yorkshire, a career she pursued until 1841. In May 1846, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne published a joint collection of poetry under the assumed names of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. Although only 2 copies were sold, the sisters continued writing for publication and began their first novels. Charlotte used "Currer Bell" when she published her first 2 novels. Emily and Anne both died of pulmonary tuberculosis in December 1848 and May 1849. In view of the enormous success of Jane Eyre, she was persuaded by her publisher to visit London, where she revealed her true identity and began to move in a more exalted social circle, becoming friends with Harriet Martineau, Elizabeth Gaskell, William Makepeace Thackeray and G. H. Lewes. Her book had sparked a movement in regard to feminism in literature. The main character, Jane Eyre, in her novel Jane Eyre, was a parallel to herself, a woman who was strong. In June 1854, Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father's curate and the model for several of her literary characters such as Jane Eyre's Rochester and St. John. She became pregnant soon after the marriage. Her health declined rapidly during this time. Charlotte died, along with her unborn child, on 31 March 1855, at the young age of 38. Her death certificate gives the cause of death as (tuberculosis).There is also evidence to suggest that Charlotte died from typhus she may have caught from the Bronte household's oldest servant, who died shortly before her.

The Plot

Jane Eyre opens immediately with the voice of the narrator, a young orphan girl named Jane Eyre, who is living with her aunt Mrs. Reed, and her aunt's 3 children, Eliza, John and Georgiana Reed. Both Jane's mother and father are dead. Mrs. Reed is a rich, pretentious and condescending woman, and her children are terribly spoiled, cruel and rude. Jane is not a welcome member of the Reed household, at Gateshead Hall--she was born of a different class--and is continuously being criticized for her behavior and personality by both the Reeds, and their nurse, Bessie. Jane, an intelligent, mature for her age, often cynical, passionate, questioning and moody child, does crave affection and love from her relatives and those she meets. But she is always excluded from family events with the Reeds. Jane often retreats to the window-seat in the drawing-room, to escape in the fantasy of words and pictures in books. It is at the beginning of the novel that she is seated thus, reading Bewick's History of British Birds, behind a curtain and hidden from sight, until John Reed enters the room and calls for her. John, is 14, is cruel, abusive ("He bullied and punished me...once or twice...[a] day") and spoiled by his mamma. He sticks out his tongue at her, and smacks her. He tells her that she has no right reading books which he owns, then violently throws the book at her. Jane falls, cutting her head on the doorjamb--she is bleeding. Utterly frightened and enraged at John, Jane calls him a murderer. Mrs. Reed, the girls, Bessie, enter the room and take Jane away to be locked in the red-room. They place Jane on a stool in the red-room, and chastise her for flying passionately at Master Reed. They calle her "an under-handed little thing." They remind her of her place in the Reed household--less than a servant because she does not earn her keep. Then they leave Jane, locking the door behind. It was in this room 9 years ago that the late Mr. Reed died, her mother's brother. Jane questions why she is always the object of cruelty, suffering and condemnation continuously, with John's violence, his sisters' selfishness, Ms. Reed's indifference. She is still bleeding. She admits:"What a consternation of soul was mine that dreary afternoon! How all my brain was in tumult, and all my heart in insurrection! Yet in what darkness, what dense ignorance, was the mental battle fought! I could not answer the ceaseless inward question--why I thus suffered." Chapter 2, pg. 12

Jane becomes cold and depressed in the red-room. Seeing a while light move above the mirror and across the ceiling, she thinks it is a ghost or the dead spirit of Mr. Reed haunting the room, troubled from the grave. She screams, and Bessie comes upstairs to see if she is ill. Jane tells of the ghost and begs to be let into the nursery, but Ms. Reed enters the room and throws Jane back in for another hour as punishment for her insurrection. Jane, tortured, crying and hysterical goes into a fit, passing out.Jane wakes unawares of anything except of the feeling of having had a terrible nightmare. A physician, Dr. Lloyd, stands beside and speaks to Jane. Bessie asks Jane if she is well, would like food, drink or sleep. Jane is much surprised by this kind treatment, even though Bessie treats her the kindest of anyone, and questions Bessie as to if she is ill. Bessie tells Jane that she fell sick in the red-room crying, and that was why the doctor was called. Dr. Lloyd returns to Gateshead to visit Jane, where he begins to talk to Jane about why she has been crying, and what caused her pain. Jane responds that it is because she is miserable, was knocked down by John Reed, and was locked up in the red-room all night with ghosts. She says that she has no father or mother, brothers and sisters. Dr. Lloyd asks her if she has any relatives, but they are only poor Eyre relatives, or so Jane thinks from what Ms. Reed has said. Jane states that she does not want to be poor, degraded, go-a-begging, or become coarse in manners and education.The doctor finally asks her about school; she says:"I scarcely knew what school was; John Reed hated his school, and abused his master; but John Reed's tastes were no rule for mine...Besides, school would be a complete change: it implied a long journey, an entire separation from Gateshead, an entrance into a new life.'I should indeed like to go to school." Chapter 3, pg. 20-21

Dr. Lloyd suggest Ms. Reed that Jane Eyre be sent to a boarding school for young girls, a suggestion Ms. Reed accepts immediately. Jane socks John in the nose 1 time when he attempts to abuse her. Ms. Reed runs up, grabs her, and tells her to shut up. Jane defiantly asks Ms. Reed what she thinks Mr. Reed would say if he knew how she was being treated. November, December, and half of January pass with little change. Jane speaks of Bessie's kindness during this time; often bringing Jane a bun or cheesecake for supper, always kissing her and tucking her into bed. On the morning of January 15^th, Bessie runs upstairs to summon Jane to get dressed immediately. She is told that she is wanted in the drawing-room. It is Mr. Brocklehurst, the master of a Christian school for poor girls. Jane enters the room, and is interrogated by Mr. Brocklehurst, with Ms. Reed present. He asks her if she is a good girl, and assume the worst from Ms. Reed's accounts. Ms. Reed ruins Jane's future prospects of starting anew by stating,"'Mr. Brocklehurst, I believe I intimated in the letter which I wrote to you three weeks ago, that this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish: should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her, and above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency toward deceit. I mention this in your hearing, Jane, that you may no attempt to impose on Mr. Brocklehurst.'" Chapter 4, pg. 28

Jane is to go to Lowood school, and stay there on holidays as well. One of the goals of Mr. Brocklehurst's school is to enforce humility, in character, sentiment and dress, as well as, to mortify in them the sentiment of pride at all things. Before leaving Jane stands watching Ms. Reed sew for a few minutes and decides to finally tell Ms. Reed her mind. She walks directly up to Ms. Reed and says:

"'I am not deceitful: if I were, I should say I loved you; but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except John Reed; and this book about the liar, you may give it to your girl, Georgiana, for it is she who tells lies, and not I.'" Chapter 4, pg. 30-31

Ms. Reed is completely still, having dropped her sewing. She is starting at Jane and asks Jane, if she has anything else to say? In a rage, Jane tells her that she shall never call her aunt again, or ever visit her, but only speak ill of her to everyone at Lowood, telling them that the thought of her aunt makes her sick. Jane tells Ms. Reed that she has feelings too and desired love and understanding, but was given none. She tells Ms. Reed that she is deceitful!Jane feels a great relief and freedom from having spoken. Mrs. Reed looks very oddly at Jane, asking her what is wrong with her, is she ill? There is a sudden change in Ms. Reed, perhaps because Jane is leaving, perhaps because it is the first time Jane has spoken back with nerve. She tells Jane that she only wants to be her friend, and that children must have their faults corrected. Jane screams that she is not deceitful, and that Mrs. Reed should send her to school soon. Much changed and frightened, calling Jane "a dear" she says that she will.

On the cold morning Jane leaves Gateshead, saying goodbye to Bessie with tears. There she is met by Miss Temple, who speaks to Jane for a few minutes about her education, name, parents, and if she wants food. Jane is led into a long room filled with the other pupils of Lowood Institution, no more than 80. Classes begin , Jane is placed with the lowest and youngest group.After an hour of scripture, a terrible breakfast is eaten--burnt porridge.The girls retire to the garden, where Jane finally sees the sign that says she is at Lowood Institution, a charity school for orphans. She meets a girl who is reading, whom she asks questions about the institution and teachers. Day two at Lowood Institution commences for Jane. She is placed in the fourth class, and expresses bewilderment at the speed of classes and lessons, in her first active day. Jane passes her first quarter at Lowood successively.January, February, and March bring a great cold, and inhumane conditions of food and weather for the girls--long marches to church in the blistering cold wind, swollen and flayed fingers and feet. More and more in these hard times, Jane admits that Miss Temple is a positive role model, mothering and affectionate friend to both herself and to Helen.

Mr. Brocklehurst finally arrives for his monthly survey of the school. He surveys the school and declares that the older girls of the first form must cut off their longer hair, because it violates the strict humble strictures of the school. He immediately recognizes Jane, calls her up, places her on a stool at the front of the room, and proceeds to lecture as to how Jane is already possessed by the Evil One; she is a liar, not an innocent little girl, she is deceitful and should be shunned by everyone. Jane feels horribly humiliated but somehow to her own surprise is able to endure the public censure for the rest of the day, alone of the stool. Helen joins her to bring comfort, kind words, and Jane's portion of brown bread and coffee.Helen, with her logic, reassures Jane that Mr. Brocklehurst is not well-liked at Lowood; the teachers and students will judge Jane by her own future actions rather than random hearsay. Jane tells Miss Temple of her history--the terrible tale of the red-room and the Reeds, Miss Temple says to Jane that she will write to Dr. Lloyd to agree with Jane's story. If he does, her name will be publicly cleared before the whole school. Jane is promoted to a higher class very soon, and allowed to begin study of French and painting. Her is name is soon publicly cleared, and she soon falls into the comfort and safety of Lowood. She admits:"Well has Solomon said--'Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.' 
I would not now have exchanged Lowood with all its privations, for Gateshead and its daily luxuries." Chapter 8, pg. 65

Spring comes to Lowood,and the coming fog has brought the Typhus pestilence all too soon. Already almost half the girls at Lowood have fell ill, and some have been buried or left for home. Helen Burns has taken ill as well, but with consumption (Tuberculosis) instead. Jane doesn't realize the severity of the illness until Helen is very bad indeed; she is struck with the sudden realization of death, a fear, and a great desire to see Helen immediately. That night, Jane creeps into Miss Temple's room to visit Helen, alone and pale in a curtained sick-crib. Helen is very happy to see Jane. They talk, and Helen admits knowledge of her impending death; she is at a great peace--her suffering is not great and she is going to God in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jane does not really understand what or where God or Heaven is, but she crawls next to Helen in the bed, hugging her around the neck with a sad love. She kisses Helen warmly as they speak:

"And I clasped my arms closer round Helen; she seemed dearer to me than ever; I felt as if I could not let her go; I lay with my face hidden on her neck. Presently she said in the sweetest tone,--'How comfortable I am! That last fit of coughing has tired me a little; I feel as if I could sleep: but don't leave me, Jane; I like to have you near me.'Chapter 9, pg. 71

8 years pass at Lowood for Jane. She completes her schooling, and spend 2 years teaching, as well. Lowood Institution is moved to a better building and location, and the living conditions are greatly improved .Then Jane realizes that she has a great desire to leave Lowood, and places an advertisment in the local newspaper, of a teacher looking for a private position instructing a child below the age of ten. She is qualified to teach the essentials of a good English education, plus music, French and painting. Within a week a response comes to the local post-office; Jane is going to leave Lowood. An unexpected visit from her old nurse, Bessie, comes the day before her departure; Bessie has gotten word about Jane from the letter Jane sent to Mrs.Reed. The next morning Jane leaves Lowood Hall, for the first time in 8 years.

She is greeted by Mrs. Fairfax that night, warmly, in a snug house. Jane believes that she is the owner of Thornfield Hall; but the next day she finds out that Mrs. Fairfax is simply the housekeeper, and her future pupil, Miss Varens, is the ward of a Mr. Rochester. Adèle rattles off in French easily, as she has only just begun to learn English, who gives a short history of her life--her mother was an opera star in France who died a few years ago, Mr. Rochester has promised to have her live with him in England. She is a sprightly and cheerful character, showing off her talents of singing, poetry recitation, dance and French to Jane Eyre. All that Jane can derive is that Mr. Rochester is a gentleman, likes his affairs to be exact, neat and managed, his family has always lived at Thornfield Hall, he is a just and fair landlord, and he is only slightly peculiar because he has traveled a lot, seen much of the world.

The old furniture and aura of heavy mystery do give Thornfield Hall an edge of romanticism for Jane. Oddly and unexpectedly, she hears a sudden curious laugh coming from behind one door; the laugh is odd and almost monosyllabic--mirthless and preternatural. Jane calls for Mrs. Fairfax , who explains that it is Grace Poole, a servant hired to sew in the attic and assist with housework. Jane is a bit unnerved and suspicious, but she and Mrs. Fairfax leave without event and retire to dinner.Jane feels much in control of the tutelage of Adèle; Jane feels a good enough affection and connection to Adèle for their work together. The odd and often hysterical laughter of what Jane assumes to be Grace Poole, in the attic, has become something of a regular occurrence to overhear.October, November and December pass quickly at Thornfield Hall. On a particularly cold December day, Jane volunteers to take the 2 mile walk to Hay, a nearby town, to post a letter belonging to Mrs. Fairfax, where she came across a rude noise of an approaching person on horseback rises in the distance. A rider on horseback follows until he gives a sudden yell, and they both are down. The horse has slipped on a sheet of ice, and as Jane asks if her services are needed, the rider rises, readjusts the horse, and his own sprained ankle. While waiting she is able to survey the appearance of the traveler, who she is later to find out is Mr. Rochester. Rather cleverly, Mr. Rochester questions her unawares, of her mission and status, until he finds she is the governess of Thornfield Hall. Jane arrives back at Thornfield Hall and finds that Mr. Rochester has just arrived. The surgeon has just come in to see him, because he fell on the lane and has sprained his ankle: suddenly Jane realizes she has just met Mr. Rochester! Mr. Rochester cross-examines Jane on have a dozen subjects, surveying her paintings and abilities that evening. Mrs. Fairfax says that in any case, Mr. Rochester rarely spends more than a fortnight at once, at Thornfield Hall.

Over the next 4 weeks evening meetings commence from time to time; between Jane and Rochester, conversation is full and playful. Jane herself admits that she does find Mr. Rochester quite peculiar, but not bad, just abrupt, direct and honest. Jane tells Mr. Rochester of her history and the Reeds.They converse as almost equals even though they are of different classes and Mr. Rochester is over 20 years Jane's superior in age. When asked if she feels he is handsome, she blurts without even thinking first:"--'No, sir.''Sir, I was too plain: I beg your pardon. I ought to have replied that it was not easy to give an impromptu answer to a question about appearances; that tastes differ; that beauty is of little consequence, or something of that sort.' Chapter 14, pg. 115

Mr. Rochester does indeed enjoy Jane's sharp intellect, her rationale, and her teasing if not also sarcastic tongue. The friendship develops. Rochester admits to feeling greatly at ease around Jane, because she is inclined to listen calmly and non-judgmentally to her speaker. During one of these evenings, Mr. Rochester tells Jane the history of Adèle and her run-away mother-opera dancer. He became terribly infatuated with the French Céline. All goes well until one night, as Rochester has come on a surprise visit to Céline's hotel-room, she returns with another man--a stupid charge of the Vicomte. He waits until the two go up to her room, kiss. Then, he releases Céline of all obligations to him, and informs her that she must vacate the premises immediately, as it has been his money which has paid for her food, jewelry, clothes, carriage and hotel. The supposed child by his seed and Céline, Adèle Varens, was abandoned when her mother ran away; soon Rochester took her up as his ward, although he doesn't believe she is really his child.