From the Bookshelf of 50 books to read before you die…

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Brontë

Start date: April 1, 2021

Finish date: June 30, 2021

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Jul 29, 2015 Rawan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: gothic-fiction, favorites, 100-book-project

I have no idea why I was so wary of picking this up for a reread when I learned it was going to be one of the books I had to read for my gothic fictions class next semester because it is SUPERB. I don't think there was a moment where I felt like it dragged along or where I had to put it down and muster the strength to push on because it was such a pleasure to read from page 1. And admittedly, I'm a little bit partial to it because I love classics, but I think I'd forgotten why Jane Eyre is so re I have no idea why I was so wary of picking this up for a reread when I learned it was going to be one of the books I had to read for my gothic fictions class next semester because it is SUPERB. I don't think there was a moment where I felt like it dragged along or where I had to put it down and muster the strength to push on because it was such a pleasure to read from page 1. And admittedly, I'm a little bit partial to it because I love classics, but I think I'd forgotten why Jane Eyre is so recommended as a classic- it's so easy to read and get into. I mean I was thinking, after I'd finished it (and honestly, from like chapter 2) that if I had to recommend a Victorian novel or a classic novel for anybody it would probably be Jane Eyre (because as much as I absolutely adore Jane Austen, she would probably not be the best place to start) I would recommend Jane Eyre. And yet it's also written in the most delightful prose and the dialogue is just fantastic.

I'm going to disregard my thoughts on it as a gothic novel (Bertha Mason was freaky for a little bit, Thornfield was kind of dark and creepy e.t.c. e.t.c.) in favor of prattling on about Jane and Mr. Rochester and their relationship (because why do I read books, if not to dissect the relationships in them to within an inch of their being)? I'll admit that I had conflicted feelings about Mr. Rochester throughout the novel. I didn't immediately (and will probably never) understand why he was ranked as the greatest romantic hero by the Telegraph a couple of years ago or why people are so besotted by him as this great, Byronic hero (although, maybe that's where the appeal lies?) Throughout much of the novel I was reminded (and forgive my modern-day allusions to a series that is probably not fit to be deemed literature) a lot of Ana and Christian's relationship in 50 Shades of Grey because I just found the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester to be so very creepy. Disregarding his attitude towards Jane, I didn't like his personality very much at first. He wasn't much of a guardian to Adele and far ruder to her than she deserved. I didn't like how he called her his pet and how it seemed like it wasn't a relationship between equals but one between a child and an adult; he was so stern and controlling and I kept rereading paragraphs and thinking he would suddenly succumb to the violent tendencies he kept threatening Jane with. He toyed with her emotions unnecessarily- I didn't understand the point of teasing Jane about Blanche Ingram besides doing it to justify his vanity.I kept thinking that if she went ahead and married him that their relationship would just turn into something very abusive and I was happy that she broke it off and came back only on her terms. I liked that when she came back it was when she was more of an equal to him and that Mr. Rochester had been humbled by her departure and by the fire- that he'd learned he wasn't above the law and morality. I suppose that's why I didn't feel so negatively towards him by the end of the novel. I pitied him and I didn't judge him as harshly for his treatment of his wife- he could have treated her better, perhaps, but as 19th century standards went, he could have also done a lot worse and kept her in the horrible institutions Bronte mentions in the novel.

I admired Jane- if not for her choice of companion (because even though I'm not swept away by Mr. Rochester, I can recognize the passion that drew her to him) then for her independence and knowledge of herself and her morals (she's certainly a far stronger character at 19 than I ever was/am!)

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