Jane Eyre (Bantam Classics)
by Charlotte Bronte
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Book Summary Information
Author: Charlotte BronteEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1983-10-01
ISBN: 0553211404
Number of pages: 492
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: Bantam Classics
Book Reviews of Jane Eyre (Bantam Classics)
Book Review: "Destiny"
Summary: 5 Stars
There are many excellent books written about the human heart, but few writers master the artistry needed to combine both thought and dialog into a free flowing story that, filled with mystery and torment, capture the imagination as does Charlotte Bronte's tale of love and desire struggling upstream against the elements of life station, society's pressure, and mistakes made in youth that never lie in peace no matter how much time passes.
Such is the novel Jane Eyre. I knew it was a Classic, and acknowledged it; I had seen several versions of the movies made of it, but did not recall having ever read the book as an adult. Written in 1847, it seemed something to watch on film, but not explore in the written word, as many such novels are difficult to read. Nothing could have been farther from the truth, and I was given an extraordinary literary experience once again by chance. It is particularly interesting given that this book was written by a woman at a time when license was thin; she managed not only to pull it off, but gave up nothing in the process while taking the reader to the smoldering destiny of what she intended to deliver.
Jane Eyre is a hauntingly beautiful tale of a plain but highly mature and intelligent girl, shunned and unwanted by her family in her youth, much like the fairy tale of Cinderella. The reason for this travesty is finally delivered in the epilogue, yet it's integral importance yields completely to the unlikely romance that she finds as a result of it.
She, frightened and alone but possessed of a courage and confidence that she will somehow prevail against her odds, is arranged a position as a governess for a mysterious, often absent gentleman of means who needs a tutor for his little girl. Upon arriving, she immediately senses there is a sinister intrigue surrounding the big house and it's inhabitants, but is too conscious of her place to be too inquisitive; beyond that, her sense of honor and integrity prevents any covert investigation on her part. But it is a place to flee from on occasion, and one night she leaves to send a letter out in the next town, which is a long walk through a dusky, cold winter's evening. There, on a lonely bridle path, she unwittingly meets the owner of the Estate, Edward Rochester - as he returns homeward, although in no glamorous way to be sure, as he has fallen off his horse and sprained his leg, all within her immediate vision. She come to his aid, helps him to his feet; and the first of the fateful encounters between a world-weary yet vital man and a much younger, guileless, yet very capable woman has come to be.
The author waxes splendid in her descriptive paragraphs of the countryside and surroundings; of the morning mist shrouding the walks under the cherry trees in the old gardens surrounding the mansion; of moonlight shining in windows at night adding visuals as if by magic. But that's the periphery; the undercurrent of something else is running dark and deep. There is a secret hidden on the upper story, one that is closely guarded, yet threatens to expose itself continually, with the potential to destroy not only Mr. Rochester himself, but any chance for happiness he may decide to take.
Rochester senses something out of the ordinary in the governess he has inherited by chance to educate and care for his child. The flighty little girl is the irritating and very tangible link to his past that brings him continual reminders of his "error" - yet has somehow been the vessel that brings about his emotional emancipation - through the hiring of Jane. And as Jane becomes acquainted with her benefactor, she realizes that despite his eccentricities, he is above other men in many, many ways, for even in her protected environment she has noticed his encouragement of equality for her; encouragement to speak her mind and reveal her thoughts to him. She is reluctant to do so, because she is wary of the differences in station between them, and realizes he has ultimate and enduring power over her. He cleverly attempts to seek out and determine ahead of time each of his moves toward his desires so that he may emerge to the next level unscathed.
The idea flow is exquisite; articulate without a misstep anywhere in connecting her intricate plot with the characters and the moments that filter unerringly down to create the mood and the sensuality between the two unlikely lovers that are caught up in the vortex. The night the Gypsy arrives unbidden to the big house is a perfect example.The scene Jane endures with the "gypsy" in the parlor is truly one of a kind; I don't believe I have ever read anything quite it's equal for astonishing originality. The depth of emotional insight, passion, and fear of rejection and/or discovery is intensely woven into this particular part of the story in an unforgettable exchange of dialog and mental dueling; a subtle, ingenious breaking of barriers, of discovery without risk.
Turn charlotte Bronte loose with word software on a computer with the literary license of today and one can't help but wonder just what form it would have taken. For certain though, it could not have been more masterfully written than was the "original."
Summary of Jane Eyre (Bantam Classics)
Charlotte Bront?'s impassioned novel is the love story of Jane Eyre, a plain yet spirited governess, and her employer, the arrogant, brooding Mr. Rochester. Published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell, the book heralded a new kind of heroine-one whose virtuous integrity, keen intellect, and tireless perseverance broke through class barriers to win equal stature with the man she loved. Hailed by William Makepeace Thackeray as "the masterwork of a great genius," Jane Eyre is still regarded, over a century later, as one of the finest novels in English literature.General Books
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