The Brontë sisters are probably some of the most standout authors of the mid-1800s. Even today, they’re still talked about as some of the great authors of their generation for their prevalence and scope.
However, until recently, I’d never read anything by either sister, and I decided to start with “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë to dip my toes in. While most coming-of-age novels feel pretty much the same to me, I found it delightful, and wanted to continue reading every time I put the book down.
First of all, the writing is gorgeous. What intimidates me the most about classic novels is that they’re not always the easiest to read — I still cannot get myself to read more than a few pages of anything by Jane Austen. The language and dialogue can be difficult to understand, and there’s something about that pre-1900s style writing that can get boring and confusing. But “Jane Eyre” surprised me, because although it is a long book, it was simple to read with Charlotte Brontë’s vivid and detailed descriptions. Every passage was ripe with imagery, and it was so easy to visualize every bit of the book.
One of the things that really stood out was the ambiance. There were numerous times in the book where, during plot twists or descriptions, I really felt that Brontë captured the ambiance of the gothic romance genre. It truly feels like she understood what made the genre unique, and in that way was able to make it equally frightening and intriguing.
Technically, the book is a romance, and while I did like Jane’s early interactions with Mr. Rochester, I didn’t find it to be a highlight of the book. Jane’s growth was at the forefront to me, and much of their romance fell flat in the latter half of the book. It really was better framed as a coming-of-age story than a romance, which surprised me because I don’t usually enjoy that genre, but the events of Jane’s life were so unique and interesting. The plot twists in this book were so crazy that I truly never knew what was going to happen next. I really think going into it blind leads to the best experience, because I definitely enjoyed it much more figuring things out along with Jane herself.
Jane as a character was my favorite part of the book. While she isn’t the most unique or eccentric character to ever exist, even within the sphere of “classics” (e.g. Victor Frankenstein), she is by far one of the nicest. She clearly knows herself and her worth, and somehow remains so kind. In spite of all of the antagonists who treat her terribly and the horrible things that happen to her over the course of the novel, she perseveres and maintains her morals. She’s able to overcome adversity in such a sensible way, and if most people were in her place, they would not have been as calm as she was.
I really admired her and found it refreshing to read about a character who was so level-headed and understanding. It’s always fun to read about characters who are insane or do crazy things, but I honestly really enjoyed reading about someone who is just a good person. On another note, I do believe that Charlotte Brontë wrote the novel at least a little bit from a feminine perspective. Because Jane is such a strong female character who talks about what she believes a woman’s place and rights should be, it would be wrong to disregard those choices as unintentional. Much of the story is Jane coming into her own and learning to be independent, and reading through that lens is key to understanding what makes Jane’s character and the concept of the story as a bildungsroman so compelling.
Overall, “Jane Eyre” was a really solid start in my ventures with the Brontë sisters, and I would love to read more by them. It was the perfect read for the transition between fall and winter, with notes of holiday cheer but also eerie gothicness. I think if you enjoy a (mostly) sweet story with beautiful descriptions, insane plot twists and a lovely main character, “Jane Eyre” is definitely the book for you!
