Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte Charlotte Bronte was born in Yorkshire, England in 1816, the third daughter of Reverend Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell Bronte. The Brontes had five daughters and one son, Branwell. When Charlotte was five years old, her mother passed away. She and three of her sisters were sent to the Clergy Daughters’ School. Due to the poor conditions at the school, Charlotte’s sisters Maria and Elizabeth died from tuberculosis.

Charlotte Brontë Tragedy followed the family: the brother died from alcohol and opium abuse and Emily caught a cold at the funeral and died of consumption, as did Anne later Charlotte would use both sisters as models for the heroines in her novel Shirley Charlotte became a successful writer and married, only to die a month before her 39 th birthday in 1855 from complications during childbirth

More on Charlotte’s Family In 1846, Charlotte & her sisters started publishing poems and began writing novels: – The Professor was Charlotte’s attempt to fictionalize her love for a college professor she had met at Brussels. – In 1847 Wuthering Heights was sister Emily’s first success. Charlotte followed with Jane Eyre. 5

Charlotte’s Religious Views Father, Patrick Bronte, was an Anglican clergyman Due to her upbringing, she often wrote about religious hypocrisy— those who preach one doctrine but live by another 6

Jane Eyre: An Autobiography In the first publication of the novel, it was titled Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, and Currer Bell was listed as the editor. Emily, Ann, and Charlotte all had male pseudonyms that helped them become published writers in a male-dominated world.

Women’s Roles in the 19 th Century Women in 19 th Century England had few legal rights and depended on their male counterparts- fathers, husbands, and brothers- for support. Women could not vote, and once married, all of a woman’s property and possessions belonged to her husband. Women could not divorce their husbands, even for adultery, without proving that adultery and another crime, such as cruelty, desertion, or incest, had occurred.

The Ideal Woman Although they had few legal rights, women were treated with care and were generally protected. In emergencies, women were to be saved before men. Women were seen as ideal- symbols of purity and righteousness. They were not encouraged to wear makeup or revealing clothes, as they would distract from their purity.

Household Managers The most important duty of a woman was to manage the household. This involved waking early in the morning, directing their servants, caring for the children, and organizing the family’s social calendar. Women were required to be hospitable, frugal, and exhibit cleanliness. Jewelry and fancy clothes were not worn during the day, and only rarely to dinner.

Education and Occupations of Women Women studied subjects that would prove useful in raising their children or managing their households, such as literature, history, painting, music, and drawing. Males studied other subjects, such as Latin, physics, science, art, and law. In their daily lives as adults, women were expected to cultivate themselves at least for a short time each day by engaging in such activities as reading, drawing, playing music, or needlework.

Education and Occupations of Women Women of lower social classes sometimes worked outside the home as unskilled factory workers, agricultural laborers, or domestic servants, but these options were not appropriate for middle class women. Middle class women who wanted jobs outside the home were encouraged to become governesses or medical nurses.

Governesses Middle class families hired governesses, female teachers, who also belonged to the middle class. Being a governess involved living with the family and teaching the family’s children within the home. Their students were usually female. Although she was usually of the same social status as the family, a governess was not considered a member of the family and spent much of her time alone. The education of the governess placed her above the other servants.

Gothic Influences Bronte used elements of Gothic horror throughout Jane Eyre. Originating in Germany, Gothic horror was popular in England in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Its purpose was to evoke a sense of fear, mystery, suspense, and terror. Bronte includes several Gothic elements, such as a gloomy, desolate landscape, ghostly encounters, complex family histories, incidents of madness, and revelations of shocking secrets.

The Romantic Movement – Came into play in at the end of the 18 th Century. – Championed for the rights of the individual over the demands of society. – Belief that humans were inherently good – Valued imagination over reason – Inspired by nature

Victorian England During the reign of Queen Victoria ( ), England was transformed from a rural agricultural country to an industrialized urban environment. Because of the Industrial Revolution, new types of jobs were available to people, and they migrated to the cities for employment. Women and children worked long hours in dangerous factories for little pay. The concentrated populations and poor sanitary conditions led to a series of epidemics, including typhus and cholera.

Victorian England Communication improved because of stage coaches, steam ships, and railways used to transport messages, materials, and goods. Made aware of the abuses of workers, Queen Victoria strived to improve their poor conditions and help them escape the cycle of poverty. By the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, England had developed into a nation of bustling urban towns and communities, governed by innovations in science and technology.

The Beginning: Jane Eyre is an orphan in 1800s England. After Jane’s parents die, her aunt agrees to raise her, although she treats Jane horribly. She allows Jane’s cousin to bully her and punishes Jane harshly, yet she expects Jane to be thankful.

When Jane tries to stand up for herself, her aunt is furious. She calls Jane an ungrateful child and sends her away to boarding school. At Lowood School, the girls sleep two to a bed, get up before dawn, bathe in ice-cold water, eat burnt porridge for breakfast, and are taught to suffer in silence.

Jane is caught between her desire to fight back and her fear of being punished—or labeled “bad” by the teachers and other girls. Luckily, Jane meets two good friends—Miss Temple, a kind teacher at the school, and Helen Burns, an older student who teaches Jane the importance of patience and forgiveness.

The author Charlotte Brontë encountered her own share of harsh conditions. After their mother’s death, Brontë and three of her sisters were sent to the Clergy Daughters’ School. The school was similar to Jane Eyre’s Lowood School: The food was bad, discipline was harsh, and two of Charlotte’s sisters died of tuberculosis there.

Tuberculosis was a common killer during the Victorian era. Tuberculosis often destroys its victims’ lungs, resulting in a bloody cough. If untreated, sufferers may die of tuberculosis because their lungs are so badly damaged. Jane Eyre’s Lowood also suffers an outbreak of typhus, a disease that causes headaches, chills, rashes, and fevers that last up to three weeks. Typhus is spread by lice, fleas, and ticks. Both tuberculosis and typhus are diseases associated with crowded, unsanitary conditions.