Don't go into this book expecting a lot of 'juicy' romance, because then you will be disappointed. Jane Eyre definitely contains some romantic elements but is nowhere near the romance stories we see nowadays. Jane Eyre is more about growth and independence as a woman than a true romance between Jane and Mr Rochester. This novel is set in the Victorian time, where class and society were very important. Marriage was important for girls because this was a big influence in their future, yet because Jane is an orphan she isn't pressured to marry. In my review of Mansfield Park, marriage and marrying the right person is much more important, besides the role of women is different there. Jane Eyre is about a woman learning to become independent, while Fanny (the protagonist of Mansfield Park) always stays dependent on men. This is why it is argued that Jane Eyre contains feminist elements.
But, be aware that, this is not a feminist book. Even though we see the development of a girl into womanhood and Jane becoming independent. She gets so far because of men. Men have taught her lessons, her uncle gives her a fortune and she marries Mr Rochester and decides not to go through with her plans of travelling or setting up a school because she takes care of him. So it definitely has feminist elements but it cannot be immediately put up on the feminist shelf.
Many people stay away from classics because they are often harder to read than a contemporary novel. If you've never read a classic I really recommend this book. It is very readable in language and a good way to get used to this genre. I also found the story very fun and the first-person perspective was also interesting. Jane does sometimes address the reader, which gives the narrative a fun twist.
Besides being classified as a romance, this novel also contains some gothic elements. We see this in Bertha, who is locked up in the tower. Her presence in the house gives the book a mysterious feeling. And the story a fun twist. A character like her is of big influence in Jane's growth because otherwise, she wouldn't have left Mr Rochester. Meaning that she wouldn't have had the year apart where she developed herself even further. This novel gave me the feeling that independent growth is very important, not just men but for women too. It is not selfish to make a decision for yourself, especially not if you learn and grow from it. I liked to see the growth that Jane made. It was fun to go on her journey with her.
In the course I follow, we also look at adaptations of novels. For Jane Eyre, I watched the film of 1943 and 2011. I really recommend the latter because I found it a good and fun adaptation to watch. It also gives you an idea of the Victorian setting and the characters.
This was just a very good book and one of the best classics I've read so far. I recommend this to anyone that is curious about reading classics, it is deserved that so many people praise this book. Have a lovely day everyone!
Love,
Julia
Interested in reading this book? You can buy it here. This link in the Leatherbound Edition that I also have in the pictures. (these are affiliate links)
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