Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is an autobiographical romance novel written by Charlotte Brontë and originally published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell. Since its publication it achieved great fame and good reviews and today it is considered one of the best-known novels in English literature.

The novel is set somewhere in the north of England, late in the reign of George III (1760–1820), and is told in the first person from the perspective of the main character, Jane Eyre.

Jane Eyre is a strong, independent woman who was orphaned as a baby and later educated at a harsh boarding school. She is able to overcome adversity and becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. Jane agrees to marry her employer, Mr. Rochester, but on the day of the wedding she discovers that he is already married and his wife, Bertha Mason, is being confined in the house, prompting her to run away.

The book goes through five distinct stages: Jane's childhood at Gateshead Hall, her education at Lowood School, her time as a governess at Thornfield Hall, her time at Moor House, and ultimately her meeting and marriage to her beloved Rochester.

The novel is considered one of the first examples of feminist literature. Many male critics considered it revolutionary. Through Jane's voice, the novel denounces the oppression suffered by women in domestic life. Charlotte Brontë, in real life, also refused to marry for money or convenience. The novel offers perspectives on a number of important social issues and ideas, many of which are critical of the status quo.