Jane Eyre is a book written by Charlotte Bronte in the year 1847. The book is considered a classic since it portrays the reality of the inner life of a woman through the story of Jane Eyre. Note that the story is set in England. Jane Eyre summary will give you an overview of the book in brief.
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The story of Jane Eyre focuses on a girl “Jane” who loses her parents to typhoid and is sent to live with her cruel aunt at Gateshead Hall at the last request of her dying uncle. While there, she is physically and emotionally abused by her family. After a short while of living with the cruel family, Jane is sent to a girls boarding school, Lowood school, where she is beaten and abused. After school, Jane stays at the school as a teacher but later finds another career as a governess. Jane’s life is changed completely when she is accepted at Thornfield Hall to look after a young French girl, Adele Varens. Here, she meets Mr. Edward Rochester, her employer, who has a dark secret.
Perhaps you are wondering ‘what is Jane Eyre about.’ This article gives a summary of Jane Eyre trying to answer the essential aspects, ‘how old is Jane Eyre when she arrives at Thornfield,’ ‘what makes Jane decide to leave Lowood’ and most importantly, ‘what year is Jane Eyre set in.’ Read through the entire Jane Eyre summary to know a few important things about the book and perhaps learn how to write a book summary. You may want to contact our writers at mycoursebay.com for a more customized summary of Jane Erye.
Plot Summary of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre story summary begins with her parents dying of typhoid when she is ten years old. Perhaps you are wondering, ‘what year is Jane Eyre set in?’ The story of Jane Eyre is set between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Jane Eyre is sent to stay with her aunt, Mrs. Reed, in “Gateshead Hall’ upon her uncle’s last request before he passes on.
Her uncle loves her so much and believes that she will be treated well with his family after he is gone. That’s not the case though, her aunt is a cruel woman and does not love Jane and makes her feel miserable and unhappy in every way. Jane endures both mental abuse and physical abuse. For instance, she is locked in the “red room” where her uncle died for hours. His ghostly presence terrifies Jane. Furthermore, her aunt discourages her children, Georgiana, Eliza, and John, from socializing with Jane. Jane Eyre Gateshead Hall kindness and love only come from a nursemaid by the name of Bessie.
Jane Eyre book summary also highlights how Lowood becomes the next home for Jane Eyre. So, one day when Jane Eyre is locked in a room, she believes that she sees her uncle’s ghost and eventually faints. A doctor, Mr. Lloyd, is called whom she opens up to. From Jane Eyre overview of Gateshead Hall, the doctor advises that she is taken to a boarding school. Her aunt agrees that she goes to Lowood charity school and never returns. She also tells the director, Mr.Brocklehurst, that Jane is disobedient and deceitful, which he believes. He, therefore, does not believe anything from Jane while she studies at Lowood.
Lowood, Jane Eyre school, has terrible and harsh working conditions. Jane finds out that the school is as tough as it is in Gateshead. Maria Temple, a survivor of harsh conditions, intervenes once in a while to get the girls a break. Fortunately, she meets Helen Burns, a fellow student, who helps her learn to endure personal injustice and believe in God. However, the Typhus epidemic sweeps the school, and Helen dies of consumption.
Jane Eyre summary mentions that the epidemic sees new management take over Lowood in Jane Eyre book summary. Jane’s life improves with the new management. She spends more years at the institution, both as a student and as a teacher. The plot of Jane Eyre highlights how Jane advertises herself as a private tutor; in the process, she meets her luck. She is hired as the governess of Adele Varens, a French-speaking young girl. She is Mr. Rochester’s child, the commanding master of Thornfield Hall.
On another occasion, Jane helps Mr. Rochester secretly bandage and send away a wounded man. The man was bitten and slashed in the mansion, and Rochester blames a quirky Grace Poole, but Jane finds this skeptical.
Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre summary continuous where Jane helps a horseman who falls off the horse when it stumbles and falls on black ice. Jane Eyre brief summary goes ahead with Jane learning that this man is Edward Rochester, master of the house. The two gradually begin to learn about each other. Jane develops stronger feelings for Rochester when he saves him from the house fire. Jane does not like Blanche Ingram, a talented and gorgeous woman, as she seems to be very close
One day, Rochester holds a party of English aristocrats and invites Blanche Ingram. Jane does not like Blanche Ingram, a talented and gorgeous woman, as she seems to be very close to Mr. Rochester and because of her arrogant and cold behavior.
Whether it is Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre summary or Jane Eyre synopsis, highlight that Jane returns to Gateshead when she hears that Mrs. Reed, her aunt, is suffering a stroke. Before she dies, she hands Jane a letter from Mr. John Eyre asking for Jane to live with him and be the next heir. Mrs. Reed admits her cruelty to Jane and tells her that she told her uncle that Lowood fever had seen Jane Eyre die.
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In Jane Eyre plot summary, or rather Jane Eyre short summary, Jane buries her aunt and returns to Thornfield, where she learns about Rochester’s marriage proposal to Blanche Ingram. However, Rochester confesses his love to Jane, asking her to marry him instead, and she agrees. However, during the wedding ceremony, Edward Rochester is told by a London lawyer that he is still married to another woman, Bertha Mason, and hence cannot marry Jane. He agrees but explains that his wife is mentally ill and that his father’s wishes pushed him to marry her because of her family’s wealth.
Mention in the Jane Eyre detailed summary that the marriage is canceled, but Rochester still loves Jane anyway. He asks her to relocate and live with him in France as a married couple even if it cannot be legalized, but Jane refuses. Jane takes her Christian values seriously; therefore, she leaves Thornfield Hall early in the morning while everyone is sleeping to escape the temptation of going against her faith.
Jane wants to travel far from Thornfield but accidentally leaves her possessions on the coach. She, therefore, spends all her money and ends up at Diana and Mary Rivers’ home exhausted and dehydrated. Here, John Rivers, a stern local clergyman, gives jane a teaching position in a rural school.
There is a coincidence in Jane Eyer summary. She learns that her uncle, whom she has never met, has died, leaving behind 20,000 pounds. She discovers this through St. John. Here, she adopts the pseudonym Jane Elliot so that Rochester cannot find her. Perhaps you are wondering, ‘what does Jane tell St. John and his sisters of her past?’ From the novel, Jane tells St.John and his sisters that she is an orphan and a clergyman’s daughter. Surprisingly, the uncle is related to River’s siblings—Jane suddenly has cousins. To show gratitude to the family for having saved her life, Jane decides to share her fortune left by her uncle equally among the four of them: herself, Mary, Diana, and St. John.
St. John plans to go on a missionary in India and makes a marriage proposal to Jane so that she accompanies him. However, Jane does not feel affection for St. John but can go as St. John’s sister.
Jane Eyre experiences a telepathic flash where she hears Rochester calling her and leaves to find Mr. Rochester. She finds Thornfield Hall destroyed by fire. On inquiring, she discovers that Bertha had set Jane’s old bedroom on fire which saw the entire building burn. Bertha also committed suicide by jumping from the roof and died during the blaze. In saving his servants, Rochester suffered life-changing injuries that left him blind and missing one hand.
From Jane Eyre study guides, the book concludes with Jane and Rochester’s reuniting at Ferndean, where Jane promises to take care of Mr. Rochester. They eventually marry and bring Adele from boarding school. The two get a son together, and Rochester regains sight in one eye. Mr. Rochester is happy that God has returned Jane to him in the last chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions on “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë | Jane Eyre Summary
- What is Mr. Rochester most grateful for in the last chapter?
Mr. Rochester is grateful that despite God taking his sight, he has returned Jane Eyre to him. It is important to mention this in Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre summary.
- What does Jane tell St. John and his sisters of her past?
Jane tells St. John and his sisters that she is an orphan and a daughter of a clergyman
- How does Jane gain financial independence?
Jane gains financial independence when her uncle, who she has never met, dies and leaves her 20000 pounds. However, he does not leave anything to St. John’s siblings.
- Why does Jane love Mr. Rochester more now than ever?
Jane loves Mr. Rochester more now than before because she has gained financial independence, and he needs her. Most professors look out if your Jane Eyre summary highlights this part, so ensure to include it.
- What does Jane decide to do with the money?
Jane divides the money left behind by his uncle in four ways; for herself, Mary, Diana, and St. John.
- Why does Jane use a false name with Mr. St. John?
Jane Eyre uses a false name with St. John because she does not want Mr. Rochester, the man she loves but who had disappointed her, to find her. She identifies herself to St. John as Jane Elliot.
- How has Mr. Rochester been freed by the fire?
He can finally marry someone else when Bertha commits suicide by jumping off from the story building during the fire.
- What does Mr. St. John decide he has been called to do?
St. John feels that he is called to become a missionary. He, therefore, plans to go to India as a missionary.
- When Jane decides to go to Thornfield, what does she find?
On returning to Thornfield, Jane finds the Thornfield Hall destroyed by fire and that Rochester no longer lives there. This is an important aspect of Jane Eyre summary which must not be left out.
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Conclusion of Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre Summary
The plot summary of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is meant to help you grasp the details of a book in a nutshell. It gives the main points while keeping aside the details. A professor may ask you to write a Jane Eyre summary to test your understanding of the main points of the reading. Summary of Jane Eyre novel is a book worth reading by everyone who loves British literature. You may want to request a customized Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre summary at MyCourseBay—we guarantee you quality and affordable services. We are here for you!
