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A review by tylerw
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
5.0
"'Oh, I will give my heart to God,' I said, 'YOU do not want it.'"
I'm a big fan of the genre in which we see the protagonist grow up, not forged in the fires of single events, but truly worn in by life they've lived (in reading more about this book I've learned the genre is called bildungsroman). The critiques on gender dynamics, classism, and religion are all pointed and direct, and don't detract in the slightest from an exciting and pulpy narrative with numerous twists. The book starts slow, but most of the initial time with Mrs Reed pays off later on. Certainly the bulk of the story is spent on Jane's relationship with Mr. Rochester, but even the time spent with the Rivers keeps interest and weaves well into the life of Jane Eyre.
It's also fascinating that this was released the same year as Wuthering Heights, which is equally as revered by high school literature programs. Comparing the two provides a number of similarities, but here are a couple of key differences I notice after reading the two near each other. Jane Eyre is largely a more optimistic story, with most of the "villains" meeting some form of justice, or forgiveness from our titular heroine, whereas Wuthering Heights seems to bask in the harsh truth that sometimes bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and the universe may never balance the scales. It's the more artistically bold stance to take, but as an enjoyable read for an eternal optimisist, Jane Eyre will edge out Wuthering Heights. Another difference is specifically in the characterization of the "tall, dark, and handsome" male lead. Both are brooding, and have misfortune befall them, but Rochester is painted with sympathy in places, and when he is knocked down it seems more pitiable than Heathcliff's woes.
Life has gotten in the way of me being able to quickly blaze through this, but that is no reflection on how much I enjoyed the story or admired the quality of its writing. A classic that would be just as popular if released today in modern vernacular.
I'm a big fan of the genre in which we see the protagonist grow up, not forged in the fires of single events, but truly worn in by life they've lived (in reading more about this book I've learned the genre is called bildungsroman). The critiques on gender dynamics, classism, and religion are all pointed and direct, and don't detract in the slightest from an exciting and pulpy narrative with numerous twists. The book starts slow, but most of the initial time with Mrs Reed pays off later on. Certainly the bulk of the story is spent on Jane's relationship with Mr. Rochester, but even the time spent with the Rivers keeps interest and weaves well into the life of Jane Eyre.
It's also fascinating that this was released the same year as Wuthering Heights, which is equally as revered by high school literature programs. Comparing the two provides a number of similarities, but here are a couple of key differences I notice after reading the two near each other. Jane Eyre is largely a more optimistic story, with most of the "villains" meeting some form of justice, or forgiveness from our titular heroine, whereas Wuthering Heights seems to bask in the harsh truth that sometimes bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and the universe may never balance the scales. It's the more artistically bold stance to take, but as an enjoyable read for an eternal optimisist, Jane Eyre will edge out Wuthering Heights. Another difference is specifically in the characterization of the "tall, dark, and handsome" male lead. Both are brooding, and have misfortune befall them, but Rochester is painted with sympathy in places, and when he is knocked down it seems more pitiable than Heathcliff's woes.
Life has gotten in the way of me being able to quickly blaze through this, but that is no reflection on how much I enjoyed the story or admired the quality of its writing. A classic that would be just as popular if released today in modern vernacular.