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A review by reynastillo
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
4.0
What can I say about Jane Eyre that has not already been said? Certainly, I read this classic far later than I should have, although if I had read it earlier I doubt I would have resonated with it the same.
The way Brontë writes about womanhood and love transcends time. I found myself constantly in awe at Jane’s blunt wisdom sprinkled throughout the book. It’s kind of sad, in a way, that the problems women face have stayed the same after all these years. The way they’re seen as objects of labor. The way they’re treated by men. The way they’re expected to be pretty and quiet. Jane defies these expectations and it was refreshing to see the world through her eyes.
Classics are often a burden for me because of the flowery prose and extensive world building, but in this case I allowed myself to indulge in the idyllic world Brontë has built. Jane’s joy in the simple pleasures in her life encouraged me to actually read, and not skim, the descriptive paragraphs, wanting to immerse myself in the world that enraptured her so. They were worth the detailed read, and I consequently found myself lost in the rooms of Thornfield Hall and walking through the garden in the warm summer nights.
Jane herself was a lovely character. From page one I deemed her a "girlboss", and she never lost that energy, not even whilst in love. There are several meaningful passages about finding comfort and solace in herself, and these spoke to me. The desire to be independent shone fiercely through her and put to words emotions I’d felt but couldn’t name.
Thinking it to be similar to Pride and Prejudice, I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by Jane Eyre. Through its titular protagonist, the latter stirred me more than the former probably ever will. This book was a breath of fresh air and I look forward to exploring Brontë’s other works.
The way Brontë writes about womanhood and love transcends time. I found myself constantly in awe at Jane’s blunt wisdom sprinkled throughout the book. It’s kind of sad, in a way, that the problems women face have stayed the same after all these years. The way they’re seen as objects of labor. The way they’re treated by men. The way they’re expected to be pretty and quiet. Jane defies these expectations and it was refreshing to see the world through her eyes.
Classics are often a burden for me because of the flowery prose and extensive world building, but in this case I allowed myself to indulge in the idyllic world Brontë has built. Jane’s joy in the simple pleasures in her life encouraged me to actually read, and not skim, the descriptive paragraphs, wanting to immerse myself in the world that enraptured her so. They were worth the detailed read, and I consequently found myself lost in the rooms of Thornfield Hall and walking through the garden in the warm summer nights.
Jane herself was a lovely character. From page one I deemed her a "girlboss", and she never lost that energy, not even whilst in love. There are several meaningful passages about finding comfort and solace in herself, and these spoke to me. The desire to be independent shone fiercely through her and put to words emotions I’d felt but couldn’t name.
Thinking it to be similar to Pride and Prejudice, I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by Jane Eyre. Through its titular protagonist, the latter stirred me more than the former probably ever will. This book was a breath of fresh air and I look forward to exploring Brontë’s other works.