Sadness, Hope, and Tension in Jane Eyre, a Novel by Charlotte Bronte

Whilst reading Jane Eyre I experienced a conglomerate of feelings, but the most prevalent included sadness, hope, and tension. From the first chapter when Jane was summarizing her rough childhood to the late night she saved Mr. Rochester’s life, I was inarguably hooked. Jane Eyre was a novel written with intentions to overwhelm the audience with ingenious prose and eloquent diction.

“You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mamma says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mamma’s expense (Bronte, 5).” There are not many words that can give the situation young Jane had to suffer during the time she lived with the Reed family. Mrs. Reed’s son, John, was a one of the first characters in the novel that I quickly grew to hate. He, along with other residents, made it quite clear to Jane that she was unwelcome, inferior, and a burden. I was very sad to say the least, when I read of the way Jane had been treated from such a young age. She was abused both mentally and physically, and even when John hit her in the head, which caused her to bleed, she was inhumanely punished .

Alas, when Jane was sent to Thornfield to govern a young girl named Adela. Mrs. Fairfax introduces Jane to Adala, saying, “Come and speak to the lady who is to teach you, and to make you a clever woman some day (Bronte, 105). The reason I felt so hopeful is because Jane was not only free from the reigns of her past abusers, but was finally given a chance to prove her significance. Eyre could speak French, draw, play the piano, and there were many other talents expressed after she moved to Thornfield. No one in her previous years allowed Eyre to express her true self, and instead treated her no less as a doormat. When she was introduced to her new pupil, it was obvious that her life could only get more tolerable.

Every novel has the ability to encapsulate the audience with love. There was a titillating feeling of tension after Mr. Rochester was introduced in Chapter twelve. “He held out his hand; I gave him mine: he took it first in one, then in both his own (Bronte, 160). From the time that Mr. Rochester interviewed Jane to test her intellect and skillset, there was an obvious level of attraction the two had toward one another. Although Jane claims that she is not physically attracted to Mr. Rochester, she often catches herself admiring him, and he takes a liking to her expressionless face and naivety. It is so unique and full of passion, even with just one simple glance or response. The gradual blossoming of love between Miss Eyre and Mr. Rochester surely keeps the readers on their toes.

Even though I have only read half of the book, Jane Eyre has become one of my favorite books. Jane is such a compassionate and smart character, and Charlotte Bronte did an unbelievable job at writing each sentence with great imagery that allows her readers to feel emotions such as sadness, hope, or anxiety. The explanation for such intense feelings are due to the amazing author, and the ever-relatable situations and feelings that Jane experienced.