2020 EDIT: 'Jane Eyre' is a passionate, highly emotional and evocative classic. Its love and power hasn't diminished in age. Only a feminine mind in the 19th century could have penned something so raw, honest, authentic and human, which is a cry for help. For happiness. For freedom.
While still a favourite of mine, and an important book in my life, I've had to downgrade 'Jane Eyre' a little due to, let's face it, it being very racist; not to mention appalling in its depiction and treatment of the mentally ill. At least Jane says once that it is not the fault of Bertha - the "mad woman in the attic" - that she is mad. Jane isn't afraid of her. Though this doesn't go anywhere, and Bertha is disposed of like a wild animal - free of sight and mind forever - regardless.
I still love all of the characters. I love how real they feel; what feeling, thinking humans they are on these pages, with their foibles and all. (Though why is there so much attention paid to the entitled, pious and zealous St John Rivers, the pinnacle of toxic masculinity? Especially in the book's very last paragraphs, which are devoted to him and his fate? Like, who cares? It's Jane's own mind and revelations I'm interested in).
There are a lot of complexities and outer circumstances in-story to consider in 'Jane Eyre', like in how its feminism is presented, and how it holds up in the 21st century. But analysing it all would take far too long, and I have neither the energy nor the patience to write any examples down now.
It is a beautiful book overall. The chronicles of the orphaned, poor, plain, active, intelligent, assertive, brave, resolute and caring Jane Eyre, and her coming-of-age, celebrate the conviction, strength and endurance of the human spirit, female or male. It is about principles, values, self-respect, self-love, love to family, friends and soulmates, fulfilment, satisfaction, happiness, and the matters of the heart over any environmental, patriarchal duty to man-made society.
I dedicate this new review of 'Jane Eyre' to the memory of my Nana and Grandpa, who first gave me my copy in 2008. I love you, and miss you. Rest in peace.
Final Score: 5/5
Original Review:
This novel - the book that made me into a book lover - was given to me by my grandparents for Christmas in 2008. When I first read it, I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to put it down. I was enchanted; left breathless by the time I reached the last page.
'Jane Eyre' is important and personal to me on many levels, not least because it is a very personal novel. Full of passion, anger, thought and love. It is my second favourite book to date, and one I'll keep coming back to in order to read its passages again and again; forever swept away by the hypnotic and fiery prose and content, getting teary-eyed each time.
Thank you Nana and Grandpa, and bless your hearts.
It's going to be hard for me to explain why I love 'Jane Eyre' so much. I think it's the same with all the novels written by the illustrious and daring Bronte sisters, in explaining their work.
However, I'll try.
The writing: seemingly simple but it is not. Addictive, it flows like water and takes you in its current. Charlotte Bronte really could write; she wasn't just a woman with a rebellious voice for her time. She wrote from the heart, and the words in the prose beat with it. Gentle but sincere and honest. And idealistic: the gender politics speak not just of feminism, but of humanity. The writing has an atmosphere that's haunting and soulful.
Jane Eyre herself is a homely young woman with a voice, a brain, and a heart - a wonderful human being who never likes to stay quiet and let others treat her however they want. But she has the friendliest way of narrating ever, with no overtly feminine sweetness. As a character she reads, draws, teaches, and dislikes long walks and people who look down on her for being a poor girl. She is as passionate and independent as the author; both speak their minds in this heartfelt and well-structured story about the freedom of choice, equality, and human love.
It's also nice to see a thinking classic novel heroine who doesn't meet a tragic end. All of Jane's efforts throughout her story are not in vain. She will find her happiness, and be loved.
Jane Eyre and Mr Edward Rochester: a match made in flawed heaven. Both want to be treated with respect, and they have such great conversations and arguments with each other. They challenge one another; help the other come out of his/her shell formed by each of their life experiences and by society. Mr Rochester is a mysterious, wounded, fascinating man of experience. He's not physically attractive, and he can be haughty and cruel, but Jane sees different sides to these traits. He is a cynical man still searching for happiness after life had dealt him with hard fatalities. In Jane he sees an intelligent girl who will talk to him about interesting things, because she can say them fearlessly with her own voice.
For beauty and good looks are severely overrated. Whatever the conventional standard is in view of attractiveness, people grow old and their looks change accordingly (no matter how hard they try to prevent it through unnatural means). But intelligence, responsibilities, and engaging personalities can never die, and are timeless: another message that makes 'Jane Eyre' absolutely revolutionary, even in modern times.
Now, like most men of his time, Rochester expects too much from women. He expects them to be all-loyal, forgiving, and ultimately submissive. He wants a relationship to be easy, and a wish for a woman to just go along with whatever he does and says. Hmm, actually that hasn't changed much in today's patriarchal society - oops I'm getting off topic.
Anyway, Jane surprises Rochester with her assertiveness to stick to her convictions, even over love. Both characters have their own set beliefs needing to be challenged.
Note: I'm a little disappointed that in film adaptations, handsome actors keep getting cast as Rochester. The same goes to Jane being played by attractive actresses. They are both meant to be imperfect people inside and out; an odd but endearing, passionate couple - to heck with classism and background histories! But never mind, I'll always hold the novel close to my heart.
Seriously, if you care about books and think they have power, that they are one of the most beautiful things in the world, read 'Jane Eyre'. To this day it is the only classic I've read that I would describe as being wholly magical. The voice, the narration, the poetry - they are breathtakingly radiant. Each page shines in its prose.
Sad, solitary, fearless and evocative. I have nothing more to add about Miss Bronte's work of spirit.
Well, I do. But for the sake of not repeating myself I'll leave the review here.
Reader, I aspire to be like Jane Eyre.
Final Score: 5/5
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