"I would always rather be happy than dignified." ― Chapter 34
Jane Eyre is the titular character and main protagonist in Charlotte Brontë's novel of the same name. She is the niece of Mrs. Reed, the cousin of John Reed, Eliza Reed, Georgiana Reed, St. John Rivers, Mary Rivers, and Diana Rivers and the wife of Mr. Rochester.
After experiencing a difficult childhood, she redeems herself when she finds loves and happiness in society and with her master Rochester, until she discovers a terrible secret that would nearly have her thinking twice.
Jane Eyre is known to be one of the first-known female protagonists in the Victorian era to have a strong-willed, feminist-like personality, and even earns the status as being one of the greatest heroines in literature.
Description
Jane Eyre is a simple, neglected woman who desires to find the loving, happy home that she never truly had. Alone in her youth, she is wanting to find her sense of love and kindness while being guided by her spiritualism, morality and independence. Along the way, she has to make decisions when she finds herself in different obstacles; such as when she decides if she should stay with Mr. Rochester as a mistress or leave him to find her new life elsewhere, even if it means reliving her past as an outsider.
Until she finds her success, Jane must toughen herself against her harsh reality in order to build her character and be ready for her challenges in adulthood. She endures a miserable childhood as an orphan at Gateshead Hall, which includes her unsettling experience in the red-room. Then she attends the Lowood Institution, where the conditions and discipline are difficult, but with some help and guidance from her friend and teacher, she finally learns how to be more strong and pious first-hand and perhaps her development also causes Lowood to no longer be an unhealthy, strict school. Once she falls in love with Mr. Rochester, she sees that her romance with him can provide her a haven and he is possibly the only person who can offer her a real home and lifestyle.
Most readers and critics believed Brontë created her protagonist as a way to reflect aspects of her own life. She also went to a school infested with deadly diseases and severe discipline, as well as living a strict, pious childhood. Later in life, she worked a series of straining jobs but rose to the top of fame after becoming an author. Like Jane Eyre, Brontë may had also struggled to find some balance between romance and freedom, and had explained most of this in her novels; and in Jane's narration, her opinions are told by her.
Storyline
Birth/Orphaned
Jane was born to Reverend Eyre and Jane Reed. Her father was penniless and Jane marries him, against her wealthy family’s wishes not to marry the impoverished clergyman, as they disapproved of the match. Jane’s father Mr. Reed, infuriated of the marriage, disowns her. They soon had their daughter, named after her mother, but the Eyre's lived in poverty after Jane was disinherited.
After their daughter's birth a year later, Reverend Eyre and Jane went to a nearby town to visit the poor, but they both contracted and died of typhus within a month. Jane's brother, Mr. Reed, takes pity for his now orphaned niece, and brings her into his family household at Gateshead Hall. His wife, Sarah Reed, does not approve of her husband having Jane being part of the family; mainly that her disgraced sister-in-law was Mr. Reed's favorite sister and that he loved his young niece as his own.
Before his death, Mr. Reed asks his wife to raise Jane as one of their children, but she never keeps his promise and Jane was abused and unloved by Mrs. Reed, as well as her cousins John, Eliza, and Georgiana Reed taking part in their mother's cruelty. The Reed girls tolerate and torment Jane while John bullies her and her female cousins look on. Mrs. Reed had a servant named Bessie to be a personal caregiver to her niece. Jane was close to Bessie, who cared for her the most and would listen to her sing songs and tell stories to her.
Abusive Childhood at Gateshead Hall/The Red Room
One November day, 10-year-old Jane was supposed to go out for a walk with her cousins, but they refused to due to the cold weather, which makes her relieved as she hates going out for walks. She sees her spoiled cousins John, Eliza and Georgiana playing around with their mother Mrs. Reed in the drawing room.
Jane was scolded by her aunt and wasn't allowed to join them, so she goes into another room and takes a book off a bookshelf. She sits down on a curtained window seat and starts reading “The History of British Birds” by Thomas Bewick, with the curtain covering her. She pauses to look outside the window before returning to her book. She makes up stories from the pictures in the book, where she imagines herself being at a seashore in an Arctic landscape and witnessing two ships stranded at sea, with one becoming shipwrecked at shore and the other sinking. It reminds her of the stories Bessie would tell her on winter nights.
She was comfortable as she reads alone, until her privacy was interrupted when John barges in looking for her, with his sisters following him. Jane hopes they won’t find her behind the curtain, and Eliza tells her brother where she’s hiding. Jane comes out, with fear he would drag her out if she refused, and asks John what he wants. He corrects her that he is called “Master John” and demands her to come to him. She obeys him, afraid that he will hurt her and is disgusted by his ugly appearance. He sticks his tongue out at her and after a moment’s pause, he hits her.
John says that was her punishment for not obeying Mrs. Reed for a while and from hiding away. He insults her by calling her a “rat”. He asks her what she was doing behind the curtain and replies she was reading. He demands her to show him the book and she brings it to him. He tells her she is not allowed to read their books as she is a penniless, dependent child and doesn’t deserve to be treated like a member of their wealthy family. He decides he will punish her for reading, declaring that everything in the house, including the books, belong to him and orders her to go stand by the door. Jane does as she is told, unaware of what he is planning to do. When she turns around, she’s sees John preparing to aim the book at her. He throws it and the book hits her, causing her to fall over and hit her head against a door, leaving a bloody cut on her forehead. Feeling the pain in her head, she gets angry and calls John a wicked and cruel “murderer”, even comparing him to slave drivers and the Roman emperors (she had read Goldsmith’s History of Rome, and believes in the cruelty of Nero and Caligula).
Shocked of what she said to him, John hesitates for a moment and then starts grappling her by her hair and shoulders. Jane feels the blood trickle down her neck from her wound, and she starts to fight him, unsure of what she was doing and he was hollering out loud. During the fight, Eliza and Georgiana went to fetch their mother, and they came back with Mrs. Reed, Bessie and another servant Miss Abbott. Jane and John were pulled apart, and Jane is scolded for fighting her cousin. Mrs. Reed orders the maids to take Jane away and lock her in the red-room.
Bessie and Miss Abbot take Jane by her arms and lead her away to the red room. She struggles wildly along the way, and Miss Abbott again scolds her for hurting John. Jane protests if she is a servant, and Miss Abbott replies she is “less than a servant” as she doesn’t work to support herself. They arrive at the red room and Jane is placed on top of a stool. She tries to get up but Bessie forces her back down, threatening her she will have to be tied down and as Miss Abbott prepares to use her garters to keep her tied, Jane promises she’ll sit still.
Bessie lets go of her and the two maids look down disdainfully at her, and they talk about Jane being an unruly girl. Miss Abbott informs Jane that she is being placed under Mrs. Reed’s care, and if she refused her, she would had been living in a poorhouse. She doesn’t reply, annoyed that this is a statement of her dependence. Miss Abbott reminds her again that she should be grateful that she is living with the Reed’s; even if they are rich and she is poor, she still needs to make herself agreeable to them. Bessie agrees with Miss Abbott, advising Jane she needs to be more polite so she would be more welcome in her home; and if she continues to be rude, she would be sent away. Miss Abbott claims that God might punish her by striking her if she goes on with her tantrums. As the maids prepare to leave, Miss Abbott warns Jane to say her prayers while she is alone. Then they shut the door, locked it and left.
The red room was furnished with everything coloured red: from the carpet and the curtains to the mahogany furniture such as the bed and chairs; except the mattress and pillows on the bed are white. The windows always had the blinds down. Jane finds the red room too cold and quiet, and recalls how a maid would come in on Saturdays for dusting. Mrs Reed sometimes would open the room’s wardrobe and review some trinkets she stored inside a secret drawer, which included a miniature of her late husband.
She remembers that the red room is where Mr. Reed died 9 years ago and where his body laid in state. Since then, she always senses an eerie atmosphere whenever she is inside it. She was seated on a low ottoman and wasn’t sure if the maids really did lock the door. She gets up to see and it is bolted tight. She sees her reflection in the mirror, and the room looks more strange mirrored as she thinks her reflection looks something like a ghost. She sits back down and thinks about her unfair situation; of John bullying her, Eliza and Georgiana tormenting her, Mrs. Reed’s hatred to her and the maids being unprejudiced. She wonders why she is bullied, hated and blamed by the Reed’s, as well as being treated as an outcast. She finds Eliza being treated with respect and Georgiana being pampered. John, who was the worst behaved, would do some heinous things such as harming animals and disrespecting his mother, and often gets away with it without punishment. Jane often tried her best to fit in and behave, but everyone kept turning her away.
Her head still ached from the cut she received earlier, and as nobody punished John, she considers what had happened as unfair, and is filled with so much hatred for her to run away or let herself die. Until she figures this out years later, she doesn’t know that the reason she is an outsider at Gateshead is that she is different from everyone. Not only was she is poor, but it is also her personality of being a reckless, angry girl.
Sometime after 4 o’clock in the late afternoon, the room darkens as Jane hears the rain pouring and wind howling outside. She starts to feel cold and uneasy, pondering she is fit to die and join her uncle in his grave. She doesn’t remember him too well, but had took her in as an infant and remembers that shortly before he died, he makes Mrs. Reed promise to raise her among their children. Jane thought she could had kept his promise, but due to her cruelty, she won’t obey him for having to raise her niece she doesn’t love. She thinks if Mr. Reed was still alive today, he would have been more kind to her.
Jane looks at the bed and mirror, recalling that the deceased would haunt and punish those who disobey their final wishes. She fears that Mr. Reed’s spirit would return from the grave and haunt her. She attempts to calm herself down as a hope of comfort and gazes around the dark room, when she sees a gleaming light on the wall and assumes it could be just moonlight. When the light moves, she becomes terrified at the thought it is a ghostly vision. She panics and frantically shakes the lock. The servants run to the door and let her out. Bessie asks Jane if she’s sick and Miss Abbott comments on hearing Jane’s noises. Jane begs Bessie to take her to the nursery, and when Bessie asks her what had happened, she says she thought a ghost was coming and holds her hand. Miss Abbott claims she screamed on purpose as a trick for her to be released. Mrs. Reed comes down the hallway, demanding to know what’s going on. She is outraged that the servants didn’t keep Jane locked up until she came for her. Miss Abbott said the girl screamed out loud. Mrs. Reed orders Bessie to let Jane go, scolds her for being manipulative, and punishes her to be confined at the red room for another hour. Jane pleads to her aunt for forgiveness and be punished differently; but Mrs. Reed silences her, annoyed by her behaviour, and forcefully pushes her back into the red room and locks the door. As soon as Mrs. Reed and the maids left, Jane panics until she passes out.
Jane wakes up confused. She sees a red glaring light with voices and someone is holding her gently in a sitting position for nobody held her that way before. She is laid on her pillow and within five minutes, she realizes that she is in her bed and the red light was the nursery fireplace's flames. It was evening, and Bessie and an old gentleman surround her bed. Jane is glad the man isn't like one of the Reed's. She recognizes him and it is Mr. Lloyd the apothecary who would come to Gateshead to treat the servants, while Mrs. Reed instead consulted a physician for herself and the children. Mr. Lloyd lays her back on the bed and instructs Bessie to not disturb Jane throughout the evening. He will come back tomorrow and he leaves. Jane is depressed afterwards that he was more kind to her than anyone else at Gateshead.
Bessie asks Jane if she should go to sleep, and says she would try. She turns down Bessie’s request if she should bring her something to eat or drink. It is past midnight and Bessie decides she will go to bed. Jane asks her if she’s sick and Bessie replies that she became delirious when she was found in the red room and assures she’ll recover soon. Bessie goes to a servant’s room and asks her to come and sleep with her in the nursery as she is worried of Jane and how she was treated. The servant and Bessie whispered to each other for half an hour before they fell asleep in the darkened room.
Jane thinks the servants sleeping with her are filled with dread for what had happened. The red room incident would leave her heavily shaken for the rest of her life, and initially blamed Mrs. Reed for her suffering but later forgives her years later.
The next day at noon, she is wrapped in a shawl and sits by the fireplace. She is still physically weak and cries quietly, but is happy that the Reed's are absent as they were out for the day; and is on her own while Miss Abbott was sewing and Bessie cleaning, with her expressing her kind words to Jane. She thought it could be hospitality that’s making her delighted, but wasn’t enough to regain her strength. Her nursemaid brings her a tart served on a china plate but couldn't eat it. She asks for her favourite book, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and after Bessie brings it to her, she reads it. Jane considers the story to be nonfiction but knew even Gulliver himself is lonely like her and stops reading. Bessie comes in after cleaning and sings to her, While Jane loves her singing and the song, she finds the melody emotional for her, and Bessie consoles her.
Mr. Lloyd arrives that day and asks how Jane is doing. Bessie says she is well and calls Jane over. Bessie claims she is upset because she didn't get to go out. Jane tells Mr. Lloyd that she is upset because she’s miserable. Puzzled, Mr. Lloyd asks her why she’s ill, and Bessie claims she suffered from a fall. He doesn’t believe it since Jane can still walk at her age, and Jane revealed she was knocked down but it didn’t make her sick. After taking a pinch of snuff, the servants’ bell rang for dinner. Mr. Lloyd dismisses Bessie as he will talk to Jane alone, and Bessie would rather stay but leaves anyway. After she’s gone, Mr, Lloyd questions Jane what made her sick instead of a fall. Jane reveals that she was locked inside a room that was haunted by a ghost. The apothecary is astonished and asks her if she’s afraid of ghosts. Jane replies that she is scared of Mr. Reed’s ghost in the room where he died, and nobody else including Bessie would go in that room at night. She finds it cruel that she was confined without light and it is something she won’t forget.
Mr. Lloyd thinks it’s nonsense that it made her miserable. He asks her if she’s afraid of daylight and replies she won’t be until evening arrives. Aside from that, she is unhappy. He wants her to tell him what is making her unhappy, and although she finds this a difficult question, Jane says she has no family. Mr. Lloyd reminds her she has her aunt and cousins, but Jane says John harmed her and Mrs. Reed locked her up. He takes out his snuff-box and asks her if she thinks Gateshead’s a beautiful house and if she's grateful she is living here. Jane responds this is not her home as she has less right to live here. Mr. Lloyd wonders if she is foolish enough to leave this house, and Jane would like to leave Gateshead and live somewhere else, but won’t be able to go until she’s grown up. Mr. Lloyd asks if she has any other relatives, but she doesn’t think so.
He questions her about her family and Gateshead, with Jane explaining that she is miserable from the mistreatment she receives. She also has no immediate family, has no right to live at Gateshead, and desparately wants to leave. Even if she did have other relatives, she wouldn't want to live with them if they are poor, not even those related to her late father. One time she asked Mrs. Reed of any different family relatives and replies that they could be poor, for she doesn’t know them. Mr. Lloyd tells her if she did have relatives and if she would go live with them. Jane reflects on how poverty affects people of all ages and says she wouldn’t want to live with the poor, even if they were kind to her. She cannot bear to adjust to the lifestyle of even the most generous poverty-stricken people, and remembers seeing how the poorest women lived in a nearby village. She can’t tell if her poorest relatives are part of the working-class, and won’t be a beggar as Mrs. Reed suggests her relations could be.
The apothecary asks her if she would like to go to school, and she thinks about it for a moment. She reflects on how Bessie told her school is where students are told to be precise, while John hated his school and his teacher. She doesn't trust both of them, but was interested in the subjects such as singing, art and French. She considers receiving an education would let her escape from the Reed's and offer a fresh start. She agrees to go to school and Mr. Lloyd is satisfied. Bessie comes back in while the Reed’s coach returns. Mr. Lloyd would like to talk to Mrs. Reed before he leaves, and Bessie leads him out. He manages to have a private conversation with Mrs. Reed, and Jane presumes it is about her schooling when she was in bed and overhears Bessie and Miss Abbott discussing how Mrs. Reed is glad to send Jane away to school.
She overhears a conversation between Bessie and Miss Abbott, discussing about her parentage; with Bessie taking pity on Jane and Miss Abott’s claim she would had more sympathy if she was well-behaved and more pretty like Georgiana before they leave for lunch.
Leaving Gateshead
Following her meeting with Mr. Lloyd, Jane waits eagerly for any news of her going to school. Days and weeks have passed; during this time she has recovered most of her health, but still no news. Despite Mrs. Reed strictly watching her closely, she is kept isolated from her aunt and cousins during her illness; she was condemned by Mrs. Reed to sleep in a closet alone, make her own meals and spend all of her time in the nursery. Mrs. Reed hasn’t mentioned anything of Jane’s schooling yet and she can see that her aunt won’t want to have her in her home much longer. Eliza and Georgiana spend little time talking to her, and when John attempted to insult her, Jane punches his nose and he runs crying to his mother. When he tells her what Jane did to him, Mrs. Reed chastises him and wants him and his sisters to leave her alone.
When Jane tells Mrs. Reed that Eliza and Georgiana bothered her, Mrs. Reed drags her back to the nursery, daring her to say or do something of her own free will. Jane tells her what Mr. Reed would have said to her if he was still alive, and Mrs. Reed was shocked at what she had just said. She assures her that her uncle and parents may be dead, but they know everything of what she has done to her. Mrs. Reed smacks her before leaving her. Bessie would then lecture her that she was an abandoned, misbehaving child which is something Jane believed in but felt humiliated inside.
Christmas arrives at Gateshead but Jane is excluded from all the festivities. She would watch Eliza and Georgiana dressed up for the occasion go into the drawing room, and she would hear the sounds of the piano and harp playing; followed by the butler and footman passing by, refreshments being served and the drawing room being opened and closed. After she got bored from watching the festivities, she would return to the nursery, where despite her sadness, she was not feeling miserable.
The hours felt long as Jane waited for the guests to leave and Bessie coming to the nursery to find something for her needlework, or to bring some dinner. Afterwards, Bessie would tuck her in and say goodnight. Jane sees her as the most kindest person in the world and wished she was docile enough to not scold or lecture her. She praises her for her intelligence and storytelling and preferred her more than anyone else at Gateshead.
It was now mid January. At around nine o’clock in the morning, Bessie went to breakfast and Eliza went to feed the chickens while Georgiana was brushing her hair and weaving her curls with flowers and feathers. Jane was asked by Bessie to make her bed, and afterwards arranged some books and dollhouse furniture until Georgiana ordered her to stop as the books and toys belonged to her. Jane looks out the window and sees a coach enter through the house’s gates. She knows that coaches often came to Gateshead, but this one was different as no visitors had came that she was interested in. The coach parked in front of the house, following by the sound of the doorbell and the visitor coming in. Her attention was then focused on a robin at the casement window.
Her breakfast of bread and milk was on the table, and after eating a mouthful, she tugged on the sash to put out the crumbs on the window sill for the bird. Bessie comes running into the nursery and asks her to take off her pinafore and if she has washed her face and hands yet. Jane gives another tug before she closes the window and replies no but she just finished dusting. Bessie asks her what she was opening the window for. Jane didn’t get to answer as Bessie hurriedly takes her to the washstand. After a quick wash, her pinafore was taken off and hurried to the stairs. Bessie tells her that she has been summoned to the breakfast room.
Jane would have asked who was wanting to see her and if Mrs. Reed was there, but Bessie was already gone with the nursery door closed and she descends down the stairs. For 3 months, Jane wasn’t called by Mrs Reed to see her as she had spent all her time in the nursery and nowhere else in the house. She stood trembling before the breakfast room door in the hallway, afraid to return to the nursery or going to the parlour, and stands still for 10 minutes. After hearing the breakfast room bell ring, she decides she must go inside.
She wonders who wants to see her as she opens the door and sees someone tall and dark standing beside Mrs, Reed, as she sat by the fireplace and gestures her to come in. Mrs. Reed introduces the man to Jane as he turns around and gazes at her. He asks Mrs. Reed how old she is and she replies she is ten years old.
The man asks her name and Jane introduces herself. She sees that he is large and harsh compared to her small height. The man asks her if she is a good child but remained silent as she doesn’t know how to answer this question. Mrs. Reed tells the man, Mr. Brocklehurst, that it may be best to not ask her that question.
Sitting on an armchair, Mr. Brocklehurst asks Jane to come closer to him. While she stands in front of him, Mr, Brocklehurst asks her where bad people go after they die, and Jane replies that they go to hell and describes it as a pit of fire. Next, Mr. Brocklehurst questions her if she should be burning there forever and she replies no. When asked what she would do to avoid it, she thinks it over and says she will stay healthy and avoid dying. Mr. Brocklehurst tells her that children younger than her die frequently, and he had recently lost a 5-year-old child who was good and now in heaven; he fears that Jane may not have the same fate as his child.
Jane instead set her eyes on Mr. Brocklehurst’s feet and wished she was far away. Mr. Brocklehurst tells her he hopes that she will one day regret from the way she treats her aunt, and Jane saying that she is her benefactress. Mr. Brocklehurst asks her if she says her prayers every day and replies yes. When asked if she reads her Bible, she replies that she reads it sometimes and enjoys the Revelations, as well as the books of Daniel, Genesis and Samuel, a little bit of Exodus, and several parts of the Kings and Chronicles, Jonah and Job.
But when Mr, Brocklehurst asks her if she enjoys the Psalms, she replies she does not. Mr. Brocklehurst informs her he has a son younger than her who knows all the Psalms and would say a verse if she ever asked him if he wanted anything. Jane claims she doesn’t find the Psalms interesting, and Mr. Brocklehurst says that it means she has a wicked heart and she must pray to God to change her.
She was about to reply of how God can change her wicked heart, when Mrs. Reed has her seated and carries on the conversation herself. She explains to Mrs. Brocklehurst about Jane’s nasty behaviour and is known to be a liar. When she is sent to Lowood school, she requests that the superintendent Miss Temple and teachers keep a close, strict eye on her. Jane is hurt and upset by her aunt’s accusation and wonders how she would turn out under Mr. Brocklehurst’s supervision as she quietly cries.
Mr. Brocklehurst says that all liars should be burned in hell, but agrees that Jane will be monitored and would inform this to the superintendent and the teachers. Mrs. Reed hopes that Jane will be raised in a more proper environment and requests she stays at Lowood during holidays. He praises her for her choices and explains how consistency is important to the students at Lowood. He even recalls how his daughter once visited the school and saw how quiet the students were and the way they were dressed made them look like they were impoverished. Mrs. Reed agrees that a school like Lowood would be fitting for Jane as she doubts there would no other institution that would take in children like her. Mr, Brocklehurst says consistency is an important Christian duty at Lowood and Mrs. Reed is willing to have Jane be admitted to Lowood and be taught under these circumstances.
Mr, Brocklehurst accepts Jane to be a student at Lowood and Mrs. Reed will send her off as soon as possible, as she is anxious to finally get rid of her. He says he will leave now and inform Miss Temple of Jane’s pending arrival. After Mrs. Reed says goodbye to him, he gives Jane a book titled “Child’s Guide”, which tells stories of naughty children who died grim deaths. He then leaves in his coach.
For a few minutes, Jane was left alone with her aunt in silence. Mrs. Reed was sewing as she watches her, her mind fuming with anger what she was just called. Mrs. Reed looks up from her work and asks her to leave and return to the nursery; Jane prepares to leave, but came back with the sudden need to confront her. She tells her aunt she is not hateful but she hates her more than anyone besides John, and declares that Georgiana is a liar instead of herself. Mrs. Reed asks her in a form tone what she is saying.
Filled with angry excitement, Jane tells her she will never refer to her as her aunt again. She will not see her again as an adult and the very sight of her makes her sick from her cruel mistreatment. Mrs. Reed berates her for her speech, but Jane confirms what she is saying is true. She will forever remember the traumatic moment she locked her in the red room while she begged for mercy all because John had harmed her for no reason at all. She will talk about this to everyone and calls her deceitful.
Jane feels a feeling of triumphant victory as Mrs. Reed is shocked as she asks her why she is acting like this and even requests to bring her water but Jane refuses. Mrs, Reed says she would like to be her friend but Jane won’t allow it after what she told Mr. Brocklehurst and she will tell everyone at Lowood about this.
Mrs. Reed says children should be improved from their liability, and Jane cries in an angry tone that being deceitful isn’t her fault. Mrs, Reed says she is a passionate child and should now return to the nursery to calm down. Jane refuses to calm down and wants to be sent to school soon. Her aunt mutters she will do just that as she gathers her handiwork and leaves the room.
Jane smiles with victory for finally confronting her aunt face to face, but her fierce triumph eventually quieted down. At this point, she felt like apologizing to Mrs. Reed, but knew that she did this to make her despise her for her attitude and nature. She finds comfort in herself by reading an Arabian tales book and went for a walk outside Gateshead. But being outdoors didn’t satisfy her and she wondered what she will do now.
At that moment, Bessie calls for her for lunch. Jane doesn’t stir as Bessie continues to call out for her; following her conflict with Mrs. Reed, she was not interested in dealing with Bessie’s firmness and wants to be comforted by her caregiver’s kindness. She embraces Bessie and begs her not to scold her, which somewhat pleases her.
Bessie asks her if she is going to school, and she nods. When asked by Bessie if she would feel bad to leave her, Jane replies that she was always scolding her. Bessie says to her that she is more frightened and queer and should be more bold. Jane asks if she would scold her more, with Bessie reminding her she is just taken advantage of. She wants her to come in as she has some good news to tell her.
Jane doesn’t think there is good news, but Bessie informs her that the Reed’s went out for afternoon tea and she gets to spend some time with her, as she promises to make her a cake and then help her pack her trunk. Mrs. Reed is expecting her to leave within a day or two, and she even gets to choose what toy she wants to bring with her. Jane makes her promise not to scold her again before she leaves gateshead, and Bessie says she will and reminds her to not be afraid of her; especially when she becomes cross.
Jane confirms she will not be afraid of Bessie again, and before long she will have more people to be afraid of. Bessie warns her the people she is afraid wouldn’t like her. Jane asks Bessie if she despises her, and she replies she doesn’t and is more fond of her, with the girl telling her she doesn’t show it. Bessie asks her why she is acting this way, and Jane is about to answer this but decided to stay silent and not say anything.
Bessie asks her if she is happy to leave her, and Jane replies she won’t and apologizes. Bessie thinks she is being sarcastic, especially when she asks her if she will give her a goodbye kiss; while Jane says she really will. She then embraces Bessie and go inside the house together. Jane had a blissful day with Bessie and later that night, Bessie told her some stories and sang to her.
Arrival at Lowood
4 days later, at five o'clock in the morning, Jane wakes up, washes her face and gets dressed half an hour before Bessie came into her room. She has her breakfast of bread and boiled milk, already excited to leave for school; she is told the coach will arrive at 6 o'clock to pick her up. She is given some wrapped up biscuits by Bessie and puts on her cloak and bonnet. As they leave the nursery and walk past Mrs. Reed's bedroom, her nursemaid asks her if she would like to say goodbye to her aunt, but Jane refuses. She says Mrs. Reed came to her room last night and asks her to not disturb her or her cousins the next morning, but reminds her to remember that she has always been her best friend. When Bessie asks her what she said, she replies she covered her face with the blankets and turned away from her. Bessie reminds her she shouldn't have done that, but she says that Mrs. Reed has always been her foe.
She says goodbye to Gateshead as she and Bessie walk down the hall and out the front door. They walk down towards the porter's lodge in the dark, with Bessie leading the way with a lantern and Jane shivering from the cold weather. The porter's wife is waiting there by the fire and with Jane's trunk. At 6 o'clock, the coach arrives to take Jane to her school. She finds out that the journey to Lowood is 50 miles away and would be travelling alone.
The trunk is hoisted into the coach and Jane clings to Bessie's neck as she was placed inside. Bessie tells the driver to take care of her as the coach drives away. The vehicle travelled from over a hundred miles as it passes through some towns; and along the way, the coach stops in a large town for a rest. Jane gets out and was taken into the inn, where the coachman advises her she should have something to eat; but since she wasn't hungry, Jane stays inside a room with a lit fireplace. She goes for a walk and is afraid she would be abducted by kidnappers from Bessie’s stories.
The coachman takes her back to the coach and they continue the ride to her destination. She thinks she is now far away from Gateshead as dusk arrives and the coach passes by some more towns and into the countryside. Jane could hear strong winds outside as it gets more dark. She starts to fall asleep but was awakened when the coach stops and the door opens. A teacher asks her if she is called "Jane Eyre" and says she is. She gets out, her trunk was unloaded and the coach drives away.
She is stiff from sitting in the coach for a full day and the night was rainy and windy. Lowood Institution is a dark-looking building as the teacher escorts her inside, locks the door and leads her into her room where she is left alone.
Life at Lowood
Jane warms herself by the fire in her room. She looks around and sees there is no candle to be seen and the only light provided was from the fireplace's flames. It wasn't spacious like at Gateshead, but she finds it still comfortable. Two teachers, Miss Miller and a tall-dark haired woman enter the room. The tall woman notices how young Jane is to be sent to the school alone and she looks tired enough to go to bed. She asks Jane if she's tired and replies she is a little bit. The woman asks Miss Miller to make Jane some dinner before bedtime as she may be hungry, too, and asks Jane if this is the first her parents sent her to school. Jane explains both her parents are dead, followed by questions about her personal background; afterwards she was dismissed with Miss Miller.
Miss Miller guides her through the building until they arrive in a long, wide room with 80 girls aged 9-20 sitting at two tables on benches. The students wore plain uniforms with brown frocks and long pinafores. They were in the middle of study hour. Jane is given a seat to sit by the door as Miss Miller orders the monitors to collect the books. Four taller girls gathered all the books, and then Miss Miller orders them to bring in the supper trays. The monitors returned shortly with trays with some portions Jane doesn't know what it was and a pitcher of water with mugs on each tray. She receives her tray and drinks her water as she was thirsty. However, she didn't touch the food as she wasn't hungry, but saw it was a thin oaten cake broken into pieces.
After dinner, Miss Miller reads aloud the prayers and the students leave the classroom to go to bed. Jane was so tired she didn't notice what their rooms would look like, and she was taken to a long, narrow dormitory where the beds are to be shared by two occupants. She was to share her bed with Miss Miller, who helps her undress, the candlelight was distinguished within ten minutes and she soon falls asleep. She could hardly dream but can still hear the wind and rain outside. Early the next morning, Jane is awakened by the sound of a ringing bell very early in the morning, and the students are already up and getting dressed. As she gets up, she saw how cold the room was and starts shivering as she gets dressed and washes herself at the basin that is surrounded up to six students in the middle of the room.
The bell rings again as Jane joins the girls in lines and they walk from their dormitory to their cold, dim classroom. Miss Miller reads the morning prayers before ordering formation. Jane witnesses the students standing behind their chairs at the tables, with all of them holding books. A Bible laid on each table before the chairs. After a moment of silence, a nearby bell rang and three women came in and took their seats, with Miss Miller sitting the chair near the door. The youngest students then came in.
After reading several chapters from the Bible, dawn has arrived and the bell rings for the fourth time. The students marched from the classroom to the refectory for breakfast. Jane was delighted to have something to eat since she was feeling malnourished after she barely ate anything yesterday. There were two long tables with hot basins, but Jane was also greeted by a foul odour in the room. She notices the girls are disgusted by their breakfast food, with the taller girls complaining on how their porridge is burnt. A teacher orders silence from one of the upper teachers instead of Miss Miller. Jane looks at her in vain and recognizes her from the night before. Miss Miller sat in from of the table where Jane is sitting and a strange, elderly woman, who is the French teacher, took her seat at the other table. After a grace and a hymn, a servant serves the teachers their tea and breakfast begins.
Jane hungrily ate her porridge without thinking about its taste, but sees the other girls have a hard time eating their own portions, while she had just 2 spoonfuls. Breakfast soon ends but nobody ate anything at all. Following a second hymn, the students were cleared out of the room. Jane was the last to leave, and as she was passing the table, she sees a teacher tasting the basin and expressed her disgust to the others.
In the classroom, a quarter of an hour before their first lesson started, the room was filled with voices as the students discussed about their meal, with Miss Miller being the only teacher in the room. Jane hears several others mention Mr. Brocklehurst with Miss Miller looking disapproved. As the clock struck nine, Miss Miller orders silence and the students to their seats. Within 5 minutes, everyone was quiet and the upper teachers went into their positions. While the students were sitting, Jane notices the girls did not have curly hair, and they wore brown dresses with pockets in front of their frocks. They also wore woolly stockings and brass knuckle shoes.
As she monitors the teachers, everyone suddenly stands up. Jane is confused as no one said an order to stand up, but then everyone sat down. She watches the teacher who brought her into Lowood after she arrived yesterday, surveying two rows of the students sitting silently. Miss Miller then apparently asked her something, and after she received an answer, she went back to her spot and orders the monitors to bring in the globes.
Jane sees the tall, dark-haired woman and later realizes her name is Miss Maria Temple, after she finds her name in a prayer book she takes with her to church. Miss Temple is also Lowood's superintendent.
After Miss Temple takes her seat, the globes were brought in and set on one of the tables and the first class was summoned around her as she begins teaching geography. The lower classes were taught history and grammar for an hour, followed by writing and arithmetics. Miss Temple teaches music lessons to the older students, and the lessons would last until noon. Afterwards, Miss Temple makes an announcement as the lessons were coming to an end. She announces to the students that since they are hungry from barely eating anything for breakfast, she has ordered them a lunch of bread and cheese that will be served to everyone. The teachers looked surprised, and Miss Temple says she wants her plan to be done before she leaves.
Everyone was served their bread and cheese, and then they were ordered to go out into the garden. The students put on a straw bonnet and cloak before heading outside. The garden was enclosed with high walls with a covered verandah and the walking paths had garden beds in the middle space. Some of the beds were owned by students to work on, but they are now decayed and withered from the January winter. Jane stood shivering despite wearing warm clothing, with the walking paths still wet from yesterday's rain. Most of the stronger girls were playing games, while the thinner ones were huddling together to keep warm in the verandah, and then hears someone coughing.
She leans against a pillar of the verandah, as she finds herself all alone in a strange new place that wasn't Gateshead from her past and she was cold and starving. She sees that most of the building is old but there is a new part of it that contains the dormitory and classroom and was lit up by latticed windows. She reads the stone tablet above the door that says "Lowood Institution --This portion was rebuilt A.D. by Naomi Brocklehurst, of Brocklehurst Hall, in this country." "Let your light shine so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven-- St. Matt v 16." Jane reads the quotes repeatedly, wondering what does the word "institution" mean to her.
She hears a cough again and sees a girl sitting on a stone bench reading. The book she was reading was called "Rasselas" and when she looks at her, Jane asks her if she enjoys her book and replies she does. She asks her what it was about, although she finds it odd to talk to a stranger but she enjoys reading like Jane does. The girl gives her the book and when Jane looks through it, she sees that it didn't include anything imaginary like fairies.
Jane asks her about Lowood and why it is called an institution. She explains that it is a charity school for orphaned girls who have lost a parent or both, and when asked if she is an orphan, Jane replies that both her parents died before she can remember, and asks her more questions including if the students were paid to be educated at Lowood. The girl explains that either the students or their family friends would pay 15 pounds every year, but the money isn't enough for the school's teaching jobs and education; but is mainly subscribed by kind, wealthy people around the school's area and in London. Jane asks her who is Naomi Brocklehurst, and the girl answers that she built the new part of Lowood and her son owns and runs the school as the manager. Jane even asks if Lowood isn't owned by Miss Temple who kindly served them bread and cheese for lunch. The girl states that Miss Temple doesn't own the building, and wishes she was the owner. But she has to follow Mr. Brocklehurst's orders, for he is responsible for buying food and clothing for the school.
Jane asks her if Mr. Brocklehurst lives at Lowood and if he is a good man. The girl says he actually lives two miles away from the school, and he is also a clergyman.
Jane next questions her the names of the teachers and the girl explains some of them to her. Miss Smith is responsible for sewing the fabrics and materials for the students to make their own clothing, Miss Scatcherd teaches history and grammar as well as making second class repetitions, and Madame Pierrot, who is from France, teaches French. Jane asks her if she likes the teachers, and the girls does; although she reminds her that Miss Scatcherd is quick-tempered and she should be careful around her, Madame Pierrot isn't too bad, and Miss Temple is the most good and intelligent of the teachers. Finally, Jane questions how long she has been here and if she is also an orphan. The girl responds that she has been at Lowood for 2 years and her mother is dead.
Jane asks her if she is happy at Lowood, but the girl says she is asking too many questions and wants to focus on her reading. At that moment, everyone is summoned back into the building for dinner. The smell in the refectory is even more harsh than breakfast and their meal was served in tin-plated vessels consists of rusty, shredded meat and potatoes mixed together. She eats some of her meal, and wondered if all the meals at Lowood would be like this every day.
After dinner, the students gathered in the classroom for their studies that would last until five o'clock. During the lessons, Jane witnesses the girl she had just talked to in the garden earlier being punished by Miss Scatcherd. She was then dismissed from class and was forced to stand in the middle of the schoolroom. She sees that the girl is around 13 years old and she expected she would feel ashamed. But to her surprise, she never cried or blushed, and asks herself why she is so calm. If she was in her place, she wishes for the earth to swallow her. She wonders if she thinking's about her punishment and also thinks if she could be daydreaming. As the girl stands in her spot, Jane wonders if she is a good or bad student.
Shortly after 5 o'clock, Jane and the girls were served a meal of a mug of coffee and a slice of brown bread. She eats her meal with delight, but was still hungry. The girls did half an hour of recreation, followed by studying, a meal of oaten cake and water, then prayers were said and everyone goes to bed.
On her second day, Jane wakes up and gets dressed, but the water in the washing basin was frozen solid. A cold, breezy wind blew through the bedroom windows all night long, which made the girls shiver in their beds and causing the pitcher water to freeze. As an hour and a half passed with prayers and readings from the Bible, Jane felt like she ready to perish from the cold. At breakfast, everyone was served porridge. This time it wasn't burnt but the portions were small. Jane wishes she could have more of the porridge.
Helen Burns
Jane was enrolled in the fourth class, and did the regular tasks and occupations assigned to her. She was now learning the harsh reality of being at Lowood, as the lessons were long and difficult, which overwhelmed her. At 3 o'clock, she was relieved when study hour ended and Miss Smith assigns her to do some sewing on a muslin in a quiet corner of the schoolroom. The others were sewing, too, while Miss Scatcherd was the only one teaching in the room. Despite everyone being quiet, they can still hear the teacher talking.
Miss Scatcherd was teaching English history, and Jane watches the girl she had met yesterday being in the class. She was at the top of the class, but whenever she made mispronunciations or making mistakes, she was sent all the way to the back, and became the subject of Miss Scatcherd's attention. She notices that the girl is called "Burns" by Miss Scatcherd, and assumes it is her name as all the girls at Lowood were called by their surnames. She sees how Burns is constantly berated by the teacher, such as for standing improperly or not keeping her head up. They read a chapter about the reign of King Charles I twice, and were asked some questions most were unable to answer. Only Burns was able to solve these questions and was ready to make her answer when it was her turn to speak. Jane expects Miss Scatcherd will praise her for her answers, but instead scolds her for not cleaning her nails this morning.
Burns didn't reply as Jane wonders how she could wash her nails or her face when the water was frozen. Her attention was cut off when Miss Miller asks her to hold some thread. As she winds it, Miss Miller talks with Jane and asks her if she has been to school or can sew and knit. But during that time, she was unable to pay attention to Miss Scatcherd.
As she returns to her seat, she hears Miss Scatcherd issuing an order but didn't listen who was asked to do it. Burns immediately leaves and goes into another room where the books and kept and comes back a minute later with a bundle of twigs. She gives it to Miss Scatcherd and quietly loosens her pinafore. Miss Scatcherd then instantly strikes her a few times on the neck with the twigs.
Jane is surprised the girl didn't cry or flinch and her fingers even quivered of anger from watching Burns being beaten unjustly. She also sees that she never shedded a tear, and paused from her sewing as she is seethed with anger from witnessing Burns' punishment. Miss Scatcherd scolds Burns for her habits and again orders her to return the twigs. The girl obeys her, and as she returns from the book closet, Jane could see a tiny tear on Burns' face as she was putting a handkerchief back into her pocket.
Play-hour in the evening was a pleasant time for Jane, followed by some bread and coffee that made her feel revived. The stress of the day was relaxed, the classroom was warmer than it was in the morning, and it made everyone feel satisfied. That night, when she witnesses Burns being flogged by Miss Scatcherd, she finds herself without a companion but not being lonely. She would open the blinds when she passed the windows and watch the snow fall. When she places her ear against it, she could hear the wind outside.
During her free-time, Jane finds her life at Lowood to be more decent than at Gateshead, since the food wasn't too bad to satisfy her hunger, and the classrooms were a bit warmer during the day that were slightly lit by candles. But she also finds herself lonely without a friend. She even wonders if she was sent to Lowood by a loving family, she would have missed them terribly and the strong winds outside would have made her more miserable. She thinks that if she came from a decent, loving home, she would be homesick and wished the environment to be more gloomy that she is.
She passes through tables and benches, and goes to one of the fireplaces, where she spots Burns reading alone by the fire. Jane asks her if she is still reading “Rasselas”, and Burns says she has just finished it. After a few minutes, Jane thinks that this is now the perfect opportunity to talk to her some more and sits down next to her. She asks her what is her first name and replies she is named Helen. Jane asks her where she comes from and Helen says she is from far north, close to the Scottish borders. Jane asks her if she would go back home, and Helen isn’t exactly sure when. She questions her if she must leave Lowood, but Helen says she was sent here to receive an education and won’t leave until she has completed her schooling.
Jane tells Helen that Miss Scatcherd was being cruel to her earlier. Helen says Miss Scatcherd is not cruel, but she is strict and disapproves her mistakes. Jane says that if she was in her place, she would hate Miss Scatcherd, and if she was ever beaten, she would snatch the rod from her and break it. Helen reminds her she should not do something like that; otherwise, she would be expelled from the school by Mr. Brocklehurst. She states that it is best to stay calm when she is with someone who disapproves her than take her rage out on them, and claims that the Bible bids everyone good for evil.
Jane thinks that it is shameful to be flogged and forced to stand alone in the middle of the classroom full of people. As she is younger than Helen, she knew she cannot stand a chance. Helen says that it is her duty to be able to bear her situation, and it is rather weak if she is unable to withstand what her fate has for her. Jane ponders on what Helen had said, and how she handled her punishment with patience. To her, Helen may be right and herself was wrong, but won’t think about it too deeply. She asks her what are her mistakes, and Helen explains that she can be a bit careless and forgets the rules easily. She has a habit of reading during lessons and sometimes cannot handle the situation she is putting herself in. This often provokes Miss Scatcherd who is more punctual and proper. Jane adds that she is also cruel and angry, but Helen doesn’t agree with what she says.
Jane asks her if Miss Temple is also strict to her like Miss Scatcherd. Helen says that unlike Miss Scatcherd, Miss Temple is actually very kind and never harsh to anyone. She would calmly correct Helen’s mistakes and would praise her on her efforts. Even if Miss Temple treats her properly, Helen would still be clumsy. Jane says that it is easy to be careful. Helen says that she saw her with Miss Miller earlier and that she was more focused while listening to instructions; but while she should be listening to Miss Scatcherd, she would occasionally lose herself in thought and imagines herself back at home in Northumberland. When she is chosen by the teacher to answer a question, she has to wake herself up and won’t be prepared for an answer. Jane tells her on how she responded well, and Helen explains that on that day, she was interested in the subject Miss Scatcherd was teaching. Instead of daydreaming about her home, she dreams of a man who could be as wrongful as King Charles I, but she was sympathetic for the king who was unfairly killed by his own enemies.
Jane sees that Helen is now talking to herself, but had her focused back to the conversation. She asks her if she gets lost in thought when she is with Miss Temple, Helen replies that she is able to follow along her teachings. Jane asks her if she is good whenever she is with the superintendent, and replies that she is in a passive way. Jane brings up that she will be good to those who treat her kindly, but if they would ever be friendly to those who are cruel, it would make it worse. She claims that whenever she is mistreated by anyone, she will strike back at them as a way to ensure them they will never do it again. Helen hopes that she will change when she gets older, as she still has a lot to learn at her age.
Jane explains that she will hate those who mistreat her or punish her unfairly, but she will only love those who treat her with affection. She believes it is right to love those with affection and punish those who don’t. Helen says that other people may have that belief, but civilized Christians don’t believe it. Jane is confused as Helen explains that violence never overcomes hate or vengeance, and advises Jane that she should read the New Testament and learn from Christ’s lessons. When Jane asks her what lessons she should know, Helen replies that she should love her enemies, bless those who curse her, and do good to anyone who despise her.
Jane is disgusted at the fact that she should love her wicked aunt and loving her abusive cousin John would be impossible. She explains to Helen about her abusive upbringing while she listened calmly and expected her to make a comment. Afterwards, Jane asks her if Mrs. Reed is a cruel, terrible woman. Helen explains the reason why her aunt hates her is because of her behaviour, just like how Miss Scatcherd detests her daydreaming during class. She believes that life is too short to be handling hostility and errors, and that everyone will have their faults weighed down on them. But she thinks that one day, everyone will be freed from their mistakes and their spirits at peace. She will easily forgive those who despise her and never disgusted by humiliation, as well as looking forward to the end. Jane sees her head nodding and knows she is no longer able to talk to her with her lost in thought. A monitor comes in and orders Helen to arrange her drawer or else she will fetch Miss Scatcherd. Helen calmly obeys and leaves without a word.
As time passes, Jane struggles to cope with the conditions and discipline. During January, February and early March, the snow would fall heavily and the students would be stuck inside the school; except when they leave to go to church. They had to walk for an hour to get to the church and their clothing isn't able to keep them warm from the severe cold. They wore no boots and the snow easily got into their shoes. Their bare hands would become numb as well as their feet. Every day, Jane had to endure the bitter cold with her feet suffering from inflammation and finds it painful to put her swollen, numb toes into her shoes.
The girls are also underfed as the older girls would steal some food from the younger ones who are already malnourished. Jane had to share some of her bread and would drink some of her coffee, while suffering from extreme hunger. Sundays were the worst days during winter, as the girls had to walk two miles from Lowood to Brocklebridge Church, managed by their patron. When the girls arrived at the church, they were even more cold and were nearly paralyzed during the service. Since it was too far to walk back for dinner, the girls were served some cold meat and bread between the hours of service. Following the afternoon service, they would walk a hilly road where the freezing wind nearly shredded their skins. Miss Temple would occasionally walk along with the girls and encourage them to stay strong, while the other teachers are simply too miserable to cheer anyone up.
Back at the school, the girls desperately wanted to warm themselves by the fireplace. But the hearth in each classroom would be crowded by a dozen of older girls, leaving the younger children sitting in corners and shivering in their pinafores. They were comforted when they were served bread slices with butter during tea-time. That Sunday evening was spent memorizing the Church Catechism and chapters from the Gospel of Matthew, as well as sermons from a wear Miss Miller. During some reenactment performances of Eutychus, a dozen of young girls who were performing would collapse and fall asleep. They were thrusted into the middle of the schoolroom where they were to stay until the sermon was finished. When they could barely stand, they would fall onto each other and propped up into some stools brought to them.
Jane had not yet seen Mr. Brocklehurst since her arrival at Lowood and suggests he spends his time with the archdeacon, but his absence made her relieved.
3 weeks later, Jane was in class sitting with her slate during an afternoon class, when she spots someone pass by the window. She recognizes who it was and two minutes later, everyone in the school stood up as they prepare to greet the person coming into the school. and it was Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane is worried that he had kept his promise from Mrs. Reed to reveal to Miss Temple and the school about her reputation. He was whispering something to Miss Temple as Jane listens carefully. She is worried that Mr. Brocklehurst will see her as she is seated in the front of the classroom.
Mr. Brocklehurst talks with Miss Temple about some thread he had bought that would be used to make some undergarments, and instructs her to inform Miss Smith that he had forgot to send a message of the needles, but she should receive some papers soon. He also wants Miss Temple to have Miss Smith to only give out no more than one to each of the students.
Miss Temple obeys his instructions and Mr. Brocklehurst said he learned some of the girls had two tuckers, when he permits they should only have one. Miss Temple explains that she took two girls were invited to tea with some friends at Lowton last Thursday and she gave them some clean tuckers to wear. Mr. Brocklehurst says he'll let it go for once but doesn't want it happening too often. He also notices that the girls had been served bread and cheese for lunch from the past fortnight, as he did not know about this and demands who came up with this. Miss Temple protests that the breakfast was poorly made that day and she didn't want the students to starve.
Mr. Brocklehurst lectures Miss Temple that he expects his female students to be patient and self-denying. If their meal was spoiled by accident, they are supposed to handle the situation with endurance, and how they should think of their hunger as a happy Christian martyrdom. Miss Temple stood in silence as Mr. Brocklehurst surveys the classroom and points to a girl with red hair and demands why she has curls. Miss Temple replies that is Julia Severin and he demands why she has curly hair. Miss Temple says that she was born with curly hair. Mr. Brocklehurst says that he expects the girls' hair to be more plain and orders the curls to be cut off, as he will send a barber tomorrow to do it. He then orders the first class students to stand. at the wall to inspect their hair, and Miss Temple gives the order. Jane sees the scowls on the girls' faces as Mr. Brocklehurst surveys then, and orders their curls to be chopped off. He again lectures Miss Temple that he expects the girls to be more shamed and serious, not have pretty curls and expensive clothes.
He was interrupted when 3 women came into the classroom. The two younger women, who were teenage girls, were wearing fancy, elegant clothing that included expensive silk, fur and silk, as well as some fashionable hats and curly locks. The older woman was also wearing fancy, expensive clothing and had French curls. They were Mr. Brocklehurst's wife and daughters, and Jane suggests they came in the same coach as him. While Mr. Brocklehurst was questioning some of the staff, the women were rummaging through the girls' belongings in the dormitories. They make comments to Miss Smith while Jane didn't had time to listen and tried hard not to be noticed by the Brocklehurst's while looking down at her slate.
She suddenly drops her slate and it falls onto the floor with a crash, that captures the attention of everyone in the room. She fears the worst will happen as she picks up the broken fragments, and Mr. Brocklehurst immediately recognizes her and orders her to come to the front. Jane was paralyzed with fear that she couldn't move, but the two girls sitting with her pushed her towards Mr. Brocklehurst. Miss Temple assures her it was just an accident and she won't be punished.
Deep down, Jane knew that in an instant, Miss Temple will despise her as a hypocrite and she trembled angrily of the thoughts of Mr. Brocklehurst and Mrs. Reed. Mr. Brocklehurst orders a stool to be brought up front and a monitor obeys him. Jane was then placed on top of the stool and Mr. Brocklehurst asks his family, Miss Temple, teachers and students if they see her. Everyone all stared at Jane. Mr. Brocklehurst points out that she may be an ordinary-looking child, but has a dark side.
Mr. Brocklehurst warns that Jane is an outsider, and everyone must shun her from their activities and not talk to her. He warns the teachers to keep a close eye on her and punish her whenever possible for salvation. He then declares that she is a liar.
There was silence for 10 minutes and witnesses the Brocklehurst women take out their pocket handkerchiefs, and two of them commenting about her. Mr. Brocklehurst says he learned this from her aunt who raised her, but Jane had disrespected her so much that she decided to send her away to Lowood, in hopes that the school will cure her. He then muttered something to his family, who then bowed to Miss Temple and left. Before Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, he orders Jane to stay on the stool for half an hour, and nobody must talk to her.
Jane stood on the stool mortified. Helen looks up at her which brightens Jane. Helen makes an excuse to talk to Miss Smith, and smiles at Jane every time she passes by her.
At 5 o’clock, class was dismissed, leaving Jane alone. She gets off the stool, collapses into a corner and bursts into tears. She cries as her hopes of fitting in, make new friends, and be more respected and valued were dashed . Earlier that morning, she made an advancement in her class and was praised by Miss Miller. Miss Temple had even promised to teach her drawing and French if she continues to improve within two months, and was well-received by the other students. She bitterly wonders how she would ever handle that again as she wishes she could die.
Helen comes in bringing her some coffee and bread. She encourages her friend to eat but Jane pushes it away as she continues to cry. Helen then sits down next to her and embraces her quietly. Jane then asks her why she is with a girl who everyone now knows is a liar, and Helen assures her only 80 people in the building have heard about it. Jane says that everyone in the school will hate her now, and Helen tells her it is not true; and everyone will most likely pity her than despise her.
Jane doesn’t know why they would pity her. Helen says that Mr. Brocklehurst is not a good man and is a hypocrite. He is not well-liked at Lowood, and Jane would had made enemies if Mr. Brocklehurst considers her his favourite student. Helen brings up that while everyone may look at Jane disapprovingly when she first arrived at Lowood, they would be more kinder to her within a day or two; and when she succeeds, the more the kindness will last. She then pauses and Jane asks her what she’ll say.
Helen tells her that if everyone in the world hated her, even if she was innocent, she may not have friends. Jane says that while she still believes the good in herself, it isn’t enough and she would rather die than be hated; she also would wish harm in herself to gain affection from her and Miss Temple. Helen tells her she is thinking too much about affection and opens up about how the spirits of the afterlife are around to watch over the living;;as well as guarding them, observe their suffering and recognize their innocence. She also adds that God will wait until he gives his reward and how the living shouldn’t be despair when death would be their path to glory.
Jane was silent after Helen had calmed her, but becomes concerned when her friend starts coughing ominously. She rests her head on her shoulders and embraces her until someone came in. The moonlight shone on the girls and the person who entered, and Jane saw that it is Miss Temple. She tells Jane that she wants her in her room and Helen came come, too.
The girls followed Miss Temple up the stairs to her room, which had a warm fire and a cheerful tone. Miss Temple asks Helen to sit down on an armchair on the side of the hearth while she sits down and summons Jane to come stand near her. She asks Jane if she has got over her grief, and replies she isn’t. Miss Temple asks why and Jane says that she has been wrongly accused and now thinks that the superintendent she is talking to will hate her, too.
Miss Temple encourages Jane to be more good to the others at Lowood as she puts her arm around her. She then asks Jane who is the woman Mr. Brocklehurst calls her benefactress. Jane says that it is her aunt Mrs. Reed who raised her after her Uncle Reed’s death. The superintendent asks her if Mrs. Reed adopted her, and Jane replies she regretted raising her and it was her uncle who made her promise to keep their niece before his death.
Miss Temple explains to Jane that when a criminal is accused, they have the right to speak for themselves as defence. Since Jane was falsely accused, she should tell the truth and not exaggerate. After resolving herself to be more truthful and honest, she brings up about her troubled childhood at Gateshead, while remembering what Helen taught her and felt sure Miss Temple would believe her. She also brings up about Mr. Lloyd who kindly treated her following her traumatic experience in the red room.
After finishing her story, Miss Temple says she knows Mr. Lloyd. She will write to him explaining what has happened, and if he writes back in agreement, she will be cleared of all charges. But she declares that with Jane in her presence, she is cleared as she kisses her and keeps her close while she focuses her attention onto Helen. She asks her if she is well and had coughed today. Helen replies she didn’t cough a lot, and when the superintendent asks her about the pain in her chest, she replies that it is a little better. Miss Temple gets up and checks her pulse before returning to her seat.
After thinking for a few minutes, Miss Temple decides to treat the girls with something and rings her bell. A servant entered and she asks her to bring a tray and some teacups for Jane and Helen. A tray of tea and toast was brought in and set down by the fire, with Jane amazed by the beautiful looks of the teapot and teacups. She was beginning to get hungry but saw it was a small portion. Miss Temple asks the servant to being some more bread and butter as there isn’t enough for the three of them. The servant returns and tells her that is the usual quantity sent by the housekeeper. Miss Temple decides to accept what they have but has something else to add to their meal.
Jane and Helen were invited to the table to have their supper. While the girls treated themselves with the tea and toast, Miss Temple unlocks a drawer and takes out a wrapped up parcel. She unwraps it and shows the girls a seed cake, telling them she was supposed to give it to them when they leave, but they should eat it now since they have little toast. She then cuts them into sliced and serves it to them.
Both Jane and Helen ate their meal with satisfaction and gratitude from the superintendent. After they were finished, the tray was removed and the girls gathered at the fire with Miss Temple. Jane is awestruck as she witnesses Miss Temple and Helen having a conversation with each other. They talk about history and nations, and some books that they have read. Jane is amazed of their intelligence, as they know a lot about French names and writers. During their conversation, Miss Temple asks Helen if she remembers any Latin her father taught her. She then takes a book off a shelf and has Helen read a page from Virgil. The girl obeys and Jane is in more awe as she listens to her read out loud. Helen had barely finished when the bell rang for bedtime.
Before the girls left, Miss Temple embraces them and says, “God bless you, my children!” Jane and Helen return to their dormitory, where they heard Miss Scatcherd examining the drawers and pulls out Helen’s clothes. After entering, Helen is scolded by Miss Scatcherd and tomorrow she should have some untidy folded clothes tied to her shoulders. Helen murmurs to Jane in a low voice that she forgot to arrange her clothes.
The next morning, Miss Scatcherd writes “Slattern” on a pasteboard and forces Helen to wear it on her forehead. She calmly wore it on her head for the rest of the day. After Miss Scatcherd dismissed herself following the afternoon class, Jane rips of the “Slattern” sign off Helen’s forehead and throws it into the fire. A week later, Miss Temple received a response from Mr. Lloyd about Jane’s reputation. The superintendent then announces to the school that Jane is now officially cleared of all charges, with the teachers praising her by kissing and shaking her hand. The students murmured words of pleasure and relief.
Afterwards, Jane was able to turn over a new leaf and focus more on her education. She works hard and was eventually promoted to a higher class; in less than two months, she was learning French and drawing. When she went to bed that night, she forgets about her dream of wanting a satisfying meal to appease her appetite such as bread, milk and hot roast potatoes. She instead dreams about her creativity in her artwork and imagines translating a French story given to her by the French teacher, Madame Perriot.
Tragedy at Lowood
Spring arrives at Lowood after a brutal winter. Jane's swollen feet begin to heal and the mornings and nights were no longer cold. Jane and the others are able to spend more time in the garden as the flower beds turned green and the flowers start blooming. On Thursday afternoons, the girls would go out for walks and found the fresh, sweet flowers under the hedges. Jane finds the the landscape more beautiful than it was during winter when everything was covered in snow and ice. She also discovers a stream that goes into a forest.
It was now May, and vegetation was in full bloom at Lowood and in the forest close by. Jane starts spending time wandering in the forest alone and admiring the lush scenery. However, the forest is also known as a breeding ground for typhus, and before long, the disease was spread in the classrooms and infecting students. As a result, Lowood starts to experience a typhus epidemic, with the seminary being turned into a hospital ward.
Since the students were already malnourished and suffering from cold shivers, 45 out of the 80 girls became sick. The classes were cancelled and the rules were eased. The few students who were still healthy had free leisure, since the doctor insisted they get more exercise in order to stay well and nobody didn't supervise them. Miss Temple spent all of her time nursing the sick students and staying with them until she needed some sleep. The teachers helped some healthy students get home to their families as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many of those who were sent home died anyway, while others died at the school and were buried quickly and quietly.
Despite Lowood being wreaked with disease and death, the weather outside was still gorgeous with the garden filled with flowers and the sweetbriars giving out a sweet scent. However, the plants and flowers were useless to the students confined in the school; except when a handful of herbs and flowers would be placed with a student to be buried with. Jane and the others continue to stay healthy and spent most of their time outside playing in the forest all day. Mr. Brocklehurst and his family had not come to Lowood since the outbreak, and one of the housekeepers left for fear of being infected. Another housekeeper who was once the matron of the Lowton Dispensary took her place, but since she isn't used to her new place of work, she allowed the students more free time. There were few girls to feed and those who were sick ate very little. At breakfast, Jane and the other healthy students were served more food, but since there wasn't time to prepare supper which becomes frequent, the girls were instead given a slice of pie, or a thick slice of bread and cheese. Jane and the girls would then take their meals to the forest and eat them there.
Jane likes to sit on a broad, smooth stone that was in the middle of the stream, and had to walk through the water to reach it in barefoot. She has also started spending more time with another girl named Mary Ann Wilson, who was a few years older than her and often enjoyed telling her stories that Jane finds interesting. At the same time, Jane has not seen Helen and is worried if she has forgotten all about her. While she was amused by Mary Ann's stories, they aren't exactly the same like Helen's.
Jane learns that Helen has been sick for some weeks and was confined in a room upstairs. She was not in the hospital ward with the other students, as she was actually sick from consumption instead of typhus. About once or twice, Helen had gone outside into the garden with Miss Temple, but Jane was not allowed to speak to her. She only got to see her sitting wrapped up under the verandah from the schoolroom window.
One evening in June, Jane and Mary Ann were out in the woods very late. They wandered off so far that they got lost, and they had to ask for help at a cottage in the forest where a couple lived and raised a herd of pigs that eat the mast of the woods.
When the girls returned to the school, the moon had already rose and a pony that belonged to the surgeon was standing at the garden door. Mary Ann assumes that someone must be seriously ill since the surgeon Mr. Bates was at Lowood this late. Mary Ann goes into the building while Jane stays outside to plant some roots she found in the forest in her garden, as she's worried they will wither in the morning. She then lingers around the garden, admiring the scent of the flowers and the warm, evening air.
She wonders on how miserable it must be to be lying in a sick bed and on the brink of death, and ponders more about this idea when she hears the front door open and Mr. Bates walks out with a nurse. The surgeon mounts his pony and rides away, and the nurse was about to go inside when Jane runs up to her and asks her how Helen. The nurse replies she is doing poorly and Jane asks if Mr. Bates was here to see her, and she replies yes. Jane asks what he said about her, and the nurse says she will not be here long.
Jane assumes for a moment that Helen may be going home, but immediately realizes that she is dying and she must see her again before she passes away. She asks the nurse where Helen is staying, and replies she is in Miss Temple's room. Jane asks if she can go and see her, and the nurse replies she can't and must come inside. The nurse closes the front door while Jane goes inside by the back entrance. It was now 9 o'clock and Miss Miller was dismissing the students to bed.
At around 11 o'clock, Jane, couldn't fall asleep. After she thinks all the girls in the dormitory were fast asleep, she rises quietly, puts her frock over her nightgown, and sneaks out of the room in barefoot to find Miss Temple's room. It was at the far end of the building, but she knows the way, with the moonlight guiding her way. She smells the strong stench of camper and vinegar as she approaches by a room and quickly passes by it, anxious that the nurse staying in there would hear her. She is also worried she'll be spotted and sent back to her room, for she must see Helen one last time. After going up a staircase, going down a passage and quietly opening two doors followed by another flight of stairs, she arrives at Miss Temple's room.
A light was shining from the keyhole and the room was very quiet. As Jane gets closer, she notices the door is slightly opened ajar, possibly to let in some fresh air. Without hesitation, she opens the door, expecting to find Helen dead. Close by Miss Temple's bed, there was a cot covered in white curtains. She could see someone lying in it but the face was hidden by the curtains. The nurse she had met earlier was in a chair sound asleep with an unstuffed, dimly lit candle on the table. Miss Temple was not in the room, and Jane later realizes she had left to tend a delirious patient.
Jane approaches the cot and puts her hand on the curtain, fearing she will discover a corpse and prefers to speak before doing so. She whispers softly to Helen if she's awake, and she stirs and pulls back the curtain. Jane saw how pale and fragile she is, but is still looking calm. Jane is relieved to see her awake.
Helen asks Jane if it is her. Jane thinks she is not going to die, as she couldn't talk or be so calm when she is near death. Jane crawls into the cot and kisses her, noticing how cold her body is. Helen asks her why she is here this late, and Jane replies she has come to see her again after she found out about her condition.
Helen says to her that she has come in time to say goodbye, and Jane asks her if she is going home. Helen replies she is going to her last home, and Jane denies this. While she wiped away her tears, Helen coughs but didn't wake the nurse. After a few minutes, Helen tells her that she should cover herself with her quilt. Jane tucks herself under the quilt and nestles close to her as her friend places an arm around her. Helen tells Jane that she is happy and reminds her not to grieve when she is dead. She brings up on how everyone must die someday, but she is not in the pain from the illness she's slowly succumbing from. She know that she'll leave no one who would miss her, as her father back home has remarried and will forget about her. She also knows that by dying young, she won't have to deal with any sufferings, and doesn't have any qualities or talents to succeed later in life.
Jane asks Helen where she is going, and she replies she is going to God. Jane asks what and who is God, and she answers that God is both their creator, as he will never destroy anything he has created, and Helen trusts him for his power and goodness. She is now waiting for the time when she gets to be with him. Jane asks her if Heaven really does exist and where everyone goes to after they die. Helen is sure that Heaven is real, as she loves and trusts God.
Jane asks Helen if she will ever see her again when she dies, and she answers that she will, without a doubt, be in the same place she will be soon. Jane questions herself what Heaven is really like, and then embraces her friend tightly. Helen feels comfortable with Jane by her side and asks her not to leave her. Jane tells her she will stay with her and nobody will take her away. After the girls bid each other goodbye, they then kissed and fell asleep.
The next morning, Miss Temple returns to her room and finds the two girls in the cot. Jane was still asleep, and Helen was dead, with Jane's arms still locked around her neck and her face on her shoulder. Jane wakes up as someone carries her away from the room. She was never scolded for leaving her dormitory as the teachers had other things to worry about. She didn't find out about Helen's death until a day or two later.
Helen was buried in an unmarked grave in the Brocklebridge churchyard. 15 years later, a grave was added at her burial spot which inscribes her name and the words "Resurgam," meaning "I will rise again".
Leaving Lowood/Governess at Thornfield Hall
The typhus disease disappears soon after the devastating outbreak at Lowood. Since many students died at Lowood, the school quickly receives public attention and an investigation was launched to discover the origins of the typhus outbreak. Before long, all of Mr. Brocklehurst's cruel actions, from the poorly-made food to the uncomfortable clothing, soon came to light.
A group of wealthy individuals come together to improve Lowood by adding new regulations, improving the diet and clothing for the students, and the school funds were entrusted to a school committee. While Mr. Brocklehurst is still the headmaster of Lowood, he has less power over the school as new teachers and staff were hired to provide a friendly, healthy environment. Before long, Lowood starts to thrive. As for Jane, she stays at Lowood for 8 years; 6 as a student and 2 as a teacher. During those 8 years, she receives a proper education and excels at her studies which impresses her teachers and she soon advances to the top of her class. Within 2 years, she becomes a teacher.
Miss Temple was Jane's closest inspiration and mentor throughout her school years. But now Miss Temple has married a clergyman and left Lowood, Without her, Jane wasn't the same at Lowood, after she witnesses Miss Temple drive away in a coach shortly after the wedding. Jane goes to her room and wonders how she would overcome this new change. As the afternoon passes, she thinks that Lowood is no longer worthy to her and there are some new challenges awaiting her in the outside world. She gazes out her opened window, and looks out from the Lowood gardens at the winding path leading to Lowood from the hilly horizons, and wishes she could go that way. She remembers this was the same road when the coach took her to Lowood for the first time 8 years ago, and has not left ever since. In addition, she spent all of her holidays at the school, as Mrs. Reed never sent for her Gateshead nor she and her relatives came to visit her.
However, Jane has no communication outside Lowood and is already tired of her old routines. She longs for freedom and utters a prayer for her wish to come true and get away from her old life. The bell then rings for supper and goes downstairs. For the rest of the day, her reflections were interrupted by her teachings, and goes on until bedtime. Miss Gryce, a Welsh teacher who shares a room with Jane, talks with her but she still has her thoughts and wishes she would be quiet as she looks out her window. Finally, Miss Gryce falls asleep and Jane was able to think about what she should do next. She soliloquies about wanting a new change, as she sits up in her bed and covers herself with her shawl from the cold night, while she continues to think hard.
She thinks that she could be in a new place with new faces, but wonders how do some people move on to somewhere new. She knows this applies for friends, but since she has no friends and anyone else who are friendless have to make up their own decisions. She was unable to come up with anything for nearly an hour before she looks at the starry sky from her window and goes to bed. Finally, when she lies down, her mind tells her she should place an advertisement in the Herald newspaper. Since she knows nothing about advertising, her thoughts tell her she should enclose the ad along with the money to pay for it that is directed to the editor of the Herald. First, she must write a position in the post at the nearby town of Lowton that is addressed as "J.E.", and then mail it at the post office. She would then return to the post office within a week to see if she has received a response.
She thinks about it twice before she falls asleep satisfied. Early the next morning, she has her advertisement written and enclosed before classes begin. In her ad, she writes that she is a governess looking for a private family whose children are under age 14, and since Jane herself is just 18 years old, she wouldn't want to tutor students close to her age. She also wrote that she is able to teach English, French, drawing and music, and concludes it with her initials and the address of the post office. The letter was kept locked in her drawer all day, and during teatime, she asks permission to the new superintendent to go to Lowton for some errands for herself and a couple of other teachers. After her request was accepted, she walks two miles to Lowton in the evening, stops by two shops along the way and mails the letter at the post office. She then walks home in the heavy rain with relief.
After a week, Jane walks back to town while admiring the scenery around her. She first stops to have her feet measured for a pair of shoes, before heading to the post-office. Jane asks for any letters for her, and the old woman behind the counter looks over a drawer for a long time that Jane starts to feel anxious. After 5 minutes, the old woman finds the letter addressed to "J.E." Jane asks if there are any more letters for her and the woman says there are none. Jane then returns to Lowood, but doesn't open the letter as she has a curfew to be back at Lowood by 8 o'clock, and it was already 7:30.
When she arrives back at Lowood, she had to attend some duties. She first sits with the students during study hour, then it was her turn to read out loud to read the prayers and see the students sent to bed. Then she has dinner with the other teachers. At bedtime, her candle had a short amount of light, and thought that Miss Gryce would want to be talkative until it burns out. However, she was already asleep from dinner as Jane was undressing. With only an inch of the candlelight left, she opens the letter with has the initials "F", and reads it which was very brief. The letter says that she has been accepted to be a governess to a young girl under aged 10 and her salary would be 30 pounds. The letter then concludes with Jane asking for some references, as well as her name and address. The person who has sent it to her is addressed as Mrs. Fairfax of Thornfield Hall near Millcote.
Jane reads over the letter and sees that the writing style looks like an old woman wrote it. She finds it a relief that Mrs. Fairfax is an elderly woman and imagines her a widow dressed in black. She also thinks that Thornfield is undoubtedly the name of her house, and looks up Millcote on a map. Millcote was 70 miles near London than the county where she lives. She thinks Millcote is the ideal place for her, as it is known to be a manufacturing town but while she has no interest in taking part in its industrial environment, Thornfield would at least be a good way from the town. She then extinguishes the candlelight with the wick.
The next day, she would first do some tasks before leaving Lowood. During a recreation in the afternoon, Jane tells the superintendent that she has a new job where the salary is more doubled than at Lowood, since she was only paid 15 pounds at the school. She asks her to inform this to Mr. Brocklehurst for her or to another committee, as well as inquiring if they would be her references. The superintendent agrees to tells Mr. Brocklehurst the next day, and he replies that Jane must write to her legal guardian Mrs. Reed about this. After Jane sends a note to her aunt, she gets a quick response from Mrs. Reed saying Jane can do what she wants and she is no longer important to her. The note was then sent to the committee and after a delay, she was grant leave from Lowood. She was also assured that the staff at Lowood will be signed as her references.
Within a month. a copy of the references was forwarded to Mrs. Fairfax. The old woman responds that she is satisfied to have Jane as a governess and she will be arriving at her new place of work within 2 weeks. Jane immediately begins her preparations, and on her final day, she had packed her trunk which was the same one she had brought with her to Lowood. She mostly used her wardrobe for sufficient needs. With her trunk fastened and her card nailed to it, the carrier arrives in half an hour to take it to Lowton, while Jane would prepare herself early next morning to meet the coach. She brushes her travelling dress, and prepares her bonnet, gloves and muff. She also checks her drawers to make sure she doesn't leave anything behind, and when there was nothing else to do, she sits down and tries to rest. She has a hard time relaxing as she was so excited to start this new chapter in her life.
A servant informs Jane in the lobby that there is a visitor wanting to see her. Jane thinks it could just be the carrier and hurries downstairs, She passes the teachers' parlour and into the kitchen when someone runs out, excited to see her and takes her hand. Jane looks at the woman who is dressed like a servant, but still young and good-looking. The woman asks her in a voice that Jane recognizes if she hasn't forgotten about her. She then realizes it was Bessie and Jane embraces and kisses her, with Bessie laughing and crying. They both went into the parlour, where they spot a little boy around 3 years old.
Bessie introduces Jane to the boy Bobby, who is her son. Jane asks her if she is married, and Bessie replies she married the coachman Robert Leaven 5 years ago, and she also has a daughter named Jane. Jane asks her if she still lives at Gateshead, and her old maidservant says that she now lives at the lodge after the old porter left. Jane wants to know how everyone at Gateshead is doing, as she asks Bessie to sit down and even asks Bobby to sit on her lap. The boy instead stays with his mother.
Bessie notices that Jane hasn't grown any taller or stout, as Eliza has already outgrown her and Georgiana is close enough to her height. Jane then asks about Georgiana. Bessie explains that last winter, Georgiana went to London with her mother, where she was greatly admired and a lord fell in love with her. His family, however, were against the relationship but he and Georgiana plan to run away together. After Mrs. Reed discovers their plans, both Eliza and Georgiana start to quarrel with each other. Jane asks about John and Bessie says he isn't doing so well as Mrs. Reed expected him to be. He went to college but got expelled, and then his uncles then wanted him to be a barrister and study law.
Jane asks what John looks like now, and Bessie says he has grown taller with thick lips. She then asks about Mrs. Reed, and her former maidservant says she is stout and well as usual, but isn't impressed when John starts spending a lot of money. Jane asks if Mrs. Reed sent her here, and Bessie says no but she wanted to see her again. When she found out that Jane has received her letter and would be travelling to a new part in the country soon, she thought this is the perfect chance to travel to Lowood and have one last look at her before she leaves.
Jane laughs that Bessie may be disappointed in her, but Bessie tells her she looks like a lady. Jane smiles at her response, feeling that it was correct. But as a young woman, she finds herself indifferent to please others. Bessie thinks she is clever and asks her if she can play the piano, and Jane replies she can a little. Since there was a piano in the room, Bessie opens it and asks her to play something. Jane plays a song or two, which impresses Bessie.
Bessie confesses that the Reed's can't play very well and always said that Jane could be more better than them in learning. She then asks her if she can draw, and Jane points out to one of her paintings at the chimney-piece. It was a watercolored painting of a landscape that she gifted to the superintendent as thanks for negotiating with the committee. In addition, the superintendent had the picture framed and glazed. Bessie admires the painting and it looks as beautiful as any picture the Reed's drawing-master would make. Bessie next asks Jane if she knows French, and Jane replies she can read and speak the language, as well as working on muslin and canvas.
Bessie praises Jane for her achievements, but then changes the subject and asks her if she has heard anything from her late father's relatives, the Eyre's. Jane replies she has never heard from them before, and Bessie explains that Mrs. Reed says that the Eyre family are poor and miserable; but despite this, Bessie believes they may also be well-off like the Reed's and brings up on how 7 years ago, a gentleman named Mr. Eyre came to Gateshead to visit Jane. Mrs. Reed says that Jane is at school 50 mies away, and Mr. Eyre was disappointed he couldn't get to see her. He also cannot stay as he is about to depart on a voyage to a foreign country in a day or two. He looked like a wealthy gentleman and he could be Jane's uncle, the brother of her father.
Jane asks what foreign country he was going to, and Bessie replies he is country to an island a 1,000 miles away where they produce good wine. Jane suggests if it was Madeira, and Bessie says that is where he was going. Jane asks if he went on his journey, and Bessie replies he departed right away as he barely stayed another minute longer at Gateshead. Mrs. Reed thinks he is a sneaky tradesman, but Bessie's husband believes he could be a wine merchant. Jane agrees with her but also suggests he could also had worked for a wine merchant. She and Bessie then talked about more about the old times for an hour, before Bessie has to leave. Jane sees her again briefly early the next morning at Lowton while she waited for her coach. The two then went their separate ways; Bessie was going to Lowood Fell for a transportation that would take her back to Gateshead, and Jane is on her way to Thornfield Hall in Millcote. Her coach arrives at around 4 o'clock a.m.
After 16 hours on the road, Jane stops to rest at the George Inn in Millcote. She expects someone would be at the inn to meet her and looks around anxiously when she descended from the coach, expected to hear someone call her name, or find a coach with a description that will take her straight to Thornfield. She asked a waiter if anyone was waiting for a Miss Eyre, but the waiter replies no. She then asks for a private room, where she warms herself by the fire with her bonnet and cloak still on, while waiting anxiously. She finds it strange for someone like her who had a difficult childhood to be alone on their own, and while their new adventures can be exciting, it can also be uncertain as she sits alone for another half an hour. She then rings a bell and summons a waiter, and she asks the waiter if Thornfield is located in this neighbourhood. The waiter replies he doesn't know but will check at the bar. He leaves but returns instantly, asking her if her name is Eyre. She replies yes and the waiter says someone is waiting for her.
Jane takes her umbrella and muffs on the table and rushes down the passage. A manservant was standing by the door and outside Jane could see a one-horse plain coach. The servant points to Jane's trunk and asks her if that is her luggage, and she replies yes. He hoists it into the coach and Jane gets in. Before the door was closed, Jane asks the servant how far Thornfield is from here. He answers it will be about 6 miles, and Jane asks how long the ride would be. The servant says it would take an hour and a half to get there. The door was then fastened, and the servant climbed into his seat on the vehicle and they drove off.
Throughout most of the journey, Jane ponders about her upcoming job and life at Thornfield. She pictures by the coach and the manservant driving the vehicle that Mrs. Fairfax may not be very wealthy, and Jane thinks it's better that way, as she was always miserable living with wealthy people. She also wonders if Fairfax lives alone with the young girl, and she would do her best if that was the case. She even worries Fairfax would be just like Mrs. Reed, and in that worse case scenario, she won't stay there and would find another governess job elsewhere. She becomes curious how far she has travelled as she opens the window and looks out. Millcote was now far behind, and the roads was heavy and the night very misty. After nearly two hours, the driver tells Jane they are almost there. Jane looks out and they were passing a church, whose bell was tolling. She could also see some lights on a hillside that could be either a village or a hamlet. After 10 minutes, the driver gets off and opens a pair of gates. The vehicle drives through them and the gates close behind them. They then drove down a drive and stopped in front of a large house, with a lit candle in front of a window but the rest were dark.
The coach parked at the front door and a maid opens the door. She ushers Jane to follow her and she walks down a hallway with high doors, before she was taken into a room. As Jane adjusts her vision from the darkness, she finds herself in a cozy, warm room with a lit fireplace. An elderly woman was wearing black and knitting on an armchair by the fire, with a cat resting at her feet. As Jane walks in, the old woman gets up and greets her warmly. She invites her to come sit by the fire, and Jane asks her if she is Mrs. Fairfax; she replies she is. Mrs. Fairfax has Jane sit in her chair, where she unties her bonnet strings and removes her shawl.
Jane begs Mrs. Fairfax if this is trouble for her, and she replies it is not at all. Mrs. Fairfax notices Jane's hands are cold and instructs a servant named Leah to make a hot refreshment and prepare a sandwich; she also gives her the keys to the storeroom. The old woman convinces Jane to go closer to the fire and asks her if she has her luggage. Jane replies yes and Mrs. Fairfax assures her it will be carried up to her room and then leaves. Jane thinks about how warm and friendly Mrs. Fairfax is; although she expected she would be treated coldly. Mrs. Fairfax then returns and clears away her knitting and books. Leah comes in with a tray of refreshments for Jane, who was confused by all the attention she is receiving; but since Mrs. Fairfax doesn't have any problem with it, Jane then decides to accept her hospitality quietly.
Jane asks about her student Miss Fairfax, and Mrs. Fairfax replies she is a bit deaf. When Jane repeats her question, Mrs. Fairfax reveals her student's name is Miss Varens. Jane asks if she is her daughter, and Mrs. Fairfax replies no. Jane thought about asking her how Miss Varens is related to her, but knew it would be impolite to ask too many questions; as she is sure she will find out later herself.
Mrs. Fairfax sits down opposite of Jane, with the cat on her knees. She says she is glad Jane is here as a companion, and Thornfield is an old, neglected house but is still a respected place; although it can be a lonely place during winter. She also explains Leah is a nice woman, while the other servants, John and his wife are decent people. They often don't converse with each other and distance themselves; last winter was a very severe one, and only the butcher and the postman came to Thornfield from November to February. Mrs. Fairfax admits she is miserable when she sits alone at night, and had Leah read to her sometimes. Despite Leah's dislike to keep Mrs. Fairfax entertained, she finds it confining. Spring and summer arrived with pleasant weather and days; and by autumn, Adela Varens and her nurse came to Thornfield. Mrs. Fairfax finds the house cheerful with a child, and now finds it more delightful with Jane here.
Jane feels content as she listens to the old woman talk and draws her chair closer to her. Mrs. Fairfax tells her it is getting late as it is now midnight, and she must be tired from a long day of travelling. She tells her she will show her room, which was furnished for her and while it may be a small bedroom, it's not as large as the other bedchambers. Jane thanks her and noticing she is fatigued, she decides to get some sleep. Mrs. Fairfax takes a candle and Jane follows her out of the room. After unlocking the hallway door, Mrs. Fairfax leads Jane upstairs, where the stairs and banisters were made of oak and the staircase window was high and latticed. The hallway where the bedroom doors are looked like a church, and the air felt cold. She was glad when she arrived at her room, which was small but furnished.
After Mrs. Fairfax bids her goodnight and Jane locks her door, she gazes around her room. She felt the atmosphere at the stairs and in the hallway eerie and strange, but was relieved she is in a safe haven after experiencing fatigue and anxiety. After expressing her gratitude, she falls sound asleep, and wakes up in a bright, sunny room. The sunshine from between the curtains and the light showed the room's wallpaper and carpeted floor, that was much different from Lowood. She is delighted by the new change she is in.
Jane gets up and gets dressed. She usually wears plain clothes, and wished she was more beautiful and taller. As she brushes her hair and puts on her black frock and white tucker, she thinks if she would be able to impress Mrs. Fairfax enough or her new student. She opens her bedroom window and seeing she has left her things on the table, she leaves her room and walks down the hallway. As she walks down the stairs, she paused to gaze at some portraits on the wall, which included a grim-looking man and the other a woman with powdered hair and wearing a pearl necklace. A bronze lamp hung from the ceiling at a clock whose case was carved from oak. Jane is fascinated by the grandeur, and steps over the threshold as the glass door opened. It was a fine morning in autumn, with the sun slowly rising over the hills. Jane looks back and surveys Thornfield; it was a three-storey house and looked more like a gentleman's home than a nobleman's. The battlements made the house look picturesque, and the grey font stood out from the background of the rookery. The birds that stood there flew out over the meadow, that was separated from a low fence that is surrounded by old, thorn trees. Farther away were hills that made Thornfield seclusive from Millcote. A small village can be seen on one of the hills, and the local was nearby Thornfield.
She was enjoying the beautiful scenery when Mrs. Fairfax appears at the door and notices Jane is up early. Jane goes to her and is met by a kiss and a handshake. Jane asks her if she likes Thornfield, and Mrs. Fairfax says it's a pretty place, but it would soon be in disrepair unless Mr. Rochester returns and lives here permanently or visit often. Jane asks who is Mr. Rochester, and Mrs. Fairfax replies quietly he is the owner of Thornfield, and questions her if she knew his surname. Jane already knew she had not known about him before, even if the old woman hardly ever brought up about him. Jane tells Mrs. Fairfax she thought she owned Thornfield, and the old woman replies she isn't but she is the housekeeper; although she is distantly related to the Rochester family by the mother's side or her husband's. Mrs. Fairfax explains her husband was a clergyman of Hay, which is the village on the hills, and the church nearby belonged to him. Mr. Rochester's mother was a Fairfax and the husband's second cousin; however, the old woman never presumes this family connection, and she considers herself an ordinary housekeeper to her employer.
Jane asks about her student, and Mrs. Fairfax explains she is actually Mr. Rochester's ward. He assigned Mrs. Fairfax to find a governess for the young girl, as he intends to have her raised in Thornfield, and says she is now coming with her nurse. Jane notices Mrs. Fairfax is a dependant like her but she is still pleased. While Jane ponders about what she has learned, a little girl runs up the lawn, followed by her nurse. Jane looks at her and while she didn't appear to notice her, she was aged around 7-8 years with a pale face and had curly hair. Mrs. Fairfax greets the girl Adela and asks her to introduce herself to her new governess. The girl points to Jane and asks in French if that is her tutor, and Mrs. Fairfax replies in the same language yes. Amazed by their French speaking, Jane asks if Adele and her nurse are foreigners. Mrs. Fairfax explains the nurse is a foreigner, and Adela was born in France and arrived in England 6 months ago. She didn't know any English when she first came to Thornfield, but now can speak a little. Mrs. Fairfax herself doesn't understand Adela, but hopes Jane would be able to perfectly communicate with her.
Since Jane was taught by Madame Pirerrot, the French teacher back at Lowood for the past 7 years, she is now fluent in the language as she was even able to have a conversation with her old teacher. She thinks she can still understand Adela, even when she talks fast. The girl shakes hands with Jane after learning she is her governess, and leads her to breakfast. Jane speaks some phrases in French to Adela, and while the girl replies briefly at first until they sat at the table, she examines Jane for 10 minutes and replies in her French that Jane can speak her language, too, as well as Mr. Rochester. She says she can easily talk to Jane just like to her guardian and her nurse named Sophie, who is glad Jane can talk French as nobody understands her, since Mrs. Fairfax only speaks English. She explains how she came to England on a ship with Sophie and Mr. Rochester, and comments on how Mr. Rochester slept on a sofa in the salon while she and Sophie slept on small beds. She asks her governess her name, and Jane introduces herself as Jane Eyre. Adela says she cannot pronounce her last name, and explains further how their ship was docked early in the morning at a large city; she admits it was nothing like the lovely French town she came from. Mr. Rochester then carried her with Sophie following, and travelled to a hotel in a coach. They stayed there for nearly a week, and she and Sophie would go out for walks around the park. Mrs. Fairfax asks Jane how can she understand her when she is speaking so fast, and Jane replies she had became fluent of French from her Lowood tutor Madame Pierott.
Mrs. Fairfax asks Jane if she would question her about her parents and if she remembers them. Jane questions Adèle about who she lived with from the town she came from. The girl explains she lived there long ago with her mother, who is now deceased, and she used to teach her how to sing, dance and say verses. A lot of men and women came to see her mother, and Adèle would dance and sing in front of them. Adèle asks Jane if she would like to hear her sing. She had already finished her breakfast and Jane allows her to show off her accomplishments. The girl gets off her chair and sits on Jane's knee, and proceeds to sing a opera song, which is about a woman jilted by her lover, and with the help of her assistant, dresses herself in lavish clothing, meets him at a ball, and proves to him how she has now moved on from his rejection. Jane is astounded how Adèle can sing a song that is too mature for her, but suggests that a subject about love and jealousy don't mix well with childhood innocence. After Adèle finishes her song, she says to Jane she will recite some poetry to her. She starts reciting the poem, again it featured motifs and techniques that weren't suitable for her young age.
Jane asks Adèle if her mother taught her that song, and the girl replies yes and asks if she should dance for her. Jane says no and questions Adele who she lived with after her mother's death. Adèle explains a woman named Madame Frederic and her husband took her in, but she wasn't a relative of hers. She was also poor as she lived in a house that is not as grand as her mother's. Mr. Rochester then asks Adèle if she would like to come live with him in England, and she agrees with this idea, as he was kind towards her and gifted her with dresses and toys. But after Adele was sent to England, Mr. Rochester then departed from Thornfield and she never gets to see him.
After breakfast, Jane and Adèle go to the library, where she assumes Mr. Rochester arranges to be the classroom. Most of the books are locked behind glass doors, but there was a bookcase that was left open with books needed for Adèle's learning, and included several volumes of literature, poetry, biography, travelling and romance. Jane suggests the owner left them there for her to use during her free time, and she enjoys reading them as they offered her information and entertainment than at Lowood. The library also had a cabinet piano, a painting easel and several globes.
Jane tutors Adèle her first lesson, and she finds her to be an obedient child but not very studious. Jane feels it would be unwise to have her learn too hard at first, and when she managed to talk with her and have her learn a bit, she allowed her to return to her nurse by noon. After the first lesson was over, Jane spent her free time doing some drawing for Adèle until dinner-time. When she went upstairs to find her portfolio and sketching pencils, she heard Mrs. Fairfax calling to her about finishing her morning lessons. Jane goes in the room where Mrs. Fairfax called her, and saw it was a large, elegant room with purple curtains and chairs, a Turkish carpet, and walnut-panelled walls with a slanted, glass window and a lofty ceiling. Mrs. Fairfax was spotted dusting some purple spar vases. Jane admires the room as she looks around, and Mrs. Fairfax says this is the dining. She had just opened a window to let some fresh air in, as the rooms inside Thornfield can get stuffy when inhabited.
Mrs. Fairfax points to a wide arch, with a Tyrian curtain looped up. Jane sees a lovely drawing room through the archway and also included crimson furniture such as ottomans and couches. The ornaments on the mantlepiece were made of sparkling Bohemian glass and there were large mirrors between the windows. Jane is surprised on how Mrs. Fairfax kept the rooms free of dust and canvas coverings, even though the air can get cold. Mrs. Fairfax says while Mr. Rochester's visits are rare, he does show up unexpectedly and thought it best to keep the rooms neat for his pending arrival. Jane asks if Mr. Rochester is a fastidious man and Mrs. Fairfax replies he doesn't really, but he does have a gentleman's taste. Jane asks her if she likes him and if he's likeable. Mrs. Fairfax replies yes and his family are respected and well-known in the area, and reveals that most of the land around here had belonged to the family for years. Jane asks again if she likes him, and Mrs. Fairfax says she doesn't mind him and is considered a justly landlord to his tenants, even if he has never lived amongst them. Jane then questions about his character, and Mrs. Fairfax says he is peculiar as he travels a lot and she never had a proper conversation with him.
Jane asks how Mr. Rochester is peculiar. Mrs. Fairfax replies it's hard for her to describe him but tells Jane she can feel it when she speaks to him, and she may not thoroughly understand him. After they leave the dining room, Mrs. Fairfax offers to show Jane the rest of the house. Jane follows her as they went upstairs and downstairs and admiring everything she sees. She finds the large front chambers grand and the third story rooms were dark and low but looked interesting. The old furniture in the lower rooms were removed from there and the bedsteads were about a hundred years old, the chests made out of walnut and oak with strange carvings, and the chairs were out of date with dusty, embroidered cushion tops. She liked the quaintness and gloom of the house she's exploring in, and came across several rooms that were empty with only a bed with old hanging sheets, and had doors with old oak.
Jane asks Mrs. Fairfax is the servants sleep in these rooms. Mrs. Fairfax replies they only stay in smaller rooms in the back, and nobody ever sleeps in the rooms they are walking past by. She admits they would be the perfect place for a ghost to haunt. Jane asks if there is a ghost at Thornfield and Mrs. Fairfax replies no. Jane also asks if there are any ghost stories of Thornfield and Mrs. Fairfax replies she doesn't believe there is. She comments on how it is said the Rochester's were "rather a violent than a quiet race in their lifetime". Jane asks Mrs. Fairfax where she is going up to the room and asks Jane if she would like to come with her. She follows the old woman up a narrow staircase into the attic and then up a ladder through a trap door of the roof of the hall. She is now standing on a balcony of the roof, where she sees some crows' nests. She looks down and surveys the landscape of Thornfield, where the lawn is around the base of the house and the field is covered with trees divided by an overgrown path. The church at the gates, the road and tranquil hills can be seen under the autumn day sun.
After viewing the incredible landscape, Jane climbs down the ladder from the trapdoor, but has a hard time seeing her way down into the dark attic. While Mrs. Fairfax fastens the trapdoor, Jane goes down the garret staircase and lingers in the long passage of the attic where the front and back rooms are separated with only one small window. While she paces around, she hears a strange, unsettling laugh. The laughing ceased for a moment and then she hears it again, only louder. She hears Mrs. Fairfax descend down the garret stairs and calls out to her if she heard the laughter and whose it is. She replies it could be one of the servants Grace Poole and Jane asks her again if she heard the laugh. She says yes and often hears Grace when she is sewing in one of the rooms and would be noisy when she is with Leah. The laugh was heard in a low tone before turning into a murmur and Mrs. Fairfax calls out for Grace. Jane is convinced there is no Grace and the laughter could have come from a ghost. A door near Jane opened and a red-haired, middle-aged plump woman came out, and after Mrs. Fairfax tells her to be quiet and remember directions, Grace made a quiet curtsy and went back in. Mrs. Fairfax says she is responsible for sewing and assisting Leah in her housemaid tasks and asks Jane how she got on with her student this morning. The women talked about Adèle until they reached the main hallway and tells them dinner is ready. They found their meal waiting for them in Mrs. Fairfax's room.
Before long, Jane finds her place of work at Thornfield pleasant and welcoming. Mrs. Fairfax is a kind, calm and wise woman, while her student Adèle is a lively but wilful child. With Jane's tutoring and rules, Adèle was able to settle down more and able to focus more on her education. She may not have any talents, but her affection towards Jane makes her feel inspired. Now and then, she would go out for walks by herself around the grounds or peer out to the road through the gates, and whenever Adèle is with her nurse and Mrs. Fairfax was busy in the storeroom, Jane would climb up the three staircases to the attic, opened the trapdoor and look out over the landscape on the balcony rooftop. While she finds goodness in Mrs. Fairfax, Adèle and other people, she feels restless and yearning for more. She would find solace in herself by walking down the third story corridor in silence and let her imagination wander, but finds it miserable when more people are in need of tranquility from their restraining roles in life. She thinks women are calm just like men, but they deserve more freedom and equality than doing stereotypical feminine actions such as playing piano, embroidering or knitting.
Whether Jane was alone, she would hear Grace Poole’s laughter and strange murmurs. There were days when she was quiet and others when she was noisy. Jane attempts to have a conversation with Grace, but she didn’t seemed to be interested in her. She finds the other members in the household, the servants John and wife Leah, and Adèle’s nursemaid Sophie to be decent people but not amusing. Since Jane could communicate Sophie in French, she would sometimes ask her questions about her home country, but she would respond in dull, confusing answers.
Meeting Mr. Rochester
3 months went by, and it was now January. One afternoon, Mrs. Fairfax asks Jane to give Adèle a holiday as she is sick with a cold, and Jane agrees to let her take a break from her studies. It was a fine but cold day, and Jane was getting bored of sitting in the library all morning. Mrs, Fairfax had just finished writing a letter that is awaiting to be posted, and Jane volunteers to deliver the letter to the post to Hay, which was 2 miles away from Thornfield. She knew this would make a nice afternoon walk as she puts on her cloak and bonnet, and sees Adèle seated by Mrs. Fairfax’s fireplace with her doll and book. The girl kisses her goodbye and Jane sets out.
The ground was hard and the air still, with the road Jane is walking on quiet and lonely. She walks faster to warm up and then goes slower to enjoy the nature around her. It was 3 o’clock and the church bell was tolling as she walked under the belfry, and she was now a mile away from Thornfield. She is walking down a lane where the wild roses bloomed in the summer, and nuts and blackberries in the autumn. The hawthorne and hazel bushes were still with the snow with the stones on the path. She was surrounded by empty fields and birds stirring in the hedge. The route to Hay went uphill and halfway, Jane sits down on a stile which led into a field. Keeping her hands warm in her muff, she could look down at Thornfield and the woods located to the west. As the sun begins to set, she views eastward. She sees the moon rising over a hilltop and the town was now a mile away surrounded by hills, where she could slightly hear the town bustling.
She then hears the sound of galloping and sees a horse coming down the lane. She was about to get up from her stile but since the path was too narrow, she sat still quietly to let it pass by. She remembered the dark nursery stories from her childhood, and when the approaching horse was visible through the dusk, she remembered the story Bessie once told her about a Northern England spirit called “Gytrash”, which took the form of a horse, mule or dog and haunted lonely travellers. As the horse gets closer, Jane hears a sound in the hedge and a large Newfoundland, black and white dog appears. It looked liked the “Gytash” lion-like creature with a huge head and long hair as Jane remembered, and runs past her without looking up. The horse then passes by, and a man was riding on it, with Jane realizing this cannot be the “Gytrash”, as it never had a rider. Jane assumes he is just a traveller riding to Millcote as it rides past her and she walks on. Then she turns around and sees the horse slide and fall that catches her attention. The horse had slipped on ice and the rider fell to the ground. The dog ran to its own and barked loudly until it was heard in echoes, and then it ran to Jane for help, as she was the only other person in the area.
She walks over to the man who was struggling to free himself from his horse, and asked him if he was alright. She thought she heard him cursing and was saying something that he didn't reply to her. She then asks if there is anything she can do, and the man tells her to stand aside as he slowly gets up on his knees and then on his feet. Jane attempts to help him, as the dog continued to bark until the man shouted "Down Pilot!". He felt his foot and leg and sat down on the stile Jane just sat on earlier. She tells him if he is hurt, she can go fetch someone from Thornfield or Hay. The man replies he has no broken bones but just a sprained ankle, and felt his foot when he groaned in pain.
In some of the daylight, Jane could see the man's appearance. He was wearing a fur-collared riding cloak, and he had a stern face with a heavy brow and serious eyes. He was not a young gentleman, but was around 35 years old; and if he was younger, she would have been too shy to attempt to aid him. She would have left if he had smiled at her, but she is fascinated by his frown and when he waves at her to leave, she says she cannot bear to leave him alone this late until she sees him mounted back on his horse. He looks at her and says he thought she should already be at home and asks her where she comes from. She replies she came just from below and she is not afraid to be by herself outside after dark, and she will come with him to Hay if he wishes, as she is going there to post a letter. He points to Thornfield and asks her if she meant the house with battlements.
Jane replies she did came from Thornfield and he asks her who it belongs to, and she says it belongs to Mr. Rochester, but she hasn't seen him. He asks her if he lives there and she says no and cannot tell him where he is. He assumes she is a servant before he stops and surveys her outfit, while looking puzzled. She reveals she is the governess and the man repeats himself as if he had forgotten. He then gets up but is still in pain and tells her to not get help, but asks her to help him instead. Jane agrees to help him and he asks her if she has a umbrella he could use as a walking stick. She says no and he tells her to hold onto his horse's bridle and bring it to him.
Jane was initially afraid of touching a horse by herself, but she obeys him as she puts her muff on the stile and walks towards the horse. But when she holds onto the bridle, the horse struggled and she has a hard time leading it to its owner. The man then laughs and comments on how the mountain will never be lead to Mahomet, and asks her to come over to him. She goes to him and he places his hand on her shoulder, and he leans on her as he limps towards his horse. After seizing the bridle, he mounts onto the saddle and grimaced in pain from his sprained ankle. He asks her to bring him his whip which is in the bushes, and after she finds it, he thanks her and tells her to deliver the letter to Hay and return as soon as possible. He then rides away with his dog following him, and vanished from sight.
She takes her muff and walks on, feeling satisfied she had helped someone and interested by the man's dark, stern appearance. She goes to Hay, delivers the letter at the post-office, and walks back home. Along the way, she stops at the stile and listens as she looks around. expecting a horse and its rider, and a Gytrash dog to appear at any moment. Instead, she only saw the willow and pollard, and heard the faint wind blowing against the trees as she reaches Thornfield. She looks at a window and sees a candle lit, and knows she is already late so she hurries on. She didn't like reentering Thornfield as she would cross the quiet hall and up the dark staircase. She would then go to her room where she would be greeted by Mrs. Fairfax and spend the evening with her, but is disappointed when she finds herself back to her old lifestyle.
She lingers at the gates and around the lawn and pathway. The front door was shut and she couldn't see inside, and turns away from Thornfield and up to the sky at the moon, stars and midnight darkness that made her tremble. The clock then struck in the hall and ends up going inside the side door. The hall wasn't dark or light, but was dimly lit by a bronze lamp that hung on the ceiling that shone on the staircase. The dining room was bright and its doors were opened, where the flames in the fireplace brightened the hearth, draperies and polished furniture. Jane could hear voices in the dining room, which included Adèle's voice. She goes to Mrs. Fairfax's room, where the fire was lit but Mrs. Fairfax isn't in there. There was only a large black and white long-haired dog which looked like the Gytrash she spotted earlier. She called its name "Pilot", and it gets up and sniffs her, while she pets it and couldn't bear to have it left alone and wanders where it came from. She rings a bell for a candle and some information about the dog. Leah enters and Jane asks her where the dog is it. Leah replies it came with the master and Jane asks who it is. Leah says the master's name is Mr. Rochester, and Jane wonders if Mrs. Fairfax is with him. Leah says yes and Adèle is with him, while her husband John went out to bring back a doctor after the master sprained his ankle from falling off his horse. Jane asks if the horse fell on Hay Lane, and Leah says with was coming downhill when it slipped on ice. Jane asks her to give her a candle and Leah returns one for her, followed by Mrs. Fairfax who says the doctor Mr. Carter is now treating Mr. Rochester. She then hurries off to give orders of tea and Jane goes upstairs to get changed.
Mr. Rochester went to bed early by the doctor's orders and Jane didn't see him in the morning. When he did came downstairs, it was only to attend business with his agent and tenants. She and Adèle had to vacate from the library where it is now used as a receptionist room for Mr. Rochester and his callers. A room upstairs was arranged for the new classroom so Jane moves all the books from the library to upstairs. She notices life at Thornfield has changed since Mr. Rochester's return. It is no longer quiet, there was a knock at the door or ringing of a bell every hour, and there was walking around the house and voices she never heard before, but she likes the new change.
Adèle was difficult to teach that day as she kept running to the door and over the banisters to catch a glimpse of Mr. Rochester. Then she wanted to go downstairs into the library, even though she was prohibited from going there. Whenever Jane angrily told Adèle off, she would talk about Mr. Rochester and how he spoils her; she even brings up on how Mr. Rochester asked her about her governess’s name and if she is a small person. She and Adèle usually dined in Mrs. Fairfax’s parlour, and then headed into their classroom during a snowy afternoon. At the end of the day, she allows her student to put away her books and schoolwork, and then run downstairs to see Mr. Rochester. Jane thinks her employer is now available, and looks out the dark, thick snowy window before returning to the fireside. Mrs. Fairfax then comes in and distracts Jane from her thoughts by informing her Mr. Rochester would like her and Adèle to have tea with him in the parlour tonight, as he didn’t get a chance to speak with her before. Jane asks when is his tea-time and Mrs, Fairfax says at 6 o’clock, as Mr. Rochester prefers to have tea early when he’s home. She tells her to change her frock and she’ll help her and give her a candle. Jane asks if it’s necessary to change her frock and Mrs. Farifax says yes as she always gets dressed for the evening with Mr. Rochester.
Jane goes to her room, where Mrs. Fairfax helps her change into a black silk dress, which was the only fine outfit she could wear. Mrs, Farifax tells her she’ll want to wear a brooch, so Jane puts on a little pearl ornament she received as a gift from Miss Temple and then heads downstairs. She lets Mrs. Fairfax guide her into the dining room and then into the parlour. Two candles were lit on the table and on the mantlepiece, and Pilot laid on the floor with Adèle next to him. Mr. Rochester was inclined on a sofa with his injured foot resting on a cushion, and watching Adèle and Pilot. Jane then recognizes his heavy brow, dark hair, and stern appearance. He appeared to have been aware of Mrs. Fairfax but didn’t turn his head around to see her come in. Mrs. Fairfax tells him Jane has arrived, and he bows while still looking at Adèle. Mr. Rochester asks Jane to be seated in an impatient tone.
Jane sits down while being interested in Rochester's abrupt behaviour, and she mostly prefers it than polished manners. Mr. Rochester didn't speak or move, and Mrs. Fairfax starts to talk by condoling him from his difficult business hours today and how it was irritating for his injury. He responds by asking for some tea, and Mrs. Fairfax rings a bell. When the tray was brought in, she arranges the cups and cutlery, and Jane and Adèle move to the table. But Mr. Rochester didn't move from his couch. Mrs. Fairfax asks Jane to bring Mr. Rochester his teacup as Adèle might spill it, and Jane does as she told and gives Mr. Rochester his tea. Adèle then asks him if he has any gifts for Jane, and he gruffly asks Jane if she is ever fond of presents. She replies that she isn't fond of them but generally thinks. they are pleasant. Mr. Rochester asks what does she really think of them, and she says she needs some time before she can give a direct answer. Mr. Rochester tells her she is unsophisticated as Adèle and Jane says she has less confidence in her worthiness than Adèle. Her student had told her how Mr. Rochester would gift her some toys and Jane herself wasn't capable of doing the same thing. Mr. Rochester says he examined Adèle and learned her governess had her struggles with her, as she may not be bright or talented but she is progressing in her education.
Jane states teaching Adèle is her gift, and Mr. Rochester rudely responds by drinking his tea in silence. After the tray was taken away and Mrs. Fairfax sat down knitting in a corner and Adèle led Jane around the room and showing her the books and ornaments. Mr. Rochester then asks Jane to come sit at the fire, and she obeys him, while Adèle wants to sit on her lap but was ordered to amuse herself with Pilot.
Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she has stayed in his home for 3 months and she replies yes. Then he asks her where she comes from and she says she came from Lowood School after attending there for 8 years. He is surprised of how long she stayed there and what a strong woman she is. He comments on his thoughts for fairy tales and claims when he first saw her near Hay, he thought she had cursed his horse. He asks her who are her parents and she says she has none, and when he asks her if she remembers them, she replies no. He questions her if she was waiting for someone on the stile, and if they were the mythical green men. He asks her if she had made the ice on the path he slipped on, and she shakes her head by explaining the green men left England 100 years ago, and they are nowhere to be seen even in Hay Lane. Mrs. Fairfax pauses her knitting and is curious of their conversation. Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she has any other relatives or where she lives, and she replies no and has no home. He asks her where her siblings live and she says she has none.
He questions her how she came here, and she says she placed an advertisement and Mrs. Fairfax responded to it. Mrs. Fairfax says she is grateful she answered her governess ad, and she is a useful companion and a kind teacher to Adèle. Mr. Rochester tells her to not compliment her yet as he needs to judge her himself, especially how he thinks she caused his horse to slip and sprain his ankle, while the old woman listens bewildered. He asks Jane if she has ever lived in town, and says no, and then he questions her if she has ever seen much of society. She answers she has only been with the students of Lowood and then the residents of Thornfield. He asks her if she had read a lot, and replies she only read very few books that were available for her. Mr. Rochester thinks she lived a life as a religious woman, and asks if Mr. Brocklehurst is a parson. Jane says he is a parson, and Mr. Rochester questions her if she and the other girls worshipped him. Jane says she didn't worship him and Mr. Rochester thinks she is being blasphemous. She explains she disliked Mr. Brocklehurst for being a harsh, hypocritical man for ordering the students' hair cut short and he ordered terrible needles and thread they cannot sew for the sake of the local economy. Mrs. Fairfax comments on Lowood's harsh economy.
Mr. Rochester demands to know what else Mr. Brocklehurst has done, and Jane explains he starved her and the students when he was in charge before the committee was appointed. He also forced the students to sit for long, boring lectures and were frightened by his own sermons about judgement and death. Mr. Rochester asks her how old she was when she first went to Lowood, and she replies she was 10 years old. She agrees when Mr. Rochester guesses she is now 18 years old after attending the school for 8 years. He admits he wouldn't be able to guess her age without arithmetics, and asks her if she can play piano.
Jane saves Mr. Rochester
Return to Gateshead/Mrs. Reed's Deathbed Confession
Personality/Appearances
As a child, Jane was a passionate, outspoken girl. She was prone to have angry outbursts and tantrums, as well as resenting the way her aunt and cousins abuse her. As a result, she was isolated in the household where she was forced to deal with her punishments alone. Whenever she reads, she often daydreams herself being inside the book she is reading as a way for her to pull herself away from the harsh reality she lives in. She despises Mrs. Reed and her cousin John with such an intense hatred, that she vows to never see her aunt again and would confront those who would prejudice or mistreat her. When Helen Burns teaches her that she must love her enemies in order to live life in the most pious, passionate way, Jane is disgusted that she has to love her abusive aunt and initially doesn't take it seriously. Even when the truth about her lies is exposed in front of the Lowood students, Jane feels humiliated and that she will forever be the abused, unloved girl. The abuse from the Reed's escalates her isolated childhood, and in her later years would make her have the desire to find freedom, and during her years at Lowood following Helen's death, she manages to cope with her inner self.
Throughout the main storyline, Jane is a strong, independent and determined woman who is hopeful that she will find kindred spirits following her abusive childhood and that she is determined to find a true sense of a home and community. She manages to overcome her challenges with courage and is capable of taking initiatives. She makes her own decisions instead of someone having to make them for her, even though she must have others comply with her in order for her to plans to come into action. She also makes her own life choices when nobody would help her; such as when Mr. Rochester asked her to be his mistress after their first failed wedding attempt, Jane cannot compromise with her beliefs and runs away, where she gets a job as a teacher on her own independent terms. From her early years, Jane uses her strength physically and mentally, as it was something she used when she defends herself from Mrs. Reed and John. She used her physical strength to fight John and her verbal strength to confront Mrs. Reed of how hurt she was about what she had said about her. Even in the most difficult moments, she refuses to back down or let her goals fail her until she had gained her victory. In Victorian era, many women were seen as dependent and expected to serve their roles, but Jane had the power to firmly stay in control of her life and be true to herself when she endures the trials and events ahead of her.
At Gateshead, Jane learns that by having moral courage, she can withstand moral oppression, as is shown when she develops a bond with Bessie and doesn't let Mrs. Reed dominate her easily.
Relationships
Appearances in Film/TV
External Links
