"I would always rather be happy than dignified." ― Chapter 34
Jane Eyre is the main protagonist, titular character and narrator 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 love and happiness in society and with her master Mr. Rochester, until she discovers a terrible secret that would have her think twice.
Jane Eyre is known to be one of the first-known female protagonists in the Victorian era to have a strong-willed and feminist-like personality. She is also known to be one of the greatest heroines in literature.
Description[]
Jane Eyre is a simple, neglected woman who desires to find the loving, happy home she never had. Alone in her youth, she wants to see her sense of love and kindness while guided by her spiritualism, morality, and independence. Along the way, she has to decide when she is under different obstacles, such as whether 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 success, Jane must toughen herself against her harsh reality to build her character and be ready for her challenges in adulthood. Firstly, she endures a miserable childhood as an orphan at Gateshead Hall, which includes her unsettling experience in the red room. Secondly, she attends the Lowood Institution, where the conditions and discipline are harsh. But with some help and guidance from her friend and teacher, she finally learns how to be more solid and pious first-hand, and perhaps her development also causes Lowood to change for the better. Once she falls in love with Mr. Rochester, she sees that her romance with him can provide her with a haven, and he is possibly the only person who can offer her a natural home and lifestyle.
Most readers and critics believe Brontë created her protagonist to reflect on aspects of her life. She also attended a school infested with deadly diseases and severe discipline and lived 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 have struggled to find some balance between romance and freedom and had explained most of this in her novels; in Jane's narration, her own opinions are told in her own words.
Storyline[]
Birth/Orphaned[]
Jane was born to Reverend Eyre and Jane Reed. Her father was penniless, and Jane married him against her wealthy family’s wishes not to marry the impoverished clergyman, as they disapproved of the match. Mr. Reed, infuriated by his daughter's marriage, disowns her. They soon had their daughter, but the family lived in poverty after Jane was disinherited. Her brother, Mr. Reed, defended his sister and opposed his family disowning her.
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.[1] Mr. Reed, heartbroken by his beloved sister’s death, takes pity on his now orphaned niece and brings her into his family household at Gateshead Hall. His wife, Sarah Reed, disapproves of her husband having Jane as part of the family, mainly because her disgraced sister-in-law was Mr. Reed's favourite sister, and he loved his young niece as his own. Mrs. Reed hated her young niece when she was taken into the family. Whenever Jane cried or wailed, Mr. Reed would lovingly look after her, even teaching his children to love their penniless cousin.[2] He was outraged when his children also hated their cousin, like their mother.
Shortly before his death, Mr. Reed asks his wife to raise Jane as one of their children, but she never keeps his promise, and Jane is abused and unloved by Mrs. Reed and her cousins John, Eliza, and Georgiana Reed. The Reed girls tolerate and torment Jane while John bullies her. Jane’s personal caregiver was Mrs. Reed’s servant, Bessie, and Jane was close to her. She enjoys listening to Bessie sing to her and telling stories.
Childhood at Gateshead Hall/The Red Room[]
One November day, 10-year-old Jane was supposed to go for a walk with her cousins, but they refused to go. She is relieved because she hates going out due to the cold weather. She sees John, Eliza, and Georgiana, playing in the drawing room with their mother, Mrs. Reed. [3]
Jane is scolded by her aunt and isn't allowed to join them, so she enters another room and takes a book off a bookshelf. She sits on a curtained window seat and reads “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, reminding her of the stories Bessie would tell her on winter nights.
She is comfortable as she reads alone until 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 fears he will drag her out if she refuses and asks John what he wants. He tells her he is called “Master John” and beckons her 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 hits her.
John says that is her punishment for not obeying Mrs. Reed and hiding. He insults her by calling her a “rat.” He asks her what she is doing behind the curtain, and she replies that she is reading. He demands that she show him the book and bring 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 part of their wealthy family. He decides to punish her for reading, declaring that everything in the house, including the books, belong to him and orders her to stand by the door. Jane obeys him, unaware of his plans. When she turns around, she 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. She calls John wicked and cruel, even comparing him to slave drivers and the Roman emperors (she had read Goldsmith’s History of Rome and believed in the cruelty of Nero and Caligula).
Shocked by what she said to him, John starts grappling her with her hair and shoulders. Jane feels the blood trickle down her neck from her wound and fights back. During the fight, Eliza and Georgiana went to fetch their mother, and they returned with Mrs. Reed, Bessie and another servant, Miss Abbott. The fighters are 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.[4] She struggles wildly along the way, and Miss Abbott again scolds her for hurting John. They arrive at the red room, where Jane is placed on 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 talk about her being unruly. Miss Abbott informs Jane that she is placed under Mrs. Reed’s care or else she would have lived 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 Reeds; even if they are well-off than her, she still needs to make herself agreeable to them. Bessie agrees with Miss Abbott, advising Jane to be more polite so she would be more welcome in her home, or else she will 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 alone. Then they shut the door, lock it, and leave.
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. 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 reviewed some trinkets she stored inside a secret drawer in the wardrobe, including a miniature of her late husband.
She remembers that Mr. Reed died nine years ago in the red room and where his body lay in state. Since then, she continuously senses an eerie atmosphere inside it. She sits on a low ottoman and isn’t sure if the maids locked the door. She gets up to see, and it is bolted tight. She sees her reflection in the mirror, and the room looks more strangely mirrored. She sits back down and thinks about her unfair situation: John bullying her, Eliza and Georgiana tormenting her, Mrs. Reed’s hatred of her, and the maids being unprejudiced. She wonders why she is bullied, hated, and blamed by the Reeds and 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 repeatedly tried her best to fit in and behave, but everyone kept turning her away.
Her head still aches from the cut she received earlier, and as nobody punished John, she considers what had happened to be unfair and is filled with so much hatred that she would run away or let herself die. She doesn’t know that she is an outsider at Gateshead because she is different from everyone. Not only was she poor, but it was her personality of being a reckless, angry girl.
The room darkens around 4 o’clock, and Jane hears the rain pouring and the wind howling outside. She starts to feel cold and uneasy, pondering whether she can die and join her uncle in his grave. She doesn’t remember him too well but had taken her in as an infant and remembers that shortly before he died, he made Mrs. Reed promise to raise her among their children. Jane thought she could have kept his promise, but due to her cruelty, she wouldn’t obey him for having to raise Jane. She thinks he would have been kinder to her if he was still alive today.
Jane looks at the bed and mirror, recalling that the deceased haunt and punish those who disobey their final wishes. She fears Mr. Reed’s spirit will return from the grave and haunt her. She attempts to calm herself down and gazes around when she sees a gleaming light on the wall, assuming it could be just moonlight. When the light moves, she becomes terrified that it's a ghost. She panics and frantically shakes the lock. The servants run to the door and let her out. Jane begs Bessie to take her to the nursery, saying 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 happening. She is outraged that the servants didn’t keep Jane locked up until she came for her. Miss Abbott said she screamed out loud. Mrs. Reed orders Bessie to let Jane go, scolds her for being manipulative, and says she will stay in the red room for another hour. Jane pleads to her aunt for forgiveness and to be punished differently, but Mrs. Reed silences her, forcefully pushes her back into the red room, and locks the door while the maids leave. As soon as Mrs. Reed leaves, Jane panics until she passes out.
Jane wakes up confused.[5] She sees a glaring red light with voices, and someone is holding her gently in a sitting position. She is laid on her pillow, and within five minutes, she realizes that she is in her bed and the red light is the nursery fireplace. It is evening, and Bessie and an old gentleman surround her bed. She recognizes him as Mr. Lloyd, the apothecary, who would come to Gateshead to treat the servants while Mrs. Reed consulted a physician for herself and the children. Mr. Lloyd lays her back on the bed and instructs Bessie not to disturb her throughout the evening. He will come back tomorrow, and he leaves. Jane is depressed afterwards that he is kinder to her than anyone else at Gateshead.
Bessie asks Jane if she should sleep and says she will try and refuses 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 found in the red room and assures her she’ll recover soon. Bessie goes to a servant’s room and asks her to come and sleep with her in the nursery. The servant and Bessie whisper to each other for half an hour before they fall asleep.
Jane thinks the servants sleeping with her are filled with dread about what had happened. The red room incident would leave her heavily shaken for the rest of her life; she initially blamed Mrs. Reed for her suffering but forgave her years later.
The next day, at noon, she is wrapped in a shawl and sits by the fireplace. She is still physically weak but is happy that the Reeds are absent as they were out for the day, and is on her own while Miss Abbott and Bessie are busy. She thought it could be hospitality that delighted her, but it wasn’t enough to regain her strength. Bessie brings her a tart served on a plate, but she can't eat it. She asks for her favourite book, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and reads it. Jane considers the story nonfiction but knows even Gulliver himself is lonely like her and stops reading. Bessie comes in after cleaning and consoles her by singing.
Mr. Lloyd arrives that day, and Bessie summons Jane to him. 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 reveals she was knocked down. The servants’ bell rings for dinner, and Mr. Lloyd dismisses Bessie as he will talk to Jane alone. After she’s gone, Mr. Lloyd questions Jane about what made her sick instead of a fall. Jane reveals that she was locked inside a room haunted by a ghost, and she is terrified of Mr. Reed’s ghost in the room where he died, and nobody else would go there 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. Jane says she isn’t afraid of daylight 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 that she has her aunt and cousins, but Jane says John harmed her, and Mrs. Reed locked her up. He asks her if she's grateful she is living here. Jane responds that this is not her home as she has less right to live there. 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.
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 desperately wants to leave. Even if she did have other relatives, she would only want to live with them if they were good. She once asked Mrs. Reed about other family relatives and replied that they could be poor, for she didn’t know them. She reflects on how poverty affects anyone 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. She can’t tell if her most destitute relatives are part of the working class and won’t be a beggar.
Mr. Lloyd asks her if she wants to attend school, and she thinks about it momentarily. She reflects on how Bessie told her school is where students are taught to be genteel and precise, while John hated his school and his teacher. She didn't trust them but wanted to learn singing, art and French. She considers that receiving an education would let her escape from the Reeds and offer a fresh start. She agrees to go to school, and Mr. Lloyd is satisfied. Bessie comes back in while the Reeds' coach returns. Mr. Lloyd has a private conversation with Mrs. Reed before leaving. Jane presumes it is about her schooling and overhears Bessie and Miss Abbott discussing how Mrs. Reed is glad to send Jane away to school, followed by a conversation discussing her parentage. Bessie takes pity on Jane, saying she would have more sympathy if she were well-behaved and more pretty before they leave for lunch.
Leaving Gateshead[]
Following her meeting with Mr. Lloyd, Jane eagerly awaits news of her schooling. Days and weeks have passed; during this time, she has recovered most of her health, but still no word.[6] Despite Mrs. Reed strictly watching her closely, she is kept isolated from her aunt and cousins during her illness; Mrs. Reed condemned her to sleep alone, make her meals and spend all her time in the nursery. Mrs. Reed hasn’t mentioned anything about Jane’s schooling yet, and she sees that her aunt doesn't want her in her home much longer. Eliza and Georgiana spend little time talking to her, and when John attempts 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 is shocked at what she has just said. She assures her that her uncle and parents may be dead, but they know everything about what she has done to her. Bessie would lecture her that she was an abandoned, misbehaving child, which makes her humiliated inside.
Christmas arrives at Gateshead, but Jane is excluded from all the festivities. She would hear the piano and harp playing, followed by the butler and footman passing by, refreshments being served, and the drawing room door opening and closing. After getting bored from watching the festivities, she returned to the nursery. The hours felt long as she waited for the guests to leave, and Bessie came 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 kindest person in the world and wishes she was docile enough not to scold or lecture her. She praises her for her intelligence and storytelling and prefers her more than anyone else at Gateshead.
It is now mid-January. Around nine o’clock in the morning, Bessie goes to breakfast, and Eliza feeds the chickens while Georgiana brushes her hair. Jane arranges some books and dollhouse furniture until Georgiana orders her to stop, as they belong to her. Jane looks out the window and sees a coach enter the house’s gates. She knows that coaches often came to Gateshead, but this one was different as no visitors had come that she was interested in. The coach parks in front of the house, following by the sound of the doorbell and the visitor coming in. Her attention is then focused on a robin at the casement window.
Her breakfast of bread and milk is on the table, and after eating a mouthful, she puts the crumbs on the windowsill for the bird. Bessie enters the nursery and asks her to remove her pinafore and if she has washed herself. Jane closes the window and replies no, but she just finished dusting. Bessie hurriedly takes her to the washstand. After a quick wash, her pinafore is taken off and hurried to the stairs. Bessie tells her that she has been summoned to the breakfast room.
Jane asks who wants to see her, but the nursery door is closed, and she descends the stairs. For three 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 trembles before the breakfast room door in the hallway, afraid to return to the nursery or go to the parlour and stands still for 10 minutes. After hearing the breakfast room bell ring, she decides to 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 sits by the fireplace and gestures for 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 that she is ten years old. 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 she remains silent as she doesn’t know how to answer this question. Mrs. Reed tells the man, Mr. Brocklehurst, that it may be best not to ask her that question.
Sitting on an armchair, Mr. Brocklehurst summons Jane to him. While she stands before 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, but they shouldn’t be burning there forever. 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.
Mr. Brocklehurst tells her he hopes she will regret how she treats her aunt, and Jane says she is her benefactress. She says her prayers daily and sometimes reads her Bible. She enjoys the Revelations but doesn't find the Psalms interesting. Mr. Brocklehurst informs her he has a son younger than her who knows all the Psalms and would say a verse when he wants anything. He thinks she has a wicked heart and must pray to God to change her.
She is about to speak when Mrs. Reed has her seated and carries on the conversation herself. She explains to Mr. Brocklehurst about Jane’s nasty behaviour and is known to be a liar. When sent to Lowood school, she requests that the superintendent and the 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 agrees that Jane will be monitored and will inform the superintendent and teachers. Mrs. Reed hopes that Jane will be raised in a more proper environment and requests that she stay at Lowood during the holidays. He praises her for her choices and explains how consistency is essential to the students at Lowood. He recalls how his daughter once visited the school and saw how quiet the students were and how they were dressed. Mrs. Reed agrees that a school like Lowood would fit Jane as she doubts there would be no other institution to take her in. 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 as a student at Lowood, and Mrs. Reed will send her off as soon as possible. After Mrs. Reed says goodbye to him, he gives Jane a book titled “Child’s Guide,” which tells stories of naughty children who suffered grim deaths. He then leaves with his coach.
Jane is left alone with her aunt in silence for a few minutes. Mrs. Reed is sewing as she watches her, her mind fuming angrily about what she just said. Mrs. Reed looks up from her work and asks her to return to the nursery. Jane prepares to go but comes back with the sudden need to confront her. She tells her aunt she hates her more than anyone besides John and declares that Georgiana is a liar instead of herself. Mrs. Reed asks her in a firm 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 sight of her makes her sick. Mrs. Reed scolds her for her speech, but Jane confirms what she says is true. She will forever remember the traumatic moment she locked her in the red room while she begged for mercy because John had harmed her for no reason. She will talk about this to everyone and calls her deceitful.
Jane feels a triumphant victory as Mrs. Reed is shocked, asks 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 angrily 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 that she will do just that as she gathers her handiwork and leaves the room. She smiles with victory for finally confronting her aunt but calms down. She feels like apologizing to Mrs. Reed but knows 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 walking outside Gateshead. At that moment, Bessie calls her for lunch. Jane doesn’t stir as Bessie calls out for her; following her conflict with Mrs. Reed, she is not interested in dealing with Bessie’s firmness and wants to be comforted by her kindness. She embraces Bessie and begs her not to scold her, which somewhat pleases her.
Jane says she will be going to school. When Bessie asks if she would feel bad leaving her, Jane replies that she always scolds her. Bessie urges her to be bold. She wants her to come in as she has some good news to tell her.
Bessie informs her that the Reeds 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 expects her to leave within a day or two, and she even gets to choose what toy she wants to bring. Jane makes her promise not to scold her again before she leaves Gateshead, and Bessie says she will and reminds her not to be afraid of her. Jane confirms she will not be afraid of Bessie again. Bessie warns her that the people she worries about wouldn’t like her, but Bessie is still fond of her. Jane insists she will miss Bessie when she leaves and will still kiss her goodbye. She embraces Bessie, and they go inside the house together. She had a blissful day with Bessie, and later that night, Bessie told her some stories and sang to her.
Arrival at Lowood[]
Four days later, at five o'clock in the morning, Jane wakes up, washes her face, and gets dressed half an hour before Bessie enters her room.[7] 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. Bessie gives her some wrapped-up biscuits and puts on her cloak and bonnet. As they leave the nursery and walk past Mrs. Reed's bedroom door, Bessie asks if she would like to say goodbye to her aunt, but Jane refuses. She says that Mrs. Reed had come to her room last night and asked her not to disturb her or her cousins the next morning but reminded her to remember that she has always been her best friend. Jane had covered her face with the blankets and turned away from her. Bessie reminds her she shouldn't have done that, but Jane says 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 to 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 by the fire with Jane's trunk. At 6 o'clock, the coach arrives to take Jane to her school. She finds out the journey to Lowood is 50 miles away, and she will travel alone.
The trunk is hoisted into the coach, and Jane clings to Bessie's neck as she is placed inside. As the coach drives away, Bessie tells the driver to take care of her. The vehicle travels over a hundred miles as it passes through some towns. Along the way, the coach stops in a large town for a rest. Jane gets out and is taken into the inn, where the coachman advises her she should have something to eat, but since she isn't hungry, Jane stays inside a room with a lit fireplace. She goes for a walk and is afraid that kidnappers will abduct her she had heard from Bessie’s stories.
The coachman takes her back to the coach, continuing the ride to Lowood. She thinks she is far from Gateshead as dusk arrives, and the coach goes into the countryside. Jane could hear strong winds outside as it gets darker. She starts to fall asleep but is awakened when the coach stops, and the door opens. A teacher addresses her name, and Jane gets out. Her trunk is unloaded, and the coach drives away.
She is stiff from sitting in the coach for a full day. The night is rainy and windy, and she sees a dark-looking building that is the Lowood Institution. The teacher escorts her inside 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 no candle; the only light provided is from the fireplace's flames. It isn't spacious like Gateshead, but she finds it 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 school alone and looks tired enough to go to bed. The woman urges Miss Miller to make Jane some dinner before bedtime as she may be hungry, and asks Jane if this is the first time her parents have sent her to school. Jane explains that both her parents are dead, followed by questions about her background. Afterwards, she is dismissed by Miss Miller.
Miss Miller guides her through the building until they arrive in a long, expansive room with 80 girls aged 9-20 sitting at two tables on benches. They wore plain uniforms with brown frocks and long pinafores in the middle of study hour. Jane sits as Miss Miller orders the monitors to collect the books. Four taller girls gather all the books, and Miss Miller calls them to bring in the supper trays. The monitors returned shortly with trays with some portions, with a pitcher of water and mugs on each tray. Jane receives her tray and drinks her water, but she doesn't eat the thin oaten cake broken into pieces.
After dinner, Miss Miller reads aloud the prayers, and the students leave the classroom to bed. Jane is so tired that she doesn't notice what their rooms look like, and she is taken to a long, narrow dormitory where the beds are to be shared by two occupants. She shares her bed with Miss Miller, who helps her undress. The candlelight is distinguished within ten minutes, and she falls asleep. She can hardly dream but hears the wind and rain outside. Early the next morning, Jane is awakened by a ringing bell, and the students are already dressed. As she gets up, she sees how cold the room is and shivers as she gets dressed and washes in the basin surrounded by 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 dim classroom. Miss Miller reads the morning prayers before ordering formation. Jane witnesses the students stand behind their chairs, all holding books. A Bible is laid on each table before the chairs. A nearby bell rings after a moment of silence, and three women take their seats. The youngest students then arrive.
After reading several chapters from the Bible, dawn has arrived, and the bell rings for the fourth time. The students march to the refectory for breakfast. Jane is delighted to have something to eat since she is malnourished after barely eating anything yesterday. There are two long tables with hot basins but also a foul odour. Jane notices the girls are disgusted by their breakfast food, with the taller girls complaining about their burnt porridge. Miss Miller sits at the table where Jane is seated, and a strange, elderly woman, the French teacher, takes her seat at the other table. After grace and a hymn, a servant serves the teachers their tea and breakfast begins.
Jane eats her porridge without thinking about its taste but sees the other girls struggle to eat their portions while she has just two spoonfuls. Breakfast ends, but nobody has eaten anything at all. Following a second hymn, the students are cleared out of the room. Jane is the last to leave, and as she passes the table, she glances at a teacher tasting the basin and expresses her disgust to the others.
In the classroom, a quarter of an hour before their first lesson starts, the students discuss their meal, with Miss Miller being the only teacher with them. Jane hears the others mention Mr. Brocklehurst. Miss Miller orders the students to their seats as the clock strikes nine. Within 5 minutes, everyone is quiet, and the upper teachers enter their positions. Jane notices the girls don’t have curly hair and wear brown dresses with pockets in front of their frocks. They also wore woolly stockings and brass knuckle shoes.
As she monitors the teachers, she watches the teacher who brought her into Lowood yesterday, surveying two rows of the students sitting silently. Miss Miller then 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 are brought in and set on one of the tables, and the first class is summoned around her as she teaches geography. The lower classes are taught history and grammar for an hour, followed by writing and arithmetics. Miss Temple teaches music lessons to the older students until noon. Afterwards, Miss Temple 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 to be served to everyone. The teachers are surprised, and Miss Temple wants her plan done.
Everyone is served their bread and cheese and ordered out to the garden. The students put on a straw bonnet and cloak before heading outside. High walls enclosed the garden with a covered verandah, and the walking paths had garden beds in the middle. Some of the garden beds are owned by students to work on but are decayed and withered. Jane stands shivering despite wearing warm clothing, with the walking paths still wet from yesterday's rain. Most of the stronger girls are playing games, while the thinner girls huddle together to keep warm, and then she hears someone coughing.
She sees that most of the building is old, but a new part contains the dormitory and classroom lit up by latticed windows. She reads the stone tablet above the door, and the engraving says Naomi Brocklehurst built one portion of the building, followed by a Biblical verse. She hears a cough again and sees a girl reading on a stone bench. The book she is reading is called "Rasselas." Jane asks if she enjoys her book, and she replies yes. She asks her what it is about; although she finds it odd to talk to a stranger, she enjoys reading, too. The girl gives her the book, and when Jane looks through it, she sees that it doesn't include anything imaginary.
Jane asks her about Lowood. She explains that it is a charity school for orphaned girls who have lost a parent or both. 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 and friends would pay £15 every year, but the money isn't enough for the school's teaching jobs and education; it is mainly subscribed by kind, wealthy people around the school's area and in London. Jane asks her about Naomi Brocklehurst, and the girl answers that she built the new part of Lowood and that her son owns and manages the school. Jane even asks if Lowood is owned by someone other than Miss Temple. The girl states that Miss Temple doesn't own the building and has to follow Mr. Brocklehurst's orders, for he is responsible for buying food and clothing for the school. He lives two miles away from the school and is also a clergyman.
Jane next questions her about the teachers' names, and the girl explains some of them. Miss Smith is responsible for sewing the fabrics and materials for the students to make their own clothing, Miss Scatcherd teaches history and grammar, and Madame Pierrot, who is from France, teaches French. She reminds Jane that Miss Scatcherd is quick-tempered and should be careful around her, Madame Pierrot is all right, and Miss Temple is the best and most intelligent of the teachers. Finally, Jane questions how long she has been here. The girl responds that she has been at Lowood for two years and her mother is dead. She asks her if she is happy at Lowood, but the girl says she asks 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 worse than breakfast, and their meal was served in tin-plated vessels consisting of rusty, shredded meat and potatoes mixed. She eats some of her food and wonders if all the meals at Lowood would be like this daily.
After dinner, the students gather in the classroom 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 is dismissed from class and forced to stand in the middle of the schoolroom. She sees that the girl is around 13 years old, and she expects she will feel ashamed. But to her surprise, she never cries or blushes and asks herself why she is so calm. She even wonders if she is a good or bad student. Shortly after 5 o'clock, Jane and the girls are served a meal of a mug of coffee and a slice of brown bread. She eats her meal with delight but is still hungry. The girls do half an hour of recreation, studying, and eating oaten cake and water. Prayers are said, and everyone goes to bed.
On her second day, Jane wakes up and gets dressed, but the water in the washing basin is frozen solid.[8] A cold, breezy wind blew through the bedroom windows all night, making the girls shiver in their beds and causing the pitcher water to freeze. Jane feels ready to perish from the cold during prayers and Bible readings. At breakfast, everyone is served porridge. This time, it isn't burnt, but the portions are small.
Helen Burns[]
Jane is enrolled in the fourth class and performs regular tasks and occupations. The lessons are long and difficult, which overwhelms her. At 3 o'clock, she is relieved when study hour ends and Miss Smith assigns her to do some sewing in a quiet corner of the schoolroom. The others are sewing, too, while Miss Scatcherd is the only one teaching in the room. Despite everyone being quiet, they can still hear the teacher talking.
Miss Scatcherd teaches English history, and Jane watches the girl she met yesterday in class. She is at the top of the class but is sent to the back whenever she makes mistakes and becomes 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 the teacher constantly berated Burns. They read a chapter about the reign of King Charles I twice and were asked some questions most were unable to answer. Only Burns can solve these questions and is ready to make her answer when it is 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 doesn't reply as Jane wonders how she can wash her nails or face when the water is frozen. Miss Miller asks her to hold some thread, and as she winds it, Miss Miller talks with Jane and asks if she has been to school or can sew and knit. But she can't pay attention to Miss Miller.
As she returns to her seat, she hears Miss Scatcherd issuing an order to Burns, who immediately leaves, enters another room where the books are kept, and returns a minute later with a bundle of twigs. She gives it to Miss Scatcherd and quietly loosens her pinafore. Then, Miss Scatcherd 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 with anger from watching Burns being beaten unjustly. Miss Scatcherd scolds Burns for her habits and orders her to return the twigs. The girl obeys her, and as she returns from the book closet, Jane can see a tiny tear on her face.
Play hour in the evening is pleasant for Jane, followed by some bread and coffee. The day's stress is relaxed, and the classroom is warmer than in the morning. She would open the blinds when she passed the windows and watch the snowfall. She could hear the wind outside when she placed her ear against it. During her free time, Jane finds her life at Lowood more decent than at Gateshead since the food isn't too bad to satisfy her hunger, and the classrooms are warmer during the day when lit by candles. But she also finds herself lonely without a friend. She even wonders if she were sent to Lowood by a loving family, she would have missed them terribly. She thinks that if she came from a decent, loving home, she would be homesick and wishes the environment to be gloomier than she is.
She spots Burns reading alone by the fire. Jane asks if she is still reading “Rasselas,” and Burns says she has just finished it. After a few minutes, Jane thinks this is the perfect opportunity to talk to her and sits beside her. She asks her her first name and where she’s from. She replies that she is named Helen, and says she is from far north, close to the Scottish borders. Jane asks her if she will return home, and Helen isn’t sure when. She questions whether she must leave Lowood, but Helen says she was sent here to receive an education and won’t go until she has completed her schooling.
Jane tells Helen that Miss Scatcherd had been cruel to her earlier. Helen says Miss Scatcherd is not cruel but strict and disapproves of her mistakes. Jane says that if she were in her place, she would hate Miss Scatcherd, and if she were ever beaten, she would snatch the rod from her and break it. Helen reminds her she should not do that; otherwise, she will be expelled. She states it is best to stay calm with someone who disapproves of her rather than take her rage out on them and claims that the Bible bids everyone good for evil.
She thinks being flogged and forced to stand alone in a classroom full of people is shameful. As she is younger than Helen, she knows she cannot stand a chance. Helen says that she must be able to bear her situation. Jane ponders what Helen had said and how she patiently handled her punishment. Helen explains that she can be careless and quickly forgets the rules. She has a habit of reading during lessons and sometimes cannot handle the situation she puts herself in. This often provokes Miss Scatcherd, who is more punctual and proper. Jane adds that she is also cruel and angry, but Helen disagrees with what she says.
Helen says that, unlike Miss Scatcherd, Miss Temple is kind and never harsh to anyone. She would calmly correct Helen’s mistakes and praise her for her efforts. Even if Miss Temple treated her properly, Helen would still be clumsy. While she should be listening to Miss Scatcherd, she would occasionally lose herself in thought and imagines herself back at home in Northumberland. When the teacher chooses her to answer a question, she has to wake herself up and won’t be prepared for an answer. Jane tells her 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 is sympathetic to the king, who was unfairly killed by his enemies.
Jane sees that Helen is now talking to herself but has her focused back on the conversation. She asks if she gets lost in thought with Miss Temple. Helen replies that she can follow along with her teachings. Jane brings up that she will be good to those who treat her kindly, but it would worsen it if they would ever be friendly to those cruel. She claims that whenever anyone mistreats her, she will strike back at them to ensure they will never do it again. Helen hopes that she will change when she gets older.
Jane explains that she will hate those who mistreat or punish her unfairly but only love those who treat her affectionately. She believes it is right to love those with affection and punish those who don’t. Helen says other people may believe that, but civilized Christians don’t. Jane is confused as Helen explains that violence never overcomes hate or vengeance and advises her to read the New Testament and learn from Christ’s lessons. Helen advises Jane to love her enemies, bless those who curse her and do good to anyone who hates her.
Jane is disgusted that she should love Mrs. Reed and finds loving John impossible. She explains to Helen about her abusive upbringing while she listens calmly and expects her to comment. Afterwards, Jane asks her if Mrs. Reed is a cruel, terrible woman. Helen explains that her aunt hates her because of her behaviour. She believes life is too short to handle hostility and errors, and everyone will have their faults weighed down. 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 will never be disgusted by humiliation. Jane sees her head nodding and knows she can no longer talk to her as she is lost in thought. A monitor comes in and orders Helen to arrange her drawer. Helen calmly obeys and leaves.
As time passes, Jane struggles to cope with the conditions and discipline.[9] During January, February and early March, the snow falls heavily, and the students are stuck inside the school except when they left for church. They had to walk for an hour to the church, and their clothing couldn't keep them warm from the severe cold. They wore no boots, and the snow easily got into their shoes. Their bare hands and feet would become numb. Every day, Jane had to endure the bitter cold with her feet suffering from inflammation and found 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. While suffering from extreme hunger, Jane had to share some of her bread and would drink some of her coffee. Sundays were the worst 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 colder and were nearly paralyzed during the service. Since it was too far to walk back for dinner, the girls were served cold meat and bread between service hours. Following the afternoon service, they would walk a hilly road where the freezing wind nearly shredded their skins. Miss Temple occasionally walked along with the girls and encouraged them to stay strong.
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 older girls, leaving the younger ones sitting in corners and shivering. They were comforted when served bread slices with butter during teatime. That Sunday evening was spent memorizing sermons from Miss Miller. During some reenactment performances, a dozen of young girls who were performing would collapse and fall asleep. They were thrust into the middle of the schoolroom until the sermon was finished. When they could barely stand, they would fall onto each other and prop up on some stools brought to them. Jane has not seen Mr. Brocklehurst since arriving at Lowood and suggests he spends time with the archdeacon. His absence relieves her.
Three weeks later, Jane is sitting with her slate during an afternoon class when she spots someone pass by the window. She recognizes who it is, and two minutes later, everyone in the school stands up as they prepare to greet Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane is worried that he has kept his promise to Mrs. Reed to reveal her reputation to Miss Temple and the school. He is whispering something to Miss Temple as Jane listens carefully. She worries 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 undergarments and instructs her to inform Miss Smith that he still needs to send a message about the needles, but she should receive some papers soon. He also wants Miss Temple to have Miss Smith give one piece of thread to each student. Miss Temple obeys his instructions, and Mr. Brocklehurst said he learned that some girls had two tuckers; they should only be permitted one. She explains that she invited two girls to tea with some friends last Thursday and gave them some clean tuckers to wear. Mr. Brocklehurst says he'll let it go for once but wants it to happen only sometimes. He is also shocked that the girls have been served bread and cheese for lunch for the past fortnight. Miss Temple protests that the breakfast was poorly made that day and didn't want the students to starve.
Mr. Brocklehurst lectures Miss Temple that he expects the students to be patient. If their meal was spoiled accidentally, they should handle the situation with endurance and think of their hunger as a happy Christian martyrdom. Miss Temple stands in silence as Mr. Brocklehurst surveys the classroom and points to Julia Severin, a girl with red, curly hair. He demands why she has curly hair, and Miss Temple says she was born with it. Mr. Brocklehurst says that he expects the girls' hair to be plain and orders the curls to be cut off, as he will send a barber tomorrow to do it. He orders the first-class students to stand. Miss Temple gives the order to inspect their hair. He surveys them and orders their curls to be chopped off. He again lectures Miss Temple that he expects the girls to be more shamed and serious.
He is interrupted when three women come into the classroom. The two younger women, who are teenage girls, wear fancy, elegant clothing, including expensive silk and fur, and some fashionable hats and curly locks. The older woman wore fancy, expensive clothing and had French curls. They are Mr. Brocklehurst's wife and daughters. While Mr. Brocklehurst was questioning some staff, the women were rummaging through the girls' belongings in the dormitories. They comment on Miss Smith while Jane doesn't have time to listen and tries hard not to be noticed.
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 is paralyzed with fear that she can't move, but the two girls sitting with her push her toward Mr. Brocklehurst. Miss Temple assures her it was just an accident and she won't be punished.
Jane knows that in an instant, Miss Temple will despise her as a hypocrite, and she trembles angrily at the thoughts of Mr. Brocklehurst and Mrs. Reed. Mr. Brocklehurst orders a stool to be brought upfront. Jane is placed on the stool, and Mr. Brocklehurst orders everyone to look at her. He 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 watch her closely and punish her whenever possible for salvation. He then declares that she is a liar.
There is silence for 10 minutes, and the Brocklehurst women comment about her. Mr. Brocklehurst says he learned this from her aunt, but Jane had disrespected her so much that she decided to send her away to Lowood, hoping the school would cure her. Before Mr. Brocklehurst leaves with his family, he orders Jane to stay on the stool for half an hour, and nobody must talk to her. Jane stands 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.
At 5 o’clock, the class is dismissed, leaving Jane alone.[10] She gets off the stool, collapses into a corner and bursts into tears. She cries as her hopes of fitting in, making new friends, and being more respected and valued are dashed. Earlier that morning, she did well in her class and was praised by Miss Miller. Miss Temple had even promised to teach her drawing and French if she continued to improve and was well-received by the other students. She bitterly wonders how she would ever handle that way again and wishes she could die.
Helen comes in, bringing her some coffee and bread. She encourages her to eat, but Jane refuses as she continues to cry. Helen sits next to her and embraces her quietly. Jane asks her why she is with a girl who everyone now knows is a liar, and Helen assures her that 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; everyone will most likely pity her rather than despise her. Jane doesn’t know why they would pity her. Helen says that Mr. Brocklehurst is a hypocrite. He is not well-liked at Lowood, and Jane would have made enemies if Mr. Brocklehurst considered her his favourite student. Helen brings up that while everyone may look at Jane disapprovingly when she first arrives at Lowood, they will be kinder to her within a day or two, and when she succeeds, the more the kindness will last.
Helen tells her that she may not have had friends if everyone hated her, even if she was innocent. Jane says that while she still believes in 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 overthinking affection and opens up about how the spirits of the afterlife are around to watch over the living, guarding them, observing their suffering, and recognizing their innocence. She also adds that God will wait until he gives his reward and that the living shouldn’t be in despair when death would be their path to glory.
Jane is silent after Helen calms her but becomes concerned when her friend coughs ominously. She rests her head on her shoulders and embraces her until Miss Temple comes in. She invites the girls to her room, and they follow her up the stairs to her room with a warm fire and a cheerful tone. Helen sits on an armchair next to the hearth while Miss Temple sits down and summons Jane to stand near her. She asks Jane if she has gotten over her grief and replies that she isn’t. Miss Temple asks why, and Jane says she has been wrongly accused and now thinks she will hate her, too. Miss Temple encourages Jane to be good to the others at Lowood. She asks Jane who is the woman Mr. Brocklehurst calls her benefactress. Jane says that her aunt, Mrs. Reed, raised her after her uncle’s death, and she regrets raising her and that her uncle made her promise to keep their niece before his death.
Miss Temple explains to Jane that when a criminal is accused, they can speak for themselves as a defence. Since Jane was falsely accused, she should tell the truth and not exaggerate. After resolving herself to be more honest, she brings up her troubled childhood at Gateshead while remembering what Helen taught her and feeling sure Miss Temple would believe her. She also brings up 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 Jane is clear in her presence as she kisses her and keeps her close while she focuses on Helen. She asks her if she is well and had coughed today. Helen replies that she didn’t cough a lot, and when Miss Temple 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 rings her bell. A servant enters, and Miss Temple 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. Miss Temple asks the servant to bring more bread and butter as there isn’t enough for them. The servant returns and tells her that is the usual quantity the housekeeper sends. Miss Temple accepts what they have but has something else to add to their meal.
Jane and Helen are invited to the table to have their supper. While the girls treat themselves to 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 is supposed to give it to them when they leave, but they should eat it now. She cuts them into slices and serves them. The girls graciously eat their meal. After they are finished, the tray is removed, and the girls gather at the fire with Miss Temple. Jane is awestruck as she witnesses Miss Temple and Helen conversing. They talk about history, nations, and some books they have read. Jane is amazed by their intelligence, as they know much about French names and writers. During their conversation, Miss Temple asks Helen if she remembers any Latin her father taught her. She takes a book off a shelf, and Helen reads a page from Virgil. Jane is more awed as she listens to her read aloud. Helen barely finishes when the bell rings for bedtime.
Before the girls leave, Miss Temple embraces them and blesses them. Jane and Helen return to their dormitory, where they hear Miss Scatcherd examining the drawers and pulling out Helen’s clothes. After entering, Helen is scolded by Miss Scatcherd and should have untidy folded clothes tied to her shoulders tomorrow. 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 dismisses herself following the afternoon class, Jane rips the “Slattern” sign off Helen’s forehead and throws it into the fire. A week later, Miss Temple receives a response from Mr. Lloyd about Jane’s reputation. She announces to the school that Jane is officially cleared of all charges, with the teachers praising her and the students murmuring words of pleasure and relief.
Afterwards, Jane turns over a new leaf and focuses more on her education. She works hard and is eventually promoted to a higher class. She also learns French and drawing in less than two months. When she goes to bed that night, she forgets to dream about a satisfying meal to appease her appetites, 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.[11] Jane's swollen feet heal, and the mornings and nights are no longer cold. Jane and the others can spend more time in the garden as the flower beds turn green and the flowers bloom. On Thursday afternoons, the girls go for walks and find fresh, sweet flowers under the hedges. Jane finds 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 is now May, and vegetation blooms at Lowood and the nearby forest. Jane wanders in the forest alone and admires 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. 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 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 exercise more to stay well without supervision. Miss Temple spent all her time nursing the sick students until she needed some rest. The teachers helped some healthy students get home to their families immediately. Many students 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 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 stay healthy and spend most of their time outside playing in the forest all day. Mr. Brocklehurst and his family have not returned to Lowood since the outbreak, and one of the housekeepers left for fear of infection. Another housekeeper who was once the matron of the Lowton Dispensary took her place, but since she wasn't used to her new place of work, she allowed the students more free time. There were few girls to feed, and the sick students ate very little. At breakfast, Jane and the other healthy students are served more food, but since there isn't time to prepare supper, which has become frequent, the girls are given a slice of pie or a thick slice of bread and cheese instead. Jane and the girls would take their meals to the forest and eat them there.
Jane likes to sit on a broad, smooth stone in the middle of the stream and walk through the water to reach it 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. At the same time, Jane has not seen Helen and is worried that she has forgotten all about her. While Mary Ann's stories amused her, they weren't the same as Helen's.
Jane learns that Helen has been sick and confined upstairs for some weeks. 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 saw her sitting wrapped up under the verandah from the schoolroom window.
One evening in June, Jane and Mary Ann are out in the woods very late. They wandered off so far that they got lost and had to ask for help at a cottage where a couple lived and raised a herd of pigs that eat the mast in the forest. When the girls return to school, the moon has risen, and the surgeon’s pony stands at the garden door. Mary Ann assumes someone must be seriously ill since Mr. Bates, the surgeon, is at Lowood this late. Mary Ann goes inside while Jane plants some roots from the forest in her garden, as she's worried they will wither in the morning. She lingers around the garden, admiring the scent of the flowers and the warm evening air.
She wonders 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. He mounts his pony and rides away, and Jane runs up to the nurse and asks her how Helen is. The nurse replies that she is doing poorly and that Mr. Bates was here to see her. 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 must see her again before she dies. She asks the nurse where Helen is staying and replies that she is in Miss Temple's room. Jane asks if she can go and see her, and the nurse replies that she can't and must come inside. The nurse closes the front door while Jane enters by the back entrance. It is now 9 o'clock, and Miss Miller dismisses the students to bed.
At around 11 o'clock, Jane couldn't fall asleep. After she thinks all the girls in the dormitory are fast asleep, she rises quietly, puts her frock over her nightgown, and sneaks barefoot to find Miss Temple's room. It is at the far end of the building, but she knows the way, with the moonlight guiding her. She smells the strong stench of camper and vinegar as she approaches a room and quickly passes by, anxious that the nurse there would hear her. She is also worried she'll be spotted and forced to return to her room, for she must see Helen one last time. After going up a staircase, descending a passage and quietly opening two doors followed by another flight of stairs, she arrives at Miss Temple's room.
A light is shining from the keyhole, and the room is quiet. As Jane gets closer, she notices the door is slightly opened ajar to let in some fresh air. Without hesitation, she opens the door, expecting to find Helen dead. Instead, a cot covered in white curtains stands near Miss Temple's bed. She could see someone lying in it, but the curtains hid the face. The nurse she had met earlier was in a chair, sound asleep, with a dimly lit candle on the table. Miss Temple isn't in the room, and Jane later realizes she has left to tend to 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 sees how pale and fragile she is but still looks calm. Jane is relieved to see her awake and thinks she will not die, as she can't talk or be so calm when 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 that she has come to see her again.
Helen says that she has come in time to say goodbye, and Jane asks her if she is going home. Helen replies that she is going to her last home, and Jane denies this. While she wipes away her tears, Helen coughs but doesn't wake the nurse. After a few minutes, Helen tells her to cover herself with her quilt. Jane tucks herself under the quilt and nestles close as Helen places an arm around her. Helen tells Jane she is happy and reminds her not to grieve when she’s dead. She brings up how everyone must die someday, but she is not in pain. She knows 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 suffering and has no qualities or talents to succeed later in life.
Jane asks Helen where she is going, and she replies that she is going to God. Jane asks who God is, and she answers that God is their creator, as he will never destroy anything he has created, and Helen trusts him for his power and goodness. Jane asks her if Heaven does exist and where everyone goes after they die. Helen knows Heaven is real, as she loves and trusts God. She asks Helen if she will see her again when she dies, and she answers that she will undoubtedly be in the same place she will be soon. Jane questions herself what Heaven is like, 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. After the girls bid each other goodnight, they kiss and fall 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 later.
Helen was buried in an unmarked grave in the Brocklebridge churchyard. Fifteen 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 disappeared soon after the devastating outbreak at Lowood.[12] Since many students died at Lowood, the school quickly received public attention, and an investigation was launched to discover the origins of the typhus outbreak. Before long, Mr. Brocklehurst's cruel actions came to light, from the poorly made food to the uncomfortable clothing.
A group of wealthy individuals came together to improve Lowood by adding new regulations and improving the diet and clothing for the students. 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. Jane stayed at Lowood for eight years, six as a student and two as a teacher. She excelled at her studies, which impressed her teachers, and she advanced to the top of her class. Within two years, she became a teacher.
Miss Temple was Jane's closest inspiration and mentored her throughout her school years. But now Miss Temple has married a clergyman and left Lowood. Without her, Jane isn'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 to overcome this new change. As the afternoon passes, she thinks Lowood is no longer worthy of her, and some new challenges await her in the outside world. She gazes out her window and looks at the winding path leading to Lowood from the hilly horizon. She remembers this was the same road when the coach took her to Lowood for the first time eight years ago, and she has not left since. In addition, she spent all her holidays at the school, as Mrs. Reed never sent for her at Gateshead, nor did she and her relatives visited her.
However, Jane needs more 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. Her teachings interrupt her reflections for the rest of the day until bedtime. Miss Gryce, a Welsh teacher who shares a room with Jane, talks with her, but she wishes she would be quiet as she looks out her window. Finally, Miss Gryce falls asleep, and Jane can think about what she should do next. She soliloquies about wanting a new change as she sits in bed while thinking hard.
She thinks she could be in a new place with new faces but wonders how some people move on to somewhere new. She knows this applies to friends, but since she has no friends, she has to make her own decisions. She cannot come up with anything for nearly an hour before bed. When she lies down, her mind tells her she should advertise 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. But, first, she must write a position in the post at the nearby town of Lowton that is addressed with her initials and then mail it to the post office. She will 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 is just 18 years old, she wouldn't want to tutor students close to her age. She also writes that she can teach English, French, drawing and music, and concludes it with her initials and the post office address. The letter is locked in her drawer all day, and during teatime, she asks permission from the new superintendent to go to Lowton for some errands. After her request is 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 returns to Lowton. Before heading to the post office, she measures her feet for shoes. At 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, and Jane starts to feel anxious. After 5 minutes, the old woman finds the letter addressed to "J.E." The woman says there are no more letters for her. Jane returns to Lowood but doesn't open the letter as she has a curfew to return by 8 o'clock.
When she arrives at Lowood, she attends to some duties. She first sits with the students during study hour; it is her turn to read aloud the prayers and see the students sent to bed. Then, she has dinner with the other teachers. Her candle has a short amount of light at bedtime, and she thinks Miss Gryce wants 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 the initials "F" and reads it very briefly. The letter says that she has been accepted to be a governess to a young girl under ten years old and her salary would be £30. The letter then concludes by asking for references, her name, and her 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 as a widow dressed in black. She also thinks Thornfield is the house's name 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. While she has not been interested in its industrial environment, Thornfield would at least be a good way from the town and extinguishes the candle.
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 doubled since she was only paid £15. She asks her to inform Mr. Brocklehurst and another committee to inquire if they would be her references. The superintendent agrees to tell Mr. Brocklehurst the next day and replies that Jane must write about this to her legal guardian, Mrs. Reed. After Jane sends a note to her aunt, she gets a quick response from Mrs. Reed, saying Jane can do what she wants. The note is sent to the committee, and she is granted leave from Lowood after a delay. She is also assured that the staff at Lowood will be signed as her references.
Within a month, a copy of the references is forwarded to Mrs. Fairfax, who responds that she is satisfied to have Jane as a governess and informs her she will be arriving at Thornfield within two weeks. Jane begins her preparations, and on her final day, she packs her trunk. She mainly uses her wardrobe for sufficient needs but checks it in case she hasn't forgotten anything. With her trunk fastened and her card nailed to it, the carrier arrives in half an hour to take it to Lowton while Jane prepares herself early the following day to meet the coach. She brushes her travelling dress and prepares her bonnet, gloves and muff. She also checks her drawers to ensure she doesn't leave anything behind. Then she sits down and tries to rest. However, she has difficulty relaxing as she is excited to start her new job.
A servant informs Jane in the lobby that a visitor wants to see her. Jane thinks it could be the carrier and hurries downstairs, where someone rushes to see her. Jane looks at the woman dressed like a servant but still young and good-looking. The woman asks her in a voice that Jane recognizes if she still remembers her. She then realizes it is Bessie, and Jane embraces and kisses her, with Bessie laughing and crying. They both go into the parlour, where they spot a little boy around three years old.
Bessie introduces Jane to her son Bobby and reveals she married the coachman Robert Leaven five years ago and now lives at the lodge after the old porter left. She also has a daughter named Jane. Jane wants to know how everyone at Gateshead is doing, so she asks Bessie to sit down.
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. Bessie explains that Georgiana went to London with Mrs. Reed last winter, where a lord fell in love with her. His family was against the relationship, but he and Georgiana planned to run away together. After Mrs. Reed discovered their plans, both Eliza and Georgiana start to quarrel with each other. John went to college but got expelled, and then his uncles wanted him to be a barrister and study law. Bessie says he has grown taller, while Mrs. Reed is stout and well as usual but needs to be more impressed when John starts spending much money. Jane asks if Mrs. Reed sent her here, and Bessie says no, but she wants to see her again. When she finds out that Jane has received her letter and will be travelling to a new part of the country soon, she thinks this is the perfect chance to travel to Lowood and see her again before she leaves.
Bessie thinks Jane looks like a lady. Jane smiles at her response, but as a young woman, she finds herself indifferent to pleasing others. Bessie asks if she can play the piano, and Jane replies that she can play a little. Since there is a piano in the room, Bessie encourages her to play something. Jane plays a song or two, which impresses Bessie.
Bessie confesses that the Reeds can't play very well and always says that Jane could be better than them. She then asks if she can draw, and Jane points out one of her paintings on the chimneypiece. It is a water-coloured 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, which looks as beautiful as any picture the Reeds' drawing master would make. Bessie next asks Jane if she knows French, and Jane replies that she can read and speak the language fluently.
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 Eyres. Jane replies that she has never heard from them before, and Bessie explains that Mrs. Reed says the Eyre family is poor and miserable. Despite this, Bessie believes they may also be well-off like the Reeds and mentions how a gentleman named Mr. Eyre came to Gateshead seven years ago to visit Jane. Mrs. Reed said that Jane was at school 50 miles away, and Mr. Eyre was disappointed he couldn't see her. He also cannot stay as he is about to depart on a voyage to a foreign country. He looked like a wealthy gentleman and could be Jane's uncle, her late father's brother.
Jane asks where he was going, and Bessie replies that he’s travelling to Madeira, where they produce good wine. He departed right away as he barely stayed another minute longer at Gateshead. Mrs. Reed thought he was a sneaky tradesman, but Bessie's husband believed he could be a wine merchant. She and Bessie talk more about the old times for an hour before Bessie leaves. Jane sees her again briefly early the following day at Lowton while she waits for her coach. After that, they go their separate ways. Bessie goes to Lowood Fell for transportation that will take her back to Gateshead, and Jane is on her way to Thornfield Hall in Millcote. Her coach arrives at around 4 o'clock in the morning.
After 16 hours on the road, Jane stops to rest at the George Inn in Millcote.[13] She looks around anxiously when she descends from the coach, expecting to hear someone call her name or find a coach with a description that will take her straight to Thornfield Hall. While waiting, she asks for a private room, where she warms herself by the fire. She finds it strange for someone like her who had a difficult childhood to be 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 summons a waiter, asking if Thornfield Hall is in this neighbourhood. The waiter replies that he doesn't know but will check at the bar. He leaves but returns instantly, telling her someone is waiting for her.
Jane rushes down the passage, where a manservant stands by the door. She can see a one-horse coach with her trunk outside. The servant hoists it into the coach, and Jane gets in. Before closing the door, Jane asks the servant how far Thornfield Hall is. He answers that it will be about 6 miles, and it would take an hour and a half to get there. The door is fastened, the servant climbs into his seat in the vehicle, and they drive off.
Jane ponders about her upcoming job and life at Thornfield Hall throughout the journey. She pictures that Mrs. Fairfax may not be wealthy and thinks it's better that way, as she was always miserable living with rich people. She also wonders if Mrs. Fairfax lives alone with the young girl and would do her best if that were the case. She even worries she would be another Mrs. Reed, and in that worst-case scenario, she won't stay there and would find another governess job elsewhere. She becomes curious about how far she has travelled as she opens the window and looks out. Millcote is far behind; the roads are heavy, and the night is misty. After nearly two hours, the driver tells Jane they are almost there. Jane looks out, and they are passing a church, whose bell is tolling. She could also see village lights on a hillside. 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 go down a drive and stop in front of a large house with a lit candle in front of a window, but the rest are dark.
The coach parks at the front door, and a maid opens the door. She ushers Jane inside and walks down a hallway with high doors and 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 is 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 sit by the fire, and Jane learns she is Mrs. Fairfax. Jane sits down, and Mrs. Fairfax unties her bonnet strings and removes her shawl.
Mrs. Fairfax notices Jane's hands are cold and instructs a servant named Leah to make a hot refreshment and prepare a sandwich. Mrs. Fairfax assures her that her luggage will be carried to her room and then leaves. Jane thinks about how warm and friendly Mrs. Fairfax is, although she expects she will still be treated coldly. Mrs. Fairfax returns and clears away her knitting and books. Leah comes in with a tray of refreshments for Jane, who is confused by all the attention she is receiving, but since Mrs. Fairfax doesn't have any problem with it, Jane accepts her hospitality quietly.
Jane asks about her student, and Mrs. Fairfax reveals that her student's name is Adèle Varens. Jane asks if she is her daughter, and Mrs. Fairfax replies no. Jane thinks about asking how Miss Varens is related to her but knows it would be impolite to ask too many questions, as she is sure she'll find out later.
Mrs. Fairfax sits opposite Jane with the cat on her knees. She says she is glad Jane is here as a companion, and Thornfield Hall is an old, neglected house but is still a decent place, although it can be lonely during winter. She also explains that Leah is a lovely woman, while the other servants, John and his wife, are decent people. They often don't talk to each other and keep to themselves. Mrs. Fairfax admits she is miserable when she sits alone at night and sometimes has Leah read to her. Leah dislikes keeping Mrs. Fairfax entertained but finds it confining. Spring and summer would arrive with pleasant days and weather. After Adèle and her nurse arrived at 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 Mrs. Fairfax 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 will show her room, and Jane thanks her, noticing she is fatigued. Mrs. Fairfax takes a candle, and Jane follows her out of the room. After unlocking the hallway door, Mrs. Fairfax leads Jane upstairs. The air is cold, and she is glad when she arrives at her room, which is small but furnished.
After Mrs. Fairfax bids her goodnight and Jane locks her door, she gazes around her room. She feels the atmosphere at the stairs and the hallway eerie and strange but is relieved she is in a safe haven after experiencing fatigue and anxiety. After expressing her gratitude, she falls asleep and wakes up in a bright, sunny room. The sunshine between the curtains and the light showed the room's wallpaper and carpeted floor. She is delighted by the new change.
Jane gets up and gets dressed. She brushes her hair and puts on her black frock and white tucker. She wonders if she will be able to impress Mrs. Fairfax enough or her new student. She opens her bedroom window and walks down the hallway. Walking down the stairs, she pauses to gaze at some portraits on the wall, including a grim-looking man and a woman with powdered hair and a pearl necklace. Jane is fascinated by the grandeur and heads outside.
It is a fine morning in autumn, with the sun slowly rising over the hills. Jane looks back and surveys Thornfield; it is a three-storey house that resembles a gentleman's home. Battlements made the house picturesque, and the grey font stands out from the background of the rookery. The birds fly out over the meadow, separated by a low fence surrounded by old, thorn trees. Farther away are hills that made Thornfield seclusive from Millcote.
She enjoys the beautiful scenery when Mrs. Fairfax appears at the door and notices she is up early. 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 Mr. Rochester is, and Mrs. Fairfax quietly replies that he owns Thornfield and asks her if she knows him. Jane already knew she had not known about him, even if Mrs. Fairfax hardly ever talked about him. Jane tells Mrs. Fairfax she thought she owned Thornfield, and she replies that she is the housekeeper, although she is distantly related to the Rochester family by the mother's side. Mrs. Fairfax explains that her late husband was a clergyman of Hay, the village on the hills, and the church nearby belonged to him. Mr. Rochester's mother was a Fairfax and her husband's second cousin; however, Mrs. Fairfax never presumes this family connection.
Jane asks about Adèle, and Mrs. Fairfax explains that she is 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. While Jane ponders what she has learned, a little girl runs up the lawn, followed by her nurse. She is around 7-8 years old, with a pale face and curly hair. Mrs. Fairfax greets Adelè and asks her to introduce herself to her new governess. The girl points to Jane and asks in French if she is her tutor, and Mrs. Fairfax replies in the same language. Amazed by their French-speaking, Jane asks if Adèle and her nurse are foreigners. Mrs. Fairfax explains that the nurse is a foreigner, and Adèle was born in France and arrived in England 6 months ago. She knew no English when she first came to Thornfield but now can speak a little. Mrs. Fairfax doesn't understand Adèle but hopes Jane can communicate with her perfectly.
Since Jane was taught by Lowood’s French teacher for the past seven years, she is now fluent in the language as she could even converse with her old teacher. She thinks she can still understand Adèle, even when she talks fast. Adelè shakes hands with Jane and leads her to breakfast. Jane speaks some phrases in French to Adèle. She replies briefly at first until they sit at the table. After examining her, Adèle replies in French that Jane can speak her language like Mr. Rochester. She says she can easily talk to Jane, just like her guardian and nurse named Sophie, who is glad Jane can speak 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. Adèle 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 followed her with Sophie and travelled to a hotel in a coach. They stayed there for nearly a week, and she and Sophie would go for walks around the park. Mrs. Fairfax asks Jane how she can understand her when she speaks so fast, and Jane replies that she has become fluent in French from Lowood.
Jane questions Adèle about who she lived with in her town. The girl explains she lived there long ago with her mother, who is now deceased, and she taught her how to sing, dance and say verses. Everyone 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 has already finished her breakfast, and Jane allows her to show off her accomplishments. The girl sits on Jane's knee and proceeds to sing an opera song, which is about a woman jilted by her lover, and with the help of her assistant, dressed 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 mature song for her age but suggests that a subject about love and jealousy doesn't mix well with childhood innocence. After Adèle finishes her song, she recites a poem; again, it features motifs and techniques unsuitable for her young age.
Adèle says her mother taught her that song, and she wants to dance. Jane says no and questions her about who she lived with after her mother's death. Adèle explains that a woman named Madame Frederic and her husband took her in, but she wasn't her relative. She was also poor as she lived in a house that was not as grand as her mother's. Mr. Rochester then asked her if she would like to come and live with him in England, and she agreed with this idea, as he is kind towards her and gifted her with dresses and toys. But after Adèle is sent to England, Mr. Rochester departs from Thornfield, and she never sees him.
After breakfast, Jane and Adèle go to the library, where she assumes Mr. Rochester arranges to be the schoolroom. Most of the books are locked behind glass doors. A bookcase is left open with books needed for Adèle's learning and includes several volumes of literature, poetry, biography, travelling and romance. Jane suggests the books are for her to read during her free time, and she enjoys reading them as they offer her information and entertainment than at Lowood. The library also has a cabinet piano, a painting easel, and several globes.
Jane tutors Adèle her first lesson, and she finds her an obedient child but not very studious. Jane feels it will be unwise to have her learn too hard at first, and when she manages to talk with her and have her learn a bit, she allows her to return to Sophie by noon. After the first lesson was over, Jane spent her free time doing some drawing until dinner time. When she goes upstairs to find her portfolio and sketching pencils, Mrs. Fairfax calls her about finishing her morning lessons. Jane enters the room where Mrs. Fairfax called her and sees a large, elegant room with purple curtains and chairs, a Turkish carpet, and walnut-panelled walls with a slanted glass window. Mrs. Fairfax is spotted dusting some vases. Jane admires the room, and Mrs. Fairfax says this is the dining room. She had just opened a window to let some fresh air in, as the rooms inside Thornfield can get stuffy.
Mrs. Fairfax points to a wide arch with a Tyrian curtain looped up. Jane sees a lovely drawing room through the archway, including crimson furniture like ottomans and couches. The ornaments on the mantlepiece are made of sparkling Bohemian glass. Jane is surprised at how Mrs. Fairfax kept the rooms neat. Mrs. Fairfax says that while Mr. Rochester's visits are rare, he does show up unexpectedly and thinks it best to prepare the rooms for his pending arrival. Jane asks if Mr. Rochester is fastidious, and Mrs. Fairfax replies that he isn’t, but he does have a gentleman's taste. She says his family is respected and well-known in the area, revealing that most of the land around here had belonged to the family for years. Mrs. Fairfax says she doesn't mind him and is considered a justly landlord to his tenants. He is also peculiar as he travels a lot, and she never had a proper conversation with him. She says it's hard for her to describe him but tells Jane she can feel it when she meets him and 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 tour the house, admiring everything she sees. She finds the large front chambers impressive, and the third-story rooms are dark and low but look interesting. The old furniture in the lower rooms is removed; the bedsteads are about a hundred years old, the chests are made of walnut and oak with strange carvings, and the chairs are dusty with embroidered cushion tops. She likes the quaintness and gloom of the house and comes across several empty rooms with only a bed and old hanging doors with aged oak.
Jane asks Mrs. Fairfax if the servants sleep in these rooms. Mrs. Fairfax replies that they only stay in smaller rooms in the back, and nobody ever sleeps in those rooms. She admits they would be the perfect place for a ghost to haunt. Jane asks if there are any ghost stories of Thornfield, and Mrs. Fairfax answers that she doesn't believe in ghosts. Jane follows Mrs. Fairfax up a narrow staircase into the attic and then up a ladder through a trap door of the roof. She is now standing on a balcony of the roof 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 the tranquil hills can be seen under the autumn sun.
After viewing the landscape, Jane climbs down the ladder from the trapdoor but has difficulty 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 ceases momentarily, and then she hears it only louder. She hears Mrs. Fairfax descend the garret stairs and asks if she heard the laughter. She replies that it could be one of the servants, Grace Poole, and she often hears Grace when she is sewing in one of the rooms. The laugh is heard in a low tone before turning into a murmur, and Mrs. Fairfax calls out for Grace. A door near Jane opens, and a red-haired, middle-aged plump woman emerges. Mrs. Fairfax tells her to be quiet and remember directions, and Grace curtseys and goes back in. Mrs. Fairfax says she is responsible for sewing and assisting Leah in her housemaid tasks. The women talk about Adèle until they reach the main hallway and 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 Hall pleasant and welcoming.[14] 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 could settle down and focus on her education. She may not have any talents, but her affection for Jane inspires her. Now and then, she will go out for walks by herself around the grounds or peer out to the road through the gates when she’s not teaching. When Mrs. Fairfax was busy in the storeroom, Jane would climb up the three staircases to the attic, open the trapdoor, and look over the landscape on the balcony rooftop. While she finds goodness in Mrs. Fairfax, Adèle and the others, she feels restless and yearns for more. She would find solace in herself by silently walking down the third-story corridor and letting her imagination wander. She finds it miserable when more people need tranquillity from their restraining roles in life. She thinks women are calm like men but deserve more freedom and equality than doing stereotypical feminine actions such as playing the 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 converse with Grace but doesn’t seem interested in her. She finds the servants John, Leah, and Sophie to be decent people but not amusing. Since Jane could communicate with Sophie in French, she would sometimes ask her questions about her home country, but she would respond with dull, confusing answers.
Meeting Mr. Rochester[]
It is 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 is a fine but cold day, and Jane is bored of sitting in the library all morning. Mrs. Fairfax has just finished writing a letter that is waiting to be posted, and Jane volunteers to deliver the letter to the post to Hay, which is 2 miles away from Thornfield. She knows 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. Adèle kisses her goodbye, and Jane sets out.
She walks faster to warm up and then goes slower to enjoy the nature around her. It is 3 o’clock, and the church bell is tolling as she walks under the belfry, and she is now a mile away from Thornfield. She walks down a lane where the wild roses bloomed in the summer and nuts and blackberries in the autumn. The hawthorn and hazel bushes are still covered in snow, the empty fields surround her, and birds stir in the hedge. The route to Hay goes uphill, and halfway, Jane sits down on a stile that leads into a field. Keeping her hands warm in her muff, she can look down at Thornfield and the woods to the west. She sees the moon rising over a hilltop, and the town is now a mile away, surrounded by hills, where she could slightly hear the town bustling.
She hears galloping and sees a horse coming down the lane. She is about to get up from her stile, but since the path is too narrow, she sits quietly to let it pass. She remembered the dark nursery stories from her childhood. When the approaching horse was visible through the dusk, she remembered the story Bessie once told her about a Northern England spirit called “Gytash,” which took the form of a horse, mule or dog and haunts lonely travellers. As the horse gets closer, Jane hears a sound in the hedge and a large Newfoundland black and white dog appears. It looks like the “Gytash” creature she remembers and runs past her, following by a man on horseback. She realizes this cannot be the “Gytash” as it never had a rider, and 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, catching her attention. The horse had slipped on ice, and the rider fell to the ground. The dog ran to him and barked loudly, then ran to Jane for help.
She walks over to the man struggling to free himself from his horse and asks him if he is all right. She thinks she heard him cursing and asks if she can do anything. The man tells her to stand aside as he slowly gets up on his feet. She attempts to help him, but the dog continues to bark until the man quiets the dog, named Pilot. He feels his foot and leg and sits on the stile. She tells him she can fetch someone from Thornfield or Hay if he is hurt. The man replies that he has a sprained ankle.
In some of the daylight, Jane can see the man's appearance. He is wearing a fur-collared riding cloak and has a stern face, heavy brow, and serious eyes. He is not a young gentleman but around 35 years old. She is fascinated by his frown and cannot bear to leave him alone this late until she sees him mounted back on his horse. He looks at her, says he thinks she should already be home and asks her where she comes from. She replies that she came just from below and is unafraid to be alone outside after dark. She will also accompany him to Hay if he wishes, as she will post a letter there. He points to Thornfield and asks if she meant the house with battlements.
Jane replies that she did come from Thornfield, and he asks her who it belongs to. She says it belongs to Mr. Rochester but has yet to see him. He assumes she is a servant at Thornfield. She reveals she is the governess, and the man repeats himself as if he had forgotten. He gets up but is still in pain and asks her to help him instead. She agrees to help him, and he asks her if she has an 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 is initially afraid of touching a horse by herself, but she obeys him as she puts her muff aside and walks towards the horse. But when she holds onto the bridle, the horse struggles, and she has a hard time leading it to its owner. The man laughs and asks her to come over to him. She goes to him, and he places his hand on her shoulder and leans on her as he limps towards his horse. After seizing the bridle, he mounts onto the saddle and grimaces 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 vanishes from sight.
She takes her muff and walks on, feeling satisfied she had helped someone and interested in the man's dark, stern appearance. She goes to Hay, delivers the letter at the post office, and returns home. Along the way, she stops at the stile and listens as she looks around, expecting a horse, its rider, and a Gytash dog to appear at any moment. Instead, she only sees the willow and pollard and hears the faint wind blowing against the trees as she reaches Thornfield. She looks at a candle-lit window and knows she is already late, so she hurries. She doesn't like reentering Thornfield as she would cross the quiet hall and up the dark staircase to her room and spend the evening with Mrs. Fairfax. She finds it disappointing when she returns to her old lifestyle.
She lingers at the gates and around the lawn and pathway. The front door is shut, and she can't see inside. She turns away from Thornfield and up at the night sky, which makes her tremble. She enters the hall dimly lit by a bronze lamp on the ceiling. The dining room is bright, and its doors are opened, where the fireplace’s flames brighten the hearth, draperies and polished furniture. Jane hears voices in the dining room, including Adèle's. She goes to Mrs. Fairfax's room, where the fire is lit, but Mrs. Fairfax isn't there. Only the large dog she saw earlier is there. She calls its name "Pilot," and it gets up and sniffs her while she pets it. She can't bear to leave it 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 about the dog. Leah replies that it came with the master, who is Mr. Rochester, and Mrs. Fairfax and Adèle are with him, while John goes out to bring back a doctor to treat Mr. Rochester’s sprained ankle. Jane asks her to give her a candle, and Leah returns with one for her, followed by Mrs. Fairfax, who says the doctor, Mr. Carter, is now treating Mr. Rochester. She then hurries to give tea orders, and Jane goes upstairs to get changed.
Mr. Rochester goes to bed early by the doctor's orders, and Jane doesn’t see him in the morning.[15] When he goes downstairs, he only attends business with his agent and tenants. She and Adèle have to vacate the library, which is now used as a receptionist room for Mr. Rochester and his callers. A room upstairs is arranged for the new schoolroom, so Jane moves all the books from the library upstairs. She notices that life at Thornfield has changed since Mr. Rochester's return. It is no longer quiet, as there is a knock at the door or ringing of a bell every hour, and she hears voices she never heard before, but she likes the new change.
Adèle is difficult to teach that day as she keeps running to the banisters to glimpse Mr. Rochester. Then she wants to go downstairs into the library, even though she is prohibited from going there. Whenever Jane scolds Adelè, she talks about Mr. Rochester and how he spoils her. She and Adèle usually dined in Mrs. Fairfax’s parlour and then headed into their classroom during the afternoon. At the day's end, she allows Adèle to put away her books and schoolwork and then runs downstairs to see Mr. Rochester. Jane thinks her employer is 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 that 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. He prefers teatime at 6 o’clock, as he wants to have tea early at home. She tells her to change her dress, as wearing an evening dress is necessary when visiting Mr. Rochester.
Jane goes to her room, where Mrs. Fairfax helps her change into a black silk dress, the only fine outfit she can wear. Mrs. Fairfax advises her to wear a brooch, so Jane puts on a little pearl ornament she received as a gift from Miss Temple and then heads downstairs. Mrs. Fairfax guides her into the dining room and the parlour. Two candles are lit on the table, and Pilot lies on the floor with Adèle beside him. Mr. Rochester is inclined on a sofa, his injured foot resting on a cushion and watching Adèle and Pilot. Jane then recognizes his heavy brow, dark hair, and stern appearance. He appears to have been aware of Mrs. Fairfax but doesn’t turn his head around to see her come in. Mrs. Fairfax tells him Jane has arrived, and he impatiently asks Jane to be seated.
Jane sits down, interested in Mr. Rochester's abrupt behaviour. Mr. Rochester doesn't speak or move, and Mrs. Fairfax consoles him for his difficult business hours today and how it was irritating his injury. He responds by asking for some tea, and Mrs. Fairfax rings a bell. She arranges the cups and cutlery when the tray is brought in, 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 gives him 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 thinks they are pleasant. Mr. Rochester asks what she thinks of them, and she says she needs some time before giving a direct answer. Mr. Rochester tells her she is as unsophisticated as Adèle, and Jane says she has less confidence in her worthiness than Adèle. Adèle had told her how Mr. Rochester would gift her some toys, and Jane herself couldn't do the same thing. Mr. Rochester says he examined Adèle and learned Jane struggled with her, but she is progressing in her education.
Jane states that teaching Adèle is her gift, and Mr. Rochester rudely responds by silently drinking his tea. After the tray is taken away, Mrs. Fairfax knits, and Adèle shows Jane around the room. Mr. Rochester then invites Jane to sit at the fire, while Adèle wants to sit on her lap but is ordered to amuse herself with Pilot.
Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she has stayed in his home for three 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 eight years. Surprised at how long she has stayed there, he claims that when he first saw her near Hay, he thought she had cursed his horse. He asks her who her parents are, and she says she has none and doesn’t remember them. He questions whether she is waiting for someone on the stile and if they are the mythical green men. He asks her if she has made the ice on the path he slipped on, and she shakes her head by explaining that the green men left England 100 years ago and are nowhere to be seen even in Hay Lane. Mrs. Fairfax pauses her knitting and is curious about their conversation. Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she has any other relatives or where she lives, and she replies that she has no relatives, siblings or home.
He questions her about how she came here, and she says she placed an advertisement, and Mrs. Fairfax responded to her ad. Mrs. Fairfax says she is grateful she answered her governess ad and is a useful companion and kind teacher to Adèle. Mr. Rochester tells her not to compliment her yet as he needs to judge her. He asks Jane if she has ever lived in town, and she says no, and then he questions her if she has seen much of society. She answers that she has only been with the Lowood students and the Thornfield residents. He asks her if she has read a lot, and she replies that she has only read very few books. Mr. Rochester thinks she lived a life as a religious woman. Jane says Mr. Brocklehurst is a parson, and Mr. Rochester questions if she and the other girls worshipped him. Jane says she didn't worship him, and Mr. Rochester thinks she is 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.
Jane explains that Mr. Brocklehurst 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 sermons about judgement and death. Mr. Rochester asks her how old she was when she first went to Lowood, and she replies that she was ten years old. She agrees when Mr. Rochester guesses she is now 18 years old after attending the school for eight years. He asks her if she can play piano. She replies that she can play a little, and he orders her to play a tune in the library. After playing for a few minutes, he orders her to stop and thinks she should be better. He tells Jane that Adèle had shown him some of Jane’s sketches this morning. Mr. Rochester asks her if she has ever learned how to draw, and Jane replies no. He asks her to bring him her portfolio and do some sketches. She brings him her portfolio from the library, and Mrs. Fairfax and Adèle gather around her to see her drawings. He tells the women not to crowd him and tells Jane to take them back when he finishes examining them.
Mr. Rochester looks through all of Jane's artwork. He asks Mrs. Fairfax to take them to the other table to view them with Adèle, and glancing at Jane, he instructs her to sit down for more of his questions. He asks her if she drew the drawings herself, and she replies yes. He then asks her how long it took to sketch them, and she says she did her drawings during her two vacations at Lowood. She says her ideas came from her head. Mr. Rochester spreads out the drawings before them to examine them again.
They are watercolour paintings of landscapes Jane had painted. The first one had dark clouds over a stormy sea, with the entire background in an eclipse. A gleam of light shines down on the half-mast of a shipwreck, and a drowned corpse is seen in the water. The second one has a hill with grass and leaves slanted, with a dark blue twilight sky, and a star on top of the hill is shaped like a shadowy woman. The third one had an iceberg, with northern lights across the horizon and a pale, visible figure resting on the iceberg. Jane says she is happy while absorbed in her imagination and pleasure. Mr. Rochester says she didn't have pleasures and had a gifted imagination of an artist and asks her if she sat down for long hours painting. She explains that she had a vacation from teaching, had nothing else to do and would do her painting all day. While she enjoys her hobby, she is tormented by the contrast between her mind and her artwork. Mr. Rochester tells her she may not be an expert artist, but her paintings are intriguing and peculiar, and then tells her to put away her drawings.
Jane ties her portfolio strings when Mr. Rochester looks at his watch. He says it is 9 o'clock and orders Jane to take Adèle to bed. Adèle kisses him before leaving, followed by another kiss from Pilot. He then bids goodnight as he prepares to go. While Mrs. Fairfax is folding her knitting, Jane takes her portfolio and curtseys to Mr. Rochester before leaving. Jane tells Mrs. Fairfax that Mr. Rochester isn't as peculiar as she described him, and he is more strange and abrupt. Mrs. Fairfax says Mr. Rochester is a peculiar man and they should make allowances for him if he is angry, and Jane asks why.
Mrs. Fairfax explains it is because of his nature and suffering from terrible thoughts and family issues. Jane thinks for a moment that he doesn't have a family, and Mrs. Fairfax explains he used to have some distant relatives and lost his older brother a few years ago, and he had just inherited the property nine years ago. However, Mr. Rochester wasn’t close with his brother, and Mrs. Fairfax explains that the brother, Rowland Rochester, isn't much like his younger brother, and their father is an unjust gentleman towards his son. He was determined to pass down the Thornfield estate to his sons. Not wanting to divide the property, he was anxious that Mr. Rochester should have wealth, too. When he comes of age, they begin arranging some unfair planning that puts him in a bad position so that he can make his fortune. Mrs. Fairfax knows nothing about the master's position, as it’s clear that Mr. Rochester couldn't escape his troubled family life. After he cut off all ties with his family, Mr. Rochester had a difficult life for many years, and following the death of Rowland, he inherited the estate without a will and always shunned his home. Mrs. Fairfax doesn’t discuss details about Mr. Rochester's background.
Jane and Mr. Rochester's Conversation[]
For several days afterwards, Jane sees very little of Mr. Rochester, as he often spends his mornings tending to his business. In the afternoon, several gentlemen from Millcote dined with him.[16] Once he fully recovers from his sprain injury, he rides his horse more and wouldn't return until nightfall. During this time, Adèle was hardly sent to for him, and Jane would occasionally see him in the hallway, stairs or in the gallery, where he would come off as cold and haughty, but he would also sometimes smile and bow to her. She isn't bothered by his attitude as she knows she has nothing to do with it. One day, he had guests over for dinner and even used her portfolio to show it off. The gentlemen then left early to attend a meeting in Millcote, but since it is a chilly, wet evening, Mr. Rochester doesn’t join them. After they are gone, he rings the bell, telling Jane and Adèle to come downstairs. After brushing Adèle's hair and checking to see if she is wearing her usual clothing, Jane and Adèle descend the stairs. Adèle wonders if there is a small gift for her, and when they arrive in the dining room, a small box is on the table for her. She excitedly runs to it, and Mr. Rochester sarcastically tells her to go into a corner and unwrap it while he sits in his chair.
Adèle is already busy on the sofa, unwrapping and admiring her present. Mr. Rochester summons Jane to him and asks her to take a seat. He says he is an old bachelor who cannot stand noisy children and won't be able to converse with one. He tells her not to draw the chair further and stay exactly where it is. He then rings a bell to summon Mrs. Fairfax, who quickly arrives with her knitting basket. He informs her he won't let Adèle talk to him about her presents and asks her to join her. While Mrs. Fairfax is busy with Adèle and her gifts, Mr. Rochester tells Jane to draw her chair a little farther forward as she is far away from him and cannot see her face. Although she would rather stay in the shadows, knowing how firm he is with his orders, she draws her chair to him. The fireplace flames brightly light the dining room, the rain pouring against the windows, and Adèle whispers without disturbing Mr. Rochester.
Jane notices he is in a better mood than his stern behaviour earlier in the morning. She also sees he has dark, black eyes. He gazes at the fire for about two minutes and asks her if she thinks he is handsome, a question she thought was polite, but she replies no. He tells her something unique about her, and her reply is a bit blunt. She apologizes for being too plain and should have known it was impolite to give an unprepared answer about someone's appearance. He thinks she shouldn't reply to anything and questions her about what fault she finds in him.
She says she didn't mean to criticize him, as she made a mistake in her reply. Mr. Rochester lifts his hair over his eyebrows and asks her to criticize him by examining his forehead. He asks her if he is a fool, and Jane replies he's far from it and thinks he will think of her as rude if she asks him if he's a philanthropist. He replies that he isn't but has a conscience in his head. He explained that when he was younger, he used to believe in something good about others, but nowadays, he's come off as stern and gruff. He asks Jane if there is any hope for him to change into his former self. She thinks he drank too much and doesn't know what to say. Mr. Rochester says she looks puzzled but is glad she seems confused as it keeps her from staring straight at his face. He decides he is ready for her to be more communicative, and he gets up from his chair and stands against the marble mantlepiece. His posing makes Jane think he may look ugly, but a lot of pride and ease make him look impressive.
Mr. Rochester repeatedly wants more conversations and explains that the fireplace, chandelier, and Pilot don’t provide enough company for him as they cannot talk. Adèle is decent to talk with but isn’t perfect, as does Mrs. Fairfax. He persuades himself that Jane is the right one he can converse with, although she is confused when he invites her into the dining room for the first time and has nearly forgotten about her. He is relieved now that she is with him and urges her to speak. Jane doesn’t talk but smugly smiles, and he encourages her to talk and discuss whatever she likes. She says nothing, thinking he has addressed the wrong person if he expects her to speak. He tells her she is dumb, leans closer to her, and apologizes that he doesn’t wish to treat her lowly. He only considers himself, who is nearly 20 years older than her and highly educated, and he truly desires for her to talk with him and distract his thoughts.
Jane isn't insensitive to his condescension, and she tells him she is willing to amuse but doesn't know what to talk about. She asks him to give her some questions, and she will do her best to answer them. He asks her if she would agree that he has the right to be masterful and abrupt around her, as he is old enough to be her father and has travelled across the globe while living quietly inside a house with several people. She replies that he can do as he pleases and tells her to be more specific. She explains to him that he doesn't have a right to control her since he's much older than her and has travelled around the world, and his superiority depends on how he uses his time and experience with her. He brushes superiority aside and tells her she must still agree to allow him to give orders to her now and then without being irritated by his tone. She smiles at the fact that he is peculiar and seems to forget he is supposed to pay her £30 for obeying his orders. He compliments her smile but urges her to speak, too.
She asks if a few wealthy employers would question their paid employees if they were ever hurt or offended by their orders. He forgets he is supposed to pay her and asks if he would harass her a little. She says that is not what she meant, but she agrees with him on whether he forgets to pay her salary and would allow him to be informal with her. He asks her if she would consent to him being rude toward her, and this time, she is more careful with her answer. She explains she is fine with him being informal but doesn't wish him to be impudent, and his mistreatment wouldn't make up for the salary. He states that anyone can submit to a salary and advises her to keep to herself. He also brings up that only some have the same principles as her, and only a few governesses out there would have been able to answer his questions. He is impressed by her words and doesn't mean to jump to conclusions constantly. He changes his mind and says that may be intolerable.
Jane's eyes met with his as his idea crossed her mind. Mr. Rochester admits he has his own faults and doesn't wish to ease them and assures her God wouldn't want him to be severe to others. He explains how he has a past with some ups and downs and when he would place the blame on his circumstances. He couldn't be on the right course when he was around 21 years old. She asks him how his memory was when he was 18 years old, and he replies he was her equal, but not one of a kind. He describes himself as a sinner who is overworked with depravity and she is the one person who is entrusted with her acquaintances' secrets that would soon be discovered as he had done, and the only thing she should listen to others talk of themselves; that way, they can tell she has more sympathy for them. She asks him how he knows all of this, and he replies that he knows this all too well. He claims he should have been better at handling his mistakes, which resulted in him being desperate and affected by remorse.
She advises him to repent, but he claims reformation works better than repentance and hopes to have more pleasure in curing himself. She tells him it will only worsen him, and he asks himself if he should have pleasure. She reminds him it will only be more bitter, and he tells her how solemn she looks and that she has no right to preach to him. She explains that she only tries to remind him about his guilt and mistakes. He believes temptation is an inspiration. She tells him to resist it, and he asks her if she knows the difference between a guide and a seducer. She replies that she was judged by his troubled expressions when the suggestion came to him, which will only add more misery. Nevertheless, he insists he enjoys it, and she shouldn't do anything about it and seems to be calling out a vision of himself. He then declares it felt good receiving the deity.
Jane tells him she is getting confused by him and that he may have regretted his faults. She advises that if he tries hard to overcome his troubled past and improve himself, he will want to look back on it several years later. Mr. Rochester argues that he is determined to do the right thing to change, and if his actions are immoral, he will declare a new moral law to make everything right. Jane tells him it can only be possible if a new law is used to legalize them, and he insists they require a new one. She thinks it is risky and considered abuse, and he denies this, as he is a man with weak choices and shouldn't be arrogant with himself. She then abruptly ends the conversation by getting up and tells him she will put Adéle to bed as it is past her bedtime. He asks her if she is afraid of him from his tone of voice. She replies that she may be bewildered by his baffling voice, but she is not afraid of him. He asks her if she ever laughs as he rarely sees her laugh, but she is less stern than him. He thinks the effect at Lowood still impacts her physically and emotionally, and he is always nervous when in a man's presence. But he hopes she will eventually get over herself and be less anxious with him. She doesn't reply to this and says it is now 9 o'clock.
Mr. Rochester quickly tells Jane not to send Adèle to bed yet. He claims he observes everything in the room when seated by the fire. While talking to her, he watched Adèle pulling out a little pink silk dress about 10 minutes ago, and he saw the excitement on her face as she wanted to try it on right now before rushing out of the room. He pictures her with Sophie, helping her put on her dress, and she will appear in a few minutes. He asks Jane to stay put and sees his reaction. They hear Adèle walking down the hall and entering the dining room wearing her new pink dress. She also wears a wreath of rosebuds on her forehead, silk stockings and white, satin shoes. She dances and frolics around before Mr. Rochester and thanks him for the presents. He tells Jane he is moved and charmed by Adèle but drops hints about his possible relationship with Adèle’s mother. He promises to explain it one day and says goodnight.
Sometime later, during an afternoon on the Thornfield grounds, Jane meets with Mr. Rochester and Adèle. While Adèle plays with Pilot and her shuttlecock, Mr. Rochester and Jane walk alone on a pathway, where he tells her more about Adèle's background.[17] She is the daughter of a French opera singer named Céline Varens, and he met her years ago in Paris. He began a romantic relationship with her, bought her a room in a lavish hotel, and offered her servants, a coach, and dozens of luxuries. He later realized that all of this was too expensive for him to pay for. One evening, he went into Céline's bedroom to rest and opened the window to step out onto the balcony. He pauses to smoke a cigar.
He says he liked bonbons, smoking, and watching some coaches drive to the nearby opera house. He then spotted an elegant coach, recognizing it as the coach he had bought for Céline. The coach parked outside the hotel, and he watched her come out wearing a cloak. Suddenly, another figure comes out, also cloaked and wearing a hat. Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she has never been jealous and assumes she has never fallen in love. He talks about how he likes the world when it is stern and appreciates Thornfield for its antiquity and quietness but despises it for so long.
They are nearing the end of the path with Thornfield in front of them. Mr. Rochester casts a shameful, disgusting gaze at the house and tells Jane he is struggling with a witch-like destiny; she taunts him by tracing the words on the windows, "Like it if you can! Like it if you dare!". He says he will keep his promise of being a better man than before when Adèle runs to him, and he shoos her away. As he silently walks, Mr. Rochester explains further that he saw Céline coming inside with another man. He finds it strange how he had hired Jane to be a governess for his ward, and it is even stranger that he is talking about his affair with a French opera singer to her. But knowing she is meant to be a confidante, he thinks telling his story to her won't harm her, and she can also help him.
He narrates the rest of the story. He thinks that as soon as Céline and the man enter, he'll prepare to storm in and confront her. He pulled the curtain over the balcony door, leaving an opening to observe through it and hear their voices. The couple entered the room and removed their cloaks, showing off their lavish clothing with satin and jewels, the same gifts he had bought for her. He saw that her companion was a young man wearing an officer's uniform whom he had met before. He then decided immediately that Céline was not worthy of his time and was enraged when he listened to the couple discussing and insulting him. At that moment, Adèle runs to him and informs him that his agent has arrived to speak with him.
Mr. Rochester shortens the conversation and talks about how he stormed into the room and confronted Céline by ordering her to leave immediately. He then arranged a duel with the officer the next day but shot the man in the arm. He never dealt with Céline and her lover again after that. 6 months earlier, Adèle was born, and Céline claimed Mr. Rochester was her biological father, but he denied this. Some years later, Céline abandoned Adèle and ran off to Italy with a musician. Even though he didn't think he was her father, he showed sympathy for Adèle and took her in at Thornfield, and Mrs. Fairfax found Jane to be her governess. He asks Jane if she now thinks differently of Adèle as an illegitimate child of a French opera singer and if she would find a new job elsewhere. Jane replies that Adèle is not responsible for her mother or his problems, and she still cares for her after she was abandoned by her mother and disowned by her guardian. She also prefers to have a young orphaned girl as a friend than a spoiled, wealthy child who hates their own governess. Mr. Rochester decides he is going inside and tells her she should, too.
Jane stays outside for a few more minutes playing with Adèle and Pilot, such as racing with her and playing a game of battledore and shuttlecock. After they go inside and she takes off her bonnet and shawl, Jane places Adèle on her knee for an hour, allowing her to chatter for as long as she wants. While she can be a wild and wilful girl inherited from her mother, Jane shows more tenderness to her following her backstory but notices Adèle has no resemblance to Mr. Rochester.
Jane saves Mr. Rochester[]
That night, when she retires to her bedroom, Jane reflects on Mr. Rochester's story. She believes it is common for an English gentleman to fall in love with a French singer and be cheated on. But she also finds it odd that he suddenly looks so enraged and disgusted when he thinks about Thornfield, but brushing this topic aside, she thinks about how he treats her. She is glad he trusts her and always seems pleased with her. Even if his behaviour kept her stable during the past few weeks, he didn't act so arrogant when they unexpectedly first met. Since he always acts friendly toward her, she thinks she has always amused him during their evening conversations. He often spoke with an open mind about the scenes of the world that fascinated her with new ideas, and she felt more drawn to him whenever he was calm. She sees him more like family than just her employer, and she is grateful to have him in her life, which allows her to gain more strength, and she hardly thinks he is ugly. He may have been sardonic and moody, but she sees him as a good, moral man, hoping she could help him deal with his troubled past.
After she extinguishes the candle and lays in her bed, Jane can't sleep and thinks back to when she convinced Mr. Rochester to be happier at Thornfield. She then asks herself why he doesn’t enjoy being at his home and if he will leave again soon. She remembers how Mrs. Fairfax says he may stay longer than a fortnight but has been home for eight weeks. Jane will find it more miserable if Mr. Rochester leaves again and is absent for a long time. She stands wide awake when she hears a faint murmur above her. She listens carefully, but the voice stops. She then tries to sleep but is filled with anxiety.
The clock down the hall strikes two, and Jane hears something move against her bedroom door from the outside. She calls out who is there and is filled with fear. She assumes it could just be Pilot, who occasionally walked to Mr. Rochester's bedroom when the kitchen door was open, as she would find him in the mornings. When the house is quiet again, she drifts back to sleep in relief but is awakened by a loud, ominous laugh outside her bedroom door. She gets up and looks around but finds nothing. Knowing the sound came from the hall, her impulse was to unlock the door, open it and see who was there. Instead, there is a moan, followed by footsteps going up the staircase to the third floor, as a door was recently made to shut the stairs. She heard it open and close, and everything was silent again. She wonders if it is Grace but decides to find Mrs. Fairfax. After putting on her frock and shawl, she unlocks the door and finds a lit candle in the hallway, and the air is filled with smoke. She then smells something burning, and the smoke comes from Mr. Rochester's bedroom door, which is left open ajar. Her thoughts no longer of Mrs. Fairfax or Grace, she rushes inside Mr. Rochester's room, where his bed curtains are burning, and he lies motionless. She tries to wake him by shaking him, but he doesn't stir as he is unconscious from the smoke. With the curtains still on fire, she rushes to his basin filled with water and throws the water onto the bed. She runs to her room with her water jug and puts out the rest of the fire.
After the bed curtains are extinguished and drenched by the basin’s water, Mr. Rochester finally wakes up. Despite it being dark, Jane knows he is awake when he mutters curses at himself and asks if there is a flood. She tells him there has been a fire, and he must get up now that he is soaked, and she will bring him a candle. He recognizes her and asks her if she tried to drown him. She thinks someone is plotting against him but cannot say who it is. He gets up and tells her to wait for 2 minutes while he searches for some dry clothes. After he finds his dressing gown, he orders her to get the candle. She returns with the candle from the hallway, and he takes it from her and surveys the bed. It is blackened and burnt, with the sheets and carpet around it wet.
Mr. Rochester asks who has done it and what happened. Jane briefly explains to him about the strange laugh she heard in the hallway, the footsteps going up the stairs to the third floor, the smoke and the fire that brought her to his room and putting out the flames with water from the washing basin. He looks concerned when she speaks and asks if she could call Mrs. Fairfax. He replies that she wouldn't do much and wants her to be left alone. She then decides to summon the servants Leah and John. But he tells her to stay still and can wear his cloak if she is cold despite wearing a shawl. After putting his cloak on her, he instructs her to sit in the armchair, and he will leave for a few minutes with the candle. He asks her to stay and be quiet and not call anyone, as he has to go upstairs for a while.
She watches him leave his room and goes down the hallway with the lit candle. He then goes up the stairs to the third floor and closes the door behind him, and the light from the candle is extinguished. She is left alone in the darkness as she listens for any noise but hears nothing. A long time goes by, and she grows more tired and cold despite wearing the cloak. She decides it is no use staying any longer. She is just about to leave the room and disobey his orders when the light from the candle is seen dimly down the hall, and she hears him approaching.
Mr. Rochester walks in looking pale and miserable, setting the candle down and saying he already knows what has happened. Jane asks him how it happened, but he doesn't reply. He says he has forgotten what she had seen in the hallway. She replies that it was just the candle on the floor, and he asks her if she has heard a strange laugh and if she has heard it before. She says Grace Poole laughs strangely, and he tells her she is correct. He is glad she knows what happened and reminds her not to tell anyone about the incident. He tells her to go back to bed, and he will sleep on the sofa in the library for the rest of the night. It is around 4 o'clock in the morning, and the servants will get up soon in about 2 hours.
Jane says goodnight as she prepares to leave, but Mr. Rochester is surprised she is going already and wants to express his gratitude to her. He holds her hand and thanks her for saving his life. He even comments that he has not felt any burden, obligation or benefits, but she is different. He pauses and gazes at her until she bids him goodnight and says there is no burden, obligation, or benefit in their case. He replies that he knows she will eventually help him improve.
Jane says she is relieved she is awake and prepares to leave, but Mr. Rochester asks her if she is leaving already. She replies that she is cold, and he ushers her to go while he holds tight onto her hand and won't let go. She says she hears Mrs. Fairfax coming, and he releases her and urges her to leave. But after she returns to her room, Jane can’t sleep and wakes up as soon as dawn arrives.
Following her sleepless night, Jane is anxious to speak to Mr. Rochester again but afraid to look him in the eyes.[18]During the earliest part of the morning, she hopes he will visit her in the schoolroom. Normally, he doesn't frequently see her in the schoolroom, but he would still occasionally drop in for a few minutes, and she had the impression he may come by today. But that morning, he never shows up during Adèle's studies. It wasn't until after breakfast that she overhears Mrs. Fairfax and the servants inside Mr. Rochester's bedroom. She hears them talk about how relieved they were that he wasn't burned alive in his bed and how dangerous it was to keep a lit candle next to his bed at night. None were aware of Jane's involvement or the mysterious visit from the third floor. Later that day, when Jane goes downstairs for dinner, she sees through Mr. Rochester's bedroom door that everything has been restored; only the bed curtains were removed. Leah was rubbing the panes stained by the smoke. Jane is about to ask her more about the situation when she spots Grace Poole sitting on a chair by the bedside and sewing rings to some new curtains. She looks quiet as usual, wearing her brown dress, apron, handkerchief, and cap, and focused on her work.
Jane is shocked to see how calm Grace looks as if she is the one who caused the fire and attempted to murder Mr. Rochester. She looks up at Jane without showing emotion or guilt and briefly says good morning before returning to work. Jane tests her guilt by questioning if anything suspicious happened here. Grace replies that Mr. Rochester was reading last night and then fell asleep with his candle lit, which caused the curtains to catch fire. He was already awakened before his clothes and bed were set ablaze, putting out the fire with water. Jane then asks if Mr. Rochester woke up or if they heard him move. Grace looks at her again, this time with more consciousness in her expression, and explains that the servants' rooms are so far away from Mr. Rochester's that they won't even hear him. She also says Mrs. Fairfax didn't hear anything. Grace pauses for a moment and then asks if she hears a noise. Whispering so Leah wouldn't listen to her, Jane says she did and initially thought it was Pilot. But the dog couldn't laugh, and the laughter was also strange. Grace takes some more thread and doubts Mr. Rochester laughs when he is in danger, and she may have just been dreaming. Jane insists she wasn't dreaming, and Grace looks at her with her conscious look and asks her if she told him she heard a laugh. She replies that she didn't get to talk to him this morning, and Grace asks if she ever opened her door and looked out into the hallway.
Jane suspects Grace may be questioning her to distract her from other information. She then thinks Grace would be playing tricks on her if she finds out she is trying to prove her guilt and decides to keep her guard up by saying she had her door locked that night. Grace asks if she has a habit of locking her door that night, and Jane is sure she wants to know about her habits. She claims she often forgets to lock her door and isn't aware of any possible dangers at Thornfield, but she'll make sure she is safe before bed. Grace replies that it is a good choice, as she finds the neighbourhood quiet and has never heard of robbers attempting to break into the house. Even so, the house has very few servants, as Mr. Rochester is hardly at home, and he needs little waiting. But Grace advises keeping her door locked anyway from any mischief at night is a good idea.
When the cook appears, Jane is left dumbfounded by Grace’s apparent hypocrisy and informs Grace that the servants’ meal will be ready soon. Grace tells her to just put a pint of beer and pudding on her tray, and she’ll carry it upstairs herself. The cook then turns to Jane and tells her that Mrs. Fairfax awaits her. She hardly pays attention to Mrs. Fairfax’s description of the burning bed curtains, and her thoughts are focused more on Grace. She is curious about her position at Thornfield and wonders why she wasn’t taken into custody or dismissed from her duties. Mr. Rochester could have easily accused Grace of her supposed crime last night and is confused about why he never did it. She also wonders why he wants her to keep quiet about the situation and what Grace could have done to prevent him from punishing or firing her.
Jane reflects that Grace may have been young once, and Mrs. Fairfax told her she had lived at Thornfield for years. She doubts Grace is pretty, but she could have the strength to be in a romantic relationship. She speculates that Grace was Mr. Rochester’s former lover, and he did what she ordered him to do to prevent her from being exposed. However, since she is a plain, stout woman, she knew she couldn't have been Mr. Rochester’s former love interest. But a voice in Jane’s mind reminds her she is not pretty either, but Mr. Rochester still appreciates her often and trembles when she remembers everything about him from last night. She later finds herself in the schoolroom with Adèle, who is drawing. Jane bents over her and directs her pencil, and the girl looks up at her and says her fingers are trembling, and her face is red. Jane insists she is just hot, and Adèle goes back to sketching while she goes on thinking.
She compares herself to Grace and notices she is different from her. Bessie once said to her that she is ladylike, and she is right. She now feels better at this thought, as she has bright hopes and enjoyment ahead of her. She looks out the window and notices that the evening has arrived. Mr. Rochester has not been seen at Thornfield today, and she hopes she will see him tonight as she is very eager to meet with him. At dusk, Adèle returns to the nursery with Sophie, Jane listens for the servant's bell, and Leah arrives with a message. She thinks she will expect Mr. Rochester to be there when she answers the door, as he usually sends for her at around 7 to 8, but it is still 6 o'clock. She cannot wait to tell him about Grace Poole and if he believes it was his servant responsible for the fire in his room and why he had kept this a secret. It barely even matters if he is offended by her curiosity, as she still wants to try to ask him.
Leah arrives to inform that tea is ready in Mrs. Fairfax's room. Jane is glad at least she is going downstairs as she imagines she will be in Mr. Rochester's presence. Mrs. Fairfax tells her she must have some tea when she joins her as she looks flushed from not having dinner. Jane says she is doing well, and Mrs. Fairfax convinces her she should still eat. She says Mr. Rochester went on a favourable journey today, and Jane doesn't know he was going anywhere. Mrs. Fairfax explains he left right after breakfast and is going to Leas, a house ten miles away on the other side in Millcote. She believes some people are gathering for a party, and he will likely stay at Leas for about a week. Some elegant, fashionable people gather at Leas who are in no hurry to return. He is known to be talented and lively in society and is very fond of women. Jane asks if there are any ladies at Leas, and she explains there are women there, including Mrs. Eshton, her three daughters, and Blanche and Mary Ingram. She remembers meeting Blanche at a Christmas ball hosted by Mr. Rochester at Thornfield when she was 18 years old. She also recalls how the dining room was richly decorated with 50 guests, all of whom came from the first county families, and Miss Ingram was seen as the belle of the evening.
Jane asks Mrs. Fairfax if she saw Blanche Ingram and what she looks like. She says she and the servants were invited into the dining room to hear the ladies sing and play. She sees how gorgeous the women are, but none as stunning as Blanche. Mrs. Fairfax describes her as a tall woman with an olive complexion, large black eyes, and dark curly hair. She was dressed in white, wearing an amber-coloured scarf and flower in her hair. Jane is curious if Blanche was greatly admired, and Mrs. Fairfax says she was for her beauty and accomplishments, as she was one of the ladies singing and playing the duet; she even sang a duet with Mr. Rochester. Jane didn't know he could sing, and Mrs. Fairfax says he has a fine singing voice and good taste for music. Jane also asks what kind of voice Blanche has, and Mrs. Fairfax replies that she has a powerful voice and that it was a delight to listen to her sing. She then played the piano, and despite Mrs. Fairfax not judging music, she says Mr. Rochester's playing was remarkable.
Jane asks if Blanche is married. Mrs. Fairfax says no, and neither she nor her sister is wealthy. Their estates were usually passed down to the eldest son. Jane is curious why wealthy gentlemen would be interested in Blanche and wonders if Mr. Rochester is wealthy. Mrs. Fairfax says Mr. Rochester is 40, and Blanche is 25 years old. Jane suggests he may marry Blanche. Mrs. Fairfax agrees and notices Jane hasn't drunk her tea. She asks for another cup of tea and is about to bring up a possible marriage between Mr. Rochester and Blanche again until Adèle comes in.
When alone, Jane reflects on everything she has heard and looks over her feelings and emotions. She calls herself a fool for thinking she is a favourite of Mr. Rochester and has the power to please him. She tells herself to be ashamed of herself, and it is madness for women to secretly fall in love with men who would be interested in other women. Afterwards, she draws a portrait of herself that says, "Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor and plain." She then paints a face of Blanche Ingram just like how Mrs. Fairfax described and calls it "Blanche, an accomplished lady of rank." She will endure sense and resolution and not see Mr. Rochester as a model. Whenever he thinks of her again, she will take out the portraits and compare them to see if he would choose Blanche over her, and she knows she is unwilling to compete against her. After resolving this plan, she calms down and goes to sleep. The next day, she spent an hour or two sketching the portraits, and in less than a fortnight, she had completed her portrait of Blanche Ingram.
Jane's Despondence/Mr. Rochester's Party[]
A week passes, and Jane hears no news of Mr. Rochester. [19]10 more days later, she still has not heard from him. Mrs. Fairfax says he may go straight to London from Leas; then, he would travel across Europe and not return to Thornfield for a year. When she hears this, Jane is despondent and tries to discipline herself by stating she has nothing to do with Mr. Rochester and that she is just a hired governess teaching his ward and still has the right to receive any treatment from him. She reminds herself not to think about him too much and always keep to herself. She goes on with her business as usual but thinks of resigning her position and placing another ad or a new job elsewhere.
Mr. Rochester has now been absent for a fortnight; when Mrs. Fairfax receives a letter from Mr. Rochester, they will know whether he will return. While reading the letter at breakfast, Jane was taking her hot coffee when a fiery glow appeared on her face, and she didn't know why her hand was shaking or spilling half of the coffee in her saucer. Mrs. Fairfax says they would find themselves busy for a while. Jane is curious for an explanation, and while tying the loose string on Adèle's pinafore and offering her more milk and a bun, she asks if Mr. Rochester will likely not return. Mrs. Fairfax reveals he will return with some friends in 3 days. She doesn't know how many of his friends would be coming, but he has sent orders for all the bedrooms to be prepared and the drawing rooms and library to be cleaned. Mrs. Fairfax will hire some kitchen hands from the George Inn at Millcote and elsewhere nearby and have the guests bring their servants to help. After finishing her breakfast, Mrs. Fairfax commenced the preparations.
The following three days were busy at Thornfield. Three women were chosen to help clean the rooms: scrubbing, washing, brushing, polishing the mirrors, beating the carpets, taking down and putting up the pictures, and airing the bed sheets. Adèle runs around wildly during the cleaning as the preparations for Mr. Rochester's party guests excite her. Sophie furbishes and arranges her dresses while she jumps on the beds and lays on the mattresses and pillows. She is dismissed from her studies, and Jane helps Mrs. Fairfax in the storeroom with the cook and learns how to make desserts and garnishing.
Mr. Rochester and his guests are expected to arrive on Thursday, at around dinnertime at 6 o'clock. Jane didn't have time for daydreaming and was active like everyone else except for Adèle. While she tries to be cheerful, she can't help but be anxious, especially when she sees the third-story staircase door open, even though it's usually locked. She watches Grace Poole walk out and glide down the hallway. Whenever Jane sees her look inside the bedrooms, she thinks she can convince her to polish and clean the room. About once a day, Grace would descend into the kitchen, eat her dinner, and smoke a pipe at the hearth before leaving with a pot of porter. She was only seen an hour in the day passing with the other servants, and she would spend all her time alone in her room on the second floor, sewing and possibly laughing to herself, as Jane suggests.
Jane also finds it strange that nobody notices Grace's habit in the house. No one discussed her position or pitied her solitude. Jane once overheard Leah and one of the maids talking about Grace being paid well and Leah wishing she was paid well, too, as she was paid more than any of the other servants. She heard she is saving enough money if she wants to leave, but she likes working at Thornfield and is strong enough for anything. The maid says she is a good hand, and Leah replies that she already understands what she does, but nobody could work hard like her for the payment. The maid then keeps talking, but Leah notices Jane overhearing them and nudges her companion to be quiet. The maid whispers if Jane already knows what they had just said. Leah shakes her head, and they stop the conversation. It becomes clear to Jane that Thornfield has a mystery, but she is excluded from learning more.
Thursday arrives, and everything at Thornfield is already tidy, polished, and arranged. That afternoon, Mrs. Fairfax, while wearing her satin gown to greet the guests, conducts the women to their rooms, and Adèle is dressed in her best clothing. Jane wonders if Adèle will ever be introduced to the party and has Sophie dress her in one of her muslin frocks to please the guests. Jane doesn't need to wear anything special or quit the schoolroom, even though she enjoys being there in times of trouble.
It is early spring, and the day is mild and serene. It is now a warm evening, and Jane sits by the window at work in the schoolroom. Mrs. Fairfax says it is getting late but is glad she had dinner ordered after 6 o'clock, the expected time Mr. Rochester should arrive. She has sent John to the gates to see anything on the road. She leans out the window, and John tells her they are coming in about 10 minutes. Adèle runs to the window with Jane but hides behind the curtain as she doesn't want to be seen. After about 10 minutes, four horses and their riders came up the drive, followed by two coaches waving veils and plumes. Two cavaliers were young men, the third being Mr. Rochester on his horse and Pilot following closely behind him. Riding beside him was a woman wearing a purple dress and veil, and she and Mr. Rochester were the first of the party to arrive. Mrs. Fairfax exclaims it is Blanche Ingram and hurries to her post.
The procession sweeps past the drive and turns the angle of the house until Jane loses sight of it. Adèle wants to go downstairs, but Jane places her on her knee and tells her she shouldn't bother the ladies at any time, which won’t impress Mr. Rochester. Adèle cries when she hears this, and Jane wipes her tears while looking grave. The cheerful voices of the guests can be heard down the hall, and Mr. Rochester welcomes them into his home. The guests then walk up the stairs and down the hall, laughing merrily. Adèle listens to the guests and their movements and says that when she lived with her mother, she would follow the guests everywhere and watch the maids dress the ladies and do their hair. Jane asks her if she is hungry, and Adèle replies that they haven’t eaten for 5-6 hours.
While preventing herself from being seen, Jane goes down the back stairs that leads into the kitchen. The soup and fish are almost ready to be served, and the cook's pots are hung back up. The coachmen and some gentlemen stood or ate around the fire in the servants' hall. She assumes the ladies are upstairs with their mistresses, and the servants hired from Millcote are roaming everywhere. She reaches the pantry and takes some cold chicken, bread, tarts, and two plates with a knife and fork. She quickly leaves the kitchen, goes back into the hallway, and is just about to close the backdoor when she hears a hum that signals the ladies are going to their rooms. Jane knows she can only access the schoolroom by passing their rooms and risking being seen with her food stash. She stays hidden at the end of the hallway, with no windows.
The ladies exit their rooms with gaily, gorgeous gowns. They all gather in the hallway and descend the stairs, giving Jane an impression of elegance. She sees Adèle peeping out of the schoolroom door and cries in English about how beautiful the ladies are and wishes she could see them. She asks if Mr. Rochester would send for them at dinner, and Jane says he is busy. She assures Adèle that she will still see them tomorrow and serves her dinner. Adèle is so hungry she treats herself to the chicken and tarts, with Jane relieved she has brought this amount of food for herself and Sophie; otherwise, they wouldn't have any dinner. Everybody downstairs is too busy to think about the women upstairs. Dessert isn't served until 9 o'clock, and the footmen constantly run to and fro with the food trays and coffee cups. Jane allows Adèle to stay up longer, as she cannot sleep with all the noise downstairs. She entertains Adèle with stories and then takes her out into the hallway. The hall lamp is dimly lit, and Adèle is amused to watch the servants walk by over the balustrade.
Later in the evening, music starts playing from the drawing room. Jane and Adèle sit on the top step of the stairs to listen, and then they hear singing. One of them was a lady whose singing voice had a sweet tone, followed by a duet and then a gleeful murmur. Jane listens closely and recognizes Mr. Rochester's voice singing in the duet. The clock strikes 11 o'clock, and Jane sees Adèle leaning against her shoulder and falling asleep. She picks her up and carries her to bed. All the guests retire by one o'clock.
The next day, the party goes on a day trip to a site near Thornfield. They left early afternoon, with some on horseback and the rest in their coaches. Jane witnesses them leave and return. Blanche is the only female equestrian, and Mr. Rochester rides at her side. They ride apart from the rest. Mrs. Fairfax is standing with Jane at the window, and Jane says that it wasn't likely Mr. Rochester and Blanche would be married, but he seems to be fonder of her than the other ladies. Mrs. Fairfax agrees that he admires her the most, and Jane adds that Blanche leans close to him to talk to him, but she didn't get a chance to see her face yet. Mrs. Fairfax says she will see her again this evening, and Mr. Rochester would like Adèle to meet the ladies. He had requested her to be brought into the drawing room after dinner and have Jane accompany her there. She agrees she will accompany Adèle to see him.
Mrs. Fairfax had told Mr. Rochester that Jane isn't so used to having company; she may be shyer when surrounded by strangers at the party. He says he will allow her not to go if she objects, but he may want her immediately if she resists. Jane says she will see him but will feel shy around the guests. She asks Mrs. Fairfax if she will be there, and she replies that she wants to stay away from the party, and he accepts her decision. She instructs Jane on how to make a proper entrance without embarrassing herself, and she is to go into the drawing room when it's empty before the ladies finish their dinner. She would sit quietly and stay briefly when Mr. Rochester came in. Finally, she would let him know she was there and leave without anyone noticing her.
Jane asks how long Mr. Rochester’s guests will be staying at Thornfield. Mrs. Fairfax suggests they may be here for about 2-3 weeks. She says Sir George Lynn was recently an elected member of Parliament and would go to town to take his seat after Easter. She thinks Mr. Rochester may accompany him and is surprised he wants to stay longer at Thornfield. While awaiting their time to go to the drawing room, Adèle is wild and excited about the ladies. Sophie dresses her, and she calms down. After Adèle’s hair is curled, she puts on her pink satin dress and waits patiently until Jane is ready.
Jane puts on her best dress: a silver-grey dress she bought for Miss Temple’s wedding and hasn’t worn since. After smoothing her hair and putting on her pearl brooch, she and Adèle return to the drawing room. An alternate entrance leads to the drawing room from the dining room, where all the guests are seated for dinner. A large fire is burning in the marble hearth of the drawing room, with wax candles and flowers adorning the tables. The crimson curtain hangs over the arch of the adjoining dining room, where the murmurs of the guests can be heard. Adèle sits on a stool and Jane sits by a window seat. She reads a book she took from the table, and Adèle pulls her stool close to her. Adèle wants one of the flowers to add to her outfit. Jane tells her she overthinks about her appearance, but she can still have a flower, and she takes a rose for a vase and fastens it onto her sash. She sighs happily, and Jane turns away to hide her smile, as she finds it rather foolish for Adèle to care too much about her clothing.
The curtain over the archway pulls back and shows the dining room brightly lit with desserts on the table. Eight ladies walk into the drawing room. Some of them are tall, and most of them wear white gowns. Jane gets up and curtseys them, with some nodding and others staring at her. The ladies scattered about, some taking their seats on the couches and ottomans and others viewing the flowers and books on the tables. The rest gather around the fireplace, talking in a low, clear tone that Jane can hear, and she learns their names.
There is Mrs. Eshton and her two daughters. Her eldest is Amy, who is naive and small, wearing a white dress with a blue sash. The second is Louisa, tall and elegant, with a pretty face like her sister. Next is Lady Lynn, a large, middle-aged, stout, haughty woman. She has shiny dark hair and is wearing a satin dress. Next, Mrs. Colonel Dent is less fancy but more ladylike with a slight figure, pale face, and fair hair, and she wears a black satin dress with pearl ornaments. But the most distinguishable and tallest of the group are Lady Dowager Ingram and her two daughters, Blanche and Mary. The Dowager is middle-aged, with black hair and a stern, spiteful appearance that reminds Jane of Mrs. Reed. She also speaks in a deep, pompous voice. Mary is too slim for her height, but Jane is interested in Blanche, as she wants to see her appearance just like Mrs. Fairfax described her and if she matches the painted version in her portrait.
Blanche does match Mrs. Fairfax’s description and Jane’s painted version, with dark, curly hair and a beautiful appearance. Her face resembles her mother’s, and her laughter sounds haughty. Nevertheless, Jane notices that Blanche is also a very clever woman and is seen talking about botany to Mrs. Dent; while Mrs. Dent isn’t fond of science, she says she loves flowers, but Blanche also acts cold towards her. She then plays the piano, sings in a fine voice, and talks fluently in French with her mother.
Mary has a milder appearance with softer features and fair skin, but both sisters are dressed in white. Jane isn’t sure if Blanche would be a possible match for Mr. Rochester, as she doesn’t know his taste in female beauty. She thinks Mr. Rochester will like her more if she is nobler, and he and other gentlemen admire her, and she has proof of it. But all she needs now is to see them together. During this time, Adèle is sitting motionless on her stool at Jane’s feet, and when the ladies come in, she instantly gets up and greets them. Miss Ingram looks down at her mockingly and calls her a little French puppet. Lady Lynn says she is Mr. Rochester’s ward, and Mrs. Dent kisses Adèle’s hand. Amy and Louisa Eshton call her a lovely child. Adèle is then invited to sit with the ladies on the sofa, where she talks to them in English and French and receives much attention from them.
Coffee is served, and the gentlemen come in. Jane sits in a shaded area of the brightly lit room, with the half-curtain covering her. She finds the gentlemen impressive, and some are young. Henry and Frederick Lynn are handsome, and Colonel Dent is a soldierly-looking man. Mr. Eshton is the district's magistrate with white hair, but his facial hair and brows are still black. Like his sisters, Lord Ingram is tall and handsome but has Mary’s passive appearance. She wonders where Mr. Rochester is and then sees him enter. She knits a beaded silk purse and tries to focus on her work when he comes in. She remembers the last time she saw him when he looked down on her and held her hand when they were alone. But she notices how estranged they have become and doesn’t expect him to come over and speak with her. Instead, without looking at her, he sits on the other side of the room and talks with the women.
After ensuring he isn't watching her, Jane gazes at Mr. Rochester's face and cannot keep her eyes off him. She stares at his colourless face with a heavy brow, strong features and deep, dark eyes. He looks more than handsome, and these features make her fall in love with him. She compares him to the handsome gentlemen while their host is harsh and melancholy. She sees the men laugh and smile, and Mr. Rochester smiles with them, with his stern features softer and gentler. At that moment, he is talking to Louisa and Amy, and they look so calm by his features. It occurs to Jane that Mr. Rochester is unlike the Eshton sisters, and he and Jane are more alike. She can understand his countenance and movements despite their wealth and status differences. Deep down, she knows she resembles him, even though he is meant to be her employer. However, she knows she must keep her feelings for him to herself. In addition, he may not be interested in her, but she would still love him since they share something in common and are kindred spirits.
The ladies become livelier. Colonel Dent and Mr. Eshton argue about politics with their wives listening, and Lady Lynn and Lady Ingram converse. Sir George, a large and friendly gentleman, sits on a sofa with some coffee and occasionally talks with the others. Mr. Frederick Lynn sits next to Mary Ingram, showing her a book. Mary looks impressed but is still chatty. Henry Lynn and Adèle sit on an ottoman at Louisa's feet, with Henry trying to speak French to Adèle and Louisa laughing at his mistakes. Blanche is standing by herself, viewing an album at a table and seems to be waiting for someone. Mr. Rochester, after talking with the Eshtons, stands on a hearth when Blanche asks him if he's not fond of children, and he replies no. She points to Adèle and questions why he is looking after her and if he took her in himself. He replies that she was left in his care instead. Blanche says he should send her to school and he claims he cannot afford it. She suggests he hire a governess for Adèle, and she spots Jane behind the curtain. She also says it is expensive to pay her and if he will keep her and Adèle.
Jane fears Mr. Rochester will glance at her, and she shrinks further into the shade. But he never looks back at her. Blanche explains that she and Mary had dozens of governesses when they were young, many of whom were hateful and ridiculous. Dowager Lynn tells her not to talk about governesses as it makes her nervous. She had long been tormented by them and is relieved she no longer has to deal with them. Mrs. Dent whispers something to the Dowager Lynn, which seems to be on the same subject. She hopes it would do her good and then talks in a low tone that she is a judge of physiognomy, as she can see Jane and the faults in her social class. Mr. Rochester asks aloud about her flaws with governesses, and she replies that she will tell him later. But Mr. Rochester is curious and wants to learn more, and Dowager Lynn suggests he ask Blanche instead.
Blanche calls governesses a nuisance and recalls when she and her brother Theodore would play tricks on their past governesses, but their sister Mary was too tired to be part of their fun. Lord Ingram recalls how their governess used to call them villainous children and how they sermonized on becoming more intelligent while their governess was too ignorant.
Blanche recalls to Theodore how she used to help him persecute his tutor and the local parson. She remembers how the parson fell in love with the tutor and how she and her brother worked together to expose the couple’s romance to the public and have them ruined by their mother. The Dowager admits that a relationship between governesses and tutors is not tolerated in her household. Blanche claims governesses ruin everything, and then she wants to change the subject, but Amy joins the conversation and claims she used to bother her governess as well. Louisa agrees that their old governess was so friendly with them that she wouldn’t mind them if they ransacked her belongings.
Blanche sarcastically suggests they keep their conversations going and then insists she changes the subject and asks Mr. Rochester if they can sing a duet together, and he agrees to sing with her. Blanche spreads her dress and starts to play the piano. While playing, she exclaims that she is tired of the younger men around her and that they aren’t fit to be part of her father’s society. If she gets married, she wants her future husband to be a foil to her and not a competitor. She orders Mr. Rochester to sing while she plays the Corsair song. Mr. Rochester obeys her, and she warns him that she will shame him if he doesn’t please her. He says he will fail and wishes her to be milder, and Blanche threatens punishment while demanding an explanation. Mr. Rochester replies that her frowns would be a replacement for punishment. Blanche orders him to sing as she starts playing.
Jane thinks this is the right time for her to leave but is moved by Mr. Rochester’s powerful singing voice. When everyone talks again, she gets up from her corner and heads to the side door. As she walks down a narrow passage, her shoe becomes loose, and she stops to tie it on the foot of the staircase. She hears the dining room close and sees Mr. Rochester approaching her.
He asks why she didn’t come and talk to him while in the drawing room. She replies that she doesn’t want to disturb him and was teaching Adèle as usual. He notices how pale she looks, and she says nothing is wrong. He asks her if she has taken a cold the night she drenched him in his room. She says no, and he urges her to return to the drawing room, but she says she’s tired. He looks at her for a minute and thinks she is depressed as he notices her eyes filled with tears, and if he weren’t so busy, he would have noticed. He bids her goodnight and excuses her, but he expects her to be in the drawing room every evening when his guests are here. He then orders her to have Sophie send for Adèle and leaves her.
The party at Thornfield continues, and it is more busy and active than three months ago when the house was quiet.[20]Thornfield is filled with life and movement, and the hallways and bedrooms, which used to be quiet, now have at least a maid or valet. The kitchen, the butler's pantry, the servants' hall, and the entrance hall are active, and the saloons are only empty when the guests are outside. Even on rainy days, the house is still filled with merriment.
Jane wonders how the guests will do when they decide on something different for entertainment. The servants are summoned as the dining tables are removed and the chairs placed in a semicircle opposite the arch. While Mr. Rochester and the gentlemen are busy with the organizations, the ladies ring for their servants. Mrs. Fairfax is summoned to give information about the shawls, dresses, and draperies. The wardrobes on the third floor are ransacked, and the valets bring down their contents, such as petticoats, sacques, and lace lappets, and a selection is made. Anything that is chosen is then brought to the drawing room by a boudoir.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rochester gathers the ladies around him. He chooses to spend the evening with Blanche, the two Misses Eshton and Mrs. Dent. He looks at Jane, who is near him and asks her if she wants to play, and she shakes her head. He allows her to return to her usual seat. He and the women withdraw behind the curtain while Colonel Dent and his party sit on the crescent of chairs. One of the gentlemen, Mr. Eshton, notices Jane and thinks about asking her to join them, but Blanche refuses as she looks too stupid to play any of their games.
A bell rings, and the curtains draw up. In the arch, George Lynn is covered in a white sheet, and a table with an open book stands before him. Next to him, Amy is wearing Mr. Rochester's cloak and holding a book. An unseen person rings the bell, and Adèle leaps forward while scattering flowers from a basket she carries on her arm. Blanche appears dressed in white with a long veil and a wreath of roses around her brow. Mr. Rochester walks beside her and stands by the table. They kneel while Mrs. Dent and Louisa, also dressed in white, take their stations behind them, and they perform what seems to be a re-enactment of a wedding ceremony. Colonel Dent and his party whisper for two minutes before he calls, "Bride!" The curtain closes. After a pause, the curtain rises again.
A large basin appears that Jane recognizes from the conservatory. Mr. Rochester is seated on the carpet wearing shawls and a turban on his head. Blanche walks in and is wearing a red scarf tied around her waist. She wears a handkerchief tied to her head and holds a pitcher. She approaches the basin, bends over, and lifts it onto her head. Somebody tells her to give Mr. Rochester the pitcher to drink. He reaches into his robes and pulls out a small box containing bracelets and earrings. She acts surprised as he fastens the bracelets and earrings onto her.
After everyone lays their heads together, Colonel Dent says, "the tableau of the whole," and the curtain closes again. When it rises again, only a portion of the drawing room is disclosed, and the rest is covered with a screen hung with a dark drapery. The marble basin is removed, and in its place are a table and kitchen chair, visible by a very dim light from a horn lantern. A man sits with his clenched hands on his knees and his eyes on the ground. It is Mr. Rochester, who wears his coat on one shoulder, and his hair is bristling. A chain clanked as he moved, for his hands were shackled. Colonel Dent calls, "Bridewell!" and the curtain closes.
A pause ensues when the performers leave to change into their regular attire and return to the dining room. Mr. Rochester leads Blanche in, who compliments his acting. She tells him she likes his third act and that he would have been a fine gentleman if he had lived a few years earlier. He says they have been "married" for only an hour in front of their guests. He informs Colonel Dent that it is now his turn, and as his party withdraws, Mr. Rochester and the rest take their seats. Blanche is sitting on the right of Mr. Rochester, and the others sit on chairs on each side of them. Jane doesn't watch the actors and no longer waits for the curtain to rise. Her attention instead focuses on the spectators. While Colonel Dent and his party are acting, Jane observes Blanche and Mr. Rochester and how she will lay her head on his shoulder. She also hears their whispered voices.
Jane still loves Mr. Rochester, but she won't stop loving him, mainly because he doesn't notice her, and she may spend hours in the same room with him. Instead of turning his direction towards Jane, Mr. Rochester is more focused on Blanche, and Blanche ignores Jane whenever she passes by her. She cannot unlove him because she senses that he might marry Blanche, and his intentions for her are irresistible. She reflects that most women should be jealous of another woman like Blanche, but she isn’t jealous. She notices that Blanche may be attractive but has a poor mind and cannot express her opinions. She also acts snobbish and cold toward Adèle.
Jane finds it painful when Mr. Rochester still acts more passionately toward Blanche and believes he will marry her for her social status. However, he doesn’t express his feelings to Blanche; she isn’t good at flirting with him. If they succeeded in falling in love, Jane would cover her face and hide in a wall. If Blanche were a kind noblewoman, Jane would have struggled with jealousy and despair. She would also remain quiet and admire her for the rest of her life. But even if Blanche fails, Jane still sees how she would have succeeded. She asks herself why Blanche can’t influence Mr. Rochester when she is so attracted to him and finds it obvious she doesn’t love him. She wouldn’t have to show off her fancy appearance if she did. She studies Mr. Rochester’s expressions of compassion and wonders how Blanche will please him if they are married, and she doesn’t think she can manage it. However, Blanche may still marry him anyway.
She hasn’t criticized Mr. Rochester yet for his interest in marrying for connection and is surprised to see him unlikely to be influenced by motives for marriage. The more she considers the social gatherings and parties, the less she justifies judging him and Blanche for their behaviours. She imagines that if she were a wealthy gentleman like Mr. Rochester, she would marry a woman she could love, but she is ignorant of these arguments of how this can happen.
She has grown softer towards him and forgotten about his faults. She studied his character and now has come to like his rude, sarcastic behaviour because it makes him more profound. She decides she will be more divine, hoping Blanche may look into leisure and explore its secrets. While she is observing Mr. Rochester and Blanche, the rest of the party is busy with their activities and leisure. The Ladies Lynn and Ingram are still talking; Mrs. Dent talks with Mrs. Eshton while briefly glancing and smiling at Jane; Sir George Lynn, Colonel Dent, and Mr. Eshton are discussing politics, affairs, and business; Lord Ingram is flirting with Amy; Louisa is singing and playing with some of the gentlemen, and Mary Ingram is listening to someone else's speeches. The guests would pause their activities and witness Mr. Rochester and Blanche perform, as they are both the light and souls of the party. Whenever he is absent from the room for an hour, the guests will feel dull but are lively again when he returns.
One day, Mr. Rochester leaves Thornfield to attend business in Millcote and will return late. It is a wet, dreary afternoon, and the party had planned to visit a gypsy encampment near Hay, but their trip is postponed. Some older gentlemen went to the stables while the younger gentlemen played billiards with the ladies. The dowagers quietly play cards, and Blanche quietly sings and plays the piano after refusing to talk with Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Eshton. Afterwards, she reads a book from the library on the sofa.
The house is now quiet except for the merriment of the billiard players. As it gets dark and the clock chimes for dinner, Adèle, kneeling next to Jane at the drawing-room window seat, suddenly exclaims that Mr. Rochester is returning. Jane turns to the window, and everyone, including Blanche, looks up when they hear a post chaise approaching outside. Blanche is curious how Mr. Rochester is arriving home in a post-chaise, and he mostly rides his horse when he leaves Thornfield with Pilot and wonders where his dog and horse are. The post-chaise stops, and the driver rings the doorbell. The traveller exits from the post-chaise, but it isn't Mr. Rochester. Instead, it’s a tall, fashionable stranger wearing travelling clothes.
Blanche scolds Adèle for getting a closer look at the window and gives Jane an angry glance. Some talking is heard in the hall, and the stranger enters the room. He bows to Blanche and says he had come here when Mr. Rochester was absent, but he has a long journey and wants to stay here until his return. He speaks politely and has a distinctive accent. He is around Mr. Rochester's age with a pale, fine-looking complexion. The guests disperse at the ringing bell, and Jane sees him again at dinner. She finds his appearance strange and considers them opposite Mr. Rochester's.
The man claims Mr. Rochester is his old friend, and Jane hears a couple of gentlemen speaking with him across the room. At first, she can't determine what they are saying as Louisa and Mary, sitting near Jane, converse aloud. Afterwards, they talk about the stranger and how he is beautiful, with Louisa and Mary admiring his features. Mr. Henry Lynn then summons them to the other side of the room to discuss their delayed trip to Hay.
With the ladies out of the way, Jane can now focus on the group near the fire and learn some information from the stranger. The man's name is Mr. Mason, and he has just arrived in England from Spanish Town, Jamaica, in the West Indies, where he's from. It is also where he became acquainted with Mr. Rochester. He discusses how his friend hates the region's heat and weather. Jane always knows that Mr. Rochester is a traveller, and thought he mostly visited the continent of Europe but didn’t know he also travelled overseas.
Jane ponders what she has heard when someone opens the door when her thoughts are distracted. Mr. Mason, who is shivering, asks for more coal for the fire, which has been burnt out, but the ashes are still warm. The footman Sam brings in the coals stops near Mr. Eshton's seat on his way out and whispers something to him that Jane makes out as an "old woman" and "quite troublesome." Mr. Eshton replies that she should be put into the stocks if she doesn't leave, but Colonel Dent interrupts him not to send her away, and they should consult the ladies. Sam announces to the ladies that one of the old women from the gypsy camp they had planned to visit is in the servant's hall to tell their fortunes. He asks them if they are interested, and Blanche suspects an imposter and wants her to be sent away. However, Sam says he cannot persuade her to leave, nor can the servants. Mrs. Fairfax was with her and attempted to convince her to go, but the woman sat in a chimney corner and would only leave once she could be with the guests.
Mrs. Eshton asks what she looks like, and he replies that she is ugly and as black as a crock. Frederick Lynn thinks she is a sorceress and wants her to come in. His brother says it will be a shame to miss this chance. Mrs. Lynn asks her sons what they think, and Dowager Lynn isn’t interested in seeing the gypsy woman. Blanche convinces her she will see her anyway and sits quietly on the piano stool. She wants to hear about her fortune and orders Sam to bring the gypsy woman in. The rest of the guests are interested in meeting her. Sam lingers and says she is a rough one, and Blanche demands him to bring her in, and he quickly leaves.
Everyone gets excited, but when Sam returns, he says the gypsy woman won’t come now and doesn’t want to appear before a group of people. He will find a room for her, and everyone seeking their fortunes will visit her individually. The Dowager Ingram reminds her to be cautious, but Blanche interrupts her by ordering Sam to have the gypsy woman sent to the library. She would rather listen to her alone than with a group of people. After Sam leaves, there is merriment again. Sam returns and says the gypsy woman is ready and who will be the first to see her. Colonel Dent offers to go first, and Blanche orders Sam to inform the gypsy woman that a gentleman is coming. Sam leaves and returns, saying she is not interested in gentlemen and prefers ladies who are young or single. Henry Lynn is surprised, and Blanche gets up and says she will go first. The Dowager Ingram begs her to reflect, but Blanche walks past her in silence and goes past the doorway and into the library.
A silence ensues, and 15 minutes later, Blanche returns. Everyone glances at her curiously. Blanche looks at them coldly and sits in silence. Lord Ingram and Mary ask her what the gypsy woman said, and the Misses Eshton asks if she is a real fortune-teller. Blanche tells them the gypsy fortune-teller is a witch and wants Mr. Eshton to put her in the stocks tomorrow. She then takes a book and stops talking. Jane observes her for half an hour, notices she never turns a page in the book and is disappointed.
Meanwhile, Mary, Amy and Louisa declare they won't go alone but still want to have their fortunes told. After much negotiation, Sam arranges for the three women to see the gypsy woman next. There is some nervous giggling and screaming from the library, and about 20 minutes later, they run down the hall in fright. They claim something isn't right with the gypsy woman and that she seems to know them. They explain that the gypsy woman told them everything they had said and done as children and described their books and ornaments at home. She also told them the names of those they liked the best and what they wanted best. The gentlemen intervene with them, and the women receive vinaigrettes and fans to calm down. The older gentlemen laugh, and the younger men urge them to help them.
While Jane is witnessing the ladies' despair, Sam informs her that the gypsy woman knows there is another young woman she hasn't seen yet, and she will not leave until she has seen them all. He tells Jane he thinks she is who the gypsy woman wants to see. She agrees to visit her and is relieved she will get the chance to have her fortune told. She leaves the room unseen by the guests and closes the door quietly behind her. Sam tells her he will wait for her in the hall, and if she gets frightened, she will call him. Jane tells him she is not afraid and asks him to return to the kitchen while filled with excitement.
The library is tranquil as usual, and the gypsy woman named Sybil sits comfortably in an armchair at the chimney corner.[21] She is wearing a red cloak and a black hat tied with a handkerchief under her chin. An extinguished candle is on the table as she stands over the fire and reads a small prayer book. She stops once Jane enters.
After standing far from the drawing room fire, Jane stands on the rug to warm her cold hands. She feels calmer than ever in her life now that she is with the gypsy woman. Sybil closes her book and slowly looks up. Even when her hat shades her face, Jane could see a dark complexion and visible locks of hair under her chin and around her cheeks. She gazes directly at Jane and asks her if she wants to have her fortune told. Jane replies that she won't mind but warns her she isn't faithful. Sybil already expects it and heard it as soon as she crossed the threshold. Jane is surprised she hears her quickly, and Sybil replies that she has a quick ear, eye, and brain. Jane tells her she will need them in a trade, and Sybil says she will when she deals with her clients and asks her why she isn't trembling. Jane replies that she isn't cold, sick, and not silly. Sybil laughs softly and draws out a black pipe to smoke. After raising herself and gazing at the fire, Sybil tells her she is cold, sick, and silly. Jane tells her to prove it.
Sybil explains to her that she is cold because she is alone; she is sick because she is unloved, and she is silly as she will take a step to meet where it awaits her. Jane points out that almost anyone who lives as a solitary, dependent person fits the description. Sybil admits that can be the case but wonders if it's true for almost everyone. Jane replies that it's in her circumstances, and Sybil asks her to be more precise. She answers that it will be easy to find her thousands. Sybil informs her she is within reach of near happiness, and everything is prepared for it to happen. Jane doesn’t understand, and Sybil will speak plainly if she shows her palm. Jane gives her a shilling, and Sybil studies her hand palm.
Sybil doesn’t see anything in her palm, replies that destiny is in her face and asks her to lift her head. Jane tells her she is being more faithful to her. She kneels as Sybil stirs the fire, her face more shadowed as she sits back down. After examining her for a while, Sybil wonders what Jane has for her and what thoughts she has from sitting in a crowded room. Jane claims she is tired often but is miserable. Sybil asks her if she has some hope for her future. Jane replies that she hopes to save enough money from her earnings and run her own school. Sybil says she knows her habits and describes how she likes to sit at a window seat. Jane thinks Sybil has learned that from the servants, and Sybil reveals she knows Grace Poole.
Jane is surprised, and Sybil consoles her by saying Grace is a calm, trustworthy woman. She questions her if she thinks about her future school and if she is interested in the guests. She asks if she ever studies their faces, and Jane replies that she observes everyone with amusement and doesn’t single one from the rest. Sybil asks her what topic she likes to hear about, and she replies courtship and marriage but doesn’t care much about it. Sybil says many pretty young ladies are full of life and smile at a gentleman they think well of.
Jane says she knows no gentlemen at Thornfield and hasn’t spoken to them. She considers some middle-aged men respected and others young and handsome. Sybil questions her about Mr. Rochester, and she replies that he isn’t home. Sybil says he went to Millcote this morning and will return tonight or tomorrow. She asks if she doesn’t consider him her acquaintance, and Jane replies that she doesn’t know if he has something to do with the topic she introduced. Sybil explains she talked to several ladies who liked him. Jane remarks that he can enjoy his time in society with his guests.
Sybil next questions her about all the times she listened to the topic of marriage. Jane says he has been listening to the conversations and is grateful but doesn’t remember detecting gratitude in him. Sybil asks her what else she has seen, but Jane doesn’t respond. She questions if she expects Mr. Rochester to be happily married. Jane claims she hasn’t yet and says her skills are useless sometimes. Sybil urges her to reveal what she has seen. Jane says she hasn’t come to confess but wants to know if Mr. Rochester is getting married. Sybil replies that he will marry Blanche and thinks they will be a happy couple, as he wants to marry a noble, witty lady. Blanche may be in love with him, but she tells her something that made her grave. Jane interrupts her and wants to hear her fortune.
Sybil says her fortune has little chance of happiness. She asks her to kneel on the rug and hold out her hand so she can study her features. Sybil doesn’t lean closer to her but sits back in her chair. She mutters that her eyes are soft and full of feeling but is chuckling in mockery; her mouth is meant to laugh and talk with affection; her brow shows she can prosper on her own, and her forehead shows reason and ethics and listens to the guiding voice within. Afterwards, she says that Jane will make her own plans and hopes to earn gratitude. She then tells her to get up and leave.
Jane is surprised that Sybil’s voice and tone suddenly change, which sounds familiar. She doesn’t leave and stirs the fire while gazing at Sybil, who covers her face with her bonnet and bandage. She again asks her to go, but when she holds her hand, Jane notices her hand isn’t withered but smooth with a ring on one of the fingers. She looks at her face, and Sybil removes her bonnet and bandage. She asks in a familiar voice if she recognizes it, and after untying the cloak knot, Mr. Rochester removes his disguise. She tells him he managed it well with the ladies but didn’t act like a gypsy to her. He asks her if he acted his character, and she replies that it bothers her when he’s trying to talk nonsense. He asks her if she will forgive him, and she says she won’t until she thinks it over.
She reflects on everything that happened since she had been on her guard. She knows gypsies and fortune-tellers don’t express themselves as Mr. Rochester’s disguise did, but her mind is on Grace. He asks her what she is musing about, and she replies that she is just wondering. He tells her to stay and asks what his guests in the drawing room think. She says they are talking about the gypsy woman, and he wants to know if they said anything about him. She replies she can’t stay long as it’s nearly 11 o’clock but informs him a stranger arrived here this morning.
Mr. Rochester asks if he’s still here as he isn’t expecting anyone to come here. Jane tells him the stranger has known him for a long time and plans to stay at Thornfield until his return, and he is Mr. Mason from Spanish Town, Jamaica. He holds onto her hand, speechless and horrified by what she said. She sits next to him, and he looks at her with dread. She asks him if she can help and will dedicate herself to serving him. He promises to seek her for help when he needs it. She thanks him, and he asks her to bring him some wine from the dining room and wants her to let him know if Mr. Mason is with the guests.
Jane goes to the dining room, where the guests are having their supper on the sideboard. They hold their glasses and plates as they gather in groups, laughing and enjoying themselves. Mr. Mason is talking with Colonel Dent and Mrs. Dent by the fire, and they also appear to be in merriment. She fills a wine glass and returns to the library. Mr. Rochester’s pale appearance has disappeared, and he takes the wine glass from her. He toasts her health and drinks the glass. Jane says the guests are laughing and talking, including Mr. Mason.
Mr. Rochester asks Jane what she would do if someone came in and acted rudely at him. She replies that she will turn them out of the room, and he says if the guests reject him coldly, he asks her if she will do the same. She replies that she has more pleasure being with him to comfort him as much as possible. He then inquires about what she can do if they stop her from seeing him. She replies that she won’t know anything about it and won’t care. He finally asks her if she will shun him for his sake if he has done something wrong, and she answers that she will do anything that deserves her aid. Afterwards, he tells her to find Mr. Mason and inform him he would like to see him, and then she will show him to the library and leave. She obeys him, finds Mr. Mason, informs him about Mr. Rochester, ushers him to the library, and then heads upstairs. After she goes to bed, she hears the guests going to their rooms. She also hears Mr. Rochester showing Mr. Mason his room, which makes her feel at ease, and she falls asleep.
She is awakened by bright, beautiful moonlight as she forgets to draw her curtains. She is about to draw them when she hears a loud shriek in the house.[22] It came from the third floor, right above her bedroom, followed by a struggle and someone crying for help three times. The person stamped madly on the above floorboard and calls for Mr. Rochester. A door opens, and someone runs down the hallway. The stamping noise is heard again, followed by something falling, and then there is silence.
While filled with fear, Jane puts on some clothes and leaves her room. The guests have been awakened and gathered in the hallway, murmuring nervously and demanding what is happening. Colonel Dent notices Mr. Rochester isn’t in his room. Mr. Rochester appears with a candle and tells them to calm down. He has just descended from the third floor, and Blanche begs him to talk about what happened as the Misses Eshton and the two dowagers gather around him. He demands them to get off him, and after calming down, he explains that a servant had a nightmare. He orders everyone back to their rooms, and the servant can’t be tended to until the house is quiet. He instructs the gentlemen to escort the ladies back to their rooms and tells the same thing to Blanche, the Misses Eshton, and the dowagers.
Everyone returns to their rooms, and Jane returns to her room unnoticed. But instead of going to bed, she gets dressed. She knows she is the only one who heard the screams and commotion from above her room and is assured it is not a servant’s nightmare, and Mr. Rochester makes that excuse to calm his guests. After getting dressed, Jane sits by the window and looks out, eagerly awaiting what will happen next. The house became quiet again within the hour as the guests fell asleep. Finally, the moon is setting, and Jane thinks she should sleep in her clothes. She quietly leaves the window and is about to take off her shoes when there is a knock on her door.
Mr. Rochester asks if she’s awake and dressed. After she replies yes, he orders her to come out quietly. She obeys him and finds him in the hallway with a candle. He tells her he needs her and must come with him quietly. She follows him as he walks down the hallway and up the stairs to the third floor. He stops in the hallway on the upper floor and asks her to bring a sponge and some volatile salts from her room. She returns to her room, where she finds a sponge on the washstand and salts in her drawer. She returns, and he approaches one of the black doors and prepares to unlock it. He turns to her and asks if she doesn’t mind the sight of blood. She says she won’t, and he asks her to hold his hand. He unlocks the door and opens it.
Jane recognizes the room inside from when Mrs. Fairfax gave her a house tour. It is hung with tapestries but is looped into one part, and there is a door that wasn’t seen before. It is opened with a shining light inside, and she hears snarling noises. Mr. Rochester puts down his candle, tells her to wait, and then goes inside. She hears laughter when he is inside, followed by Grace’s laughter. A faint voice is heard talking to him, and he comes out and closes the door behind him.
Mr. Rochester summons Jane to the side of a large bed with drawn curtains. A man sits on a chair beside it, his head leaning back and eyes closed. Mr. Rochester lifts the candle, and Jane recognizes him as Mr. Mason and sees his arm and linen sheets are covered in blood. Mr. Rochester has Jane hold the candle and a basin of water. First, he soaks the sponge and moistens Mr. Mason’s face. Then, he applies the salts to the nostrils, and Mr. Mason wakes up with a groan. Next, Mr. Rochester opens Mr. Mason’s shirt and sponges away the blood.
Mr. Mason murmurs if his wounds are serious, and Mr. Rochester replies that he’ll fetch a surgeon. He asks Jane to stay with Mr. Mason for an hour, reminding her to sponge away any blood, provide the salts to his nostrils and water to his lips. He also reminds her not to speak to Mr. Mason and asks him not to talk to her. Mr. Rochester gives Jane the bloody sponge, and he watches her before he leaves. She hears him turn the key in the lock and his fading footsteps.
Jane is left alone in the dark attic with a wounded man and his attacker kept in a separate door. She fears Grace could burst out at her any moment. But she knows she must obey Mr. Rochester and keep to her post. Mr. Mason drifts in and out of unconsciousness as she continues to sponge away the blood, and she expects the candle to burn out while she is there. The furniture casts eerie shadows over a cabinet with its panels divided into the twelve apostles’ heads with a crucifix above them. At the same time, she listens for any movements in the other room, but all she hears are creaking, snarling and groaning.
She thinks about the mysterious attack and who the attacker is. She also wonders how Mr. Mason entered the attic so late and why he is so calm under Mr. Rochester’s enforcement. Mr. Mason even acts passive when he’s around Mr. Rochester and looks bothered when hearing the news of his arrival at Thornfield.
At one point, Mr. Mason whispers he has a blow, his trembling arm resting on her shoulder. The night hours go by, and Jane is anxious about when help will arrive. She repeatedly struggles to keep him conscious with the water and salts, but he is growing weaker, and she fears he will die before she can talk to him. Finally, the candle burns out, and she sees that dawn is approaching. Pilot is heard barking below, and the attic door is unlocked within five minutes. Mr. Rochester comes in along with the surgeon, Mr. Carter. He instructs the surgeon to dress Mr. Mason’s wound, fasten his bandages and go downstairs within half an hour. Mr. Carter asks if he can walk, and Mr. Rochester assures him it’s nothing serious. He draws the curtain and opens the blinds to let the morning sunlight come in. Jane is surprised to see how fast morning came.
Mr. Mason faintly says he has been hurt badly. Mr. Rochester tells him he only lost a little blood and asks Mr. Carter to ensure his wound isn’t severe. The surgeon wishes he had come sooner, and as he unwraps the bandages, he notices some flesh torn from his shoulder and confirms teeth marks on his wound instead of stab marks. Mr. Mason murmurs he was bitten when Mr. Rochester took the knife from his female attacker. Mr. Rochester tells him he should have grappled with her, and he replies that he didn't know what to do. He warns his friend that he should have been careful.
Mr. Mason wishes he would have done better, and Mr. Rochester tells him he will suffer from his wound for not listening to him. He orders Mr. Carter to have Mr. Mason sent away as morning approaches. Mr. Carter has bandaged his shoulder and will check his other arm for bite marks. Mr. Mason claims his female attacker tried to suck his blood.
Mr. Rochester shudders in disgust and horror and tells his friend to be quiet. Mr. Mason wishes he could forget about it, and Mr. Rochester assures him he will once he leaves England. Mr. Mason laments that it's impossible to forget about it, and Mr. Rochester tells him to be relieved he is alive, and Mr. Carter treats his wounds. He turns to Jane and orders her to take his key, go into his bedroom and get a clean shirt and neckerchief from his wardrobe; then, she will return it. She obeys and returns with the needed clothing. Mr. Rochester instructs her to stand beside the bed while he dresses Mr. Mason but wants her to stay in the room.
Jane stands in her spot, and Mr. Rochester asks if anyone is stirring when she is downstairs. She replied that everything was still. Mr. Rochester tells Mr. Mason he will be sent off quickly and will be better for his own sake. He has tried hard to avoid exposure but notices Mr. Mason doesn't have his fur cloak to travel in the cold climate. He orders Jane to go to Mr. Mason's bedroom and bring back his fur cloak. She returns shortly with his cloak. Next, he orders her to return to his bedroom and get him a phial and glass. She quickly brings back the required items needed. Mr. Rochester tells Mr. Carter he will administer the dose to Mr. Mason and asks Jane for the glass of water from the washstand. He measures the phial drops and gives the glass to Mr. Mason, ordering him to drink it as it will temporarily revive him for an hour, and he must drink it now.
Mr. Mason is still pale but fully dressed, and the blood has been cleaned off him. Mr. Rochester sits with him for three minutes after he drinks the glass until Mr. Mason says he feels better. Mr. Rochester asks Mr. Carter to hold Mr. Mason by the other shoulder, and he asks Jane to go backstairs, unlock the side door, and inform the driver to be ready for their arrival at the post chaise. Jane opens the side door without attracting attention. The yard is quiet, with its gates open, and there is the post chaise with its driver and horses waiting. She informs him that the gentlemen are coming, then looks around and listens carefully. It is still early morning, with the curtains now drawn in the servants' rooms, the birds chirping in the orchard trees, and the coach horses in their stables.
The gentlemen arrive with Mr. Mason being supported by Mr. Rochester and Mr. Carter. They help Mr. Mason into the coach, followed by Mr. Carter going inside. Mr. Rochester tells the surgeon to look after him at his home until he fully recovers; he'll ride over the next day to check on him. He asks Mr. Mason how he feels and replies that the spring air refreshes him.
Mr. Rochester orders Mr. Carter to open the coach windows, and Mr. Mason begs him to look after "her" before bursting into tears. He replies that he will do his best as he shuts the door, and the coach drives away. He closes the gates and walks to an entry by the orchard tree. Jane thinks he is done with her and is about to return inside when he suddenly calls her to come with him for a while, even asking if the house is like a dungeon. She says it's more like a charming house to her. Mr. Rochester says everything inside Thornfield is dull, while everything outside is natural and pure. They walk down a pathway lined with fruit trees and flowers as the sun rises and the light reflects on the trees.
Mr. Rochester picks Jane a rose from one of the flower bushes, and she says she had a rough night. He asks her if she was afraid when she was alone with Mr. Mason, and she says she was afraid of someone coming out from the inner room. He says he locked the inner room's door and had the key in his pocket, and she was safe. Grace will still stay at Thornfield, and he reminds Jane not to worry about her. Jane thinks he doesn't feel safe when Grace is around and assures her she will be fine. She questions if the danger he handled last night is gone by now. Mr. Rochester can only affirm it once Mr. Mason leaves the country. Jane thinks Mr. Mason looks harmless, and he denies his friend will hurt him, but he could destroy him if he says the wrong thing. She convinces him to have Mr. Mason be cautious, list his fears, and show him how to prevent danger. He explains it won't be simple, as he used to give him orders since they met, but he knows he won't listen to him in this situation and should ignore him. He asks Jane if she is still his friend and replies that she wants to serve and obey him. He muses about her faithfulness and loyalty, and she assures him he is safe from Mr. Mason.
The couple arrives at a bench under an arch lined with ivy. Mr. Rochester invites Jane to sit with him, but she prefers to stand beside him. He asks her to look at him and asks if she is at ease and unafraid of him. She says she is content with him. He asks her to imagine herself as a wild young man in a remote, foreign country, but a single mistake will have long-term consequences. The man tries to overcome it by travelling abroad and amusing himself with pleasures. After 20 years, he meets a new friend and is forever changed. Now, he wants to spend the rest of his life with his friend, but he needs to break a rule for it to happen.
Mr. Rochester waits for an answer. Jane isn't sure what to say, even if he attempts to hide something wrong. He asks her if a sinful man can redeem himself from befriending the wrong person. She tells him that nobody should look to another person for redemption, but they should look up to God for an answer. Mr. Rochester says he has been a restless man and believes there is something to cure him. He pauses quietly for a few minutes and asks Jane if marrying Blanche will regenerate him. He gets up, goes to the other end of the path, and returns humming. He asks her if she will curse him, and she replies no. He has her shake hands with him and notices they are cold. He asks her if she will watch with him the night before he marries Blanche and wants her to promise to keep him company all night. Mr. Rochester then notices Colonel Dent and Lynn by the stables and dismisses Jane. As she leaves, she overhears him talking about Mr. Mason’s departure.
Return to Gateshead Hall/Mrs. Reed's Deathbed Confession[]
Jane remembers that when she was six years old, she heard Bessie talking to Miss Abbott about the dreams of a baby and that dreaming of children was a sign of trouble. She didn’t remember much about it afterwards, and the next day, Bessie was sent home to attend to her dying sister.[23]
During the past week, Jane dreams about a baby she sometimes holds in her arms, while in others, it sits on her knee and plays with flowers or water. The baby cries, laughs or runs to Jane, but it always appeared in her dreams that week. She became more nervous when it was close to bedtime and was awakened from that dream when she heard Mr. Mason’s cry in the attic.
After Mr. Mason leaves Thornfield the next day, Jane is summoned to Mrs. Fairfax’s room as someone there wants to see her. When she arrives, she meets a gentleman’s servant dressed in mourning clothes. The man tells her she may not remember him, but he is Robert Leaven, the coachman at Gateshead since she was a child. She then remembers him, who sometimes gave her rides on Georgiana’s pony, and asks about his wife, Bessie. Leaven replies that she welcomed their third child two months ago, and they are both well. When Jane asks about the Reeds, he replies that they aren't doing well. She wonders if anyone died, and he replies that John died a week ago in London. He says Mrs. Reed didn’t handle his death lightly, and he had an insane life during the past three years. Jane mentions that Bessie told her John wasn’t doing well, and Leaven says it was worse. He explains that John ruined himself by struggling with debt and jail time. Mrs. Reed helped her son twice, but he returned to his troubled habits as soon as he was out of prison. Three weeks ago, John returned to Gateshead and ordered his mother to pay off his debts, but she refused. He left home and died soon afterward, and Leaven suggests he committed suicide.
Leaven explains further that Mrs. Reed’s health started declining amid fears of poverty. She suffered a stroke upon hearing of her son’s death and could not speak for three days. She also starts mumbling and gesturing to Bessie, and yesterday, she realized that Mrs. Reed wants to speak to Jane. Bessie advised Eliza and Georgiana to send for their cousin. They initially delayed it but consented when their mother repeatedly said Jane’s name. Leaven says he left yesterday and advises Jane to get ready so he can take her to Gateshead tomorrow morning.
Jane agrees to get ready to go. Leaven reminds her to take time off before she leaves. She replies that she will immediately, and after directing him to the servants’ hall to be waited on, she searches for Mr. Rochester. He isn’t in the lower rooms, yard, stables, or the grounds, and she asks Mrs. Fairfax where he is. Mrs. Fairfax believes he’s playing billiards with Blanche, and Jane heads to the billiard room, where she finds Mr. Rochester, Blanche, the Misses Eshton and others playing a billiard game. After summoning up her courage to interrupt their game with this important message to Mr. Rochester, she approaches him, and Blanche demands what she wants. Jane sees Blanche gesturing to make her leave and notices she is wearing a sky-blue dress, and an azure scarf is twisted in her hair. Mr. Rochester gazes at Jane, puts down his cue and follows Jane out of the room.
When alone in the schoolroom, Mr. Rochester closes the door behind them and asks what Jane wants. She requests two weeks off to visit a sickly lady at Gateshead Hall. Mr. Rochester is surprised that Gateshead is a 100 miles away and who has sent for her. She replies that her name is Mrs. Reed, and Mr. Rochester says there was a magistrate named Reed of Gateshead. She replies that Mrs. Reed is his widow, and he is her uncle. Mr. Rochester tells Jane she has never told him about any relatives she has, and she replies none have raised her, as Mr. Reed is dead and his wife cast her off because she was poor, difficult to handle, and she hated her. Mr. Rochester assumes Mrs. Reed has children, and Jane explains that Mrs. Reed’s son, John, is dead after ruining himself and his family, and his mother was so shocked that she had a stroke.
Mr. Rochester finds it nonsense for Jane to visit a dying lady at Gateshead, located a 100 miles away and thought she had cast Jane off. Jane explains that it was long ago and was different back then, and she can’t turn down her aunt’s request now. Mr. Rochester asks how long she will be gone, and she replies as short as possible. He is about to make her promise to stay for only a week, but she states she cannot break her word. He assures her she must return and cannot stay with Mrs. Reed permanently, and she ensures she will be back when all is well. She says Mrs. Reed has sent her coachman, who has lived with the family for 10 years. She also wants to leave tomorrow morning, and Mr. Rochester decides she will need more money for the journey, but he hasn’t given her a salary yet. She looks in her purse, but she only has 5 shillings. He takes the purse, pours the shillings into his hand, and gives her a £50 note, saying he owes her 15 shillings. She replies that she has no change, but he doesn’t want it and orders her to take her wages. She refuses any more money, and he decides not to give her more. He asks if she has £10, but she owes him five. He assures her she will return for it when he has £40 for her.
When Mr. Rochester says he’ll be married soon, Jane suggests that Adèle should be sent to school, and he agrees as she will be in his bride’s way. Jane even considers seeking another job elsewhere and won’t rely on her relatives but will advertise. He wishes to pay her 10 more pounds and teases her by wanting her to return him £9. She refuses to pay him back, and he wants £5, but again she refuses. He then makes her promise not to advertise and that he will find another position. She agrees and makes him promise that she and Adèle will safely move out of Thornfield before he is married. He vows his pledge and asks if she’ll leave tomorrow. She answers that she will leave early and needs to prepare for her departure, and suggests they say farewell to the present and teach him to repeat it. He is about to say something to her but asks if she’ll say more than farewell. She replies that it is enough for now and asks herself when he will let her leave so she can pack for the journey. When the dinner bell rings, he abruptly leaves. She doesn’t see him again for the rest of the day and leaves before he wakes up the next morning.
Jane arrives at Gateshead at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. She visits the porter’s lodge, where Bessie sits at the hearth, nursing the baby while her two other children play quietly in a corner. Jane greets Bessie and kisses her. Bessie says Mrs. Reed is still alive, and the doctor predicts she’ll live for another week, but he doubts she will fully recover. Jane asks if she has ever mentioned her recently, and Bessie says she was talking about her this morning and wished she would come. She was asleep when Bessie went to the house, was lethargic all afternoon, and usually woke up around six or seven. Bessie invites Jane to rest for an hour before she goes to Gateshead.
Robert arrives, and Bessie places the baby in a cradle to welcome him, insisting she’ll take off Jane’s bonnet and have some tea. Jane lets Bessie undress her travelling clothes, just like she used to undress her as a child. Memories come back to her as she watches Bessie setting out the tea tray, preparing the bread and butter and toast cake, and disciplining her children, just like she used to long ago. After the tea is ready, Bessie orders Jane to sit still in her usual abrupt tone, insisting she sit by the fireside at a round table with her teacup and toast, which she used to do in Jane’s childhood. Jane smiles and obeys her like she used to. Bessie asks Jane if she’s happy at Thornfield and what kind of person the mistress is. Jane replies that there is only the master and says he may be ugly, but he’s a kind gentleman, and she’s happy with him. She also talks about the guests staying at Thornfield.
An hour goes by, so Bessie helps Jane put on her cloak and bonnet, and they walk to Gateshead. She remembers walking down the same path 9 years ago on a cold early January morning to wait for the coach to take her to Lowood. Jane no longer feels any resentment or hatred for Gateshead when she approaches the house for the first time in 9 years.
Bessie instructs Jane to go to the breakfast room. Jane goes into the same room where Mr. Brocklehurst had interviewed her as a child, which has always stayed the same. In the breakfast room are Eliza and Georgiana. Eliza is now thin with a pale face, dressed in black and wearing a crucifix. Georgiana is now plump with blue eyes and golden curls. She is also wearing black, but more stylish than her sister.
Jane barely recognizes her cousins as adults, although Eliza inherited Mrs. Reed’s appearance, and Georgiana’s features are hard but pleasant. The girls greet her, addressing her as Miss Eyre. Eliza greets her in a short, abrupt voice without smiling, then sits by the fire and pretends to forget her. While surveying her travelling garb, Georgiana questions Jane about her journey and the weather. She sits with her cousins and is no longer offended by their snobby attitude, as she has other things to consider. Afterwards, she asks Georgiana if Mrs. Reed is well. Georgiana replies that she is doing poorly and doubts she’ll see her tonight. Jane asks her to remind her mother she is here to talk to her, adding that she knows Mrs. Reed strongly desires to see her again. Eliza says her mother hates being disturbed at night. Jane ignores them, removes her cloak and bonnet, and asks Bessie if Mrs. Reed wants to see her tonight.
Jane thinks it will be unwise to leave Gateshead now, as she had travelled 100 miles to see her aunt and decides to stay with her until she recovers or dies. She asks the housekeeper for a room as she will stay for another week or two. After having her trunk delivered to her room, Jane meets Bessie on the landing, who tells her Mrs. Reed is awake and she has informed her that her niece is here. Jane doesn’t need to be guided to Mrs. Reed’s room, as she used to be summoned there for punishment. She quietly opens the door, and everything in the room is the same. She expects her aunt to be in a corner and give her beatings like she used to. She approaches the four-poster bed and draws the curtains.
Mrs. Reed is lying in her bed, and Jane remembers her. She doesn’t hate her anymore and now only feels sorry for her suffering and wants to reconcile. Mrs. Reed still looks angry and resentful as she looks at Jane, but Jane kisses her. She has gotten over her vow to never refer to Mrs. Reed as her aunt again, and she holds her hand, expecting her to hold it back softly. But Mrs. Reed pulls her hand away and looks away. She speaks harshly to her, but Jane manages to overcome her aunt’s spiteful nature by pulling a chair and sitting next to her.
Jane tells her she has arrived after she sent for her and will stay with her for as long as possible. Mrs. Reed wants her to tell her daughters to let her stay until she discusses things with her. She says it is late to talk and wishes to say something to her. Mrs. Reed laments how Jane was an unruly, angry child and how much she offended her. She even recalls how Jane angrily confronted her that she was relieved to send her away to school. She thought she had died when she learned about the fever outbreak at her school. Jane asks her why she hated her so much. Mrs. Reed explains about her sister-in-law and Jane’s mother being her husband’s favourite sister and how she resented her when she was first brought to Gateshead as an infant. She also remarks that she is glad her son John doesn’t resemble his late father and laments how she is losing her money after being forced to pay off all his debts. She could dismiss her servants or shut up the house, but she knows she can’t do it, as most of her wealth is spent on the mortgage, and John’s gambling addiction affects her badly.
Mrs. Reed begins losing her mind, so Jane tells Bessie that she will leave her now. Bessie says Mrs. Reed often acts insane at night but is calm in the morning. Jane prepares to leave, but Mrs. Reed orders her to wait and laments how her son continually threatened her to die, dreams of seeing him seriously wounded, and worries about how her money will be handled. Bessie persuades Mrs. Reed to take a sedative and afterwards falls asleep, so Jane leaves her.
Another 10 days pass until Jane can talk to her aunt again. Mrs. Reed continues to be lethargic and delirious, and her doctor forbids anything that could agitate her. Jane tries to spend quality time with her cousins during that time. Eliza would read, sew, or write, ignoring Jane or her sister. Georgiana would constantly chatter to her pet canary without noticing her cousin. Jane brought her drawing materials with her, and she would sit by an open window alone and draw to pass the time. Some of her illustrations she sketches include a rising moon, a group of reeds and water disks, and an elf sitting in a sparrow's nest.
One day, Jane sketches a face that resembles Mr. Rochester. Eliza is curious about the sketched face, and Jane lies that it is a fancy face. Georgiana admires her drawings but calls Mr. Rochester's sketched face ugly. The Reed sisters praise Jane's sketches, and Jane offers to sketch their portraits, and she promises Georgiana she will watercolour her album. Afterwards, Jane and Georgiana go for a walk outside, where Georgiana talks about her time in London during the winter months ago. She becomes more talkative throughout the day but only seems to talk about herself, her romances, and other problems. She doesn't mention her mother's illness, her brother's death, or her family's misfortunes. Eliza hardly talks to Jane, as she always seems to be busy. She gets up early every day, and after breakfast, she reads her prayer book 3 times a day, followed by 3 hours of stitching a cover for an altar of a new church near Gateshead. She then spent a couple more hours writing her diary and working in the garden. Jane believes Eliza is happy with her daily routines and that nothing bothers her. One evening, Eliza tells Jane that she has been afflicted by her brother's death and recent misfortunes and plans to retire somewhere after her mother dies. Georgiana won’t accompany her, as she and her sister have nothing in common and should follow her own path.
Georgiana lies on the couch, saying she desires to get away for a few months until everything is over. Jane suggests it could mean Mrs. Reed's death and the funeral rites. Eliza ignores Georgiana's complaints, but one day, she lectures her sister for being vain, absurd, and superficial and how she needs to make new changes in her life. She also tells her they will part ways forever once their mother is dead. Georgiana tells Eliza she is selfish and heartless and has ruined her plans to run off with a lord she has fallen in love with.
It is a wet, windy afternoon. Georgiana naps on the couch, and Eliza attends a service at the new church. She attends church every Sunday and often on weekdays for prayers, and the bad weather doesn't change her plans. Jane checks on Mrs. Reed, who ignores everyone. The servants pay no attention to Mrs. Reed, and the hired nurse quickly looks after her and leaves. Bessie is still faithful to her, and while she has to look after her own family, she only visits Gateshead occasionally. When Jane enters Mrs. Reed's room, it's only her lying in bed. She is still lethargic, and the fire is dying in the grate. Jane attends the fire and gazes at Mrs. Reed, who doesn't look back before she moves to the window. The rain pours against the panes, and the wind blows heavily. She ponders about the afterlife and Helen Burns' last words about souls being freed. She thinks about Helen's final moments and desires to be with God when Mrs. Reed’s weak voice calls out, as she hasn’t spoken in days.
Mrs. Reed says her thoughts are deceiving her, and she wants to see her niece, and she must have changed during the past 8 years. Jane assures her she is the person she desires to see and that Bessie sent her husband to bring her here from Thornfield. Mrs. Reed says she is very ill and cannot move her body. She decides to ease her mind before her death and wonders if the nurse is here. Jane tells her they are alone. Mrs. Reed apologizes for breaking her late husband's promise to raise her as her own but doesn't show remorse for mistreating her as a child. She asks her to open her dressing-case and take out a letter she'll find there. Jane obeys her and reads the letter.
The letter was dated 3 years ago and written by her uncle, John Eyre. He wrote to Mrs. Reed to ask about his niece and how she was doing. He wishes for her to see him in Madeira, and as he is unmarried with no children, he wants to adopt her as his own and make her the heir of his fortune when he dies.
Jane asks why she has never heard about this. Mrs. Reed replies that she hated her too much to offer her prosperity. She can never forget how she confronted her for being deceitful. Jane gives her some water, telling her to forget everything she said about her and let it go. She apologizes for her furious confrontation 9 years ago. Mrs. Reed says nothing, but when she takes a drink, she explains that she prevented John Eyre from adopting Jane. She wrote to him, explaining that she died of typhus fever at Lowood, and now wants her to write to her uncle to reveal that she lied to him. Jane tells her to stop thinking about it and asks for forgiveness. Mrs. Reed tells her niece she can never understand why she was a furious, unruly child. She replies that she is passionate, and even as a child, she was meant to love her aunt if she loved her back. She now wants to reconcile and asks her to kiss her cheek, but her aunt refuses and demands more water. Jane supports Mrs. Reed as she drinks and lays her down while Mrs. Reed looks away from her.
Jane tells Mrs. Reed she has forgiven her and hopes she will be at peace. Bessie and the nurse enter as Jane leaves. She lingers for half an hour, hoping her aunt will finally forgive her, but she never does. Mrs. Reed slips into unconsciousness and dies at midnight. Jane and her cousins weren't by her side when she died, and the girls informed her about their mother's death the following morning. They view Mrs. Reed's body, and Jane sees that she is languished and not peaceful. Eliza surveys the body and says her life was cut short due to her misfortunes. The three women left without shedding a tear.
Despite Mr. Rochester giving her a week of absence, Jane stays at Gateshead for a month.[24] She initially plans to leave after Mrs. Reed’s funeral, but Georgiana begs her to stay until she can leave for London to be with her uncle, Mr. Gibson, who came to arrange Mrs. Reed’s interment and settle the family affairs; she also cannot bear to be alone with Eliza, who doesn’t sympathize with her or even help her prepare for her departure. Jane helps her the best way she can, such as helping her pack, but Georgiana continues to be lazy. Jane thinks that if they lived together, she would let Georgiana do the housework.
Georgiana finally leaves, but Eliza has Jane stay with her for another week. Eliza is busier as she plans to travel somewhere unknown and keeps her door locked while she packs everything. She wants her cousin to look after the house, attend to callers, and answer any messages of condolences. One morning, she thanks Jane for her services and informs her she will be moving to a convent in France to seek solitude in her Roman Catholic practices. She is surprised by her cousin’s decision to be a nun but doesn’t dissuade her. When the cousins bid each other farewell, Jane tells Eliza she has no common sense but doesn’t mind her being in a French convent. Eliza admits she’s right before she leaves. Sometime later, Georgiana marries a wealthy gentleman, and Eliza becomes a nun in the French convent.
Mr. Rochester’s Proposal[]
Jane had never felt a sensation before returning home from a place she had been absent for so long. She remembers returning to Gateshead from a long walk as a child and being scolded for being cold, and when returning to Lowood from church, looked forward to a pleasant meal and fire. But her potential return to Thornfield will be different.
The journey back to Thornfield is long. She travels for 50 miles in a day and spends the night in an inn, followed by 50 more miles the next day. During her journey, she thinks of Mrs. Reed in her last moments, seeing her disfigured face and harsh voice. She imagines Mrs. Reed’s funeral, seeing her coffin carried by a hearse to the burial vault in the church and the few attendees at the service. She imagines Georgiana dancing in a ballroom and Eliza in a convent cell.
Jane wonders how long she will stay at Thornfield and hears some news from Mrs. Fairfax during her absence. The party guests are gone, and Mr. Rochester left for London 3 weeks ago but is expected to return within a fortnight. Mrs. Fairfax guesses he went to London to arrange his wedding and mentioned buying a carriage. Mrs. Fairfax finds it strange that he is marrying Blanche, but he feels his wedding will happen soon. Jane asks herself where she will go and imagines Blanche making her leave Thornfield while Mr. Rochester looks on. She doesn’t inform Mrs. Fairfax exactly when she will return and doesn’t want a coach waiting for her at Millcote. Instead, she prefers to walk back to Thornfield by herself, and after leaving her trunk with the ostler, she leaves the George Inn and walks the road to Thornfield at 6 o’clock in the evening.
It is a mild June evening. The haymakers are working in the fields around the road, and the sky is blue with thin clouds. The road is short to Thornfield, and Jane stops to ponder happiness. She also reminds herself that Thornfield isn’t her home or where friends will look out for her or wait for her arrival. She tells herself that Mrs. Fairfax will smile and greet her, and Adèle happily running into her arms but knows that Mr. Rochester will only be about himself. She looks forward to seeing him again but tells herself that within a few days or weeks, she will part ways with him forever. Filled with dread at this thought, she runs down the road.
As she approaches Thornfield, the labourers finish working and leave for home. She walks a few more miles until she finds Mr. Rochester sitting on a stile writing in a book. Jane tries to avoid him and return to the house, but he sees her and summons her to him. He asks her where she has been for the past month. She replies that she has been with her dying aunt, and he accuses her of being absent that long. He stays at the stile, and she tells him she found out about his trip to London from Mrs. Fairfax’s letter, and everyone knew what he was doing. He wants to show her the carriage for his bride-to-be and asks if she can’t use her fairy magic to make him handsome. She tells him his stern face is impossible to cure, but she needs his devotion.
Mr. Rochester smiles, allowing her to cross the stile and return to the house. Jane quietly obeys him, but she turns around to thank him for his kindness and is glad to be back with him again. She quickly walks ahead before he can respond. Adèle is excited to see her, while Mrs. Fairfax greets her warmly, along with Leah and Sophie. When tea is finished, Mrs. Fairfax resumes her knitting, and Jane sits on a low stool with Adèle nestling close to her. Jane prays she won’t be parted soon, and Mr. Rochester comes in, admiring the women and saying in French that Adèle is ready to “eat her English mother.” Jane hopes that once Mr. Rochester is married, he will keep her and Adèle together and protect them.
A fortnight passes since Jane’s return to Thornfield. There hasn’t been any news of Mr. Rochester’s marriage or preparations for his wedding. Mrs. Fairfax also hasn’t heard anything about the wedding. One time, Mrs. Fairfax even asked him when he’ll bring his bride home, but he doesn’t answer directly. Jane is surprised that Blanche doesn’t visit Thornfield anymore, and Mr. Rochester doesn’t visit her at her home at Ingram Park, which is 20 miles away. She secretly hopes their engagement has been broken off and looks at Mr. Rochester’s face for any signs of grief or disappointment. But he has become kinder and loving to Jane, and she cannot help but love him more.
A beautiful summer arrives in England.[25] One night, Adèle gets tired after spending half the day gathering strawberries, and after Jane puts her to bed, she goes out into the garden. The sun starts to set as she walks on the pavement when she smells cigar smoke. She sees the library casement window is opened and thinks she is being watched, so she goes into the orchard, surrounded by trees, blooming flowers and a high wall. A fence with a winding path lined with laurels is at the end of the orchard. The air is filled with the scent of the flowers, but Jane knows the strange scent she smells is from Mr. Rochester’s cigar. She looks around and listens for him, but all she sees and hears are trees and a nightingale. She decides to leave when nobody is around but sees Mr. Rochester coming. She hides and hopes he won’t see her and will leave soon.
Mr. Rochester walks down the path, observing the fruit trees, flowers, and a moth flying nearby. Jane hopes his back is turned and she can make her escape. She treads on the gravel path, hoping he won’t notice her, but when she passes by his shadow, he summons her to look at the moth without turning around. She wonders how his shadow can sense her and approaches him. He admires the moth’s wings as it flies away, and she tries to sneak out again, but he follows her until they reach the garden wicket. He encourages her to stay outside and view the sunset. She normally doesn’t feel comfortable walking with him alone after sunset, but she obeys him anyway. She also notices how composed and grave he is.
They walk down the laurel path leading to the fence. Mr. Rochester asks Jane if Thornfield is a beautiful place in the summer. She replies yes and says she is attached to the house. She has also become close with Mrs. Fairfax and Adèle and would be sad to leave them. Mr. Rochester admits that once someone has become happily settled somewhere, they may be told to move on after a while and advises Jane that she should leave soon. She says she’ll be ready to go when he tells her to, and he declares he will decide tonight.
Jane asks Mr. Rochester if he’s going to be married soon. He replies that he hopes to marry Blanche and reminds Jane that she had told him that she and Adèle would leave Thornfield once he's married. He has passed this suggestion on to Blanche and will try to forget about her absence. But he agrees that Adèle will be sent to school when he's married, and Jane will find a new job. She agrees that she will advertise immediately and was going to say that she wants to stay at Thornfield longer until she has a new place to stay, but she doesn’t say anything. Mr. Rochester expects he’ll be married in a month and will find her a new home and job. She thanks him and is about to apologize when he tells her not to.
Mr. Rochester believes that when a dependent employee has completed her duty, she may want to rely on her employer for assistance. He says that the Dowager Ingram has a suggestion that suits her. He plans to hire her as governess to Mrs. O’Gaill’s five daughters at Bitternut Lodge in Connaught, Ireland and thinks she’ll like it there. However, Jane thinks Ireland is too far away from Thornfield and Mr. Rochester. She then bursts into tears, and the thought of being a governess in Ireland makes her miserable. Mr. Rochester says that once she is at Connaught, he will never see her again but asks if they have been good friends. She replies that they have been. He says that before good friends depart, they want to spend more time together. He invites her to sit on the bench under a chestnut tree to discuss the voyage.
They sit on the bench, and Mr. Rochester admits the voyage to Ireland will be long and is sorry to send her away. He asks Jane if they are alike, but she doesn’t answer. He describes their attachment as a string that connects them to each of their hearts. He’s afraid that once she’s sent away to Ireland, the string will snap, and he is sure she’ll forget him.
Jane is about to reply when she and Mr. Rochester hear a chirping nightingale. She sobs while she listens, and when she does speak, she wishes she never came to Thornfield. He asks her why she won’t leave Thornfield. Jane finally stops crying long enough to explain that she loves Thornfield because she has the best life here. She also says she finally made friends and developed a loving, spiritual connection with him. However, she feels like she could die if she has to leave him, and it is because of his bride, Blanche Ingram. But he replies that he has no bride. She still sobs that he will be and she must go, but he consoles her that he will have a bride and urges her to stay.
Jane retorts passionately that she must leave him. She says she has the same kindred soul as him, and they are equal. Mr. Rochester repeats that they are, and he kisses her. She struggles and finds it unfair that he will marry a woman he doesn’t truly love, and she has witnessed it. She insists she leaves for Ireland and can go anywhere she wishes. Mr. Rochester tells her to stop struggling, and she declares she’s a free-willed, independent woman and frees herself from his grasp.
Mr. Rochester convinces Jane to stay with him as his longtime companion, and she thinks he is mocking her. A wind briefly blows across the laurel path, followed by the nightingale’s chirps. She cries again when she listens to the nightingale, and he sits quietly with her. After a while, he asks her to stay with him again, and Jane insists she will not. He wants her to be with him as his wife, but she says his bride is standing in the way. He assures her she is his bride and proposes to her. She doesn’t reply and is still doubtful of him. He explains he is never interested in Blanche and will never marry her, as he only cares about Jane. He even made her believe his wealth was not a third of what she supposed. He again asks Jane to marry him.
She is surprised by his proposal, and he urges her to accept it. She asks him to stand in the moonlight so she can look closer at his face and notices he is agitated and flushed. He exclaims that she is torturing him, and she says her feelings for him are just gratitude and devotion. He begs her to accept his proposal and to refer to him by his first name, Edward. She asks him if he really does love her, and he insists he does. She then accepts his marriage proposal, and he assures her they will be happy together.
Jane and Mr. Rochester sit together in the darkness. She barely sees his face and notices the chestnut tree writhing and the wind blowing down the laurel path again. He decides they must go inside as a storm is approaching and wishes they could stay on the bench until morning. Lightning strikes and the rain falls heavily as Mr. Rochester and Jane hurry back to the house, and they are already wet before they reach the threshold. When they get inside, he takes off her shawl and shakes the water out of her hair, and they don’t notice Mrs. Fairfax emerge from her room. The clock strikes twelve, and Mr. Rochester urges Jane to change from her wet clothes and bids her goodnight. He kisses her repeatedly, and she notices Mrs. Fairfax’s surprised reaction. She thinks she’ll tell her of her proposal another time. When she reaches her bedroom, Jane wonders if Mrs. Fairfax is confused by what she has seen but is still filled with joy as the thunderstorm rages outside for two hours. Mr. Rochester even comes to her door several times to check on her. Before Jane wakes up the next morning, Adèle runs into her room and tells her the chestnut tree outside has been split apart by lightning during the night.
As Jane happily gets up and gets dressed, she thinks about everything that happened last night and if it was all a dream. She can’t be sure until she sees Mr. Rochester again and he renews his words of their love and marriage.[26] She notices she is no longer plain. She initially feared that Mr. Rochester wouldn't be pleased by her look, but now feels comfortable. She wears a light summer dress and goes outside, where it is a beautiful summer morning with chirping birds. She spots a beggar woman and her young son walking on the path, so she gives them some shillings she has left in her purse to share their happiness.
Mrs. Fairfax calls her gravely from a window and asks her to come in for breakfast. Throughout breakfast, Mrs. Fairfax is quiet, and Jane wants to know what is wrong but knows she has to wait for Mr. Rochester to give them orders. After she finishes her meal, she heads upstairs, where she spots Adèle leaving the schoolroom. Jane asks why she's leaving, and it's time for her lessons. Adèle replies that Mr. Rochester is sending her to the nursery, and he's in the schoolroom. Jane enters, where she sees him. He bids her good morning and embraces and kisses her. He admires her pretty dress and appearance and calls her Jane Rochester. He also informs her they will marry in 4 weeks and asks why she blushes. She says he called her Mrs. Rochester but isn't sure if this is true.
Mr. Rochester explains he sent a letter to his banker in London to send some old Thornfield jewels and give them to her. Jane finds it strange to be given fancy jewelry, but he talks about wanting to put the jewels on her. She reminds him she is just a plain governess, and he wants to make her beautiful by dressing in her lace and satin with roses in her hair. She begs him to stop flattering her. He plans to take her to Millcote today to shop for wedding dresses, and they will be married quietly at the nearby church. After their wedding, they will spend their honeymoon travelling from the French vineyards to the Italian plains. They will also visit various European cities, such as Paris, Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, and Vienna. He recalls how he used to travel Europe as a miserable man but looks forward to travelling again as a healed man and calls Jane an angel. She tells him she won't anticipate any of this, and he will soon become capricious since his mood changes often, and she knows he won't be constant in how he loves her. He assures her he will always be constant as he finds her different from the other women he has known.
Jane asks him if he has ever loved another woman before her. He answers that he has never fallen in love with anyone before her, and she pleases and influences him. She asks him not to send her jewels or roses, and he accepts her request but asks if she wants anything. She replies that she wants him to gratify her curiosity, which shocks him, and he urges her to tell him a secret. She answers that she wants his confidence, which he accepts and begs her not to be a burden. She tells him he wants her to control him and asks if he will still have his stern look when they are married. He assures her he will fix his appearance.
Jane asks Mr. Rochester why he made her believe he would marry Blanche. He smiles nervously and confesses that her poor, fiery presence made him do it. He claims that he pretended to fall in love with Blanche to make her jealous and love him more. Jane finds this shameful and asks him if he has ever considered Blanche’s feelings. He replies that Blanche’s feelings were prideful, and she became disinterested in him after she heard the rumour that he had a small fortune. She finds his principles odd and longs for more affection. He tells Jane that no other woman has purer love than her and asks her if she has another request. She wants him to inform Mrs. Fairfax about their engagement and wants it done before she sees her again, as she was shocked when she saw them together last night. He urges her to prepare for a trip to Millcote, and he’ll accompany her there. He also promises to inform Mrs. Fairfax.
After she dresses for the journey to Millcote, Jane goes to Mrs. Fairfax’s room shortly after Mr. Rochester spoke with her. Mrs. Fairfax is reading her Bible and is surprised when Jane walks in. She faintly smiles and briefly congratulates her, but her smile disappears as she closes her Bible and pushes her chair away. She admits she is astonished and wonders if she has been dreaming. She recalls how she would fall asleep, see her late husband, who died 15 years ago, and call her by her first name, Alice. She asks Jane if Mr. Rochester really did propose to her, and thinks he came in a few minutes ago and says he’ll marry Jane in a month.
Jane replies that Mr. Rochester did propose to her. Mrs. Fairfax says that Mr. Rochester is a proud man, and so is his family. She asks Jane if she was meant to be his wife, and he replies that he told her so. Mrs. Fairfax is bewildered, and Mr. Rochester is about 20 years older than Jane. Jane says he is nothing like her father, and nobody would suspect him of being a young man when they are together. Mrs. Fairfax asks if Mr. Rochester is marrying her for love, and Jane feels hurt by her question as her eyes fill with tears. Mrs. Fairfax says she didn’t mean to make her upset, but since Jane is still young and not fully acquainted with men, Mrs. Fairfax wants her to be cautious. She also warns her about something that is about to come. Jane asks if Mr. Rochester doesn’t love her. Mrs. Fairfax explains to Jane that she is fine and Mr. Rochester is fond of her. However, Mrs. Fairfax has noticed that Jane is more like a pet to Mr. Rochester and wants her to be on guard. She thought this would upset Jane but thought she would still protect herself. She couldn’t tell Jane about her concerns last night and looked for her everywhere, and it wasn’t until midnight that she finally appeared with Mr. Rochester. Jane interrupts her that everything is all right. Mrs. Fairfax hopes all of this will work out but warns Jane to keep her distance from Mr. Rochester and distrust herself from him, as she finds it unaccustomed for wealthy gentlemen to marry their governesses. Jane gets irritated when Adèle runs in and begs her to let her come to Millcote with Mr. Rochester. Jane answers that she will, and they leave together.
The carriage that will take them to Millcote is ready and parked at the front entrance. When Jane appears, Mr. Rochester paces around with Pilot and asks him if Adèle can come, too, but Mr. Rochester refuses. As her thoughts are still over Mrs. Fairfax’s warning and doubtful opinions, she loses power over him until he notices her face and asks her what is wrong. Jane again requests Adèle come along for the trip, and Mr. Rochester relents and allows Adèle to come, too. After Adèle returns and is lifted into the coach, she kisses Jane as thanks for letting her come along, and Jane sits next to her instead of Mr. Rochester. He expresses that he'll send Adèle to school soon and will be alone with Jane on the moon. Adèle doesn't believe his silly claims about living on the moon and thinks Jane will eventually get tired of living there.
As the coach exits Thornfield, Mr. Rochester entertains Adèle the story of how he was sitting on the stile writing and how the fairy, Jane, came to him and was destined to make him happy on the moon. Adèle says she is too old for fairy tales.
When they arrive at Millcote, Mr. Rochester wants Jane to buy six silk wedding dresses at a silk warehouse. She refuses and instead wants two dresses; he will choose them himself. She anxiously watches him as he visits the clothing shops and picks out a silk purple and pink dress. She prefers a gold dress and silver bonnet and doesn't want the outfits of his choice. She persuades him to buy her two new gowns: black satin and pearl silk. Afterwards, he buys her some jewelry at a jewel shop, which makes her more annoyed. As they re-enter the coach, she suddenly remembers her uncle John Eyre's letter of his request to adopt her and make her the heir of his fortune. She finds it a relief if she can live financially independent, as she cannot stand Mr. Rochester dressing her like a doll. When she returns to Thornfield, she will write to her uncle that she will be married soon, and if she becomes his heir, she will be more equal to Mr. Rochester in his social class.
After regaining her composure, she tells Mr. Rochester she wants to wear plain dresses. She also reminds him that if he keeps dressing her in fancy dresses, she will never wear anything he buys for her. She prefers to be married in the lilac gingham dress she’s wearing, and he can make her a pearl silk dress and a black satin waistcoat. He laughs and says she is better than a whole harem. She tells him that if he does want a harem, he could go east and buy some female slaves, as she certainly won’t be one. He asks what he’ll do if he does, and she says she’ll be a missionary, preach to the slaves, and form a rebellion.
Mr. Rochester asks Jane what terms she’ll want in their marriage. She replies that she won’t accept any expensive gifts from him. She still wants to be Adèle’s governess and have her own lodgings with a paid salary. She also wants to buy her own clothes with her money and only wants his regard. Mr. Rochester invites her to dine with him tonight. She refuses as she has never dined with him and won’t do so for a while. He says she should give up her governess salary immediately, and she answers that she will still earn her wages and spend her time with him at night. He tells her she can make her terms now, but he will be in charge once they're married. The coach stops at Thornfield, and Jane goes inside as he helps Adèle out.
That evening, Mr. Rochester summons Jane. She comes prepared and hopes she won’t spend the entire evening talking with him. She has heard he is a good singer, and while she cannot sing herself, she enjoys listening to him sing. She opens the piano and invites Mr. Rochester to sing a song for her, but he prefers to sing another time. She says she finds his singing voice soothing, and he agrees to sing, and she can play the piano. But as she prepares to play, he pushes her aside and will play himself. She sits by a window and gazes outside as he sings a love song about his relationship with her. After he finishes, he approaches her and she doesn’t want to be bothered with more inappropriate affection and teases him about who he will marry now. He replies that it is nobody but her, and she replies that she should wait until her dying day, and he asks if he can make up with her by kissing her. She excuses herself, and he calls her a “hard little thing.”
Mr. Rochester gets irritated, and Jane thinks it’s best if he doesn’t get too sentimental with her, and she prefers they would rather be more verbal. After she bids him goodnight, she quickly leaves by the side door. She finds her approach to him correct, as he came off as irritated, but she sees he was entertained and would be satisfied by sensibility. She also thinks he would get bored of affection quickly. A couple of times during the evening, he would summon her, tease her with nicknames, and pinch and tweak her. However, Jane appreciates Mr. Rochester’s rough handling of her instead of being too affectionate, and Mrs. Fairfax approves her of keeping herself an arm’s length from him. Despite this, Jane still idolizes Mr. Rochester and pictures a brighter future with him.
Jane and Mr. Rochester's Wedding/Mr. Rochester's Secret is Revealed[]
4 weeks have passed, and it is almost Jane and Mr. Rochester’s wedding.[27] All the preparations have been made, and her trunk and belongings, labelled Mrs. Rochester, are ready to be transported to a hotel in London. She is unbelieved by this as she won’t be married until tomorrow morning. Inside her wardrobe is her pearl-silk wedding dress. As she gazes at her dress, she feels feverish and hears the wind blowing. She decides to go outside and feel it.
Outside, she is anxious about something she saw the previous night that she cannot comprehend. Mr. Rochester is attending business at an estate 30 miles away, and she eagerly awaits his return so she can tell him about it. The wind strengthens as she arrives at the orchard and down the laurel path. She is shocked to see the chestnut tree split down to the trunk, and it has been so badly damaged that the sap cannot flow anymore and will likely die quickly by winter.
Jane tells the tree that it did the right thing for its two halves to be attached and that there is still a sign of life, but she knows the tree won’t live much longer. A blood-red moon casts over her and the tree, followed by more wind. Afterwards, she gathers some ripe apples from the orchard and delivers them to the storeroom. Then, she enters the library to kindle the flames and places Mr. Rochester’s armchair by the chimney corner. She draws the table closer to the chair, pulls the curtain and lights the candles. Once she is done, she becomes restless for his arrival, and when the clock strikes ten, she decides to wait for him at the gates.
The strong wind blows through the trees surrounding the gates and starts to rain. Jane starts to cry and wishes he would come, as she has been expecting his arrival by teatime, but he still hasn’t returned. She is worried something has happened to him, but she doesn’t want to return to the house and wait for him while the bad weather rages. She decides to walk down the road toward the estate to meet him there. But when she is a quarter of a mile down the path, she spots Mr. Rochester galloping toward her on his horse with Pilot running by his side. When he spots her, he reaches out and has her mount onto his horse.
Jane mounts onto the saddle, and they ride home. Along the way, Mr. Rochester asks her why she is out here this late, and she replies she is worried he’ll never come and cannot wait for him at the fireside. He notices she looks feverish and has her wear his cloak around her. She will tell him everything when they get home.
They return to Thornfield, and John takes Mr. Rochester's horse. Jane and Mr. Rochester go inside, and he tells her to put some dry clothes on and return to the library. Within 5 minutes, she finds him having supper, and he invites her to eat. She sits near him but tells him she cannot eat. He asks her if this is about their wedding and their honeymoon in London. She replies that everything seems unreal and that he is only a dream. After Mr. Rochester finishes his meal, Jane rings the bell to have a servant remove his tray. Once alone, she stirs the fire and sits on a low seat before him. She says it is almost midnight, and he reminds her to wake him the night before the wedding. She assures him she has kept her promise and she has arranged everything. He says that he has also settled everything, and they will leave Thornfield tomorrow within half an hour after they are married at the local church. He notices something is wrong with her, and she has nothing to tell him how she feels.
He asks her what she fears, such as being his wife or if he won't be a good husband. She replies no and asks him if he was home last night. He says yes and asks if Mrs. Fairfax or the other servants have noticed anything, and he wants her to explain it to him. She says nobody has heard it and tells her story when the clock strikes midnight.
Jane explains that yesterday, she had been busy and not bothered by any worries about being married. She finds it glorious to live with him because she loves him. It was a normal day, and she was pacing on the pavement after tea, thinking about him. At sunset, she went inside, and Sophie called her upstairs to view her wedding dress. She also found the expensive wedding veil he had bought for her in London in a box but decided she would wear the veil she made herself and tease him for buying her expensive wedding clothes.
Mr. Rochester asks her if she has found poison or a knife in her veil, and she replies that she hasn't found anything. As it grew dark and the wind made eerie sounds, she wished he was home, especially when she found his empty armchair by the fireplace. After she goes to bed, she cannot sleep from the wind howling and her anxiety. When she does fall asleep, she dreamt that she was standing on a pathway during a rainstorm, and she held a crying child in her arms. She thought she saw him on the road ahead but couldn't get closer to him as she held the child. He assures her it is just a dream, but their love for each other is real. She affirms that she loves him, and for some reason, it upsets him, and he asks her to tease him instead of being so honest. She says she will tease him when she's done, and he thinks she has already finished her story. She shakes her head and proceeds with her story.
She had a second dream that Thornfield was in ruins, inhabited by bats and owls. She was walking in the ruins carrying the same unknown child when she heard a horse galloping in the distance and thought it was him leaving on his long expedition in another country. She climbed the thin wall to watch him disappear from view. The wind grew stronger, and she sat on the narrow ledge and tried to comfort the crying child. After trying to get a last look, the wall crumbled. The child slipped from her, she lost her balance and fell until she woke up. After waking up, her room was lit by candlelight, and she thought she heard Sophie come in. The closet door containing her wedding dress and veil was opened, and she heard rustling. She called out to Sophie, but there wasn’t an answer. Something came from the closet, and took the candle to view her trunk and honeymoon luggage. Jane got up from bed and leaned forward to look closer but saw it wasn’t Sophie or the other female servants. Mr. Rochester interrupts that it could be one of them, but Jane says she has never seen this woman before at Thornfield. She describes her as a large, tall woman with long, thick, dark hair who wore a white dress. She couldn’t see the woman’s face, but she took her wedding veil, held it up, wore it over her head and gazed into the mirror, where Jane saw a reflection of the woman’s face, a ghastly, pale face with red eyes. Her lips were dark and swollen, and she had black eyebrows. She even described it as a German ghost or a vampire.
Afterwards, Jane watched as the woman tore the wedding veil in half, threw it onto the floor and stomped on it. When dawn approached, she looked out the window and took the candle to the door. She stopped at Jane’s bedside and thrust the candle close to Jane’s face before it was extinguished. Jane remembers fainting after that, and nobody came to revive her. When morning arrived, she woke up, soaking her head and face in water. She is determined not to tell anyone about this except Mr. Rochester.
When she finishes, Jane begs Mr. Rochester about who the mysterious woman is. He assures her it is a nightmarish creature, but she insists the woman is real. He asks her if her previous dreams were real, such as Thornfield in ruins or him leaving her. She replies no, and he assures her he won’t let her have bad dreams once they marry. She wishes she could believe that if only she knew who the strange woman was, and again, he says it was just a nightmare. She says she found her torn-up wedding veil on the floor when she woke up. Mr. Rochester shudders and embraces her, saying he is relieved she wasn’t harmed. Afterwards, he tells her she was half-dreaming and thinks that woman could be Grace, even if Jane insists it wasn’t her. He prefers to tell her more about the strange woman when they have been married for at least a day or a year.
Jane isn’t satisfied with his explanation but pretends to be to make him feel better. She prepares to leave, and Mr. Rochester insists she will sleep with Adèle in the nursery tonight so she will have company. He reminds her to lock the nursery door tightly, and the next morning, she would wake Sophie so she would have time to have breakfast and be dressed before their wedding. He encourages her to get over her terrible thoughts and shows her the lovely evening outside by opening the curtain. The moon is peaceful, and the rain has stopped. She is filled with comfort, and he tells her she will dream of a happy marriage tonight.
Jane doesn’t sleep and holds the sleeping Adèle in her arms all night, waiting for the next day. When morning arrives, Adèle clings to her, but Jane kisses her and loosens her grip so she can leave. She starts crying when she sees that Adèle is a reminder of her past, but she knows that unknown events will happen today.
At 7 o’clock, Sophie helps Jane put on her wedding dress.[28] She takes so long that Mr. Rochester loses his patience and comes in, asking why Jane hasn’t come yet. Sophie places the plain veil on Jane’s head and a brooch in her hair and asks her to look in the mirror. After Jane sees her reflection, Mr. Rochester takes her to the dining room and surveys her wedding dress. He gives her less than 10 minutes to have breakfast and rings a bell for a footman, who informs Mr. Rochester that the carriage is ready and the luggage is being brought down. Mr. Rochester orders him to find Mr. Wood, the priest at the church. There will be no family, friends, or other attendants at the wedding; only the servants will attend. The footman quickly returns and says the clergyman is getting ready, and the horses are being harnessed. Mr. Rochester wants the luggage prepared when they return from the church and asks Jane if she is ready. She goes with him and sees he is in a hurry.
Mr. Rochester hurries Jane to the church and grasps her arm tightly. When they reach the church wicket, he stops and thinks he is being too cruel to her, so he lets her catch her breath. While waiting, Jane spots two strangers roaming in the churchyard before slipping around the corner of the church. She doesn't think they are secretly going to attend the service.
Jane and Mr. Rochester enter the church, where the priest, Mr. Wood, waits with his clerk. The two strangers are spotted in a remote corner and stand by the Rochester family vault. The ceremony begins, and Mr. Wood delivers the wedding vows. After a pause, he asks Mr. Rochester to say his vows when a voice orders the marriage to stop. Mr. Wood and the clerk look to whoever spoke, but Mr. Rochester orders the priest to proceed. Mr. Wood refuses when something is wrong, and the stranger replies that he has some proof. Mr. Rochester stands frigid and holds onto Jane's hand tightly.
Mr. Wood asks what is happening, and the stranger steps forward, saying Mr. Rochester is already married. Jane is stunned, and Mr. Rochester pulls her aside. He asks who it is, and the stranger replies he is Mr. Briggs, a solicitor from London who knows about his current wife's existence. Mr. Rochester demands him to describe her. Mr. Briggs takes a piece of paper and reads that 15 years ago, Mr. Rochester married Bertha Mason, a Creole woman, in Spanish Town, Jamaica. He further reads that the marriage certificate will be placed in the church's registry, and he has a copy, written by Mr. Mason. Mr. Rochester says there may be a genuine document, but he doesn't have proof that his wife is still alive. Mr. Briggs says she was alive 3 months ago, and he has a witness to prove it.
Mr. Mason steps forward. Mr. Rochester is so angry that he is about to fight Mr. Mason. The priest reminds Mr. Rochester that he is in a sacred place and asks if he knows he is still married. Mr. Mason says he last saw Bertha at Thornfield 3 months ago in April; she is also his sister. The priest is outraged since he has lived in the area for years and has never heard of a Mrs. Rochester living at Thornfield. Mr. Rochester says he has tried to keep her hidden away from everybody. After 10 minutes of musing, he declares there won’t be a wedding and orders the priest and clerk to leave. He explains angrily that he has tried to commit bigamy and sees how wrong it is. He confirms that he is already married and his wife still lives. He tells Mr. Wood that he may not have heard of his wife but may have heard the stories of a strange lunatic kept at Thornfield. He says some people think she is his half-sister or his mistress, but he admits to being married to Bertha Mason for 15 years. He explains that Bertha is insane, as madness runs in her family, and he wasn't aware of her condition until he married her. He orders everyone to return to Thornfield to see what his wife is really like and emphasizes that Jane didn't know about his previous marriage and thought the wedding was legal.
Mr. Rochester grabs Jane's hand and leaves the church with the three men. The carriage is at the front of Thornfield, and Mr. Rochester orders John to send it away. At the entrance, Mrs. Fairfax, Sophie, Adèle and Leah congratulate them, but Mr. Rochester demands them to stop. While holding Jane’s hand, they ascend the stairs to the first floor and into the hallway, with the gentlemen following. They walk up to the third floor, where the tapestries, cabinet and bedroom are located. He tells Mr. Mason that his sister stabbed and bit him in this room before showing a second door behind hangings on the wall. Inside the door is a room without a window, and Grace is standing by a fire cooking in a saucepan. A figure growls and runs on all fours at the room's far end. It wears white clothing, and long, dark hair covers its face.
Mr. Rochester greets Grace and asks about her patient. Grace says she is fine. The figure screams when she sees him and stands up, prompting Grace to tell him to leave. Mr. Rochester only wants a few minutes, and Grace wishes him good luck. The figure bellows as she gazes at the visitors. Jane immediately recognizes her. Mr. Mason says they should leave, and Mr. Rochester tells him to go to hell. The three men step back as the figure charges at Mr. Rochester, grabbing his throat and biting his cheek. He wrestles with her until Grace helps him tie her to a chair. He introduces Bertha to the men, places his hand on Jane’s shoulder, and says he wants her instead of his wife. He demands that Mr. Briggs and Mr. Wood consider the kind of marriage he would have with Bertha and compare her to Jane.
Everyone leaves as Mr. Rochester stays behind to give instructions to Grace. After he descends the stairs, Mr. Briggs tells Jane she is lucky she has been cleared of blame, as her uncle would be relieved when Mr. Mason returns to Madeira. He says her uncle and Mr. Mason have been friends for several years. Mr. Eyre had been staying in Madeira to improve his health when he received Jane’s letter that she might marry Mr. Rochester, and Mr. Mason was with him then. Since Mr. Mason knew Mr. Rochester, he told about his secret marriage to Mr. Eyre, who is now dying and might not live long enough to travel to England to break the news to her, so he told Mr. Mason to go and stop the bigamy. Mr. Briggs says he has accompanied Mr. Mason and is thankful they aren’t too late. He tells her that her uncle might be dead before she can travel to Madeira to see him. He advises her to accompany Mr. Mason back but decides she should stay in England until further notice. Mr. Briggs and Mr. Mason leave, while the priest exchanges words before leaving.
Jane goes to her room and locks her door. She tries not to cry as she removes her wedding gown and puts on the dress she wore yesterday. She sits down fatigued, and lays her head on the table, trying to think about everything that happened. Everything has been quiet from that day until now, and she imagines herself as a lonely woman again after all her hopes and dreams have been crushed. While she still loves Mr. Rochester, she doesn’t know if she can trust him again and decides to leave Thornfield immediately. She closes her eyes as she thinks of a prayer but cannot think of anything to say. All she is feeling is anguish and depression.
In the afternoon, Jane raises her head and watches the sun setting from her window. She asks herself what she should do now, and her prompt answer from her mind is to leave Thornfield immediately.[29] A voice in her mind keeps persuading her to leave Mr. Rochester, and she realizes she has been locked in her room all day without eating. Nobody else, including Adèle and Mrs. Fairfax, came in to see her or invited her downstairs. She unlocks her door and steps out, feeling dizzy and faint. She is about to collapse, but Mr. Rochester catches her, who is sitting in a chair across her room. He tells her he has been waiting for her outside her room for so long, but she hardly cried or made any sounds. He says he didn’t mean to hurt her like this and asks if she will forgive him. In her mind, she has already forgiven him.
Mr. Rochester asks her if he has been a scoundrel, and she replies yes. But she also wants some water, so he carries her downstairs. She can feel the warmth of a fire as she has been cold inside her room but doesn’t know where he’s taking her. He places her in his chair in the library and gives her some wine, which revives her. Again, she thinks about leaving him, which she finds hard to do. She tells him she is feeling better and drinks the wine again. He looks at her attentively and then tries to kiss her, but she turns away. He understands why she rejects him because he is still married to Bertha but still wants to talk with her. He tells her that because he’s a married man, she will distance herself from him and would stay at Thornfield as Adèle’s governess and that she nearly became his mistress.
Jane replies that she wants Adèle to have a new governess, but Mr. Rochester suggests that Adèle will go to school, as he already has it planned. He regrets having Jane brought to Thornfield and had the servants keep Bertha’s presence a secret from her, as he thinks that no governesses would stay at Thornfield because of Bertha. He even considered sending Bertha to his second home, Ferndean Manor, where she’ll be confined safely. But he is afraid to send her there as the building is too damp and unhealthy for her.
Mr. Rochester decides to shut up Thornfield and pay Grace £200 a year to live here with Bertha. Grace would also have her son to keep her company, who works as a keeper, while Bertha would be allowed to wreak havoc around the house. Jane finds it cruel that he is being hateful to Bertha, as she can’t help it being insane. He assures her it’s not what she thinks, and if she were insane, he would still look after her and never abandon her to other people. But since Jane doesn’t appear happy at Thornfield, he declares that tonight will be her last night here, and she’ll leave Thornfield forever. She tells him to take Adèle, but he wants her to come, not Adèle.
Jane stares at the fire, and Mr. Rochester demands her to say something, to the point when he threatens to be violent. She coaxes him to sit down and talk it through. When he sits with her, she starts weeping, and he hopes her tears will irritate him as he doesn’t like seeing her cry. He consoles her, saying he isn’t angry and her sadness is too much to endure. After they calm down, he asks her if she’s upset because she wants his rank and wealth, not his love. She feels insulted and says she really does love him but cannot indulge in it anymore. He asks her if she will still be cold to him if she lives with him. She reminds him he may be furious by her answer, but she wants to leave him. He assumes she will leave him for a few minutes, but she says she wants to leave Thornfield forever and start her new life elsewhere.
Mr. Rochester convinces her to be his “virtual” wife, and they will travel to his villa in southern France. He promises her she will be happy with him and not be his mistress. Jane shakes her head and refuses, saying he still has a wife, and she would have to live with him as his mistress, and everything they say will be a lie. He laments how he has always told her he wasn’t married. He then wants to tell his story for a few moments and asks her if he has once told her he had a brother and a controlling father. She replies that Mrs. Fairfax earlier mentioned his brother but not his father.
Mr. Rochester explains that his father, Old Mr. Rochester, didn’t want to divide his fortune, so he left all his wealth to his older brother Rowland. However, Old Mr. Rochester wanted his younger son, Edward, to be wealthy and married, so he arranged a marriage with the Mason family in Jamaica, whose father was his long-time friend and business partner. Edward would be offered £30,000 if he married their daughter, Bertha.
After Mr. Rochester finished college, he was sent to Jamaica to be introduced to Bertha, and both families thought they would be a perfect match. Bertha was beautiful, but he only saw her briefly at parties. He admired her beauty, even though he didn’t know her. After they were married, he learned Bertha’s mother was insane and kept in an asylum. Two of her brothers also suffered from mental illness. His father and brother knew this but only cared about his fortune. The couple lived in Jamaica for 4 years, but he cannot stand Bertha’s hot temper and violent outbursts. After the deaths of his father and brother, he inherited the family fortune and property. He even wanted to divorce Bertha because of her behaviour but couldn’t when she was diagnosed as insane.
He pauses his story and asks Jane if she wants to hear the rest tomorrow, and she urges him to keep going. He was hopeless in his marriage, as she was older than him, and he could not separate himself from her. Then, one stormy night, he decided he had had enough of this life after her yells and curses awakened him. He considered suicide but decided to return to England and keep Bertha confined in Thornfield and travel around Europe, keeping his marriage a secret from everyone in England.
Bertha had been locked in the Thornfield attic for 10 years and had difficulty finding an attendant to look after her until he hired Grace Poole. Only Grace and Mr. Carter (the doctor who treated Mr. Mason’s wounds) knew about Bertha’s existence. But Bertha was cunning and manages to slip past Grace and escape the attic to cause mischief, such as attacking Mr. Mason, setting Mr. Rochester’s bed on fire, and tearing Jane’s wedding veil in her room.
Jane asks him where he went after locking Bertha away. Mr. Rochester replies that he had drifted across Europe, hoping to marry another woman despite having a wife. He tells her she has always made him happy, and she questions him about what happened next. He explains that he travelled to various European cities for 10 years but was disappointed when he failed to find romance with any women he met, so he tried having mistresses instead. His first choice was Cèline Varens, followed by an Italian named Giacinta and a German named Clara. None of these women were with him for very long.
Jane disapproves of him having mistresses, and he says he couldn't help it but now regrets it. She even dreads becoming his next mistress as he continues his story. He returned to England depressed and lonely, and he met Jane when he rode home to Thornfield. He watched her play with Adèle in the hallway and waited until the evening so he could talk with her. He was immediately attracted to her and was glad to learn that she was living at Thornfield as Adèle's governess. The next day, he spied on her as she did her drawing in the schoolroom. He enjoyed what he had seen and wondered what kind of person she would see in him, as he had already become so fond of her. She begs him to stop talking about the past as her eyes fill with tears.
Mr. Rochester considers her to be his true love and his perfect soulmate. He wants her to understand that he doesn't have a wife despite Bertha and makes her promise to be his wife instead. There is a silent pause, and she won't promise him. He asks if she is going to leave him. She replies that she is, and he wants her to imagine how miserable he will be if she leaves him alone with Bertha. Jane tells him he should trust God and himself, as she wants him to live a tranquil life. He reminds her that she will only be doing wrong if she stays with him and breaks a social rule, as she doesn't have any living relatives who would be upset or angered by her choice. She realizes that her respect for herself only matters now, and she needs to keep her principles.
When Jane tells Mr. Rochester about this, he gets angry and grasps her in his arms, frustrated that he doesn't have the strength to overpower her. She looks into his eyes, and his grip loosens. He admits he will never have a part of her. He's interested in her virtue and purity. He lets go of her and looks at her dumbfounded. Again, he convinces her to stay with him, but she refuses. He urges her to go to her room and think it over. Afterwards, he buries his face on a sofa and bursts into tears. She is about to leave but returns to kiss his cheek and smooth his hair. She blesses him for being a kind employer, and he cries that he is heartbroken. He tries to embrace her, but she backs away, saying goodbye to him before leaving.
That night, Jane dreams she is inside the red room at Gateshead. She sees the gleaming light in the room, and the ceiling turns into a night sky with the moon. She watches the moon's spirit approach her and transform into her mother, who urges her daughter to flee temptation. When dawn approaches, Jane gets up and puts on her bonnet, shawl, slippers and purse containing her last 20 shillings. While rummaging through her drawer, she finds the pearl necklace Mr. Rochester gifted her but doesn't take it. She quietly leaves her bedroom and says farewell to Mrs. Fairfax as she passes by her room and then to Adèle when she walks past the nursery. She pauses at Mr. Rochester's door and knows he is not sleeping but pacing around in his room. She quietly says she will love him until her death and imagines him heartbroken when he realizes she has left him.
Jane goes downstairs and unlocks the side door in the kitchen with some oil. She gathers some bread and water, exits the kitchen, and quietly closes the door behind her. Dawn is slowly approaching, and the Thornfield gates are locked. She leaves through a gate in the wicket.
Jane Runs Away from Thornfield[]
Jane notices a road to Millcote but has never taken that direction before. The sun rises as she walks down the path, and she even considers returning to Thornfield and staying with Mr. Rochester, but she knows she can't go back now. She cries as she walks along until she faints and thinks she will die. But she wakes up a few minutes later, crawls until she reaches the road, and rests under a hedge until she hears a coach approaching. The coach stops, and she asks where it's going. The driver says it is going a long distance that she thinks is far away from Thornfield. The driver also says it will cost her 30 shillings to go there, but she only has 20 shillings. After the coachman accepts her payment, she enters the empty coach, and it drives away.
2 days later, Jane is in the town of Whitcross.[30] The coach couldn't take her further away for the sum she had paid him, and she has no money left. It is a summer evening, and she is now on her own. Whitcross isn't a town but a crossroad where four roads meet. The nearest town is 10 miles away, while the other is 20 miles away. Both towns are in the moors, but nobody is seen on the pathways. It is getting dark, and she knows she can't go any further now. She is also afraid of being spotted by strangers and questioning why she is doing here by herself. She walks into a heath and finds a moss-covered granite crag at a hidden angle. She sits under it but fears being spotted and wonders where to go. She touches the heath, which is dry and warm from the summer day. She finds some ripe berries to eat with her bread and says her evening prayers but cannot sleep from her worries about Mr. Rochester and the wind howling. After praying for Mr. Rochester's health and safety under the protection of God, she falls asleep.
She wakes up early the next morning and sees a beautiful, hot day. She gets up and returns to Whitcross, where she walks down one of the roads. After walking for a long time, she rests on a stone when she hears a church bell ringing. She sees it leads to a small village, and she arrives at a bakery when she gets there. She is hungry for some bread but doesn’t have money. She decides to try to trade in her silk handkerchief and gloves for food and enters the bakery. The shopkeeper spots her, and Jane is too ashamed to try bartering. Instead, she asks for permission to have a seat to rest. After her request is accepted, Jane sits down but feels like crying. She asks the shopkeeper for job opportunities in the area, and the woman says there are two or three. Jane reflects that she needs to find a job and asks if any servant jobs are needed, but the shopkeeper doesn't know. The shopkeeper then says jobs are available at a needle factory and foundry, but they only hire men. When some locals come in and want her seat, she leaves.
Jane wanders around the village for over an hour. She looks at the houses but can't think of a reason to go inside. After resting under a hedge, she finds a pretty little house surrounded by a garden. She knocks on the door, and a friendly young woman answers it. Jane asks if servant jobs are available, but the woman says they don't have servants. Jane asks for other job opportunities nearby, but the woman says she can't help her and closes the door. Jane even hoped she left the door open longer for her to beg for some food.
Jane wants to rest in the nearby forest but can't because she is fatigued and hungry. As the afternoon passes, she crosses a plain field until she finds a parsonage next to a church. She remembers that clergymen often advise and care for lone strangers and decides she'll do just that. After summing up her courage, she knocks on the kitchen door, and an elderly woman answers it. Jane asks if the clergyman is home, but the woman says he has been called out of town and will return in a fortnight.
She walks away, thinks about some bread and pastries, and returns to the bakery. When she gets there, she offers to trade in her handkerchief and gloves for some food, but the shopkeeper refuses. Jane keeps walking, and when it gets dark, she passes by a farmhouse where a farmer is sitting at his door, eating some bread and cheese. She asks him for a piece of bread, and after looking at her in surprise, he gives her a thick slice of bread without saying anything. As soon as she is far away from the house, she sits down and eats her bread. She tries to sleep in the forest, but the ground is damp, and the air is cold. She also keeps moving so nobody finds her. When morning arrives, it is raining, and she is drenched. She wanders around trying to find work but cannot find any jobs. She finds a cottage, and a young girl is about to toss some leftover porridge into a pig feeding trough. Jane asks if she can have some porridge, and the girl's mother advises her to give it to Jane if she's a beggar. Jane eats it ravenously as soon as the girl offers the cold porridge to her.
Meeting the Rivers’[]
Jane walks down a bridle path and soliloquies she should give up and succumb to hunger and fatigue. She is now wandering in the moorland countryside outside the village. She walks toward a hill and reflects that she would rather die there than on an open road. After finding a hollow, she is about to sleep when she sees a light shining in the distance. She assumes it is a candle or a bonfire but sees it is too far away and knows nobody will help her there. She goes to sleep, but the cold wind keeps howling until it starts to rain. The distant light is still there when she wakes up, though it is dim from the rain. She decides to go towards it anyway and tirelessly walks over a hill and through the bog. She falls twice but is still determined to keep going. As she approaches the light, she can see a stone wall and a high hedge. She then sees it is a gate surrounded by shrubs, and after passing through it, she sees a silhouette of a house, but the light stops shining. She assumes the inhabitants went to bed, but when she looks through a small latticed window, she can see a room inside, which includes a sanded floor, a chestnut dresser, a clock, a white table and some chairs with a burning fireplace. A candle burns on the table, and an elderly woman sits by the candle, knitting a stocking.
Two beautiful young women are sitting close together reading. One is on a rocking chair, and the other is on a stool. They are wearing black mourning clothes, and a large, old pointer dog rests next to one of the women while a black cat sleeps on the other's lap. Jane assumes the women are the daughters of the old woman knitting, and as she listens to them, she sees the women are using dictionaries along with the books they are reading and are translating them from German. Jane learns the women's names are Mary and Diana, and they converse with the woman named Hannah about learning the German language. They decide it is almost bedtime and wonder when someone they address as St. John will return. The women assume he will return shortly and ask Hannah to tend the fire.
Hannah opens the door, where Jane can see a dimly lit passage and the stirring of the fire. Hannah tells Mary and Diana about missing someone she thinks is now in a better place, and one of them mentions that the father just died. Jane assumes Hannah is their servant. Mary and Diana are slender, fair women. Mary has pale brown curls that are smoothly braided, and Diana has long, thick curls. As the clock strikes ten, Hannah wants the women to have their supper and save some for St. John. Hannah cooks the meal, and the women are about to leave the parlour.
Jane has become so interested in Mary and Diana, but she remembers that she is starving and destitute that she doubts they can help her now, but she will still try anyway. She knocks on the door, and Hannah answers it. Jane says she wants to speak to one of her mistresses and needs food and shelter for the night. Hannah tells her she'll give her some bread, but she cannot stay here. Jane begs to speak to one of the mistresses, and she has nowhere else to go. Hannah will give her a penny if she leaves, but Jane says she cannot survive on a penny and begs to be let inside. Hannah again refuses, shuts the door, and locks it.
Too exhausted and hungry to leave, Jane collapses onto the doorstep and cries bitterly, waiting for God to decide what will happen to her. She hears someone approaching, and she calls out who is there. A man spots her and comes to her aid. He knocks on the door, and Hannah answers it. She addresses him as St. John. Hannah sees that Jane is still there and orders her to leave, but St. John tells Jane to get up and follow him into the house. She gets up and walks into the bright kitchen, where Hannah, Mary and Diana gaze at her and ask about her. St. John says she is fatigued and needs to rest. Jane is about to faint but is placed in a chair. She learns that Mary and Diana are St. John’s sisters.
The women are shocked to see Jane famished and pale. Diana gives her a piece of bread dipped in milk and encourages her to eat while Mary removes her bonnet. Jane ravenously devours the bread until St. John takes it away. When they ask her name, she quickly thinks of a pseudonym and replies that she is Jane Elliott. They ask her who her friends are and if she needs them, but she is silent. She notices that she doesn’t feel lonely and she is in the company of some kind strangers. She tells St. John she can’t give him more details tonight, and Diana asks if she must leave again. Jane smiles and tells Diana she will trust her and allows the family to do what they like with her. After the siblings survey her, St. John orders Hannah to let Jane stay and give her more bread and milk. Then, he orders his sisters to the parlour so they can have a discussion. The siblings leave, and one of the sisters gives orders to Hannah, who helps Jane up the staircase, undresses her wet clothes and is given a warm bed in a spare room to sleep in.
For the next 3 days, Jane lies unconscious in her bed and hears someone come in and out of the spare bedroom.[31]Hannah is frequently with her, while Mary and Diana visit her twice a day. Jane would hear Mary and Diana talking, and they mention that Jane could be well-educated from her accent, appearance, and clothes. She doesn’t hear them express regret for taking her in, which makes her relieved and comfortable. St. John came to see her once, thinking she was lethargic from extended fatigue. He doesn’t call a doctor and wants her to rest. Diana wants her to stay permanently, but St. John thinks she has friends who miss her and would try to contact them. When he analyzes Jane’s facial features, he finds her sensible and plain.
On the fourth day, Jane is able to speak and sit up in her bed. She eats some gruel and toast Hannah has brought her, which tastes better than the other foods she had previously eaten and relieves her. She wants to get out of bed but only has the clothing she wore while alone in the countryside. However, she sees that her clothes are on a chair and are dry and clean. Her black silk dress hangs on the wall, with the bog washed off and the creases smoothed. Her shoes and stockings are also clean. After she washes herself and brushes her hair, she puts on her clothes and heads downstairs.
Jane walks into the kitchen, where she finds Hannah baking some bread. She is surprised to see Jane fully recovered and asks her to sit in her rocking chair, but she is still suspicious of her. While taking the bread out of the oven, she asks Jane if she’s a beggar. This question annoys Jane, but she quietly replies that she is not a beggar but is well-educated and is able to earn her keep. She also hopes to find work again. She notices the gooseberries Hannah will use to make pies and asks if she can do some berry-picking. Hannah relents and gives her a clean towel to spread over her dress. Hannah assumes Jane is a dressmaker, but Jane isn’t interested in her questions and asks about the house and its residents. Hannah explains it’s called Moor House or Marsh End. St. John is a parson who only stays at home for a while, and when he is at home, he attends his parish in Morton, located a few miles away. She also explains that St. John, Mary, and Diana are siblings whose surname is Rivers. Their mother has been dead for years, and their father just died 3 weeks ago of a stroke. Hannah has been the family’s servant for 30 years and nursed all 3 children when they were young.
Jane then rebukes Hannah for thinking she is poor, nearly turning her away. Hannah says she has been mistaken in her thoughts and apologizes. Jane even reminds Hannah that Christians don’t consider poverty a crime and they agree to be friends. While Jane picks the berries, Hannah brings up her deceased employers. Mr. Rivers was a plain gentleman who was descended from an ancient family. The Rivers family had lived at Marsh End for nearly 200 years and were once well-off. His wife was highly educated and taught her children to enjoy learning. Since Mr. Rivers lost his fortune from his failed business deal with a friend, his children were obliged to work to support themselves. St. John would attend college and become a parson, while Mary and Diana would work as governesses once they finished school. The sisters taught at noble families in further distances, including London. They had recently returned home for their father's funeral and would stay for a few weeks. However, the Rivers siblings love their home more than anything else.
After she finishes berry-picking, Jane asks where the Rivers siblings are now. Hannah replies that they are out for a walk but should be back in half an hour. Before long, they arrive home and enter through the kitchen door. St. John bows to Jane, and Diana invites Jane to have tea with them in the parlour. Jane insists she wants to stay in the kitchen until she relents when the sisters say Hannah will be a distraction and the fire too hot for her. Jane sits on the parlour sofa and is left alone with St. John while Diana leaves to prepare the tea.
The parlour is a small, neat room with polished furniture, antique portraits, a glass cupboard containing books and an old set of china. Everything in the room is old and preserved, except for some workboxes and a writing desk. St. John is sitting opposite Jane and reading a newspaper. She sees he is a tall, slender man around 30 years old. He also has blue eyes, brown hair, and a stern expression. He reads the paper without talking to Jane until his sisters return, with Diana serving Jane some cake and urging her to eat. While Jane eats her cake, St. John stops reading and looks at her. He sees that she is hungry and hasn’t eaten for 3 days. He says he will write to her friends when she tells him where they live, and she will be sent home.
Jane says she has no home or friends. The siblings look at her curiously, and St. John asks her if she has no connections, and she confirms it. St. John is surprised she is isolated that young and asks her if she has been married. Diana assumes she is over 18 years old. Jane replies that she is almost 19 years old and has never married. She feels agitated when she mentions marriage. St. John leans closer to her and asks where she last lived. Jane refuses to tell him and prefers to keep it a secret. St. John says he can’t help her if she doesn’t know her history, but she only wants to find a job. St. John agrees to help her find work, and Jane thanks him and his sisters for their hospitality. She explains her backstory and reveals to St. John that Jane Elliot isn’t her real name, but she doesn’t want to reveal it yet since she is afraid of being discovered. Diana tells St. John that Jane still needs to fully regain her strength.
St. John tells Jane she is welcome to live with them, and Jane begs him to find her a job and a house. Mary and Diana are happy that she will live with them, while St. John is more interested in empowering her to live independently. Jane says she will do anything to work, from a dressmaker to a servant. St. John promises to find her a job and returns to his reading. Jane then leaves to have some rest.
Life at Morton[]
A few days later, Jane fully regains her strength and is strong enough to walk.[32]She has become more friendly with Mary and Diana and spends much time with them, including reading, drawing and going for walks. She has also appreciated Moor House and the scenery it's surrounded by. Diana has also started to teach her German. She doesn't have a special bond with St. John, as he is often absent from home and visits the poor and sick in his parish. Every morning, he leaves to attend to his duties while accompanied by the Rivers' dog, Carlo. Whether the weather is bad, his sisters try to persuade him to stay, but he refuses and must continue his tasks. He is too cold and reserved to bond with. He is often distant when he's home and is also unhappy. One day, Jane hears him deliver a sermon at his church in Morton. The sermon starts calmly and becomes so powerful and intense that it makes her emotional.
A month later, Mary and Diana prepare to leave home to work as governesses. St. John still hasn't mentioned any job offers for Jane. She becomes so desperate that she finds him in the parlour one morning and asks if he has found her work. He tells her he found her a job 3 weeks ago, but since she had become so attached to his sisters, he decided to wait to tell her until his sisters' departure within 3 days. Afterwards, he and Hannah will return to the parsonage in Morton, and Moor House will be locked up. She impatiently waits for him to bring up the subject, but he becomes lost in thought. She asks him again if he has found her a job, and he tells her about his family's poverty. Because he's poor, he cannot find her a great, high-paying job, and after a pause, he hopes she will accept the only offer he has for her, which is only temporary. Now that his father is dead, he will have to leave Moor House within a year. He explains that he is Morton's clergyman, and when he first arrived 2 years ago, there was no school, and the children of poor families were uneducated. He had established a school for boys and wants to open a second school for girls. A cottage for the schoolteacher will be attached to the girls' school, and her salary will be £30 a year. Miss Oliver, the daughter of a wealthy gentleman who owns a factory and part of St. John's parish, has furnished the cottage. She has also paid for clothes and education for a workhouse orphan and wants to work alongside the schoolteacher at the school her father has funded. He then asks Jane if she will take this job.
Jane agrees to accept the offer and thanks St. John. He reminds her that her female students are poor, and she will teach them reading, writing, mathematics, knitting and sewing. Now that she has accepted the job position, he will open the school next week. But when he gets up to leave, he suspects she is ambitious and won't stay in Morton for long.
Mary and Diana are sad when the day of their departure approaches. They lament losing their father and are about to leave their brother and home. At that moment, St. John arrives with a letter and announces that their uncle John has died. The sisters are shocked but suddenly overjoyed when they read the letter. St. John locks the letter on his desk and leaves.
Jane is confused by their unexpected relief. Diana explains that her uncle was her mother's brother, but he and their father quarrelled for years and never reconciled. The uncle never married, and he had a fortune of £20,000 that he wanted to give to another relative. Old Mr. Rivers had wanted to make up for his mistakes and offer most of his possessions to his children. They would each have enough money to buy some mourning rings, and Diana hopes the fortune would make them more well-off. Afterwards, Diana drops the subject, and her siblings don't mention anything else. Jane leaves for Morton the next day, and Mary and Diana leave the day after. A week later, St. John and Hannah move to the parsonage and Moor House is locked up.
Jane's new home is a small cottage with white-washed walls and a sanded floor with only a kitchen and an upstairs bedroom.[33]One night, she dismisses an orphan she hires as her servant for free and sits at the hearth. That morning, she opened the schoolhouse for girls and had 20 students. Only 3 girls can read, and none of the students can write. Only several girls can knit, and very few know sewing. The students also speak a local dialect, so Jane had difficulty understanding them. In addition, most of the girls are rude, while the others are friendly and eager to learn. While Jane knows that many of her students are from local, poor peasant families, she is determined to give them a good education. However, she feels dismayed that she feels degraded for teaching a class who are part of lower social status, but she hopes she will make some progress in her teaching job within a few weeks, even if it makes her depressed. She even asks herself if she is better off living as Mr. Rochester's mistress or struggling with her teaching job.
She gets up and looks at the hills and the nearby village near her cottage and school outside the front door and can see Vale Hall, where Mr. Oliver, one of St. John's members of his parish, lives with his daughter. Jane starts to cry until she hears a noise at the gate that opens near the garden. It is St. John and his dog Carlo. St. John says he has only come to deliver Jane a parcel that contains a colour box, pencils and paper as a welcome gift. Jane is happy to accept the parcel, and St. John asks if her first day teaching at the school was hard. Jane replies that it wasn't so bad and hopes she will get along with her students. St. John then asks if she's disappointed with her accommodations, but Jane interrupts by saying that the cottage is clean, the furniture is sufficient, and she's happy with her lodgings. She admits that 5 weeks ago, she was an outcast and a beggar, and now she's grateful she has a home and job. She also doesn't mind living alone and appreciates the sense of tranquillity.
St. John is glad that Jane is satisfied with her new life but counsels that she should control her emotions and overcome her desire to return to whatever she left behind within a few months. Afterwards, he talks about how a year ago, he was miserable from regretting his decision to join the ministry and longed to have a different career than being a parson. It wasn’t until he had received word from God that he should become a missionary. His father was against his choice to be a missionary, but now that he is dead, there are some obstacles in his way. He will not have to settle some affairs, such as finding a successor before he departs for the East.
At that moment, a young woman appears and greets St. John. When she pets Carlo, Jane sees she is a beautiful woman with angelic features. She is Rosamund Oliver, the daughter of a wealthy owner of the town’s needle factory, and is paying Jane her salary. She tells St. John that her father told her about the new school and teacher, and she came over to meet her. She turns to Jane and asks what she thinks about her school, students and cottage. Jane replies that they are all fine, and Rosamund offers to help her teach at her school sometimes. Rosamund tries to converse with St. John, which makes him blush, and she wishes that Carlo would be friendlier with her. She invites St. John to her family’s home at Vale Hall, as her father is lonely after working and wants his company. St. John refuses, and Rosamund assumes he is miserable after he shut up Moor House and his sisters left home. Rosamund then bids Jane and St. John goodbye before she heads home. Jane asks St. John if something is wrong, and he replies that he is fine before he leaves her.
Jane keeps teaching at her school. While it is difficult at first, she manages to make some progress.[34]She starts to see past her students’ manners and becomes fond of them, with her students appreciating and respecting her. They also start making progress in their studies, which pleases Jane. In addition, her students’ families and everyone else in the community respect and adore her. Whenever Jane goes out, many of them will greet her warmly.
While Jane is grateful for all the attention she’s receiving, she still has strange dreams about Mr. Rochester, which torments her, even when she wakes up. But by 9 o’clock in the morning, she is tranquil again when she opens her school. Rosamund regularly visits Jane at the school, often in the morning when St. John teaches the students about religion and the Bible. He would blush and react angrily whenever Rosamund was present. Miss Oliver knows he is in love with her, and she would pout about it.
Rosamund also visits Jane frequently in her cottage. Jane thinks she is demanding but not too bad, even considering to be like Adèle but as an adult. In addition, Rosamund appreciates her and thinks she is a lot like St. John. One evening, Rosamund rummages through Jane’s kitchen and discovers French and German books, along with Jane’s sketches, which include drawings of one of her students and a scenic view of the Vale of Morton. Rosamund is fascinated, and Jane agrees to sketch her portrait. Afterwards, she tells her it’s getting late and that she should come the next day for another sketch but promises to watercolour it. The next evening, Rosamund returns with her father, Mr. Oliver, who is kind to Jane, and his daughter’s portrait impresses him. He insists that Jane finish it and invites her to spend the evening at Vale Hall.
The next evening, Jane arrives at Vale Hall, and the Olivers are happy she has come. After tea, Jane converses with Mr. Oliver, and he and Rosamund think she is smart enough to be a governess. Mr. Oliver discusses that St. John has wealthy, ancient ancestors who owned all of Morton. But he thinks St. John is wasting his life away by becoming a missionary. Jane learns that Mr. Oliver respects St. John’s family background and is interested in making a fortune if his daughter marries St. John.
It is early November, and Jane is given a holiday off. After her young servant cleans her cottage, she reads and sketches when St. John arrives. He has come to check up on her during her holiday off from teaching and gives her a book of poetry to read. While she looks at the book, St. John views her drawing and is shocked. She thinks this has something to do with Rosamund and makes him talk about it. She tries to invite him to sit down, but he doesn’t answer her, so she asks him what the portrait resembles to him. He assumes it is Rosamund, and murmurs that the portrait looks just like her.
Jane asks him if he would like a copy of the portrait to take during his missionary travels. Knowing St. John might be in love with Rosamund, she decides to put this to the test by asking him about it. He seems fond of the portrait, and she encourages him to have the original, then tells him that Rosamund loves him, as she always cares about him, and her father respects him. She even asks him if he could marry her. He takes out his watch and says he’ll discuss her for 15 minutes. He admits that he is in love with Rosamund and imagines his life with her, but says that she won’t be his most suitable missionary wife. Jane convinces him he should give up being a missionary, but he refuses, as it is more important to him and has been highly anticipated for it. She warns him that he will waste himself away, and he replies that it is just his worries. His successor wants to start his new post in 3 months, but St. John thinks it may be longer.
Jane points out that he is always nervous whenever he is in Rosamund’s presence. He argues that he is different from her, as he is cold-hearted and only cares about his ambitions. He takes his hat and prepares to leave but has another look at the portrait while trembling and then leaves. Jane inspects the painting closely, ponders about St. John’s mysterious feelings for Rosamund, and then forgets it.
Jane Receives a Fortune/St. John’s Proposal[]
Soon after St. John leaves, it starts to snow heavily all night. The next day, the whole valley is covered in thick snow, and a massive snowstorm occurs.[35]Jane barricades the door and window from the snow coming in and reads the poetry book St. John gave her by a lit candle. St. John then barges in, saying he has struggled to walk through the snowdrifts to find her and insists he is fine from yesterday, although he doesn’t give her an exact answer as to why he’s here. Jane is alarmed by his sudden arrival and that he is acting strangely again. He wishes his sisters would live with her as he thinks she is lonely, but Jane says she is fine living on her own. She resumes reading but then glances at him, taking out a pocketbook and reading a letter silently.
She asks if he has heard from Mary and Diana, and he replies that he hasn’t heard from them since he received the letter last week. He also doesn’t expect to leave the country anytime soon. She then changes the subject and talks about her students, such as receiving 4 new students and Mr. Oliver's plans to give the girls a treat for Christmas, as it was Rosamund’s suggestion. The clock strikes eight, and St. John invites her near to the fire. He says he discovered a story half an hour ago and wants to tell it to her.
St. John explains that 20 years ago, a poor clergyman fell in love with a wealthy gentleman’s daughter, and they married, even though her family told her not to marry him. They were disowned shortly after their wedding and died less than two years later. He even mentions that he has discovered their grave in a churchyard in a manufacturing town. Their young, orphaned daughter was then brought to Gateshead Hall, where she was raised by her aunt, Mrs. Reed. After living at Gateshead for 10 years, the girl was transferred to Lowood School. She later became a teacher and governess to Mr. Rochester’s young ward at Thornfield Hall. Jane interrupts him in surprise, but St. John wants her to let him finish. Mr. Rochester later proposed to the girl, but at their wedding altar, she discovered he has an insane wife he kept confined in the attic. The next night, the governess left Thornfield, and nobody could find her or how she left. They even tried looking for her as they wanted to tell her something important. St. John says he received a letter from Mr. Briggs, a solicitor, with details about the story.
Jane asks about Mr. Rochester and if he is well. St. John replies that the letter doesn’t mention anything about him, and he convinces her to figure out who the governess is. She asks who has the letters, and he replies that Alice Fairfax has written them. Jane is dismayed that Mr. Rochester is depressed and travelling in Europe again. St. John assumes Mr. Rochester is a bad man, and Jane denies this. He decides to reveal the governess’s name himself as he opens his pocketbook, takes out a piece of paper that she recognizes, and sees her name written in her own handwriting. St. John says that Mr. Briggs has told him about a woman named Jane Eyre, and he asks her if that is her real name. She confirms it is and asks where Mr. Briggs is. St. John replies that he is in London and more interested in her than Mr. Rochester. He then tells her that her uncle, John Eyre, is dead, and he has left his entire fortune to her, making her a wealthy woman.
She is surprised and in disbelief that she wished to meet her uncle John Eyre, only to receive a fortune from him after his death. She asks St. John how much money she has received, and he replies £20,000. She wonders if this was a mistake; he says it isn’t. He gets up and prepares to leave, saying he would send Hannah to Jane’s house to keep her company if today was dreary. But when he is about to walk out, Jane asks him why Mr. Briggs wrote about her and how they figured out her true identity. St. John is reluctant to say anything, and she insists he tell her now. He gives in and reveals his full name is St. John Eyre Rivers. She is surprised again that he has written the initials “E” in some books he gave her but never figured out what it meant.
St. John also reveals that his mother’s maiden name was Eyre, and she was the sister of Jane’s father and John Eyre. Mr. Briggs had written to the Rivers siblings last August informing them of their uncle’s death, and he wanted to leave all his wealth to his niece since he never reconciled with his brother and left St. John and his sisters out of their share of the fortune. Mr. Briggs wrote again a few weeks later, saying he couldn’t find Jane and asking if St. John knew where she was. Jane asks St. John again about his relations to John Eyre, and he confirms that it’s true, and he, Mary and Diana are her cousins.
Jane is delighted that the Rivers siblings are her family but is less excited about her fortune. Afterwards, she convinces St. John to write to his sisters and have them return home immediately, as she suggests splitting her fortune, and they will each have £5,000. She even hopes that if St. John receives his fair share of her fortune, he may stay in England and marry Rosamund. However, St. John thinks this won’t work and tries to talk her out of the plan, but she insists she wants to split her fortune, even admitting she has never had a home or siblings and he is like a brother to her. He agrees that he, Mary and Diana will be her siblings but tells her it should be a good time to get married. Jane says she will never marry and will find her own happiness. After St. John promises to be her brother, he prepares to leave, and Jane decides she will keep running her school until she finds a replacement despite her newfound wealth. Both she and St. John shake hands before he leaves.
As Christmas approaches, Jane closes her school and won’t return as the schoolteacher following the Christmas holidays, although she has promised her students that she will stay in touch with them and visit them at their schools.[36]After she says goodbye to her students, St. John arrives and asks if her teaching job is rewarding for her. She admits that it has, and he asks if she would like to dedicate her life to charity work. She replies that she won’t do that, as she wants to enjoy her life. As such, she prefers to be active and convinces him to dismiss Hannah and have someone else wait on him. Since Diana and Mary will be home within a week, she wants Hannah to accompany her to Moor House so they can make arrangements ready for the sisters’ return. St. John agrees, and Jane orders him to remind Hannah to be ready by tomorrow, and she gives him the schoolhouse key.
St. John asks what she will do now, and Jane replies she is going to clean up and decorate Moor House, and then she and Hannah will bake some pastries within 2 days before Mary and Diana arrive home. He isn’t satisfied with her talents and ability from her independent domestic life and argues that she has more important duties. He even warns her that he will watch her closely, but Jane insists she continue her tasks.
At Moor House, Jane and Hannah start work on restoring the house. Hannah is delighted to see how excited Jane is and that she can cook, clean, dust and brush well. Jane has also bought some furniture and refurnished the spare parlour and bedroom while she leaves the sitting room and the rest of the bedrooms in their usual state. Thursday is the day Mary and Diana return home, and they are expected to arrive at night. After all the fires are lit, and the kitchen is cleaned, Jane and Hannah anticipate their arrival. She has told St. John to stay clear of the house until everything has been arranged, and when he arrives, she is in the kitchen baking. She invites him to tour the house and view all the refurnishing she has done. He wonders if Jane must have been fatigued by now but doesn’t care about the arrangements and reads a book he takes from a shelf.
Jane reflects to Hannah that St. John doesn’t care about living a comfortable, domestic lifestyle, and he is right to pursue a missionary path. Hannah then cries that the sisters are coming as she throws open the parlour door, with Carlo barking joyfully. Jane runs outside in the dark and hears a coach approaching. Hannah appears with a lit lantern, and the vehicle stops at the wicket. The driver opens the door, and Mary and Diana come out, and they happily kiss and greet Jane, Hannah, and Carlo. They return inside the house, as the sisters are already fatigued from the long journey home and are cold from the chilly air. They are quickly refreshed by the fire and summon St. John to the fire while Hannah and the driver bring in their luggage. When he arrives, they embrace him, and St. John kisses them and quickly welcomes them home before leaving. Jane lights a candle upstairs, and after Diana gives orders to the driver, they follow Jane and are delighted by the refurnishing and decorations in the house. They express their gratitude to Jane; she feels it was all worth it.
An hour after tea, Hannah informs St. John that a poor young boy has come to ask St. John to tend to his dying mother, and they live at Whitcross Brow. He offers to go immediately, but Hannah is reluctant to have him travel alone at night; he leaves immediately and doesn’t return until midnight. While exhausted and starving, he is still happy with himself for attending to his duty. During the week of Christmas, Jane spends time with the sisters and chatting with them. St. John doesn’t seem provoked by Jane and the sisters’ merriment but spends most of his time visiting his parish. One day at breakfast, St. John informs the women that he has plans to leave England the following year. Mary asks him about Rosamund, and he replies that she’s marrying another man. Diana is surprised that Rosamund’s courtship with this man has been so quick. St. John says that Rosamund met the man at a county ball last October, and they will be married as soon as possible.
Jane feels like asking St. John if he’s disappointed that Rosamund will marry someone else instead of him, but he clearly doesn’t need to be sympathized with. In addition, he has started to become cold and distant from Jane and his sisters, even viewing Jane as only the village schoolteacher. Jane then asks him if another triumph will ruin him, but he denies it will happen and can thank God for it.
For some time, Jane and the sisters settle into a regular routine with their duties and hobbies. St. John starts spending time at home and often sits with them in the same room. While Mary draws, Diana and Jane read books and practice German. Jane visits Morton School each week, which intrigues St. John. Whenever the sisters convince Jane not to visit the school when it’s raining or snowing, St. John allows her to go anyway. Afterwards, she returns drenched but knows better not to complain to him.
One afternoon, Jane falls sick with a cold and stays home, so Mary and Diana go to Morton in her place. St. John appears while she is reading a book by German philosopher Friedrich Schiller and translating German. He convinces her to give up practicing German and learn Hindustani instead, as he is learning the language and wants her to study with him. She agrees to study with him, as he will leave soon in 3 months. During their study time together, he dominates her, and she must constantly obey him. One night, when it is bedtime, Jane, Mary, and Diana bid St. John goodnight. He kisses his sisters except for Jane, so Diana urges him to kiss Jane goodnight, as she is like a sister to him. When St. John does kiss her, it is very awkward.
Jane constantly wants to please St. John, but she must always suppress her real personality. She is always thinking about Mr. Rochester and writes to Mr. Briggs to ask where Mr. Rochester lives now and if he’s alright. However, Mr. Briggs ignores her, so she writes to Mrs. Fairfax, expecting an instant reply. 2 months pass, and there is no response. She writes again, assuming her first letter is lost, but months later, she still doesn’t get a response. She is hopeless and despondent as summer arrives, and Diana tries to console her by inviting her to join her for a walk at the seaside. St. John refuses Diana’s offer and wants Jane to study more Hindustani with him instead, and she is forced to give in.
One day, during study hour, Hannah arrives with a letter from Jane. She is disappointed when it is just a letter from Mr. Briggs about business and starts to cry. She and St. John are alone in the parlour, as Diana is practicing music in the drawing room and Mary is gardening. He doesn’t console her and will continue studying until she stops crying. She dries her tears and resumes studying. When they’re finished, St. John puts away her books and asks her to go out for a walk with him. Jane wants Mary and Diana to come, too, but St. John wants to go alone with her and asks her to go to the Marsh Glen, where he’ll meet her.
Outside, it’s a breezy day with a sweet scene. Jane and St. John walk to the Marsh Glen until they stop to rest at some large rocks that guard a pass leading to a waterfall. He takes off his hat and glances around him, from the sky to the stream. He seems to bid farewell to the scenery around him, and they don’t speak for half an hour. Finally, St. John reveals to Jane that he’s leaving for India in 6 weeks. After discussing it briefly, he convinces her to accompany him as his missionary wife. However, he doesn’t want her for love but for supporting him in his business. She objects to his proposal, and he urges her to trust in him as his missionary wife. She says that she doesn’t know anything about missionaries and has no right to do so. He convinces her that she will learn quickly in the missionary business, and since they have met, he has been observing her for 10 months. During that time, he sees that she is skilled and intellectual when she runs her village school, and when she has chosen to split her fortune for her cousins to have a fair share of wealth, he is struck with the idea that she is self-sacrificing, bold and diligent. He hopes she will do well teaching at Indian schools and supporting Indian women.
Jane asks St. John to give her an hour to think, and he agrees. She knows that she is able to do the tasks that he has mentioned, but even if living in India would kill her, he doesn’t seem to care about it. If she does leave England, she will leave everything behind that she holds dear, including Mr. Rochester, and even if she has to live without him at this time, she wonders if there might be some sheer luck that she’ll be reunited with him again. She knows that St. John may be right and should restart her life again after her past misfortune, and when she does live in India, it would be her premature death. She also knows that while St. John will approve of her, he will never love her, and she’ll have to work hard like him. She then concludes that she won’t marry him but will still accompany him as his companion. She turns to St. John and agrees to go with him, but they won’t be married. He tells her there isn’t another way for her to go to India if she doesn’t marry him; he even thinks it won’t be better if they travel alone and single. He persuades her to reconsider, and when she does, she still accepts that they won’t be happy together as a married couple, as she considers him to be more like a brother. However, he isn’t keen on having her accompany him as a companion and still wants her to be his wife.
Jane urges St. John to find another woman he could marry instead of her, but he insists he still wants to marry her. She insists she would give her heart to God as he doesn’t want it. He becomes silent, thinking she is being sarcastic. She tells him that she doesn’t openly love him, scorns the idea of being married, and persuades him not to marry. He replies that he’s leaving for Cambridge tomorrow to bid farewell to his friends. He’ll be absent for a fortnight and convinces her to take the time to reconsider if she should go with him. On the way home, he doesn’t talk to her, but when he bids his sisters goodnight, he ignores Jane and walks away. She feels hurt that he’s still angry with her and starts to cry. Diana has heard about their quarrel that day and encourages Jane to find St. John and reconcile. Jane finds him at the foot of the stairs, where they say goodnight and shake hands. While he doesn’t openly reconcile with her, she sees in him the lack of passion that has hurt her.
St. John doesn’t leave for Cambridge the next day but stays at Moor House for another week.[37] He continues to be cold and stern to Jane, which makes her tortured under his pressure. She knows she won’t survive living in India, even when she still tries reconciling with him. However, he appears kinder when he is with his sisters. On his final night before he leaves home, Jane sees him pacing in the garden after sunset. She remembers that he has saved her life and they are family, and she decides she should reconcile with him one last time. She approaches him and tells him she has been hurt by his coldness, and she wants to be friends with him again, even asking him to treat her like a kinswoman rather than a stranger. However, St. John says they shouldn’t be friends as he is still angry about refusing his proposal. She asks him if this is how they will end their meeting before he departs for India without any kind words.
St. John demands Jane why she doesn’t want to marry and go to India with him. She replies that she refuses to marry him because he doesn’t love her and will surely “kill” her if she were his wife. St. John furiously tells her what she has said is violent and untrue, and she replies that he will probably not reconcile with her now but seizes his hand and says she doesn’t want to make him upset or angry. He asks again if she will keep her promise and travel to India with him, and she replies she’ll go with him as his assistant, but not his wife. He refuses this suggestion as a female curate will not suit him, and she can’t go with him. However, when he’s in Cambridge, he finds a missionary whose wife needs a curate and thinks that Jane will fit in with the Society’s Aid and spare her from the dishonour of refusing his hand in marriage. She is outraged that she has made a formal agreement to travel to India with strangers and tells him that she loves him like a brother but won’t leave the country unless she has a reason to leave rather than stay. He asks Jane if will see Mr. Rochester and she replies that she must know what happened to him. After St. John expresses his disappointment, he walks away into the glen.
In the parlour, Jane finds Diana standing by the window and witnessed Jane and St. John’s conversation. She asks what has happened, and Jane replies that he has proposed to her, but she refused because he wants her to travel to India with him. Diana urges Jane not to go to India as she won’t survive there for long and asks if she hasn’t consented. Jane says she has refused his proposal, and he won’t reconcile with her, even if she offers to go with him as his sister or assistant. Diana admits that if she goes to India, she will suffer from fatigue, but she won’t be able to rest from the warm climate and must always obey St. John’s duties. She asks Jane if she doesn’t love St. John, and she replies that she doesn’t love him as a husband, and he won’t love a plain woman. Diana denies that Jane is plain and she is beautiful but too good to survive life in India.
Diana again urges Jane not to accompany St. John to India. Jane admits that he was shocked when they should travel together as an unmarried couple, and he apparently loves his business more than her. Therefore, Jane’s marriage to St. John would have been for labour, not love, and she dreads that idea. She also fears the kind of relationship she’ll develop with him should they marry. While she finds St. John a good man, he is cold-hearted with no feelings for others. Jane quickly leaves the parlour when St. John comes inside.
Jane is forced to meet him again at supper. During the meal, he acts normal, and she assumes he has given up trying to propose to her as he acts politely to her. He reads a chapter from the Book of Revelations during the evening prayers. The reading starts normally, but then St. John reads aloud in a solemn, compelling tone that Jane suddenly feels compelled to marry him. Following the evening prayer, everyone prepares to retire for the night. St. John will go to bed early as he needs to get up early for his journey to Cambridge. Mary and Diana kiss him, and Jane wishes him luck on his journey. He thanks her and will return to Moor House within a fortnight. He has decided not to propose to her as he’ll focus on his duties to God and expects her to join him as his travelling companion. However, she is bewildered that she is about to risk herself travelling with him, and he asks her gently if she has finally made her decision.
Jane replies that she could decide if she was certain, which excites St. John. The house is quiet and still when Jane hears a voice calling her name, and she recognizes the voice as Mr. Rochester. She responds by running outside and into the garden. She calls to the voice, but all there is is silence. She then realizes that this is not superstition but nature, as Mr. Rochester is begging her to avoid making a terrible mistake. Afterwards, she tells St. John that she needs to be alone, so she goes into her room, locks the door, and says a prayer of gratitude.
Reunion with Mr. Rochester/Ferndean Manor[]
Early the next morning, Jane wakes up and spends an hour arranging her belongings.[38] She hears St. John leave his room and stops outside of her door. Instead of knocking, he slips a note under the door. The note says he realizes she wants to sacrifice becoming his wife and missionary. He will return from Cambridge within a fortnight and expects her to finally make her decision.
It is early June, and Jane watches St. John leave the house and walk to Whitcross to meet his coach. She thinks that she will find a coach there, too. 2 hours later, she paces in her room, pondering the voice she heard last night and where it came from. At breakfast, she informs Mary and Diana that she will be absent for 4 days to find any news about someone close to her. Diana asks if she will be alright travelling alone, and Jane assures that she will be fine. After she explains her plans, Mary and Diana now understand how important they are. She leaves Moor House at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and stands at the signpost of Whitcross an hour later. A coach approaches her, and she gets inside, asking the driver to take her to Thornfield.
It is a 36-hour journey back to Thornfield. On Thursday morning, the coach stops at a rural inn to water the horses. Jane recognizes the landscape and asks the ostler how far away Thornfield is, and he replies it’s 2 miles away. She decides to rest, pays the ostler and learns that the inn she has arrived at is called “The Rochester Arms.” She is overjoyed that she is now close to Thornfield and Mr. Rochester, but the monitor warns her that Mr. Rochester may have already left England with his insane wife kept at Thornfield. He convinces her to ask for some information about Mr. Rochester’s whereabouts and the townsfolk staying at the inn.
Unable to bring herself to obtain any information about Mr. Rochester from the locals at the inn and learn any bad news about him, she walks to Thornfield, imagining seeing the trees and nature that surround the house. She hopes she will see Mr. Rochester waking up early and walking in the orchard, and she expects to run to him as soon as she sees him. She walks past the lower wall of the orchard and comes across 2 pillars standing between a gate that opens into the meadow. But when she turns past a pillar, she finds Thornfield destroyed and in ruins.
As Jane stares at the ruins in silence, she wonders what has caused Thornfield to be destroyed. She inspects the ruins, already overgrown with vegetation, and wonders what happened to Mr. Rochester. She glances at the church steeple near the gates and assumes he lives at his second home with Bertha. She has no choice but to return to The Rochester Arms Inn for some answers. At the inn, the host serves her breakfast in the parlour, and she asks him to shut the door and questions him about what has happened to Mr. Rochester, and fears that she will expect the worst.
Jane asks the host if he knows Thornfield Hall. The host, a respected, middle-aged man, replies that he used to live there as the late Mr. Rochester’s butler, and she fears that Mr. Rochester is dead. But she is relieved when he says he refers to Edward Rochester’s late father. She asks if Mr. Rochester is still living at Thornfield, but he says he isn’t living there anymore as it was burnt down last autumn. The fire started in the middle of the night, and everything in the house was destroyed. He explains that by the time the firefighters arrived from Millcote, Thornfield was already ablaze, and he had witnessed it himself. She wonders how the fire started, and the host says that everyone tried to guess how it happened and then asks her in a faint whisper if she knew that Mr. Rochester had an insane wife confined in the house. Jane replies that she has heard of it, and the host says that the wife has been secretly confined at Thornfield for years, and nobody knew of her existence. They only heard the rumours, and it was reported that Mr. Rochester brought her from abroad. Everyone assumed it was his mistress, but it wasn’t until a year ago that they learned the mistress was his wife. The host also brings up how Mr. Rochester fell deeply in love with a governess at Thornfield Hall. The governess was only 20 years old, while her employer was about 40. The host recalls that he has never met the governess himself, but one of the servants, Leah, told him about her and that Mr. Rochester planned to marry her.
Jane urges the host to discuss the fire and asks if Mr. Rochester’s wife has something to do with it. The host explains that the wife had a servant, Grace Poole, to watch over her. But Grace drank too much gin, and when she passed out from drinking, the wife would steal her keys, escape the attic she was confined in, and cause mischief around the house, even allegedly setting her husband’s bed on fire. But one night, she set fire to the curtains of her room before escaping and entered the governess’s bedroom, who had run away from Thornfield 2 months earlier and set fire to the bed.
Mr. Rochster had become savage and alone after his governess ran away. He sent his housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, away to live with friends but then started offering a pension to her for the rest of her life, and he sent his ward, Adèle, to school. He then cut off all contact with his fellow nobility and isolated himself at Thornfield. Jane is surprised that he hasn’t left England, and the host says that he never left Thornfield except to wander alone around the grounds after dark. On the night of the fire, Mr. Rochester evacuated all the servants when the house was burning and went into the attic to retrieve Bertha, but she was standing on the roof. When he got onto the roof and approached her, Bertha jumped off the roof and fell to her death. The host shudders when he describes Bertha’s body lying on the pavement, with blood splattered everywhere. He says that no lives were lost in the fire but thinks Mr. Rochester should be better off dead than keeping his secret of his insane wife and trying to marry another woman while he had one living.
Jane urges if Mr. Rochester is alive, and the host replies that he survived but became blind. Jane dreads that Mr. Rochester could have become insane or worse and then asks what caused his blindness. After Bertha killed herself, Mr. Rochester went down the stairs, but everything collapsed on him. When he was pulled from the wreckage, he lost an eye and sight in the other. His left hand was also so badly crushed that it had to be amputated. She asks where he lives now, and the host replies that he lives at Ferndean Manor, which is 30 miles away, with his servant, John, and his wife. She then asks for any transportation, and he says he has a chaise. She orders him to prepare the chaise, and she’ll pay him and his postboy if she gets there before dark.
Ferndean Manor is located deep in the forest, and Jane remembers Mr. Rochester talking about it several times.[39] Since he couldn’t rent it out for tenants, it is usually empty except for the squire to stay during hunting season. Jane arrives at Ferndean just as dusk arrives with small rain, travels one more mile by foot and dismisses the chaise and driver with the payment as promised. It is so dark that she finds her way past some granite pillars and walks down a forest path that stretches further. She thinks she has taken the wrong trail, but there is no other path, so she keeps walking until she finds the house behind a gate. She opens the latch and sees an open landing around Ferndean that is empty except for a gravel path and doesn’t have flower beds or shrubs.
Jane then hears the door open, and Mr. Rochester walks out. She hides herself so she can watch him from a distance. He is still his usual self, but when he opens his eyes, they are blank, and he stretches his other hand to feel his way around while his amputated one is hidden in his chest. He stands quietly in the rain until his servant, John, comes out and asks if he would come in. Mr. Rochester refuses, but he stumbles back into the house when he struggles to find his way around. Jane then knocks on the door, and John’s wife, Mary, answers it. Mary is surprised to see Jane again as she takes her inside and into the kitchen, where John is sitting by the fire. Jane explains how she discovered Thornfield and has arrived to see Mr. Rochester. She asks John to go to the turnpike house and retrieve her trunk that has been left there. Jane then asks Mary if she can stay at Ferndean for the night when the parlour bell rings and she tells Mary to inform her master that someone has arrived to see him, but Mary must not give him her name. Mary says that Mr. Rochester might not want to see her as he refuses any company.
When Mary returns, she informs Jane that she must say her name and why she is doing here. Mary fills a glass of water and places it on a tray with some candles, saying that despite his blindness, Mr. Rochester always asks for candles brought to him after dark. Jane offers to take his tray to her, and she nervously holds the tray as Mary shows her to the parlour door and closes it behind her.
A small grate burns in the parlour’s fire, and Mr. Rochester stands over it. His old dog, Pilot, lies beside him, and he hears Jane enter. He starts barking and runs to her, almost knocking over the tray she’s carrying. She pets Pilot and orders him to lie down. Mr. Rochester wants his drink, so she gives it to him. He thinks she is Mary, but Jane tells him Mary is in the kitchen. He demands who it is as he holds out his hand to try to touch her. Jane says she just came here, and only John, Mary and Pilot recognized her. He tries to touch her until Jane grabs and holds his hand. He recognizes feeling her hand and hearing her voice, and she reintroduces herself and has returned to him. He could barely believe it, as he dreamt she returned to him and was alone and depressed. She kisses him and tells him she is now an independent woman as her late uncle has left her a fortune of £5,000. He decides that this is all real, and she says that unless he lets him live with her, she can be his neighbour and build her own house next to Ferndean so he can visit her anytime he needs company. She even offers to be his nurse and housekeeper, and she will always attend to him so he won’t be lonely again.
Mr. Rochester doesn’t reply, and Jane is embarrassed, hoping she’ll convince him to ask her to marry him again. She releases herself from his arms, but he pulls her back, begging her not to go so she can stay to become his nurse, but she should get married someday. She says she doesn’t care about marriage but tells him that he should be restored since he is scarred and has messy hair. He asks her if she isn’t afraid of his scarred appearance, especially when he shows her the stump on his arm where his hand used to be. He admits he can’t see her except the candles but is grateful to hear and touch her. She decides they need to eat some supper, so she rings for Mary to serve them. Throughout their dinner, Jane is delighted and at ease to be with him, and after they finish, he asks her questions about where she has been, what she has been doing, and how she found him again. She decides not to answer these questions yet, as he still believes that she’s a ghost or hallucination, especially when he asks if she really is human and if she gave him his glass of water instead of John. He then laments that he has done nothing and refuses to eat as he longs to be together with his beloved Jane again.
She strokes his messy hair and asks for a comb so she can fix it. He asks if she has been with anyone recently, and she replies that she doesn’t want to talk about it now but promises she will tomorrow at breakfast. After she combs his hair, she decides to go to bed and bid him goodnight. Before she leaves, he asks if there were only ladies in the last house she was at. She laughs and hurries upstairs. Early the next morning, she hears him get up and ask Mary where Jane is.
Jane comes down when she thinks it’s time for breakfast and finds Mr. Rochester sitting alone again. She tells him that it is a beautiful, sunny morning and they should go for a walk. He soliloquies about hearing her singing, and she goes to prepare breakfast. Later, Jane and Mr. Rochester walk outside Ferndean and into the forest, where she describes the trees, sky and flower beds to him. He sits on a tree stump and has her sit on his knee with Pilot lying next to them. He laments that after she ran away from Thornfield, he entered her room and found everything she had left. While she didn’t take any money, her pearl necklace was still in its box, and he also found the packed trunks they would have taken for their honeymoon. He wonders if she became poor after she ran away and asks what happened to her.
Jane explains that she wandered alone for 3 days, suffering from starvation and fatigue. He tells her she shouldn’t have left him, but he would never force her to be his mistress, even if he doesn’t empathize with her starving for 3 days. She continues that she was taken in at Moor House by St. John, Mary and Diana Rivers, and when she worked as a schoolteacher, she received her fortune and discovered that the Rivers are her family. Mr. Rochester asks what she thinks of St. John and if he is older. She replies that he is 29 years old and admits she likes him. He is also an accomplished, active, educated man with calm, polished manners. She even describes his appearance and that he’s handsome, fair, and has blue eyes. Mr. Rochester appears jealous, but he asks her more about working as a schoolteacher. Jane replies that St. John offered her the job before she found out that he was her cousin, and he visited her daily in her small cottage next to the schoolhouse. She lived with the Rivers for 5 months and spent her time interacting with the sisters in their parlour. St. John spent most of his time studying Hindustani. She learnt German from Mary and Diana while St. John taught her Hindustani. He wanted to teach her the language because he wanted her to travel to India with him, and he proposed marriage to her.
Mr. Rochester doesn’t believe her, but Jane insists that what she said is true, as he asked her more than once and was very firm about it. He asks why she isn’t leaving him from what she had told him, and she refuses as she’s comfortable sitting on his knee. But he believes that her heart belongs to St. John and is devastated at the idea she loved someone else during her absence. He urges her to leave him and marry St. John, as hearing her voice brings him back painful memories of when she left Thornfield a year ago. Again, she refuses as she states that she doesn’t love St. John, and he also doesn’t love her back. He used to be in love with a woman named Rosamund Oliver, and he only wanted to marry Jane so she would be his missionary wife. She finds him cold-hearted and won’t be happy with him, as he isn’t like Mr. Rochester, her true love. She clings to Mr. Rochester, who is surprised at what he says is true. She tells him she was only teasing him so he will be less sad and hopes her love for him will make him happy.
Mr. Rochester kisses her but laments about his blindness and weakened strength. She caresses him to comfort him and notices a tear trickle down his cheek. He remarks that he’s no better than the chestnut tree at Thornfield that was split in half from lightning and believes he’s ruined. She assures him that he’s strong and healthy and the plants will grow around him to improve his strength. He smiles and admits that he wants a wife, and she urges him to choose the woman who loves him more. He agrees and asks Jane to marry him, despite his blind, crippled condition and the fact that he’s 20 years older than her. Jane accepts his proposal and will be happy to be his wife. He thinks she’s making a sacrifice, but she says she loves him more than when he used to be sardonic and proud. He admits that he only wants to feel Jane holding his hand, and he won’t have to be lonely around his servants. Jane assures him that she will be a suitable wife, and he decides they must be married immediately.
Jane notices the sun is setting, and Pilot has gone inside to eat. She wants to look at his watch, but he says he has no use for it. She notices that it’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon and asks if he’s hungry. He says that he will be married in 3 days, and the fancy clothing and jewels aren’t worth it this time. He also admits that he has been wearing her pearl necklace under his cravat as a memento since she left him. She suggests they walk home in the woods, as it’s hot and the trees provide shade. He tells her he understands why she left him and expresses remorse and repentance for his past behaviour. He also says that 4 days ago, he sat in his bedroom by his window around midnight when he began frantically calling her name 3 times. He thinks he is superstitious, as he heard someone responding to him when he calls her name, as if he and Jane have met again in spirit. She doesn’t tell him that she had responded to him calling her while she was with St. John, as it would make him obsessed with the supernatural, so she decides to keep it to herself.
Mr. Rochester then admits to Jane that when she finally returned to him, he thought she was an illusion, but thanks God for giving him strength, allowing him to live a purer life, and reuniting him with his true love. He gets up, and Jane takes his hand before returning home.
Jane and Mr. Rochester are married privately and quietly, with only the parson and clerk being the witnesses.[40] When she and Mr. Rochester return home, she goes into the kitchen, where she finds John cleaning the knives and Mary cooking dinner. She informs them she has married Mr. Rochester this morning. Both Mary and John are surprised by the news, and Mary tells her that she saw her leave the house with Mr. Rochester but didn’t know they were heading to the church to get married. John smiles and says he knows that Mr. Rochester will marry Jane eventually, as he is his master’s longtime servant, and congratulates Jane on her marriage. Jane thanks him and gives him and Mary a £5 note before leaving the kitchen. She then overhears them talking about Jane being the perfect wife for their master.
Jane immediately writes to St. John, Mary and Diana to announce her marriage. Diana and Mary are happy for her, and Diana writes that she’ll allow her to go on her honeymoon before she visits her. After he listens to Jane read the letter to him, Mr. Rochester replies that Diana shouldn’t wait too long, as they may be on their honeymoon for a long time. St. John doesn’t respond to Jane’s letter about her marriage, and when he does write back, he doesn’t mention anything about Mr. Rochester or her marriage, but he and Jane start to stay in touch.
Shortly after marrying Mr. Rochester, Jane visits Adèle at her school. Adèle is happy to see her again but miserable at her school as the discipline is too strict for her. Jane pulls Adèle out of the school and brings her home. She initially wants to be her governess again, but since she needs to look after Mr. Rochester, she sends Adèle to another school where the discipline is less harsh, where she can visit her often and bring her home sometimes. Adèle soon fits in at her new school and excels in learning English. She later grows up into a sweet, friendly and proper young woman.
2 years into the marriage, Jane’s loving bond with Mr. Rochester grows as she reads to him and helps him around. One morning, Mr. Rochester says he can see her dress and wearing an ornament around her neck, indicating that he has regained his eyesight. They honeymooned in London, and he could see again from one eye. When their first child, a son, is born, Mr. Rochester is able to see him, who has his black eyes, leaving Mr. Rochester grateful that God has given him mercy.
Overall, Jane and Mr. Rochester have been happily married for 10 years. Diana and Mary have also gotten married; Diana marries a captain in the navy, and Mary marries a clergyman who is a friend of St. John. Like Jane, Mary and Diana are happily married, and both families continue to visit each other. As for St. John, he travels to India alone and unmarried. His many years of missionary work have taken a heavy toll on his health, and the last letter he writes to Jane says that he knows he is now close to death.
Personality/Appearances[]
As a child, Jane was a passionate, outspoken girl. She was prone to have angry outbursts, tantrums, and resenting how her aunt and cousins abused 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 of 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 intense hatred that she vows never to see her aunt again and confronts those who would prejudice or mistreat her, to the point when she describes herself as a rebel slave. When Helen Burns teaches her that she must love her enemies 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 to the Lowood students, Jane feels humiliated and will forever be the abused, unloved girl. The abuse from the Reeds escalates her isolated childhood, and in her later years, would make her have the desire to find freedom. 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, determined woman who is hopeful that she will find kindred spirits following her abusive childhood and is determined to find a true sense of home and community. She manages to overcome her challenges with courage and can take the initiative. She makes her own decisions instead of someone having to make them for her, even though she must have others comply with her for her plans to come into action. She also makes her own life choices when nobody would help her, such as when Mr. Rochester asks 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 independent terms. From her early years, Jane used her strength physically and mentally, as she used it when she defended herself from Mrs. Reed and John. She used her physical strength to fight John and her verbal strength to confront Mrs. Reed about how hurt she was about what she had said about her. Even in the most challenging moments, she refuses to back down or let her goals fail her until she has gained her victory. In the Victorian era, many women were seen as dependent and expected to serve their roles, but Jane had the power to stay in control of her life and be true to herself when she endured the trials and events ahead of her.
At Gateshead, Jane learns that having moral courage can withstand moral oppression, as shown when she develops a bond with Bessie and doesn't let Mrs. Reed dominate her easily. She summed up her courage to stand up to Mrs. Reed by confronting her about her abuse towards her. Lowood's harsh discipline, freezing temperatures, and gross food don’t cause her to lose her mind and succumb to the school’s harsh reality. With some guidance from Helen Burns, Jane triumphs over her struggles and reaches the top of her class, with many of the teachers and students respecting her.
Relationships[]
Mrs. Reed[]
Bessie[]
John Reed[]
Eliza Reed[]
Georgiana Reed[]
Mr. Brocklehurst[]
Miss Temple[]
Helen Burns[]
Mrs. Fairfax[]
Mr. Rochester[]
Adèle Varens[]
Grace Poole[]
Blanche Ingram[]
St. John Rivers[]
Mary Rivers[]
Diana Rivers[]
Rosamund Oliver[]
John Eyre[]
Quotes/Relatable Quotes[]
Portrayals[]
In the 2011 film adaptation, Jane is portrayed by Amelia Clarkson as a child, and Mia Wasikowska as an adult.
References[]
- ↑ Jane Eyre, Chapter 3
- ↑ Chapter 21
- ↑ Chapter 1
- ↑ Chapter 2
- ↑ Chapter 3
- ↑ Chapter 4
- ↑ Chapter 5
- ↑ Chapter 6
- ↑ Chapter 7
- ↑ Chapter 8
- ↑ Chapter 9
- ↑ Chapter 10
- ↑ Chapter 11
- ↑ Chapter 12
- ↑ Chapter 13
- ↑ Chapter 14
- ↑ Chapter 15
- ↑ Chapter 16
- ↑ Chapter 17
- ↑ Chapter 18
- ↑ Chapter 19
- ↑ Chapter 20
- ↑ Chapter 21
- ↑ Chapter 22
- ↑ Chapter 23
- ↑ Chapter 24
- ↑ Chapter 25
- ↑ Chapter 26
- ↑ Chapter 27
- ↑ Chapter 28
- ↑ Chapter 29
- ↑ Chapter 30
- ↑ Chapter 31
- ↑ Chapter 32
- ↑ Chapter 33
- ↑ Chapter 34
- ↑ Chapter 35
- ↑ Chapter 36
- ↑ Chapter 37
- ↑ Chapter 38