Students can also check the English Summary to revise with them during exam preparation.
Jane Eyre Summary By Charlotte Bronte Analysis and Explanation in English
About the Author Charlotte Bronte
| Name | Charlotte Brontë |
| Born | 21 April 1816, Thornton, United Kingdom |
| Died | 31 March 1855, Haworth, United Kingdom |
| Nickname | Currer Bell |
| Movies | Jane Eyre, Woman and Wife, Wide Sargasso Sea, Orphan of Lowood, Sangdil, Shirley, Shanti Nilayam |
Short Summary of Jane Eyre Novel in English
You do not develop courage during happy times. Courage is the proof of surviving the challenging adversity that takes you by surprise. Life is full of surprises, and Jane Eyre’s life was no exception. In the nineteenth century, society expected girls to be meekly obedient, bashful, and mute. In the book, ‘Jane Eyre,’ published in 1874, Charlotte Bronte, created a character of a young girl, Jane, whose traits were poles apart from a typical girl of the nineteenth century. The character, Jane was a girl who did not choose to be a silent spectator of her maltreatment. She displayed incredible courage at the tender age of ten to create a meaningful life for herself.
Jane had lost both her parents and was living a tormented life at the mercy of her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and her bully cousin John Reed. Mrs. Reed never had anything nice to say to poor little Jane. She forced Jane to do odd jobs around the house. Furthermore, Mrs. Reed gave plenty of liberty to her unlawful son, John to trouble Jane. Jane did not agree to kneel to the tortures and protested with sheer bluntness. One day, Mrs. Reed punishes her when she fought back against the harsh treatment by her cousin. Mrs. Reed locked her up in the red room despite pleading for leniency. The red room was a frightful arena for Jane. The room was the place where her uncle, Mr. Reed, had died. While in the lock-up, Jane witnessed the ghost of her uncle. Nobody came to her rescue even after hearing her agony. Jane consquently, lost consciousness. The next morning, she finds herself in the presence of Bessie, Mrs. Reed’s maidservant, and Mr. Lloyd, a medical practitioner. On the suggestion of Mr. Llyod, Mrs. Reed decided to send her away to Lowood School.
Jane was delighted to escape from the cage of Mrs. Reed’s house. However, her joy was short-lived. Mr. Brocklehurst’s cruel treatment snatched away her peace and happiness. He was an abusive and hypocrite school’s headmaster who did not have any compassion for his students. On the brighter side, Helen Burns’s friendship came as the morning sunshine into Jane’s life. She had an audacious personality, which was highly inspirational for Jane. Unfortunately, a massive typhus epidemic loomed over Lowood School, which stole life out of Helen. Mr. Brocklehurst took his exit along with the outbreak, and a group of pleasant gentleman replaced him. Eight years flew by peacefully in Lowood, and Jane matured into a teacher.
After accumulating two years of experience as a teacher in Lowood, Jane decided to be experimental with other jobs for her financial growth. Her deep desire to widen her professional horizon led her to Thornfield as a governess and a French teacher to a jovial student, Adele. Jane mistook Mrs. Fairfax as the owner of the estate and the guardian of Adele. One day, she stumbled upon Mr. Rochester, a vehement man. Jane secretly nurtured a romantic inclination towards him. Her love for him grew with every passing day, and it became evident when she showed her jealously towards Blanche Ingram. Ms. Blanche was a friend of Mr. Rochester, who had come to visit him at his home. She soon learned that Mrs. Fairfax was not her employer. Mr. Rochester was the head of Thornfield. One day, a fire broke out, Jane risked her life to save the love of her life, Mr. Rochester. The reason of the fire was unknown. However, Mr. Rochester believed that a servant could have ignited the fire. She was blown away when Mr. Rochester expressed his love for Jane by proposing for marriage.
Jane was waiting eagerly to hear the wedding bells. Just when they were about to exchange their vows, Mr. Mason interrupted the ceremony. He revealed that Mr. Rochester was a married man who had kept his wife, Bertha Mason, locked up on the third floor. Jane felt betrayed and heart-broken. Despite convincing Jane of the reality that Bertha had lost her sanity, love was lost between the two. Jane decided to move on.
Jane was devastated and ended up living the life of a beggar. Mary, Diana, and St. John took pity and welcomed Jane into their home with compassion. She began to overcome her heartbreak with their affection. St. John was a clergyman. He expressed his deep concern for Jane and helped her to get a job at a charity school in Morton. One day, he disclosed that her uncle, John Eyer, left a fortune of 20,000 pounds for her in his will. She was shocked to learn that St. John was none other than his cousin. She considered herself blessed to reunite with her three new-found cousins. She wanted to split her inheritance into four parts to share with her relatives.
St. John had to travel to India as he was a missionary. Parting with Jane was painful for him, so he proposed to marry her. Jane refused to marry her cousin because Mr. Rochester had already occupied a place in her heart. St. John continuds to persuade Jane for marriage, and she agreed half-heartedly. One night, Mr. Rochester appeared in her dream. She immediately returns to Thornfield. She comes to know that Bertha died in a fire, whereas Mr. Rochester lost his complete eye-sight and one hand. Jane decides to be with him and takes him to their new house in Ferndean. Their love bloomed again, and they chose to get married. Mr. Rochester regained his sight of one eye after two years of care and tender love of Jane to behold the birth of their first son. Ten years pass by, and their affection for each other never seemed to end.
Life takes unexpected twists and turns, but victory comes to those who refuse to give up. Such was the life of Jane Eyre. She did not allow the established norms of society to define her. After completing her education, she pursued a career only to find love. Their love was beyond physical attraction. The heart connected them.