Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë

First published in 1847, Jane Eyre presented a new type of heroine—an intelligent and passionate woman. The use of the first person enables the reader to move immediately into Jane's world—the lonely and difficult world of an orphaned girl who must make difficult choices and think for herself in nineteenth-century England. Overcoming class prejudices, others' unjust actions, and difficult circumstances, Jane's character shines and ultimately brings her happiness.

Related Readings

Sonnet 116—poem by William Shakespeare

Wedding Day in the Rockies—poem by E. B. White

from Wide Sargasso Sea—excerpt from the novel by Jean Rhys

from Strangers in a Strange Land— informative nonfiction by Juliet Barker

Signs and Symbols—short story by Vladimir Nabokov

from The Life of Charlotte Brontë—biography by Elizabeth Gaskell

Study Guide (PDF)