I just finished rereading one of my favorite classic novels….Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte, the author of this fascinating story, was born in 1816 to a clergyman who was widowed when Charlotte was but 5 years old. With the small wages of a clergyman to feed a household of 6, Charlotte and her siblings began to rely on their wealth of imagination. From her earliest years, she began concocting stories of imaginary places and placing them on the page.
In 1847, Jane Eyre was published. This story is part fiction and part autobiographical. I placed it on this Christian Fiction list becuase it truly is a novel with Christian undertones and some very overt moments of faith. Jane Eyre is an orphan, left destitute and alone by her selfish aunt and sent to a prison-like school known as Lowood. Despite all of the trauma, Jane thrives and eventually becomes old enough to seek her own future. So, after advertising, she is accepted as a governess to a Mr. Edward Rochester of Thornfield Hall.
Rochester is an embittered, sarcastic, wounded soul with little hope of finding joy in his lonely, secretive life. Jane arrives to teach Rochester’s french ward, but ends up introducing Rochester to a fresh look at hope and innocence. Despite his gruff, sometimes menacing demeanor, the reader finds a wounded heart, waiting for a moment to believe is something beyond the present. He is an incredibly flawed hero, but somehow Charlotte Bronte makes the entire story work.
There is intrigue, romance, danger, mystery, hatred, betrayal and beauty of spirit all wrapped up in this 19th century timeless classic. If you are a fan of Jane Austen or other British classics adn you haven’t been introduced to this novel, I advise you to pick it up and enjoy.
A great recommendation. Jane Eyre is all the more sad because so much is drawn from life. The dreadful Lowood Institution was modelled on Cowen Bridge school where Charlotte and her two elder sisters were sent. Her sisters died as a result of the appalling conditions there and, when Charlotte describes the death of Helen Burns in Jane Eyre, she’s actually recounting her feelings at the death of her sister Maria.A sad but brilliant book – I don’t know how many times I’ve reread it.Elaine SaundersAuthor – Fiction Writing Exerciseshttp://www.completetext.com