Jane Eyre 101: Synopsis, Themes, Characters & Essay Analysis ✍️
This article will give you a quick synopsis of Jane Eyre, an analysis of the book’s characters, themes, and pretty much everything else you need to write a high quality essay.
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Jane Eyre is the story of a young orphaned girl who, in the first phases of the book, is mistreated and abused, starved and malnourished at the orphan house of Lowood.
2️⃣ The Typhus Epidemic and Jane’s Decision to Leave
An epidemic of typhus sweeps through the house, taking away her few friends, including Helen Burns. She thus decides to leave Lowood at eighteen and fend for herself with a new job as a governess at Thornfield Hall.
3️⃣ Meeting Mr. Rochester and the Governess Role
The job she has accepted involves teaching a young girl, Adèle Varens, daughter of the owner of Thornfield Hall, Mr. Rochester. Jane meets Mr. Rochester by chance one night as he falls off his horse on the way to the Hall. The two are immediately interested in each other.
4️⃣ Jane Saves Rochester and Their Growing Relationship
Rochester realises he can count on Jane for almost anything, as one night, the curtains of his room mysteriously catch fire. Jane puts out the fire and saves Rochester, and the pair fall for each other. Even when he invites rich dames to his house, he only has eyes for Jane.
5️⃣ Strange Happenings at Thornfield
In the meantime, Jane hears strange noises in the attic and notices Grace Poole, a servant, behaving oddly. Richard Mason arrives during this time, a man Rochester seems to know and be afraid of. In the middle of the night, Mason gets stabbed and bitten. Jane tends to his wounds and Rochester sneaks him out of the house.
6️⃣ The Wedding Interrupted
Rochester and Jane attempt to get married in the chapel, but two men interrupt the ceremony, claiming Rochester is already married. Rochester reluctantly leads the wedding party to the attic, which holds Bertha Mason, Rochester’s insane previous wife. She is the one responsible for attempting to burn Rochester in his bed and for attempting to kill her brother Richard.
7️⃣ Jane’s Departure and Struggles in Morton
Jane, in shock, leaves Thornfield and travels to Morton, where her uncle, Mr. Eyre, lives. This plan doesn’t go well, however, as she must beg for food and sleep by the side of the road in the beginning.
8️⃣ Meeting the Eyre Family
Jane meets her cousins, Diana, Mary, and the clergyman St. John. The latter wants to be more than just “cousins” with Jane, so they have a small fling that does not last. As Uncle Eyre dies, Jane inherits a bit of his fortune.
9️⃣ Return to Thornfield
Jane travels back to Thornfield, to find out what’s up with Rochester. After attempting to find her, he shut himself alone in the house. Bertha then burns down Thornfield and commits suicide, but the fire loses Rochester an eye, and blinds him in the other.
🔟 Reunion and Marriage
When Jane finds him, he begs her to come to France with him and pretend to be married, but she refuses, hoping he will marry her for real. He does! They live happily ever after, and Rochester gains his sight back. Meanwhile, St. John works himself to death as a missionary in India.
If it was up to Jane, she wouldn’t say she had a character to speak of. She is a resilient, strong, yet quiet woman who wouldn’t admit her potential.
She is careful both in speech and thought; this is why the reader often finds out her feelings and opinions before she does. For example, it’s as clear as day that she likes Rochester, even before she explicitly tells us and realises it herself.
Jane is fiercely independent, guided by her strong moral compass and sense of self-worth. She values love but refuses to sacrifice her principles for it, so she turns down both Rochester (after the disastrous wedding attempt) and St. John (despite his insistence that their marriage would serve a higher purpose).
She experiences intense hardship from a young age—her parents’ deaths, her abusive childhood at Gateshead, the suffering at Lowood—but instead of breaking, she becomes stronger.
Jane is one of the first literary heroines who truly shapes her own destiny. See for example in this quote in the novel:
In this quote, we can see Jane’s declaration of independence. The bird metaphor suggests captivity and restriction, but Jane firmly rejects this idea, asserting her autonomy in the phrase “no net ensnares me”, which reinforces her refusal to be controlled and symbolises her resistance against societal expectations.
Similarly, Jane’s direct and assertive tone, coupled with the phrase “a free human being with an independent will,” highlights her strong moral convictions and self-respect.
Edward Rochester
An intense, moody, stubborn, fascinating, and incredibly intelligent counterpart to Jane. We can also call Mr. Rochester ‘careful,’ for when it comes to his actions, he knows exactly what to do and when to do it—except when he falls in love.
The whole flirtation with the dames was a clumsy move, and the entertainment of the possibility that he might marry one was reckless and done only to get under Jane’s skin. Of course, this doesn’t bring Jane closer to him, but rather pushes her away. Nevertheless, he is the only one who is able to see and appreciate Jane’s true potential.
Rochester is unconventional in every way—his looks, his behaviour, his approach to relationships. Unlike the polished gentlemen of Brontë’s time, he is rugged, passionate, and at times, morally ambiguous. He manipulates situations, keeps secrets (his wife in the attic, no big deal), and fully expects Jane to accept his less-than-perfect past.
Yet, despite all this, he is deeply lonely and desperate for true connection. Rochester’s arc is one of redemption—he must lose everything, including his sight and Thornfield, to truly understand Jane as an equal:
“I ask you to pass through life at my side—to be my second self, and best earthly companion.” (Edward Rochester, Chapter 23).
St. John Rivers
The right competition at the right time. St. John serves the purpose of making Jane realise that Rochester is the only one for her. She hears his voice in her sleep when St. John asks for her hand in marriage. If that isn’t proof, I don’t know what is.
St. John (pronounced “Sinjin,” because why not) is the polar opposite of Rochester. Where Rochester is an all-consuming passion, St. John is cold, disciplined logic. He is devout, ambitious, and fully convinced that Jane should marry him—not for love, but because he believes she would be useful as a missionary’s wife:
“God and nature intended you for a missionary’s wife.” (St. John, Chapter 34).
He represents duty over desire, a path Jane ultimately rejects. Unlike Rochester, he never truly sees Jane for who she is—only what she could be in service to his goals.
Helen Burns
Helen is Jane’s watchful angel. Of course, a character this pure could not make it far in the story.
Helen teaches Jane all the best Christianity offers, especially to “Love Thy Enemy.” Helen’s intelligence also motivates and fascinates Jane, setting her as Jane’s role model throughout the book. Helen’s death is one of the most touching.
Helen is the first person to show Jane unconditional kindness. She embodies patience, forgiveness, and endurance. Her philosophy is one of passive suffering, believing that justice will come in the afterlife rather than on earth:
“By dying young, I shall escape great sufferings.” (Helen Burns, Chapter 9).
While Jane admires her, she ultimately chooses a different path. Helen accepts cruelty and hardship as her fate; Jane fights against it. Helen’s death is an early, heartbreaking moment in the novel, and it shapes Jane’s worldview permanently.
Bertha Mason
More than a character, she is a symbol of Rochester’s turbulent past, from which he wants to run away. Hence, her prison sentence in the attic.
Nevertheless, she represents an important turning point in Rochester’s character arc, as he is forced to confront her, eventually defeating his past and strengthening his resolve for Jane.
Want to better understand the characters in Jane Eyre?
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Log in and select “Interview Character” from the sidebar.
Select your text and author (i.e. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte)
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Follow the prompts and use the chat feature to get to know your selected character!
Who is the villain in Jane Eyre?
Here’s the thing—Jane Eyre doesn’t really have a villain. Instead, it has many characters who, at different points, serve as obstacles to Jane’s happiness, growth, and independence. Some are cruel, some are misguided, and some are just victims of circumstance:
👉 Mrs. Reed takes Jane in after her parents die but makes it clear she wishes she hadn’t. She treats Jane like a nuisance, spoils her own children rotten, and, just to make things worse, lies to prevent Jane from escaping her miserable fate.
👉 Mr. Brocklehurst preaches humility but ensures his own family lives in luxury while the Lowood girls are starved and freezing.
👉 Bertha isviolent, destructive, and literally sets fire to Rochester’s life. But is she really to blame? She was forced into marriage, locked away for years, and treated as less than human.
👉 St. John is one of those people who seems nice—until you realise he’s actually terrifying. He isn’t evil, but his cold, logical approach to life makes him a different kind of antagonist.
👉 Rochester lies to Jane, gaslights Jane, and almost tricks her into marrying him when he is already legally married! Let’s also not forget that he does all of this while keeping his wife locked in the attic! If we’re looking at cold, hard facts, Rochester should be the villain, but the novel doesn’t treat him that way. He suffers, he repents, and ultimately, he is redeemed.
Historical Context
The brilliant writer behind Jane Eyre is Charlotte Brontë. You may know her sister Emily from ‘Wuthering Heights’, another masterpiece.
Both lived in 19th century England at this time, the sisters were forging their path through a career in writing with struggle. They had to publish their stories with pseudonyms to avoid deterring away readers — imagine that!
The Jane Eyre book reflects many of the concerns and tensions of the Victorian era, including issues of class inequality, gender roles, the role of education, treatment of orphans and marginalised individuals, the constraints of marriage, and the treatment of women in society.
Religion played a significant role in Victorian society, with the Church of England exerting considerable influence over moral and social norms. Jane’s moral dilemmas reflect the broader religious debates of the time, including questions of morality, redemption, and the nature of divine providence.
It is easy to mistake the Jane Eyre book for a typical ‘girl power novel’, but to do this would be a disservice. Most of the time, Jane isn’t fighting men; she’s fighting women that try and destroy her life of happiness: Bertha Mason, the teachers at Lowood, and her despicable aunt at Gateshead.
The men actually seem pretty powerless before Jane, a quiet force of nature. For instance, Rochester goes into a complete existential crisis when Jane leaves, and St. John flees the country altogether when Jane refuses him.
The Jane Eyre book, most likely, is a testimony to a person’s defiance of circumstances, of strength, and the nobility one finds when fighting to achieve better and better.
Jane wants to move out of poverty, and she fights for this tooth and nail. She wants love, and she fights for it tooth and nail. The novel embodies the spirit of Charlotte Brontë, hence its autobiographical qualities.
Possibly the most consistent theme. Characters in the Jane Eyre book are extremely moral, often sacrificing their own happiness for the sake of doing the right thing.
Just look at Jane: she decides to leave Thornfield and her one true love because a deranged, insane and unfit old hag might possibly still be love with him (even though Bertha has tried to kill Rochester on many occasions).
Sometimes, the characters are too moral, almost to outright stupidity. Rochester flirts with a rich dame and pretends to want to marry her in order to show the world that he intends to marry someone of his social class. This would be legitimate, if it weren’t for the fact that nobody cares about Rochester and what he does with his life!
The only people he knows (and the only people who turn up to his and Jane’s wedding) are his servants at Thornhill. No need to impress, mate, just marry Jane already.
Jane’s unwavering moral compass and her ability to forgive even those who have wronged her illustrate the novel’s exploration of redemption and the transformative power of love. As she says,
“I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal—as we are!” (Chapter 23)
2️⃣ Social Class and Identity
Unlike today, where social classes don’t really matter or define you, and where you can live a relatively comfortable life without being a millionaire, Jane suffers profusely because of her social status. She is an orphan with no money, and has to work for every crumb she gets to eat.
Despite being a woman in Victorian England, she manages to run circles around Rochester, putting him in an existential crisis by just leaving. Jane’s later success at a happy life is simply the writer telling us that self-pity, complaints of one’s social class or social standing, and resenting those above you are a useless waste of time.
Jane fights tooth and nail for what she has, and because she does, she is worthy of her ultimate happiness (and a generous donation from the inheritance of her uncle’s perfectly-timed death — you know, every little bit helps).
Jane’s experiences as an orphaned girl from a lower social class navigating the world of the wealthy elite highlight the disparities and prejudices prevalent in Victorian society. Her struggles to assert her own worth and dignity in the face of societal expectations are evident throughout the novel. As Jane reflects,
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will” (Chapter 23).
3️⃣ Education
Given Jane’s social standing, education is everything for her. To Jane, it represents the only way she can make herself useful.
Of course, by ‘education’ we mean basic humanist, art and music skills, a foreign language at most. Not a forensic science degree.
Education offers a safe haven for the characters, free to ponder on their own miseries and joys.
4️⃣ Gender Roles
The novel also delves into the limitations placed on women in Victorian society and the quest for independence and autonomy.
Jane’s refusal to conform to traditional gender roles and her determination to carve out her own path exemplify this theme. Despite societal pressures, Jane asserts her agency and asserts,
“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself” (Chapter 34).
5️⃣ Love and Autonomy
Jane’s relationships with Mr. Rochester, St. John Rivers, and others reflect different facets of love, ranging from passion to duty.
However, Jane is always asserting her autonomy (queen) and refuses to compromise her principles for the sake of romantic attachment. Her ultimate decision to marry Rochester only after achieving financial independence underscores her commitment to self-respect.
Exploring the complexities of love and autonomy in Jane Eyre reveals the novel’s progressive portrayal of female empowerment and its critique of conventional gender roles.
6️⃣ Nature and the Sublime
The natural world has a bit of split personality in the book, Jane Eyre. On one hand, characters find solace and spiritual renewal in the tranquility of the moors or the majestic landscapes of the countryside.
On the other hand, nature can also be a site of peril and uncertainty. The storm that rages during Rochester and Jane’s proposal scene is one instance of this.
The sublime aspects of nature tend to evoke a sense of awe and transcendence, highlighting characters’ emotional and psychological struggles.
Analysing the role of nature and the sublime in Jane Eyre illuminates the novel’s exploration of the human condition, the quest for meaning, and the interplay between inner and outer landscapes.
What is the main message of Jane Eyre?
At its core, Jane Eyre is about staying true to yourself. Jane faces challenge after challenge—abuse, isolation, heartbreak—but never lets go of her principles. Even when she’s tempted by love, wealth and security, she refuses to compromise her values.
Additionally, one of the biggest messages conveyed in the novel is about independence and self-respect. Jane isn’t just looking for love—she’s looking for equality. She won’t be Rochester’s mistress, nor will she marry St. John out of duty. She chooses love on her own terms because real happiness comes from knowing your worth.
Finally, Jane Eyre shows that love and respect must go hand in hand. Rochester and Jane only work out because, by the end, they meet as equals. It’s a powerful message: love should never come at the cost of self-respect.
Write Essay Analysis of Jane Eyre in 3 Steps
Step 1: Choose your example
The best way to choose an example is to choose a technique. Remember you must include stylistic devices (how images and words are arranged in a text in order to produce meaning), and aesthetic features (elements that prompt a critical response from the reader) in your essays to gain the most marks.
The following quote conveys both tone and imagery, which are aesthetic and stylistic features respectively:
“You are a beauty in my eyes, and a beauty just after the desire of my heart,—delicate and aërial.”
Step 2: Identify your technique(s)
In this case, the “delicate and aërial” parts refer to a specific image that Rochester has of Jane, this being that Jane is almost fairy-like.
The second is more tricky to get: remember that because the book is told through Jane’s perspective, other characters’ opinions of Jane are synonymous with how Jane is regarded by the author herself.
This all falls under tone, that is admiring Jane in this instance, almost praising her character.
Step 3: Write the analysis
Always be ready to ask yourself what the author intended you to feel/respond emotionally by reading the example quote. This will make sure that you tackle an important part of the analysis, which is the effect on the reader.
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