Jane sobs convulsively, “shaken from head to foot with acute distress.” Finally she says that she wishes she had never been born, or never come to Thornfield, and Rochester asks, “Because you are sorry to leave it?” The sorrow and love within Jane at last force her to speak:Īs Jane has observed before, home is not a place, but a person. Max Wulff’s illustration of the proposal scene (1920) updates the clothing to the early twentieth century. Had she traveled to Ireland, Jane herself would have worked in a well-to-do household, but she would have been surrounded by misery. Indeed, the Great Famine began in 1845, two years before the publication of Jane Eyre. Not only was Ireland far away, but the threat to send Jane to that subject island may also have evoked (in the minds of the original readers) contemporary reports of abject poverty and despair. O’Gall of Bitternutt Lodge” and her five (!) daughters hard to swallow. He fully intends that Jane find the prospect of “Mrs. Rochester’s proposed “situation” is clearly fictional, the product of his ironical fancy.
Therefore, he says, “Adèle must go to school and you, Miss Eyre, must get a new situation.” Jane promises to advertise, but he brushes this off, saying that he has already heard of a situation which will suit: The impact of this speech on Jane is shown only externally, by Rochester’s question, as she turns her head away in grief.Īs before, Rochester refers to Blanche insultingly, but also makes clear that he plans to marry her in a month’s time. Rochester asks if she has become attached to Thornfield, to Adèle and to Mrs. Soon she relaxes and even feels ashamed, for he appears so composed and quiet that any thought of impropriety seems to lie with her alone. Jane turns to go, but Rochester asks her to stay with him: “Surely no one can wish to go to bed while sunset is thus at meeting with moonrise.” Jane is reluctant, but she fails to think of an excuse. Rochester’s mention of West India hints of his family connections there perhaps they are on his mind, on this of all nights.
Does Rochester hear Jane’s footstep? Or is he so sensitive to her presence that even his shadow can feel her touch? Folk beliefs about shadows as “external souls” are common, and stepping on someone else’s shadow is often thought to bring that person bad luck. This is our second hint of the supernatural. Jane retreats into “an ivy recess” whence she sees Rochester walking the garden, checking the gooseberries, stooping to inhale the perfume of flowers, and finally examining a large moth which has alighted beside him. While he has his back to her, she tries to slip away unnoticed: There the scents of flowers and fruit hang in the air: She notices the fragrance of Rochester’s cigar “stealing from some window” and walks apart, into the orchard, in order to avoid being seen. On Midsummer’s Eve, Adèle “goes to bed with the sun” and Jane seeks the garden. For this and other art, see the excellent site “Jane Eyre Illustrated.” A lot of the best examples are available to stream online as well, even the classic adaptations and older mini-series versions of the story.Fritz Eichenberg’s very gothic woodcut of the proposal scene (1943). The best Jane Eyre adaptations for the screen, however, stack up quite well when keeping the original novel in mind thanks to the strengths of the lead actors, with their performances giving each one a distinctly timeless quality. Updated on May 17th, 2021 by Kristen Palamara: While there haven't been countless Jane Eyre movie versions like other works from the time period of Jane Austen's novels, the story has seen many different adaptations, from radio to television to stage productions.
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RELATED: 10 Underrated Period Drama TV Series & Movies, Rankedĭespite taking place in Victorian England, the story of a young woman's journey towards independence and love is timeless and people can still connect to that story today. The novel's discussion of Christianity, social class, feminism, and romance caused ripples when it was published that have lasted until today. Charlotte Brontë's most popular work, Jane Eyre, published in 1847, has been adapted many times and in numerous ways.