Jane Eyre Character Analysis

Jane’s initial battle for acknowledgment and freedom began at Gateshead, where the Reed family cared for her. With the death of her parents at a young age, sadly Jane was forced

In the early stages of Jane's life she was a very autonomous girl. She grew up in a hostile environment in the home of Mrs. Reed and her three children, John, Eliza, and Georgiana that is known as Gateshead. The Reed family showed no love or any sort of affection towards Jane in any way, shape, or form; for they all despised her. She spent most of her time out of contact of others. The most contact she had with someone was a

Helen’s life was influential to Jane’s life because she taught her so much, but Helen’s death was more important, because it burdened Jane with carrying on Helen’s legacy. Helen was the first person Jane has cared for in a positive way. She idolizes Helen, arguably as a mother or sister figure, and her death leaves an emptiness in Jane’s life. Although she never announces that she will carry the lessons Helen taught her, Jane’s actions demonstrate the importance and the hold that these lessons have on her life. Most notably, before her death from consumption, Helen tells Jane to study the New Testament and follow Jesus’s notion to “Love your enemies” (Bronte #). When Jane is summoned back to Gateshead, where her aunt is dying, she displays this doctrine in its fullest. Mrs. Reed was one of Jane’s most antagonizing enemies. She banishes Jane to the “red room” and says she may not be let out until Mrs. Reed came to get her herself. When Jane cries out in terror of seeing a ghost, Mrs. Reed “thrust [her] back and locked [her] in”

In the first few opening chapters Jane Eyre is seen as a mentally and physically abused child, during her years at Gateshead Hall. John Reed displays violence towards Jane in the first chapter. He punishes and bullies Jane; it is not known why the Reed family resent her so much. Her situation is seen as desperate within the first few paragraphs. Her cousins and Aunt make her life impossible and unbearable, she is not seen as a member of the family. Jane is simply seen as ‘’less than a servant’’ as she does ‘’nothing for her keep’’.

…It becomes my duty to warn you that this girl, who might be one of God’s own lambs, is a little castaway—not a member of the true flock, but evidently an interloper and an alien. You must be on your guard against her; you must shun her example—if necessary, avoid her company, exclude her from your sports, and shut her out from your converse. (Brontë 67)

The next chapter of Jane’s life starts at Lowood School, her main foundation. She meets some very important people such as Miss Temple and Helen Burns who have a great impact on her success. Jane becomes better educated: book smart and world smart. She takes courses in French, drawing, history, literature, and much more. Jane is very eager and excited to learn. She discusses her academic achievements, “I toiled hard, and my success was proportionate to my efforts; my memory, not naturally tenacious, improved with practice; exercise sharpened my wits; in a few weeks I was promoted to a high class; in less than two months I was allowed to commence French and drawing” (Charlotte Brontë 107). Eventually, Jane graduates at the top of her class. This achievement raises Jane’s self esteem because in the eyes of her peers, she has finally done something right and id being properly honored for it. Helen’s impact in Jane’s live allows for Jane to become a better person overall. Helen helps Jane become a better person overall, by teaching worldly and Godly matter, and

In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Jane is an orphaned child that had to learn to fend for

While living at Gateshead, Jane is treated poorly not only by Mrs. Reed, but also by her eldest son John Reed. Jane shows Mrs. Reed Christian humility by being compassionate to her, despite how she treats Jane. When she is older, Jane reflects on her childhood and her aunt’s harsh treatment with a calm and fair view. “Yes Mrs. Reed, to you I owe some fearful pangs of mental

While John Reed receives no punishment from his mother for abusing Jane, Jane is put into solitary confinement within the house by Mrs. Reed for her actions. Though this was not a positive experience for Jane, she learns from the way Mrs. Reed treats her son that it is not good to always believe one’s child is perfect and others are the problem. Another instance where Mrs. Reed is a negative mentor towards Jane is when Mr. Brocklehurst comes to Gateshead. While he is there, Mrs. Reed tells him all about how Jane is a liar and has “a tendency to deceit” (39). Although this is not true, it is apparent to the reader that Mrs. Reed’s intent, contrary to how she explains her actions a bit later in the book, is to harm Jane’s reputation at Lowood.

The Reeds take care of Jane because both of her parents died at a young age, making her an orphan. While living here, Jane’s extended family subjects her to neglect, abuse, and hate. This caused Jane to feel as if she were alone at Gateshead. Bronte’s naming of the residence shows how Jane feels like she cannot move beyond the “gate” separating her from the others living at Gateshead, stating “I was clearly a discord at Gateshead Hall; I was like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children, or her chosen vassalage.” (Bronte 17).

In this part of the novel, we are introduced to Jane and the Reed family. Jane's time at Gateshead was rather unpleasant, oppressive, and cruel. The Reed family viewed Jane as a nuance and never treated Jane as her own. This can be seen in Chapter 2 when Jane is put in the red room and exclaims, “All John Reed's violent tyrannies, all his sisters' proud indifference, all his mother's aversion, all the servants' partially… Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned?”

Jane’s caretaker Mrs. Reed loathed Jane and wished her husband had never taken in the brat. Their distaste for each other only grew. When Mrs. Reed laid on her deathbed gravely sick, she still hated Jane and while Jane hoped they could heal, she shared this same distaste and didn’t shed a tear when she died. Jane continued to carry this stubbornness. When Jane met Rochester even though she was in love with him her own stubbornness is what eventually drove her to leave but luckily she returned to Rochester later.

Mrs.Reed and John Reed abuse her physically and vocally as shown (Brontë,5)when John Reed hits her and she stands up for herself by talking back saying, “You are like a murderer- you are like a slave-driver- You are like the Roman emperors”. With time Jane grew and from those experiences had the strength to forgive those who hurt her most in her childhood, by doing so she came closer to her final and best self. After Gateshead she transitions to Lowood. Faced with humiliation and poor living conditions, Jane is faced with a different kind of personal test, one that she is not prepared for.

Jane in her younger years was practically shunned by everyone and was shown very little love and compassion, from this throughout her life she searches for these qualities through those around her. Due to Jane’s mother’s disinheritance she was disowned by Mrs. Reed and her children, and was treated like a servant consistently reminded that she lacked position and wealth.

When Jane was a child, she lived with her Aunt and cousins, John, Georgiana, and Eliza in their home called Gateshead. Jane’s parents had died and she supposedly had no other family, so her uncle insisted on taking her, but shortly died after and Jane was left in the care of  Mrs. Reed, her aunt. Throughout her time there, Jane became the target of physical and verbal abuse, especially from her Aunt and John. Jane remained obedient and quiet with little protest because it would only bring her more trouble to be rowdy. She was considered a burden, and was oppressed through everything she did. After being attacked by John, Mrs. Reed  punished Jane instead of him; she got locked away in a room where her uncle died and eventually fainted from anxiety and panic. Ever since that experience, Jane acted more rebellious and outspoken to Mrs. Reed and even lashed out at her, speaking about every terrible thing Mrs.