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Tadiana ✩Night Owl�'s Reviews > Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
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Tadiana ✩Night Owl�'s review
bookshelves: classics, historical-fiction, i-can-tame-the-bad-boy, literary-stuff, oldies-but-goodies, made-me-think
Feb 11, 2013
bookshelves: classics, historical-fiction, i-can-tame-the-bad-boy, literary-stuff, oldies-but-goodies, made-me-think
I'm bumping Jane Eyre up to the full five stars on this reread. It has its Victorian melodramatic moments (horrible aunt! and cousins! (view spoiler)), but overall I found this story of a plain, obscure girl determined to maintain her self-respect, and do what she feels is right even in the face of pressure, profoundly moving. And I'm a romantic, sorry/notsorry, so that aspect totally sucked me in too. And it really is a great romance, at least in my book, but it's just so much more than that.
Reasons I Love Jane Eyre:
1. Jane is no beauty. There's no Cinderella moment. Deal with it. Her beauty is all on the inside.
2. Rochester is not gorgeous. This is not going to change either. In fact, his outward appearance gets worse in the end. And it doesn't matter! When's the last time you read a romance where neither the heroine nor the hero was good-looking?
3. Great dialogue. Rochester makes sarcastic comments to Jane all the time. She sasses him right back.
4. This is a romance of the mind and the heart, not just OMG HE'S SO HOT AND HIS LIPS MAKE ME MELT. (Though there's definitely physical attraction here too.)
5. Jane maintains her pride and self-respect. She sticks to her principles, even when the pressure's on, even when it would be much easier, and would bring her much more short-term happiness, to let those principles go hang.
6. Jane Eyre takes a very nuanced view of religion: there are hypocrites, in at least a couple of different variations. There are hard, cold people who sometimes use religion as a tool, or an excuse for what they do. There are saintly characters who always turn the other cheek. And there are believers, like Jane, who are imperfect but are doing the best they can.
7. Jane teaches us that we have a great power to take control of our lives and decide our own destiny, even when the cards are all stacked against us. It's up to us to take action to change our lives, not wait for someone else to change it for us.
8. Jane Eyre empowered women, written at a time when in so many ways we were considered second-class citizens. It still empowers us now.
P.S. The Kindle version available for free at Project Gutenberg has wonderful pencil drawing illustrations.
Bonus: excerpts from Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters **spoiler alert**
JANE
MY LITTLE SUNBEAM
WHERE ARE YOU
I NEED YOU BY MY SIDE
I’m taking a walk
be back for dinner
AH YES MY CAGED SPRITE
COMMUNE WITH NATURE AND UPON YOUR RETURN
RELATE TO ME THE VAGRANT GLORIES OF THE RUINED WOODS
do you really want me to describe my walk to you
MORE THAN ANYTHING YOU POCKET WITCH
it is fairly cloudy out
looks like rain soon
AHHH TO THINK THAT MY LITTLE STARLING JANE
SHOULD RETURN
TO PERCH ON MY BROKEN MALFORMED SHOULDER
SINGING A SONG OF THE GREY AND WRACKING SKIES
MAKES MY HEART SWELL TO BURST
all right
�
JANE WHERE HAVE YOU GONE
I AM BEREFT AND WITHOUT MY JANE I SHALL SINK INTO ROGUERY
i am with my cousins
WHICH COUSIN
IS IT THE SEXY ONE
Please don’t try to talk to me again
IT IS YOUR SEXY COUSIN
“ST. JOHN�
WHAT KIND OF A NAME IS ST. JOHN
I’m not going to answer that
I KNEW IT
DID YOU LEAVE BECAUSE OF MY ATTIC WIFE
IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT
yes
absolutely
BECAUSE MY HOUSE IN FRANCE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE AN ATTIC
IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT
IT HAS A CELLAR THOUGH SO YOU KNOW
DON’T CROSS ME
HAHA I’M ONLY JOKING
Reasons I Love Jane Eyre:
1. Jane is no beauty. There's no Cinderella moment. Deal with it. Her beauty is all on the inside.
2. Rochester is not gorgeous. This is not going to change either. In fact, his outward appearance gets worse in the end. And it doesn't matter! When's the last time you read a romance where neither the heroine nor the hero was good-looking?
3. Great dialogue. Rochester makes sarcastic comments to Jane all the time. She sasses him right back.
4. This is a romance of the mind and the heart, not just OMG HE'S SO HOT AND HIS LIPS MAKE ME MELT. (Though there's definitely physical attraction here too.)
5. Jane maintains her pride and self-respect. She sticks to her principles, even when the pressure's on, even when it would be much easier, and would bring her much more short-term happiness, to let those principles go hang.
6. Jane Eyre takes a very nuanced view of religion: there are hypocrites, in at least a couple of different variations. There are hard, cold people who sometimes use religion as a tool, or an excuse for what they do. There are saintly characters who always turn the other cheek. And there are believers, like Jane, who are imperfect but are doing the best they can.
7. Jane teaches us that we have a great power to take control of our lives and decide our own destiny, even when the cards are all stacked against us. It's up to us to take action to change our lives, not wait for someone else to change it for us.
8. Jane Eyre empowered women, written at a time when in so many ways we were considered second-class citizens. It still empowers us now.
Women ... feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, to absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.Buddy (re-)read with Jess, Karly, Vane, Kristin, Rabbit, and Andrea.
P.S. The Kindle version available for free at Project Gutenberg has wonderful pencil drawing illustrations.
Bonus: excerpts from Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters **spoiler alert**
JANE
MY LITTLE SUNBEAM
WHERE ARE YOU
I NEED YOU BY MY SIDE
I’m taking a walk
be back for dinner
AH YES MY CAGED SPRITE
COMMUNE WITH NATURE AND UPON YOUR RETURN
RELATE TO ME THE VAGRANT GLORIES OF THE RUINED WOODS
do you really want me to describe my walk to you
MORE THAN ANYTHING YOU POCKET WITCH
it is fairly cloudy out
looks like rain soon
AHHH TO THINK THAT MY LITTLE STARLING JANE
SHOULD RETURN
TO PERCH ON MY BROKEN MALFORMED SHOULDER
SINGING A SONG OF THE GREY AND WRACKING SKIES
MAKES MY HEART SWELL TO BURST
all right
�
JANE WHERE HAVE YOU GONE
I AM BEREFT AND WITHOUT MY JANE I SHALL SINK INTO ROGUERY
i am with my cousins
WHICH COUSIN
IS IT THE SEXY ONE
Please don’t try to talk to me again
IT IS YOUR SEXY COUSIN
“ST. JOHN�
WHAT KIND OF A NAME IS ST. JOHN
I’m not going to answer that
I KNEW IT
DID YOU LEAVE BECAUSE OF MY ATTIC WIFE
IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT
yes
absolutely
BECAUSE MY HOUSE IN FRANCE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE AN ATTIC
IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT
IT HAS A CELLAR THOUGH SO YOU KNOW
DON’T CROSS ME
HAHA I’M ONLY JOKING
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Reading Progress
February 11, 2013
– Shelved
May 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
classics
May 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
May 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
i-can-tame-the-bad-boy
May 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
literary-stuff
May 15, 2015
–
Started Reading
May 15, 2015
–
1.0%
"[John] ought to have been at school; but his mama had taken him home for a month or two, “on account of his delicate health.”� The master affirmed that he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him from home; but the mother’s heart turned from an opinion so harsh, and inclined rather to the more refined idea that John’s sallowness was owing to over-application and, perhaps, to pining after home."
May 15, 2015
–
7.0%
""How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you have no pity.""
May 17, 2015
–
17.0%
"The unhealthy nature of the site; the quantity and quality of the children’s food; the brackish, fetid water used in its preparation; the pupils� wretched clothing and accommodations—all these things were discovered, and the discovery produced a result mortifying to Mr. Brocklehurst, but beneficial to the institution."
May 18, 2015
–
23.0%
"Women ... feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing piano and embroidering."
May 19, 2015
–
24.0%
"“Are you injured, sir?�
I think he was swearing, but am not certain; however, he was pronouncing some formula which prevented him from replying to me directly.
--That'll be my excuse next time I let slip some word I shouldn't say."
I think he was swearing, but am not certain; however, he was pronouncing some formula which prevented him from replying to me directly.
--That'll be my excuse next time I let slip some word I shouldn't say."
May 20, 2015
–
39.0%
"She was very showy, but she was not genuine: she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments; but her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature: nothing bloomed spontaneously on that soil; no unforced natural fruit delighted by its freshness. She was not good; she was not original: she used to repeat sounding phrases from books: she never offered, nor had, an opinion of her own."
May 21, 2015
–
43.0%
"“Your fortune is yet doubtful: when I examined your face, one trait contradicted another. Chance has meted you a measure of happiness: that I know. She has laid it carefully on one side for you. I saw her do it. It depends on yourself to stretch out your hand, and take it up: but whether you will do so, is the problem I study.""
May 21, 2015
–
50.0%
"I knew by her stony eye—opaque to tenderness, indissoluble to tears—that she was resolved to consider me bad to the last; because to believe me good would give her no generous pleasure: only a sense of mortification."
May 21, 2015
–
54.0%
""Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!—I have as much soul as you,—and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you.""
May 22, 2015
–
64.0%
"A Christmas frost had come at midsummer; a white December storm had whirled over June; ice glazed the ripe apples, drifts crushed the blowing roses; on hayfield and cornfield lay a frozen shroud . . ."
May 24, 2015
–
68.0%
"I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?"
May 24, 2015
–
88.0%
"“I scorn your idea of love,� I could not help saying, as I rose up and stood before him, leaning my back against the rock. “I scorn the counterfeit sentiment you offer: yes, and I scorn you when you offer it.�"
May 24, 2015
–
95.0%
"“Have you a pocket-comb about you, sir?�
“What for, Jane?�
“Just to comb out this shaggy black mane. I find you rather alarming, when I examine you close at hand: you talk of my being a fairy, but I am sure, you are more like a brownie.�
“Am I hideous, Jane?"
“Very, sir: you always were, you know.�"
“What for, Jane?�
“Just to comb out this shaggy black mane. I find you rather alarming, when I examine you close at hand: you talk of my being a fairy, but I am sure, you are more like a brownie.�
“Am I hideous, Jane?"
“Very, sir: you always were, you know.�"
May 24, 2015
–
Finished Reading
June 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
oldies-but-goodies
June 9, 2015
– Shelved as:
made-me-think
Comments Showing 1-50 of 87 (87 new)
message 1:
by
Andrea AKA Catsos Person
(new)
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rated it 2 stars
May 12, 2015 10:53PM
Oh dear! Is the 15th the date we start to read or the date this should be completed?
reply
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flag
Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "Oh dear! Is the 15th the date we start to read or the date this should be completed?"Just the start date, Andrea! Read at your own pace. I just have a rating on it because I've read it before.
Oh. I understand. I reread books that I like also. Looking forward to this.
"YOU POCKET WITCH"I have no idea what that means exactly, but I want to start using that hahahahah
Kristin ❋extols death with luminescent brilliance� wrote: ""YOU POCKET WITCH"I have no idea what that means exactly, but I want to start using that hahahahah"
I've read that Jane Austen text conversation about 20 times and it still makes me snicker every time. I'll be on the lookout for nicknames Rochester uses on Jane on this reread! It would be too fantastic if "pocket witch" was one of them, but I don't expect it.
Indeed! In re-reading this, I totally see why I loved Jane the first time, but realize that I remember almost nothing of the story.
message 7:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
I remembered some bits but not others... I remembered small inconsequential things and forgot big things O.o
Kristin ❋extols death with luminescent brilliance� wrote: ""YOU POCKET WITCH"I have no idea what that means exactly, but I want to start using that hahahahah"
Kristin, this made me laugh and remember our discussion of nicknames: "he had no such honeyed terms as “love� and “darling� on his lips: the best words at my service were “provoking puppet,� “malicious elf,� “sprite,� “changeling,� &c." (chapter 24)
Lol how...endearing
"My house in France doesn't even have an attic..." Snort, choke...
message 11:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
So, tadiana, am I the only weirdo who would LOVE to play (view spoiler)?? I think she would be so fun to play.... all cray-cray, horrific and such!
Should we be worried that you want to set fire to people?
message 13:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Shhhhhhhh!!! No, not actually. I just think character-wise she would be fantastic to play. I've always liked monstrous female characters who make no apologies for being nutso.
hehe I was just teasing. I totally get why she would be the fun character to play.
Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "So, tadiana, am I the only weirdo who would LOVE to play [spoilers removed]?? I think she would be so fun to play.... all cray-cray, horrific and such!"Did you know that there's actually a novel written from her point of view, Wide Sargasso Sea? I've never read it, but it's gotten some great reviews.
And I just finished my Jane review! Yay!
I'll have to read your impressions when I'm done reading.
message 17:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
No I did not....*goes to add to TBR*I will peruse your review shortly, tadiana :)
Tadiana ♕Part-Time Dictator� wrote: "Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "So, tadiana, am I the only weirdo who would LOVE to play [spoilers removed]?? I think she would be so fun to play.... all cray-cray, horrific..."My daughter told me years ago to read Wide Sargasso Sea, but I keep forgetting to find it!
I tried to make my review not too spoilerish, though it is a little. But I put the major spoilers in tags or marked them with warnings. :)
message 20:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Excellent review, dearie :D
Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "No I did not....*goes to add to TBR*"ditto
Thank you! And thanks to you and Jess and the rest of the BR gang for motivating me to finally reread this book!
I will have to wait to read it. Although I remember the gist of the novel, I hadn't realized how much I had forgotten until this reread.
Love this review!This is a romance of the mind and the heart
I think those are my favorite kind ... Too many romances with hot characters can't move my mind or heart, and therefore I can't love them.
message 25:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Oh you are welcome :) Thank you for being part of our hoard (which I believe may have started because I DNF'd - through no choice of my own - this book when I was 16 lol)
Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "Oh you are welcome :) Thank you for being part of our hoard (which I believe may have started because I DNF'd - through no choice of my own - this book when I was 16 lol)"Is that the time a guy ripped the book in half?
message 27:
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Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Heather *Thermonuclear Bomb of Death* wrote: "Love this review!This is a romance of the mind and the heart
I think those are my favorite kind ... Too many romances with hot characters can't move my mind or heart, and therefore I can't love ..."
This! Nor is it common for the woman to have her own mind and not become dissuaded from her own beliefs by her love....(but I'm not done and my memory she fades, so perhaps that is yet to come.)
message 28:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Heather *Thermonuclear Bomb of Death* wrote: "Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "Oh you are welcome :) Thank you for being part of our hoard (which I believe may have started because I DNF'd - through no choice of my own -..."Yes, although I think I'm going to make up a far more gothic and interesting story as to why in my review.
Haha, you totally should! *waits eagerly*
message 30:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
LOL, don't hold your breathe or anything, Heather :P I don't want you to faint or die of oxygen deprivation.
Lovely review. Like you, I appreciated this book more upon rereading.
Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* wrote: "LOL, don't hold your breathe or anything, Heather :P I don't want you to faint or die of oxygen deprivation."I won't, but I WILL be stalking your review (of course).
message 33:
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Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Awwww, you are so sweet ;)
Your sob story in your review is killing me, Karly! How much of it is true?
message 35:
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Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
All of it. That's my Jane Eyre tale of woe.
Just for you, I kept track of the pet names that I noticed! Mustard-seed is my favorite, so endearing! LolLamb
Elf
Pet
Fairy
Mustard-seed
Sprite
Fire-spirit
Little girl
Little tyrant
Capricious witch
Provoking puppet
Malicious elf
Changeling
Sphynx-like
Skylark
Kristin ❋extols death with luminescent brilliance� wrote: "Just for you, I kept track of the pet names that I noticed! Mustard-seed is my favorite, so endearing! LolLamb
Elf
Pet
Fairy
Mustard-seed
Sprite
Fire-spirit
Little girl
Little tyrant
Capricious ..."
Ooh, thank you! I love this! I remember several of these but I totally missed seeing mustard-seed. I wonder if I could use that one on my husband sometime . . .
Haha you should! Be sure to have a camera ready ;)
Lol, he would give me the strangest look if I did that.
message 40:
by
Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)*
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Hahaha, okay so CQ has totally ripped off a U2 song and said "You have a face not spoiled by beauty".... I was VERY impressed O.o
The texts don't do a lot for me, but I like your own analysis of this wonderful book - especially the nuanced review of religion (controversial for a parson's daughter).
Cecily wrote: "The texts don't do a lot for me, but I like your own analysis of this wonderful book - especially the nuanced review of religion (controversial for a parson's daughter)."Maybe it's because I have teenagers, but those texts still make me snicker every time I read them. Thanks for your comments!
Mine is just beyond the teen years, but texting isn't really his thing - at least, not to me!
Lovely review, Tadiana. Jane Eyre is the first "grown up" book that I can remember reading. My grandparents gave it to me for Christmas and there's a photo of me reading it. I would have been about eight at the time, so I was way too young to properly understand what I was reading. But each time I've re-read it over the ... (oh dear!) almost half a century since then, I've gained something from the experience. Generally I'm more of an Austen fan than a Brontë fan, but this novel remains a favourite, for many of the reasons you've identified in your review.
Eight is quite young to have read - and enjoyed - Jane Eyre. I think I was 14 the first time, and even then, there was lots I didn't really understand till later rereads.
I don't think I would have made it through Jane Eyre at age 8. I can't remember how old I was when I first read it--not a teenager; I think I was probably in my 20's, and even then I found some parts of it a tough slog. I had a much easier time with it this time through. Which makes me think it's time to take on a couple of Jane Austen books where I did a lot of skimming the first time through. :)
Tadiana ♕Part-Time Dictator� wrote: "I don't think I would have made it through Jane Eyre at age 8. I can't remember how old I was when I first read it--not a teenager; I think I was probably in my 20's, and even then I found some par..."I think very young readers can enjoy without understanding. I think I was like Kim in that I read whatever came my way from a young age, and I never let being puzzled slow me down. In fact, I don't think I really was ever puzzled; I just let the words slide by and hung on to what I did understand. And I would never have spoiled a book by asking what parts of it meant, either! Maybe it is just the experience of reading, of getting inside of a story, that spurs some kids on.
Uh, and "Yes!" to the Austen idea, Tadiana!
Sense and Sensibility is on my short list, Karlyne. Interested in a buddy read sometime, maybe in a month or two or three? I might also be talked into Mansfield Park or one of her others.
Tadiana ♕Part-Time Dictator� wrote: "Sense and Sensibility is on my short list, Karlyne. Interested in a buddy read sometime, maybe in a month or two or three? I might also be talked into Mansfield Park or one of her others."Absolutely! I can always squeeze an Austen in, because I miss the characters desperately if I'm away from them for too long. Just let me know when!
Great review, all the same reasons I love Jane Eyre too.
