Jane Eyre Mini Review - How One Book Made Me Love Romance Novels!
A while ago I finished reading Jane Eyre, and oh my god what a ride it's been. Definitely a book that should be read by everyone at least once! We've already posted our impressions in an Instagram post a while back, but I decided to revisit this review and share it here as well, in hopes that more people would give Romance Classics a chance. So let's get into the review itself.
Jane Eyre Review. Photo Credit: Unsplash.
First off, whenever I finish reading anything written between the 18th and 20th century, I always wonder what happened to the English language? Why was it simplified this way? Many people would argue that Americans and their culture are primarily to blame for this degradation, but I'm not sure I completely agree - try reading anything by H. P. Lovecraft, and you'll quickly realize that Americans maintained a sophistication of expression well into the 20th century. So to my mind, the fault must lie elsewhere. But I digress...
My original point was this: the level of English used by Charlotte Brontë is certainly much more advanced compared to what we read and speak today. People, to whom it is a second language, especially, might need to tackle quite a few pages before they are comfortable with the narration (I know I did).
And here is where the edition I had gotten myself proved to be an immense help. The Penguin Clothbound Classics edition is not only beautifully designed, but it also contains supporting commentary and an extensive Appendix section that readers can continuously refer to throughout their journey. Now you might be thinking, "Why would I want to do that - that sounds like an exhausting way go read?" True, while a tad more gruelling and slower, it allows readers to understand a lot of era-specific references, regional English jargons and draw parallels with Shakespearean, Biblical or Milton references (of which there are oh so many!)
What about the story itself? For one thing, I love books that are presented from a first person view. When done right, it brings out so much more emotion and relatability to the narrator. And Brontë did it right!
Foe another thing, if you decide to tackle a piece like Jane Eyre for the first time, do try and remember not to look at it through the prism of today's value systems. I see people making this mistake quite often, but trying to enforce current societal norms on somewhat rural Victorian England settings just won't do. It is easy to - *SPOILERS AHEAD - READ AT OWN RISK* - say that Jane was jumping from one toxic relationship to another or that she couldn't make up her mind, or that she could have simply chosen to move from her life of hardship. Ah, but you forget, dear reader, that the novel was written at a time where women's rights were all but non-existent. Yes, dames from high society could enjoy certain privileges, but even those came at the mercy of their male counterparts. And for poor governesses, they were completely at the mercy of their Masters (see what I did there?)
For Jane to speak her mind the way she does, for her to stand her own ground in the face of societal norms - it was absolutely unheard off at the time and caused such a wild stir in English society when the book was published that many list it as one of the first pebbles that ushered in the avalanche of societal reforms that continue even in this day and age.
Jane Eyre Review. Photo from His and Hers Book Club personal archive, 2022
But what truly grabbed me in the story was the relatability to Jane's character, even though we lived nearly 2 centuries apart. Her struggle to balance different value and moral systems is something we all go through - do we do what we believe is right, or do we do what is easy? Do we stand by our principles or do we follow our hearts? It's never an easy choice to make and, in fact, there isn't always a right choice either. Sometimes we come to crossroads where every road will leave our hearts a tad heavier, our eyes a bit more sunken. But a road we must choose nonetheless...
So do I recommend Jane Eyre? Absolutely! Passionate romances, intriguing mysteries, complex characters and brutally realistic spiritual struggles. What more can you want?
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