Reading Favorites Through the Years: "Jane Eyre"

I read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for the first time when I was 12 or 13. I had seen the BBC mini-series with Timothy Dalton and was utterly swept up by this Gothic tale of forbidden love. I then re-read this novel multiple times and my perspective on the plot and the characters kept changing throughout the years.

At 13, the book was mostly a beautiful love story to me. A dark and brooding Rochester, a man with a complicate past and a self-proclaimed sinner in need of redemption, falls hard for a pure, innocent, but also gritty and passionate, governess Jane Eyre. Appalling as they were, I did not care much for the scenes at Lowood, the charitable institution where Jane was raised and educated. I also found the section on Jane's flight from Thornfield and her interactions with newly found cousins quite tedious. I read the book for the romantic story line only.

Reading this book in my mid-twenties, I was surprised how much I enjoyed the entire novel, not just the romance aspect of it. I really took my time and savored Jane's friendship with Helen Burns. I also surprisingly quite liked the scenes that included St. John Rivers. The discussion of duty versus following one's heart as well as the importance of close family ties was something I found relevant and interesting in my mid-twenties.

The last noticeable shift in my perspective on this novel occurred two years ago, when I re-read Jane Eyre yet again in July of 2016. I was shocked to discover that Edward Rochester was not the great romantic hero I used to imagine him to be. Yes, it is unfortunate that he was stuck with an insane wife. But this is not an excuse to wallow in self-pity and be callous towards others. He acted selfishly towards Jane. His entire plot to deceive her was utterly devious. I was also appalled by his treatment of his ward (and likely illegitimate daughter) Adele. I even felt sorry for his mentally ill wife whom he treated more like an animal than a human being (yes, I understand — such were the times). Finally, I found Bronte's characters — aside from Rochester who is utterly gray — to be too black and white. I am not by any means saying that I hated the book on this final re-read. On the contrary, I really appreciated the complexity of issues and the depth of the moral conflict presented by Charlotte Bronte.

Overall, as my personal life experiences changed and became more complex, I discovered new depths and perspectives in this classic novel. My appreciation of it not only changed, but grew and I look forward to seeing what new discoveries are in store for as I continue to re-read some of my beloved stories.