Jane Eyre: Plot Overview

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From a poor orphan living a harsh life in a family that did not care for her to a blissful heiress with a loving husband, Jane Eyre, the protagonist of Charlotte Bronte’s illustrious novel Jane Eyre, has endured oppression everywhere she went. Her life with her aunts and cousins at Gateshead Hall was filled with oppression, as was her time at Lowood School. Things eventually got better for her when she comes to Thornfield Hall, but is still discriminated at times.

Lastly, Jane experiences hardships when she runs away from Thornfield after a tragic wedding, before finally settling down to a life full of peace, joy, and love.

Jane, for most of the story, has been mistreated or overlooked, making her a symbol of the maltreatment that many people have to face.

As a child, Jane has always been abused. One of the main reasons is because she does not have any money. John, one of Jane’s malicious cousins, once yelled at her stating, “you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen's children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mama's expense.” John does not approve of Jane living with them because her social class is lower and she is not able to provide for herself.

He considers Jane is not fit enough to associate with high-class people like himself.

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John’s opinion of Jane leads him to constantly harm her and ordering her about.

In his eyes, Jane is like a servant, someone he could treat terribly.

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Jane, herself, acknowledges his superior position and control, by calling him names such as “slave-driver” and comparing him to the cruel Roman emperors.

Both of these names display authority over the lower class, just like how John has power over Jane. Not only did John feel this way about Jane’s position, but the rest of his family as well as the servants, who often reminded Jane to be grateful that she had somewhere to live, completely ignoring her harsh treatment. When punishing Jane, one of the servants claimed that she was less than them. As a result of her low class, Jane ought to obey and suffer through whatever John, the master, wanted, even if that meant she would be harmed. She is disliked among the family and servants because she is an orphan and has nothing to survive on. Her oppression is caused by her supposed lowness. Jane’s life with her cousins at Thornfield gives readers a glimpse of what many people in a similar situation to Jane have to undergo.

After leaving her aunt and cousins to go to school, Jane continues to face difficulties.

References

  • https://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-janeeyre/
Updated: Sep 26, 2024
Cite this page

Jane Eyre: Plot Overview. (2020, Sep 17). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/jane-eyre-plot-overview-essay

Jane Eyre: Plot Overview essay
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