JANE EYRE

Suggestions

for research

THE SUPERNATURALThe Red Room

Jane - a witch, a faerie? Has visions/dreams

The fortune teller

Can hear each others thoughts

Tree splits in half

Bertha is a vampire

Helen Burns is an angel

WARDS IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND

A common practice, but how did the whole ward thing work?

Jane was Mrs. Reed’s ward

Adele was Rochester’s ward (or daughter – whatever)

ORPHANAGES

Lowood School

Children’s rights

Compare Dickens w/Bronte re: treatment of children in their novels

TREATMENT OF THE MENTALLY ILL

Bertha

Grace Poole (caretakers)

Why didn’t Rochester put Bertha in an asylum?

Were Jane & Rochester a little nuts?

TEACHERS/GOVERNESSES

Differences between teachers & governesses

Who became teachers/governesses and why?

Reputation? (Blanche’s mom)

Rights / Working conditions

Compare/contrast a governess in Victorian England and a nanny today

PHYSICAL ABUSE

Mrs. Reed & her rotten son

Lowood school

Even Rochester!

Predominantly children & women victims

MARRIAGE/SOCIAL/CLASS CONVENTIONS

Blanche rich/high class and MUCH younger

Jane poor/low class and MUCH younger

Divorce

Jane won’t run away w/Rochester

Jane’s beautiful speech about being small and insignificant

MARRIAGE/SOCIAL/CLASS CONVENTIONS (CONT’D)

St. John’s sisters (cousin goes into a convent?)

Jane won’t marry St. John

St. John won’t marry Rosamond

Women’s rights (or lack thereof)

Women’s ability to inherit (becomes Jane Heir!)

CHRISTIANITY & COLONIZATION

Sun never sets on the British Empire

St. John going on a mission to India

Helen Burns – tries to teach Jane about Christ & humility

Jane’s refusal to be Rochester’s mistress (denounces moral relativism)

CHARLOTTE BRONTE

Compare her life with Jane Eyre