1. JANE EYRE

2. Jane Eyre
A Victorian novel: a woman’s quest for love and her search for identity
Established a platform for feminist writing in the nineteenth century.
Deals with topics of:
Heroism
Dreams
Women’s studies
Social standing

3. Jane Eyre
Though written during the Victorian Age, Jane Eyre exemplifies many qualities of Romantic literature.
Supernatural elements, emotional connections, individual journeys, idealistic attitudes
Gothic elements also:
Dreary settings
Brooding male protagonist

4. Jane Eyre A challenging read Rich narrative and vocabulary
Universal themes include:
Suffering through social class prejudice
Exhibiting loyalty to those we love
Longing for family
Appreciating gender issues
Surviving a difficult childhood

5. Jane Eyre Victorian Age – 1833-1901
Named in connection with the reign of Queen Victoria
Social, political, and historical influences permeated the literature of the time period
At the forefront: the ever-changing role of women
1840s: petitions began for the advocation of women’s suffrage
1882: The Married Women’s Property Act – secured women’s rights to maintain property after marriage

6. Jane Eyre Victorian Age – 1833-1901
The Industrial Revolution opened doors for lower class women to take jobs in factories
Paid low wages
Offered terrible working conditions

7. Jane Eyre
The Victorian Age brought an increase in literacy, and reading novels became a popular pastime
The typical Victorian novel was directly connected to issues and concerns of contemporary society.
Authors strove to create realistic views of nineteenth century living
Stories were often published in serial form; readers anxiously awaited the monthly installments of single chapters
Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, William Mackepeace Thackery, Anthony Trollope, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy were popular authors

8. Jane Eyre
UEQ
How does Jane Eyre reflect the tenets of both Gothic Literature and the Victorian Era; its society and its literature?
LEQ – Chapter 1
The violent fight between John and Jane in the opening chapter sets up one of the novel’s main themes: gender relations. What does Jane’s reaction to John tell us about her? Does her reaction contrast with what would be expected of females at the time?