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From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Jane Eyre Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.
- Full Book Summary
Jane Eyre is a young orphan being raised by Mrs. Reed, her...
- Chapters 17–21
A summary of Chapters 17–21 in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre....
- Symbols
A summary of Symbols in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Search...
- Character List
Jane Eyre. The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Jane...
- Plot Analysis
At its core, Jane Eyre follows Jane’s quest for home and...
- Themes
Jane Eyre is critical of Victorian England’s strict social...
- Full Text
Read the full text of Jane Eyre: Preface. Search all of...
- Motifs
A summary of motifs in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Search...
- St. John Rivers
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of St. John...
- Helen Burns
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of Helen Burns...
- Full Book Summary
- Summary: Chapter 1
- Summary: Chapter 2
- Summary: Chapter 3
- Summary: Chapter 4
- Analysis: Chapters 1–4
The novel opens on a dreary November afternoon at Gateshead, the home of the wealthy Reed family. A young girl named Jane Eyre sits in the drawing room reading Bewick’s History of British Birds. Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed, has forbidden her niece to play with her cousins Eliza, Georgiana, and the bullying John. John chides Jane for being a lowly orphan...
Two servants, Miss Abbott and Bessie Lee, escort Jane to the red-room, and Jane resists them with all of her might. Once locked in the room, Jane catches a glimpse of her ghastly figure in the mirror, and, shocked by her meager presence, she begins to reflect on the events that have led her to such a state. She remembers her kind Uncle Reed bringin...
When she wakes, Jane finds herself in her own bedroom, in the care of Mr. Lloyd, the family’s kind apothecary. Bessie is also present, and she expresses disapproval of her mistress’s treatment of Jane. Jane remains in bed the following day, and Bessie sings her a song. Mr. Lloyd speaks with Jane about her life at Gateshead, and he suggests to Jane’...
About two months have passed, and Jane has been enduring even crueler treatment from her aunt and cousins while anxiously waiting for the arrangements to be made for her schooling. Now Jane is finally told she may attend the girls’ school Lowood, and she is introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst, the stern-faced man who runs the school. Mr. Brocklehurst ab...
In the early chapters, Brontë establishes the young Jane’s character through her confrontations with John and Mrs. Reed, in which Jane’s good-hearted but strong-willed determination and integrity become apparent. These chapters also establish the novel’s mood. Beginning with Jane’s experience in the red-room in Chapter 2, we sense a palpable atmosp...
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