jane eyre essay questions gcse

by Charlotte Bronte

Jane eyre essay questions.

How does Charlotte Brontë incorporate elements of the Gothic tradition into the novel?

In the Gothic literary tradition, the narrative structure of a text is meant to evoke a sense of horror or suspense, often through the use of the supernatural, hidden secrets, mysterious characters, and dark passion. Brontë incorporates each of these elements into the novel and especially highlights the importance of the mysterious Byronic hero in the form of Mr. Rochester. Brontë also emphasizes the Gothic nature of Thornfield Hall and incorporates the figure of the Madwoman in the Attic as the primary conflict of the novel. Brontë uses these Gothic elements as a way to heighten the tension and emotion over the course of the narrative, as well as to reveal an almost supernatural connection between Jane and Mr. Rochester.

Is Jane Eyre a likable protagonist? Why or why not?

Jane is an atypical heroine for the Victorian period, and even for contemporary literature, because she is not beautiful in a traditional sense. Unlike Georgiana and Blanche Ingram, who are each lauded as exceptional beauties in the text, Jane is small and slight, with ordinary features and a slightly elvish appearance. With that in mind, Jane is particularly likable protagonist because she is not an idealized figure; her personal and physical faults make her seem more realistic and allow readers to relate to her more closely. At the same time, however, Jane's firm morality and harsh rejection of Mr. Rochester may seem rather cold and unlikable to the more passionate readers. Still, Jane's independent spirit and courage against all obstacles ensure that she is a protagonist to be valued and encouraged.

How does Jane Eyre compare to Bertha Mason?

As the stereotypical Madwoman in the Attic, Bertha is presented as a clear antagonist to Jane in the novel. Not only does she personify the chaos and dark animal sensuality that contrasts so sharply to Jane's calm morality, Bertha is ultimately the sole obstacle between Jane and Mr. Rochester and their eventual happiness. However, while Jane and Bertha seem to be wholly distinct from each other, Bronte does suggest that the two characters have significant similarities. Although Jane is calm and controlled as an adult, she exhibits much of the same passion and bestiality as a child that Bertha displays in her madness. Moreover, though Jane leaves Thornfield rather than become Mr. Rochester's mistress, she still possesses the same qualities of sensuality as Bertha but is simply more successful at suppressing them.

How does the novel comment on the position of women in Victorian society?

As a woman, Jane is forced to adhere to the strict expectations of the time period. Thought to be inferior to men physically and mentally, women could only hope to achieve some sort of power through marriage. As a governess, Jane suffers under an even more rigid set of expectations that highlight her lower-class status. With this social construct in mind, Jane has a submissive position to a male character until the very end of the novel. At Lowood, she is subservient to Mr. Brocklehurst; at Moor House, she is under the direct control of St. John Rivers; and even at Thornfield, she is in a perpetually submissive position to Mr. Rochester. Over the course of the narrative, Jane must escape from each of these inferior positions in an effort to gain her own independence from male domination. After her uncle leaves her his fortune, Jane is able to achieve this independence and can marry Mr. Rochester on her own terms, as an equal. Yet, Bronte emphasizes that Jane's sudden inheritance and resulting happy ending are not typical for women during the time period. Under most circumstances, Jane would be forced to maintain a subservient position to men for her entire life, either by continuing her work as a governess or by marrying an oppressive husband.

Considering his treatment of Bertha Mason, is Mr. Rochester a sympathetic or unsympathetic character?

Although Mr. Rochester's treatment of Bertha may seem to be cruel, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for his situation. Mr. Rochester married Bertha under false pretenses; he was unaware of her hereditary madness and was swept away by her exotic beauty and charm. After discovering his wife's madness, Mr. Rochester does not cast her out but rather attempts to make her life as comfortable as possible. Although Bertha's chamber in Thornfield seems inhumane, it is important to note that the conditions in madhouses of the time period would have been far worse. Mr. Rochester also is more sympathetic when we consider his extreme unhappiness and loneliness: he was fooled by the appearance of love and has been paying for his mistake ever since.

How does Mr. Rochester compare to St. John Rivers?

Throughout the novel, Bronte associates Mr. Rochester with fire and passion and St. John Rivers with ice and cold detachment. Bronte also presents Jane's potential union with each man as profoundly different. With Mr. Rochester, Jane would be forced to sacrifice her morality and sense of duty for the sake of passion. With St. John Rivers, however, Jane would have to sacrifice all sense of passion for the sake of religious duty. Significantly, Bronte also suggests that St. John may not be too different from Mr. Rochester. He is passionately in love with Rosamond Oliver, and his feelings for Rosamond seem to mirror Mr. Rochester's fiery emotions for Jane. However, St. John forces himself to suppress his feelings in favor of a cold evangelical exterior and, as a result, lives his life in solitude.

Why is Jane unable to stay with Mr. Rochester after his marriage to Bertha Mason is revealed?

Although Jane is very much in love with Mr. Rochester, she is unable to give in to the passion that she feels. Her eight years at Lowood School and her conversations with Helen Burns taught her the importance of suppressing passion and lust with morality and a sense of duty. If Jane were to stay with Mr. Rochester, it could only be as his mistress, and Jane is unwilling to sacrifice her sense of right and wrong in order to placate her personal desires. However, because Jane's love for Mr. Rochester is so strong, she realizes that she will be unable to resist him and her own desires if she remains at Thornfield Manor. Thus, when Jane leaves Thornfield, she sacrifices her personal happiness in order to save them both from committing a sin that would destroy the purity of their love.

What is the significance of Charlotte Brontë ending the novel with a statement from St. John Rivers?

In the last chapter of the novel, Brontë describes Jane's happiness with Mr. Rochester: they have married, had children, and Mr. Rochester has regained sight in one of his eyes. Yet, instead of ending the book on this happy note, Brontë concludes the novel with a letter from St. John in India in which he mentions a premonition of his death. St. John has done his duty to God by working as a missionary in India, but his existence still seems small and lonely in comparison to the joyous life that Jane has made with Mr. Rochester. Brontë suggests that even the most pious life is meaningless if it is devoid of love. St. John has a chance for love with Rosamond Oliver, but he sacrificed his happiness with her because he did not believe that love could co-exist with religion. Jane's ending with Mr. Rochester demonstrates the falsity of St. John's beliefs and reminds the readers of what could have happened to Jane if she had given up her love for Mr. Rochester.

What is the role of family in the novel?

The novel traces Jane's development as an independent individual, but it can also be read as a description of her personal journey to find her family. In each of the five stages of the novel, Jane searches for the family that she has never known. At Gateshead, the Reed family is related to her by blood and, while Bessie serves as a sort of surrogate maternal figure, Jane is unable to receive the true love and affection that she desires. At Lowood, Jane finds another maternal figure in the form of Miss Temple, but again, the school does not become a true home to her. When Jane reaches Thornfield and meets Mr. Rochester, she finally finds the love and family for which she has thirsted: Thornfield becomes her home because of her love for Mr. Rochester. However, because of Mr. Rochester's existing marriage to Bertha Mason (a union which nullifies any of Jane's familial connections to the Manor), Jane must move on and attempt to replace the family that she has now lost. Ironically, when Jane stays at Moor House, she actually discovers her true family: the Rivers siblings are her cousins. Yet, Jane's true sense of family remains with the love she feels for Mr. Rochester and, by returning to him at Ferndean and finally accepting his marriage proposal, she is able to fulfill her desire for a true family at last.

How does the novel relate to Charlotte Brontë's personal life?

Many aspects of the novel are autobiographical. Lowood School is based on the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge, where Jane and her sisters studied after their mother's death. Brontë's school has similarly poor conditions, and Brontë modeled Mr. Brocklehurst after the Reverend William Carus Wilson, an evangelical minister who managed the school. Brontë also informed the death of Helen Burns by recalling the deaths of her two sisters during a fever outbreak at their school. John Reed's descent into gambling and alcoholism relates to the struggles of Brontë's brother, Patrick Branwell, during the later years of his life. Most importantly, Jane's experience as a governess were modeled directly on Brontë's own experiences as a governess in wealthy families.

Jane Eyre Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Jane Eyre is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why did Jane go to the party?

Jane attends the party out of curiosity, she leaves because Rochester's guests are rude and arrogant.

What is it that you most admire about Jane?

I think this is asking for your opinion rather than mine. What do you admire about Jane? Is it her sense of independence as a woman in a patriarchal culture? Is it her thirst for education? Is it her resilience?

Why was Jane so invested in the ingrams?

I think your quesstion is embodied in the character of Blanche Ingram. The young and beautiful society lady who is Jane's primary romantic rival. Jane is convinced that the haughty Miss Ingram would be a poor match for Mr. Rochester, but she...

Study Guide for Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a book by Charlotte Brontë. The Jane Eyre study guide contains a biography of Charlotte Bronte, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Jane Eyre
• Jane Eyre Summary
• Jane Eyre Video
• Character List

Essays for Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Brontë. Jane Eyre literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

• Women in Literature: Examining Oppression Versus Independence in Henry V and Jane Eyre
• Jane Eyre: The Independent and Successful Woman Of the Nineteenth Century
• Mystery and Suspense
• In Search of Permanence
• Jane's Art and Story

Lesson Plan for Jane Eyre

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Jane Eyre
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Jane Eyre Bibliography

E-Text of Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is an e-text that contains the full text of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

• Chapters 1-5
• Chapters 6-10
• Chapters 11-15
• Chapters 16-20

Wikipedia Entries for Jane Eyre

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GCSE English Literature AQA: Jane Eyre (essays)

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

13 May 2023

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A collection of 13 essay plans covering the main characters and themes of Romeo and Juliet. Suitable for GCSE students. Organised into distinct paragraphs with language analysis, context, quotations and author’s intentions highlighted clearly.

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GCSE English Literature AQA: Jane Eyre (notes and essays)

A complete revision guide to **Jane Eyre** suitable for **GCSE students.** Covers all characters and major themes, including **context and language analysis**. Comes with a set of **13** essay plans for all main characters and themes. Highlighted to clearly show **Bronte’s intentions, language analysis, context and quotations**. Suitable for **AQA or Edexcel.**

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Jane Eyre: Plot Summary ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Senior Content Creator

Jane Eyre: Plot Summary

Being completely familiar with the plot of Jane Eyre is one of the most helpful things you can do to prepare for the exam. Once you know the order of the key events in Jane’s life, you can link them to Brontë’s ideas more confidently. Having an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the text will enable you to find the most relevant references to support your response. 

Below you will find:

a general overview of the whole novel

detailed summaries by phase

Jane Eyre is an 1847 novel by English author Charlotte Brontë. It tells the life story of its protagonist , Jane Eyre, over a period of ten years. The novel is written in the form of a fictional autobiography .  

The novel begins at Gateshead Hall, where Jane, an orphan, lives with her aunt, Mrs Reed, and her cousins John, Georgiana and Eliza. Following a violent fight with her cousin John, Jane is sent away to Lowood, a charity school. Jane suffers physically and emotionally under the cruel regime at Lowood. Her friendships with Helen Burns and Miss Temple help her to overcome these challenges, and she spends her final two years at Lowood as a teacher.

Following Miss Temple’s departure from Lowood, Jane seeks employment as a governess. She finds work at Thornfield Hall, where she is governess to Adèle Varens, the ward  of Thornfield’s owner, Edward Rochester. Jane and Rochester fall in love and Rochester asks Jane to marry him. On their wedding day, Jane finds out that Rochester already has a wife, Bertha Mason, a lunatic who he has been kept confined in the attic at Thornfield.  

Fleeing Thornfield, homeless and penniless, Jane is taken in by the Rivers family. St John Rivers, a devout  clergyman, finds her a job as a village schoolteacher. Jane discovers that her uncle, John Eyre, has died and left her a fortune. St John asks her to marry him and join him as a missionary in India. She refuses, because she still loves Rochester. 

Returning to Thornfield, Jane finds out that the Hall has been destroyed in a fire, in which Bertha has died. Rochester has suffered injuries that have left him blind. Jane is reunited with Rochester at Ferndean and marries him. 

Phase-By-Phase Plot Summary

The 38 chapters of Jane Eyre cover five distinct stages, or phases , of Jane’s life. Each phase is set in a different location and is covered in a range of chapters. 

Phase One (Chapters 1 to 4): Gateshead Hall

Jane is hiding from her cousin John, a violent bully 

When John attacks Jane, she defends herself 

As a punishment, she is locked in the red-room overnight 

The red-room is where Mr Reed, Jane’s uncle, died, and is reputed to be haunted

Jane is so terrified at being locked in the dark that she has a “fit” and is ill for several days

Jane finds out that Mrs Reed plans to send her away to school

Jane is happy to leave Gateshead because she is unloved and excluded from the family

Mr Brocklehurst, the manager of Lowood, a charity school, visits Gateshead

Mrs Reed states that Jane is a liar, which is untrue, and Jane is furious at this injustice

Before Jane leaves Gateshead, she tells her aunt that she will always remember her cruelty and injustice towards her

At ten years old, Jane travels the 50 miles south from Gateshead to Lowood by coach, alone 

Phase Two (Chapters 5 to 9): Lowood School

On her arrival at Lowood in January, Jane quickly realises that conditions for the pupils are extremely harsh

The girls at Lowood have inadequate food and clothing, so they are starving and freezing throughout the winter months

Jane makes friends with Helen Burns, who is both kind and extremely religious

Miss Temple, the superintendent at Lowood, is the only person, apart from Helen, to show Jane any kindness

When Mr Brocklehurst visits, he orders all the pupils’ long hair to be cut short, to prevent them becoming vain

Mr Brocklehurst’s wife and daughters are dressed in luxurious clothes, with fashionably curled hair, making his hypocrisy clear

It is also obvious that the money donated to the school is being misappropriated  by Mr Brocklehurst

Mr Brocklehurst humiliates Jane by calling her a liar in front of the entire school

Miss Temple investigates and publicly clears Jane of the charge of lying

The following spring, the school suffers an outbreak of typhus , and many children die

Helen’s persistent cough is a symptom of “consumption” (tuberculosis) and she also dies, with Jane at her side

The deaths at Lowood cause a scandal, so the school is relocated and Mr Brocklehurst’s role is taken over by a committee

Conditions at the school improve dramatically, and Jane starts to thrive

Jane spends the final two years of her eight years at Lowood as a teacher

Miss Temple becomes a valued friend and Jane starts to feel happy and settled

When Miss Temple leaves Lowood to get married, Jane decides to search for a job

Jane puts an advertisement in the newspaper, which is answered by Mrs Fairfax, who offers her a job as a governess

Jane leaves Lowood for Thornfield Hall, 50 miles further south

Phase Three (Chapters 10 to 27): Thornfield Hall

Jane discovers that Mr Rochester, not Mrs Fairfax, is the owner of Thornfield, but does not live there

Jane becomes governess to Adèle, Mr Rochester’s ward

At first, Jane is glad to be in such a comfortable situation, but soon starts to feel stifled by its limitations

In the corridor on the third floor, Jane hears an uncanny laugh from one of the rooms, which Mrs Fairfax explains is a servant, Grace Poole

After three months, Jane finally meets Mr Rochester

Mr Rochester remains at Thornfield and starts to spend time talking to Jane

Rochester’s conversations with Jane become more personal and revealing, and he hints at something terrible that happened when he was a much younger man

One night, Jane is woken by a “ demoniac " laugh outside her door, finds Rochester’s room on fire, and saves his life

Jane realises she loves Rochester and considers leaving Thornfield

A group of Rochester’s friends arrive at Thornfield, including Blanche Ingram, who Jane believes he intends to marry

Richard Mason arrives from Jamaica and is injured mysteriously, Jane believes by Grace Poole

Jane receives the news that John Reed has died, and that Mrs Reed is dying and insisting on seeing her

On visiting Gateshead, Jane discovers that her uncle, John Eyre, had written to Mrs Reed wishing to adopt Jane three years previously, but that Mrs Reed had never told Jane of the letter

When Jane returns to Thornfield, Rochester asks her to marry him and she accepts

The night before her wedding, Jane is woken by a strange, terrifying figure in her room, who tears her wedding veil in two

Jane’s wedding ceremony is interrupted by a solicitor, Mr Briggs, and Richard Mason, Bertha’s brother, who inform everyone that Rochester is already married and that his wife is still alive

Jane cannot bring herself to stay with Mr Rochester as his mistress, and she runs away before dawn the following morning

Phase Four (Chapters 28 to 35): Moor House

After spending her last money on a coach, Jane wanders, penniless and starving, for three days, then collapses at the door of Moor House

She is taken in by St John, Mary and Diana Rivers, who care for her and become close friends

St John finds a job for Jane in the village of Morton, where she is the village schoolteacher

The Rivers family find out that their uncle John has died, leaving his fortune to a cousin

St John visits Jane to tell her that the solicitor, Briggs, has been searching for her to tell her that her uncle, John Eyre, has died and left her a fortune of £20,000

Jane discovers that the Rivers siblings are her cousins; their uncle John is John Eyre

Jane resolves to share her fortune equally between herself and the three Rivers siblings and to live at Moor House with them

St John puts pressure on Jane to marry him and join him as a missionary in India, although they do not love each other (he is in love with Rosamund Oliver and Jane still loves Rochester)

Jane almost accepts St John’s proposal, but she thinks she hears Rochester calling her name and instead decides to leave Moor House

Phase Five (Chapters 36 to 38): Ferndean Manor

Jane returns to Thornfield Hall to find it was destroyed in a fire two months after she left

The fire was caused by Bertha Mason, who jumped off the roof to her death

Rochester survived the fire, but was injured and lost his sight and one hand

Jane is reunited with Rochester and marries him 

They live happily at Ferndean, Rochester’s manor house

Rochester gradually recovers his sight sufficiently to see his first child 

For the highest marks in your exam, it is essential to know the order in which events happen in the novel. That’s because knowing what happens and when helps you to link your answer to Brontë’s ideas more effectively.

This means you should be able to go beyond retelling the order of events in a “narrative” or “descriptive” way. Conceptualised responses depend on your understanding of how Brontë develops her ideas. In Jane Eyre, it’s important to grasp how Jane’s character develops over the whole novel. Knowing how her experiences affect her development is crucial. Think: which life events made Jane develop her sense of justice, or independence, or integrity, and why?  

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Author: Nick Redgrove

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.