The novel Jane Eyre was written as an autobiography by a passionate woman of Britain in the nineteenth century. Her name is Charlotte Brontë. Much of the events occurred in Jane Eyre's life were gone through by herself in reality. The main character Jane Eyre, therefore, is an allusion to the author. Thus being the case, Charlotte finished her composition with much vehement enthusiasm and was able to conquer the minds of its readers throughout history. However, unlike her fictional protagonist, Charlotte's life was drawn to an end by tragedy. She eventually died of giving birth to her first child. From this I conclude that the ending in Jane Eyre was something Charlotte had hoped for but never achieved. When this novel was first published in Great Britain, Charlotte Brontë was being impinged on for creating Jane, a rebellious young woman of great impertinence and improper behavior. She was criticized of setting a bad example for the English ladies in the British society.

In my opinion, such comment can only be made by people with strong prejudice against the nature of a female because of "original sin". For the author's portrait of Jane simply refers to a girl of frankness in possession of what a young woman need before entering into society. It's independence. This extraordinary novel narrates a touching story of a girl who overcomes the exceeding bitterness of her childhood to become an accomplished lady after much struggle with fate. Because of her inspirational deeds, I've come to admire Jane Eyre. The following paragraphs will introduce you to Jane's characteristics thoroughly.

Although Jane's aunt promises to bring this orphan up at the death bed of her husband, she fails to love Jane as her own daughter, and needless to say that Jane is treated with brutality. Being young and impulsive, Jane never yields to her aunt's unjust punishments. She gallantly stands up for what she believes is right.

At the age of ten, Jane is sent relentlessly by her aunt to Lowood - a charity school far from home, and is intended especially for children of the poor. There, Jane becomes a good friend of Helen Burns. Helen is good-natured, quiet, and calm; Jane, on the other hand, is active and emotional. It's their opposite characteristics that bring them closely bonded to one another. Years pass with these two companions sharing every precious moment together. Jane is now able to adopt some of Helen's merits to control her temper and to gain much serenity. As a result of the school's poor sanitary condition, Typhoid spreads and eventually wipes out the campus. Jane survives because of her resolution but Helen's weakness causes herself to rest forever in peace.

Eight years pass, Jane is now a young lady of eighteen. Her hard working nature enables her to become a master in French, drawing, and piano. Being imprisoned for so many years, Jane longs to see the rest of the world. Soon, she finds a job as the governess of a four-year-old at the remote mansion of Thornfield, the setting where her exciting story of adventure takes place.

Edward Rochester, the master of this gigantic estate, is a stout character of plain features. He is impressed with Jane's honesty and involuntarily falls in love with her. He then comes up with a plan to forge a marriage between himself and Blanche Ingram, an indifferent lady of the upper class. The intention is to prompt Jane's jealousy and perhaps force her to make her confess her feelings of him. After Jane hears of their engagement, she decides to leave Thornfield and erase her pain by starting a new journey elsewhere. Here I quote directly of Jane's response: " Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I'm an automaton? A machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips and my drop of living water dashed from my cups? Do you think, because I'm poor, obscure, plain, and little, I'm soulless and heartless? You think wrong! I have as much soul as you and full as such heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it hard for you to leave me! …We stood at God's feet, equal, as we are!" This conversation acquires much reverence from me. Jane, helpless as she is, dares to rise up and declare herself equal in front of a man of much wealth. Delighted at this, the couples are to be married two weeks later. However, Jane soon finds herself face to face with another challenge. On their nuptial day, the secret of Edward's crazy wife is revealed. Although heartbroken, Jane resolves to reject the temptation of being Edward's mistress in the city of London. " I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave the only place where I've known true love."

In a cold winter evening, Jane departs Thornfield in secrecy. Being penniless, she begs from door to door for food and water, and is provided with a comfortable lodging in a village after enduring hardship of great exorbitance. Jane does not regret at all about what she decides. She also doesn't blame Edward one bit but deeply resents the deceiving trickeries of her own fate. Surprisingly, during her bitter journeys, Jane's able to find her long-lost cousins at the age of twenty. She is informed that her name is mentioned in the will of her late uncle to be the heiress of twenty thousand pounds. All of a sudden, her goal of being independent is realized after countless toil s and sweat. From this point and beyond, I consider the rest of the story as the dénouement which will be rounded up in this following paragraph.

Another year passes by. Jane finds Thornfield a complete ruin upon her return. The site beholds none of the lovely scenes that still exist among her fading reminiscences. After much inquiry, Jane learns that Thornfield was Burt down to debris during her absence when Edward's restless wife set the place on fire. The flame eventually claimed her own life and caused the injuries of others. Jane's reunion with Edward Rochester is somehow a mixture of both grief and happiness. Due to the inevitable incidence of Thornfield's catastrophe, Edward loses the sight of both of his eyes, and has one of his hands amputated. At last, they are married to one another without being antagonistic to their religious beliefs and more importantly, without betraying their own conscience.

After reading this novel, I'm glad to say that I didn’t spend my time in vain. For I'm satisfied with the crucial lessons I have been taught about one's mastery over his or her future. It's important to realize that Jane Eyre is no Cinderella. In a society where she is being rejected, Jane strives and manages to accomplish much without receiving any support form the external force. Certainly, there is no guiding light to lead her out of the darkness, but only strength from her inner self. Jane Eyre, henceforth, will forever live in my head as a symbolism of the enormous tussle against barriers on the way to independence from a young woman's point of view. Edward, likewise, is no handsome prince, he also has his own side of struggle, both internal and external.

History no longer lingers on. With steady pace we are advancing into a new era in which the social value towards women has drastically changed. On the political arena, we can see more and more female leaders mounting up the platform today. Because of this, daughters are no longer chained to their fathers and husbands, but are independent to make decisions for themselves and their future. Jane Eyre, in this case, sets and example and therefore, becomes my heroine.