Jane Eyre is an orphan. She spends an unhappy childhood with
a cruel aunt and then eight years at a harsh charity school. When
she is 18, she takes a job as a governess to a young French girl
at Thornfield Hall.
Edward Rochester is the master of Thornfield. He has travelled
widely and seen the world, but he loves Jane’s strong spirit and
fresh innocence. She soon falls in love with him.
Frightening things happen at Thornfield. Jane hears terrible
laughing and Rochester’s bed is set on fire in the night. Rochester
explains that it is Grace Poole, a strange servant who lives in the
attic of the house.
Rochester plays an elaborate game with Jane’s feelings. He
pretends to be interested in a beautiful local lady, Blanche
Ingram. Then a man called Mason arrives from Jamaica. He is an
old acquaintance of Rochester’s. Someone in the attic attacks
him and he leaves.
Rochester proposes to Jane and she accepts, despite the
difference in age and social position between them. The wedding
is stopped, however, by Mason. He claims that Rochester is
already married to his sister, who is kept in the attic. When Jane
sees this madwoman for herself, she runs away from Thornfield.
She is close to death when a kind family take her in. She
settles near them and takes a job in a school. A year later, a rich
uncle leaves her money. She returns to find Mr Rochester.
Thornfield has burnt down, Mrs Rochester died in the fire and
Rochester was badly burnt. Jane finds him in his new home. He
is a broken man, but they renew their love and marry