Welcome Post

Whenever one hears the words "classic novel" there are a medley of titles and names of authors that come to mind: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Mark Twain. I have chosen to read Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Brontë, another classic novelist we hear about so often. It is the compelling story that takes us through the life of Jane, beginning as a young girl living an incredibly unhappy childhood, through her time as a student and teacher at Lowood Institution and her career as a governess.It is while Jane is working as a governess that she meets Mr. Rochester, at which point the slow unfolding of a love story begins.

My initial purpose in reading Jane Eyre was simply to determine whether or not I thought it worthy of it's place in the mind of many readers as a great classic novel. When I began reading, there was no doubt in my mind that it was worthy of such a place, though the further I got into the book, the more my mind began to change.

I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the book, as I haven't quite finished it yet, so I won't go as far as to say I think it should be removed from the list of classic novels. For the time being I am simply keeping an open mind.

Below are a list of links in relation to Jane Eyre and Charlotte Brontë that I've compiled so far. Some look at the themes within the novel, the historical and social context of the book, while others draw parallels between the life of Brontë and Jane.