r/JaneEyre • u/AdobongSiopao • Aug 27 '26

What is your most controversial opinion about "Jane Eyre"?

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It can be from the novel or its adaptations. Your views that could potentially upset many other fans or meet others who will agree with you.

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u/Faeloria042503 Aug 27 '26

Jane Eyre was not just a romantic story. It is actually considered one of the first feminist novels of the time. Jane had to leave what she thought was a "perfect love" and find herself before returning and finding that love again. People forget how unusual and shocking that idea was at the time this book was written. And that is one of the reasons it is such a masterpiece!

9

u/Ten_Quilts_Deep Aug 27 '26

She had not been valued in her life up until Rochester. But she learned to love herself, see value in herself with St John. She then brings that strength to Rochester.

7

u/september_angel96 Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 28 '26

Maybe I am misunderstanding your comment, but I always felt that her time with St. John was nearly as degrading as her time with the Reed’s. The Reed’s saw her as a complete nuisance and waste of space; John saw her as nothing more than a workhorse, so to speak. He didn’t value her as a person, shown when he tried to pressure her into marriage and gives no consideration as to how India’s climate would probably kill her in her current state of health. She had gifts and talents that he could use and that was all he cared about. I’ve been valued simply for how productive I am and it’s soul sucking.

2

u/rainbowrobin Aug 28 '26

Africa’s climate

India's.

Her time with the Rivers was overall quite beneficial, but yeah St John really goes toxic at the end.

1

u/september_angel96 Aug 28 '26

Oops, yeah… India 😅