Character Analysis (AQA A-Level English Literature A): Revision Notes

Character analysis

Understanding the characters in Jane Eyre is essential for grasping Charlotte Brontë's exploration of independence, love, morality and social class in Victorian England. Each character serves a specific purpose in Jane's development from an oppressed orphan into a self-assured woman who achieves equality in marriage. This note examines the major and supporting characters, analysing their roles, relationships and significance to the novel's themes.

Major characters

Jane Eyre

Jane is the novel's protagonist and narrator, and her first-person perspective shapes our entire understanding of events. She begins the story as an angry, rebellious ten-year-old orphan living unhappily at Gateshead with her cruel aunt and cousins. Throughout the novel, Jane gradually transforms into a sensitive, artistic, maternal and fiercely independent young woman.

Key aspects of Jane's character:

• Independence and self-respect: Despite her low social position as a governess, Jane maintains her independent spirit and refuses to compromise her values. She rejects marriage proposals from both Rochester and St John when the circumstances threaten her autonomy or self-respect.

• Moral integrity: Jane faces fierce opposition at each stage of her journey, often because of her social class and lack of wealth. Yet these conflicts strengthen rather than weaken her beliefs and ideals. She searches for proper religious values, rejecting the extremes represented by Brocklehurst, Helen Burns and St John.

• Growth through experience: Jane makes her mark in different worlds—Lowood, Thornfield and particularly Moor House, where she gains value for her humanity and personal qualities. This recognition parallels her desire for independence, both financial and emotional.

• Achievement of equality: Only after Jane gains financial independence and self-esteem can she marry Rochester on equal terms. The novel ends with Jane maintaining her independence whilst living with the man she loves, having overcome the social constraints that limited women's choices.

Edward Rochester

Rochester owns Thornfield Manor and becomes Jane's employer and eventually her husband. Brontë presents him as an interesting variation on the Byronic hero—a complex, brooding character type common in Romantic literature. Though handsome in a rugged sense, his great passion and forcefulness make him extremely appealing and sensual from Jane's perspective.

Key aspects of Rochester's character:

• Past mistakes and redemption: Rochester has been deceived by Bertha Mason's external beauty in the past, and he constantly broods over the darkness of his decision to marry her. This past mistake makes him a sympathetic character despite his moral failings.

• Emotional depth: Despite their difference in backgrounds and social status, Rochester is a kindred spirit to Jane. He feels emotional peace when in her presence and provides her with the unconditional love and sense of family she has never experienced.

• Intellectual equality: Although Rochester appears to be Jane's superior in intellect and worldly knowledge, the revelation of his marriage to Bertha demonstrates that Jane possesses moral and ethical superiority in their relationship.

• Transformation and equality: When Jane finally agrees to marry Rochester after having gained her independence, the fire set to Thornfield has blinded him. He becomes suddenly dependent on Jane, which nullifies the typical marriage inequalities of the Victorian period and tips the balance in her favour. On a more positive note, Brontë closes the novel with Rochester's sight partially regained—the marriage is restored to equality and they can be happy together.

St John Rivers

St John is the evangelical clergyman who takes Jane in at Moor House, along with his sisters Diana and Mary. He turns out to be Jane's cousin. St John represents one of the three major Christian models Jane observes during the novel.

Key aspects of St John's character:

• Religious extremism: Stoical, cold and strictly devoted to Christianity, St John's religion is far too detached for Jane. He refuses to give in to his love for Rosamond Oliver because of a warped sense of duty to God. Jane concludes that he knows little about genuine love.

• Lack of passion: Although St John does not love Jane, he believes she would be suited to missionary work in India. He asks her to marry him whilst they undertake this work. Whilst Jane admits she would gladly accompany him as his cousin (or adopted sister), marrying him under such circumstances would mean forfeiting her rights to a life of passion and love.

• Loss of autonomy: Accompanying St John without marriage would violate his sense of propriety. Jane's rejection of St John advances her return to Rochester, spurring her search for spiritual passion.

• Ambiguous ending: Although the book ends happily for Jane and Rochester, St John's ending is far more ambiguous. Though he has travelled to India to fulfil his Christian duty, Brontë suggests that St John's life could have been more meaningful if he had ever accepted love.

Helen Burns

Helen is Jane's friend at Lowood School. Though she dies early in Jane's time at Lowood, Helen is perhaps the most symbolically important character in the novel after Jane and Rochester.

Key aspects of Helen's character:

• Christian tolerance: Upholding the extreme Christian doctrine of tolerance and forgiveness at all costs, Helen serves as a foil to both Mr Brocklehurst (with his cruel lack of Christian compassion) and Jane (with her anger at those who mistreat her).

• Faith and endurance: Helen espouses a Christian philosophy of faithfulness and compassion that are rewarded in Heaven. As an orphan like Jane, Helen believes that her true family is waiting for her in the kingdom of Heaven.

• Acceptance of suffering: With that belief in mind, she faithfully turns the other cheek when accepting all the cruel punishments handed down at Lowood. She faces especial torments from Mrs Scatcherd. Though Helen is distressed by the treatment, she remains unwavering in her beliefs.

• Influence on Jane: When Helen dies, Jane absorbs the lesson that the meek shall inherit the earth. Whilst Jane initially rejects Helen's brand of religion, she incorporates it into her life later on, especially when she relies on the spiritual kindness of strangers after leaving Thornfield.

Bertha Mason

Bertha is Rochester's insane wife and Richard Mason's sister. She is a beautiful Creole woman from a prominent West Indies family. Bertha was married to Rochester in an effort to consolidate the wealth of the two families.

Key aspects of Bertha's character:

• Hidden madness: Suffering from hereditary insanity that had been kept secret from Rochester, Bertha began to spiral into madness and violence shortly after their marriage.

• Imprisonment: Bertha is eventually imprisoned in the attic at Thornfield under the guard of Grace Poole. This confinement serves to ensure both her own protection and the protection of other inhabitants of the house.

• Social critique: Bertha supports Brontë's critique of gender inequalities and Victorian marriage during the period. She represents what can happen when women are trapped in oppressive marriages without agency or independence.

Characters at Gateshead

The characters Jane encounters at Gateshead represent her early experiences of oppression and resilience. These formative relationships shape Jane's understanding of cruelty, class prejudice, and the rare kindness that can exist even in harsh environments.

Mrs Reed

Mrs Reed is Jane's aunt and the widow of Jane's uncle. Although she promised Mr Reed that she would treat Jane as her own child, Mrs Reed favours her own spoiled children and harshly punishes Jane for her seeming impudence.

Key aspects:

• Cruelty and favouritism: When Jane is ten years old, Mrs Reed sends her to Lowood and then tells John Eyre that Jane has died of typhus fever at the school.
• Deathbed confession: On her deathbed, Mrs Reed reveals that she hated Jane because Mr Reed loved Jane more than any of his biological children. She refuses to apologise for mistreating her.
• Class prejudice: Mrs Reed represents the cruelty of those with social power who abuse their position.

John Reed

John is Jane's cousin and brother to Eliza and Georgiana. As the spoiled darling of his mother, John constantly bullies Jane and is ultimately responsible for her confinement in the red-room at Gateshead.

Georgiana and Eliza Reed

These are Jane's cousins who represent two different paths women might take in Victorian society.

Georgiana: The prettier of the two Reed girls, Georgiana's beauty makes her a spoiled, selfish child. She befriends Jane as Mrs Reed dies, but blames Eliza for her failed plans to marry Lord Edwin Vere and shows a similar lack of compassion during her mother's illness. She eventually marries a wealthy man.

Eliza: Described by Jane as headstrong and selfish, Eliza is extremely jealous of her sister's beauty and vindictively breaks up Georgiana's engagement to Lord Edwin Vere. After her mother's death, Eliza breaks off all communication with Georgiana and enters a convent in France. She eventually becomes Mother Superior and leaves all her money to the church, representing an extreme devotion to religious duty over family bonds.

Bessie Lee

Bessie is a servant at Gateshead who acts as Jane's only comfort during her time there. She occasionally sings her songs and tells her stories, providing maternal care that Jane desperately needs.

Key role: Acting as a surrogate mother for Jane, Bessie is particularly kind after Jane's experience in the red-room and even treats her to a tart on her favourite plate. Bessie visits Jane at Lowood several years after her departure and is impressed with Jane's gentle demeanour. She marries the Gateshead coachman, Robert Leaven, and has three children, the youngest of which she names Jane.

Significance: Bessie represents the possibility of kindness and humanity even within oppressive social structures.

Characters at Lowood School

The Lowood characters represent Jane's educational experiences, encompassing both negative influences (Mr Brocklehurst's cruelty and hypocrisy) and positive role models (Miss Temple's compassion and integrity). These contrasting figures shape Jane's understanding of genuine Christianity and moral education.

Mr Brocklehurst

Mr Brocklehurst is the stingy manager of Lowood School who embodies religious hypocrisy.

Key characteristics:

• Hypocrisy: He hypocritically espouses Christian morals in his evangelical sermons and then treats the students at Lowood with disrespect and cruelty.
• Exploitation: The starvation-level rations and poor condition of the school come in sharp contrast to the luxurious and well-fed existence enjoyed by Brocklehurst's family. It is discovered that he has been embezzling school funds to line his own pockets.
• Outcome: He is eventually replaced as head of the school.

Miss Temple

Miss Temple is the beautiful and kindly superintendent of Lowood who serves as a foil to the cruel and stingy Mr Brocklehurst.

Key characteristics:

• Compassion: She strives to treat the students at Lowood with as much compassion as possible, even providing them with extra bread and cheese to supplement their meagre meals.
• Maternal care: Miss Temple is particularly kind to Jane and Helen, providing them with seedcake during their tea together and giving Helen a warm bed to die in.
• Role model: As one of the novel's surrogate maternal figures for Jane, Miss Temple demonstrates the lady-like demeanour and inner strength that Jane wishes to possess as an adult.

Significance: Miss Temple shows that education can be a force for good when guided by genuine compassion and moral integrity.

Miss Scatcherd

Miss Scatcherd is the history and grammar teacher at Lowood. She is generally unkind to her students, but she is particularly cruel and abusive to Helen. Her harsh treatment of Helen highlights Helen's Christian forbearance and patience.

Characters at Thornfield Manor

The Thornfield characters are central to the romantic plot and Jane's self-discovery. This setting brings together Jane's role as governess, her love for Rochester, and the Gothic mystery that threatens their union. Each character at Thornfield plays a role in either supporting or complicating Jane's path to happiness.

Mrs Fairfax

Mrs Fairfax is the kindly housekeeper at Thornfield. Though distantly related to the Rochesters, she is extremely welcoming to Jane upon her arrival at Thornfield and serves as another surrogate mother for Jane in the novel.

Key role: She warns Jane against marrying Rochester because she is concerned about the differences in age and social class. After Jane's departure from Thornfield, Mrs Fairfax retires with a generous pension from Rochester, showing his capacity for kindness and fair treatment.

Adèle Varens

Adèle is the French-speaking, somewhat undisciplined ward of Rochester whom Jane is hired to tutor. She is the illegitimate child of the opera dancer Céline Varens and an unnamed gentleman.

Character development: Although she lacks discipline and intellect and suffers from many 'French' traits (as the English perceived them), Adèle improves greatly under Jane's tutelage. She studies at a school of Jane's choosing and grows into a sensible and docile woman who becomes a good companion for Jane.

Significance: Adèle's improvement under Jane's care demonstrates Jane's capabilities as an educator and her nurturing qualities.

Grace Poole

Grace Poole is Bertha Mason's keeper at Thornfield, responsible for guarding the third-storey prison where Bertha is confined.

Mystery element: Jane is led to believe that the strange goings-on in Thornfield are caused by Grace Poole. It is only after Mr Briggs and Richard Mason reveal that Rochester is already married that Jane understands Grace's true position at Thornfield.

Blanche Ingram

Blanche is the young and beautiful society lady who serves as Jane's primary romantic rival.

Character analysis:

• Surface attraction: Jane is convinced that the haughty Miss Ingram would be a poor match for Rochester, but she believes Rochester prefers Blanche's beautiful appearance to her own plainness.
• Mercenary motives: Rochester is aware that Blanche is only interested in him for his money, but he pretends that he loves her in order to make Jane jealous.
• Social commentary: Blanche's comments about governesses during her visit to Thornfield are particularly upsetting to Jane and demonstrate the popular beliefs about governesses during Charlotte Brontë's time.

Céline Varens

Céline is Adèle's mother and Rochester's former mistress. A French opera dancer, Céline pretended to love Rochester but actually only used him for his money.

Significance: Rochester overhears a conversation between Céline and one of her other lovers. Filled with rage at his personal humiliation, he promptly severs all ties with her. Although Adèle is not his biological daughter, Rochester takes her in as his ward when Céline abandons her to run off to Italy with a musician.

Richard Mason

Richard is Bertha Mason's brother. The handsome but weak-willed man met Rochester in the West Indies and encouraged him to marry his beautiful sister without mentioning her hereditary madness.

Key events:

• Richard comes to Thornfield to check on his sister and is brutally bitten and stabbed by Bertha when he goes to her room alone.
• When he later learns of Rochester's plan to marry Jane, Richard arrives back in England with the solicitor, Mr Briggs, and stops the marriage.

Function: Richard serves as a plot device to reveal Rochester's secret and prevent his bigamous marriage to Jane.

Characters at Moor House

The Moor House characters provide Jane with family connection and support her path to complete independence. The Rivers siblings, particularly Diana and Mary, model the kind of intelligent, independent women Jane aspires to be, whilst St John represents the dangers of excessive duty without love.

Diana Rivers

Diana is Jane's cousin and the sister of St John and Mary. She is charismatic and independent.

Character significance:

• Forced labour: Diana is forced to work as a governess in a wealthy household because of her family's financial difficulties.
• Social critique: Along with her sister, Diana reveals the injustice of society's treatment of well-bred, intelligent women who are unmarried.
• Support for Jane: Diana supports Jane's decision not to marry St John and helps Jane maintain her independence.
• Happy ending: She marries a navy officer.

Mary Rivers

Mary is Jane's cousin and the sister of St John and Diana Rivers. She is a strong and independent woman.

Character significance:

• Similar circumstances: Mary is forced to work as a governess after her family's loss of wealth.
• Role model: Despite these misfortunes, Mary is kind and compassionate, particularly when Jane begins to live with them at Moor House.
• Example of independence: Mary and her sister both exemplify the type of independent woman that Jane desires to become.
• Happy ending: She marries a clergyman.

Hannah Rivers

Hannah is the elderly servant at Moor House. She initially refuses to allow Jane to enter the house because she believes that Jane is a lower-class beggar.

Rosamond Oliver

Rosamond is the daughter of Mr Oliver and the benefactress of Jane's school in Morton. She is beautiful and angelic.

Character significance:

• Unrequited love: Rosamond is overcome with love for St John, and although he secretly returns her love, St John cannot allow himself to marry her because of their differing circumstances and his intention to become a missionary.
• Outcome: Rosamond ultimately marries the wealthy Mr Granby.
• Thematic role: Her situation illustrates St John's excessive devotion to duty over personal happiness.

Mr Oliver

Mr Oliver is Rosamond's father and the wealthiest man in Morton. He attempts to use his wealth for the benefit of the town, particularly in terms of helping St John Rivers with his school.

Significance: Mr Oliver represents benevolent wealth and community responsibility, contrasting with characters like Mr Brocklehurst who abuse their financial power.

Other significant characters

John Eyre

John Eyre is Jane's uncle (as well as the uncle of the Rivers siblings). He made his fortune in wine in Madeira and intended to adopt Jane but was told by Mrs Reed that she had died.

Mr Lloyd

Mr Lloyd is the kindly apothecary who suggests Jane attend school at Lowood after her traumatic experience in the red-room at Gateshead. He also sends a letter to Miss Temple that clears Jane of Mr Brocklehurst's charges that she is a liar.

Significance: Mr Lloyd represents compassionate intervention and support for Jane during her vulnerable childhood.

Mr Briggs

Mr Briggs is the solicitor from London who publicly reveals Rochester's marriage to Bertha Mason, preventing Rochester's bigamous marriage to Jane. Briggs is also instrumental in giving Jane her proper inheritance after her uncle dies.

Function: Mr Briggs serves as a legal figure who ensures justice is maintained, even when it causes personal pain.

Pilot

Pilot is Rochester's faithful dog. In a symbolic foreshadowing, Pilot appears immediately before Rochester falls off his horse. After Rochester loses his eyesight and hand, Pilot maintains his loyal companionship with his master.

Symbolic significance: Pilot represents loyalty and foreshadows Rochester's presence, serving as an extension of Rochester's character.

Mr Reed

Mr Reed is Jane's other uncle and Mrs Reed's deceased husband. Because of his great affection for his sister (Jane's mother), Mr Reed took Jane in when her parents died and intended to raise her with love and kindness.

Significance: While he was dying, he made Mrs Reed promise to raise Jane as one of her own, but Mrs Reed breaks this promise. Although Mr Reed does not appear as a living character in the novel, Jane constantly feels the presence of his 'ghost' during her childhood at Gateshead, suggesting he watches over her and disapproves of her mistreatment.