The masterwork of a great genius' William Makepeace Thackeray
A novel of intense emotional power, heightened atmosphere and fierce intelligence, Jane Eyre dazzled and shocked readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom on her own terms. Its heroine Jane endures loneliness and cruelty in the home of her heartless aunt and the cold charity of Lowood School. Her natural independence and spirit prove necessary when she takes a position as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of a shameful secret forces her to make a terrible choice.
Edited with an Introduction and notes by STEVIE DAVIES
Charlotte Bronte
Born in Yorkshire, England, in April 1816, Charlotte Brontë was the third of the six children of Patrick and Maria Brontë. The Professor, Charlotte’s first manuscript, was not accepted by publishers. It was published posthumously in 1857. Jane Eyre: An Autobiography was published in October 1847, by Smith, Elder and Co. of London, under the pen name ‘Currer Bell.’ Jane Eyre, with its depiction of feminism, achieved immediate success. But the publication of Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell (Emily) and Agnes Grey by Acton Bell (Anne) intensified the speculation about the identity and gender of the mysterious Currer Bell. it resulted in the critical reaction to her work. Shirley, her second novel, was published in 1849 and in 1853 appeared Villette, her fourth novel. Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls in June 1854. She died in March 1855, aged thirty eight, with her unborn child. She was buried in the family vault in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels at Haworth.
Charlotte Bronte
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