Jane Eyre: AS & A2 York Notes

"Jane Eyre"’s structure relies on a series of coincidences, such as the connection between Rochester and the Reeds, and the Rivers family and Jane’s.

This is one of the earliest novels written with a female first person narrator and would have been considered radical at the time.

Charlotte Brontë changes the spelling of words to show local accents. This conveys the locality as well as suggesting a lower social class.

Rochester uses direct and often rough language. He does not observe normal rules of politeness, and wants to cut through such conventions.

The novel is rich in biblical language, and there are many references to churches, clergymen, nuns and missionaries. Remember, Charlotte Brontë’s father was a vicar.