The Period Drama Club discussion

What do you think of this Bronte classic? Did you enjoy the book as well as the movie? Did you agree with the choices Jane made throughout the story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

I'm the only person who hates this book. I hate Rochester. He's creepy and doesn't respect Jane. My mom argues that keeping mentally ill Bertha locked in the attic is kinder than locking her in a madhouse. Well yes but is she actually mentally ill and why the heck try to marry Jane when he's married to Bertha?

While I appreciate the message of the strong female character, Jane just didn't appeal to me.

I KIND OF liked the version that aired on PBS several years ago. Rochester was more teasing than creepy.

I have to agree with your mother on this one QBear. :D
What else could people do in that era if a member of their family became schizophrenic as Bertha appeared to be? Rochester saw to it that Bertha received the best care under the circumstances when he could have had her locked away in Bedlam and washed his hands of her.

Laurie wrote: "I have to agree with your mother on this one QBear. :D
What else could people do in that era if a member of their family became schizophrenic as Bertha appeared to be? Rochester saw to it that Ber..."

It's more the fact that he kept her locked hidden away in the attic and didn't tell anybody and tried to marry Jane anyway. Do we even know Bertha was mentally ill? I think I know where my book is. I should read it again, I just can't make myself do it.

It's very true that Mr. Rochester did wrong when he tried to marry Jane when he already had a wife, even if she was not in the same state of mind as when he married her. Mr. Rochester is a rather troubled and dramatic character (and a byronic hero). That's why he needs kind and sensible Jane so much to help him. That's why, when Bertha ends up dying tragically anyway, it is so wonderful that Jane and Edward can get married.

Jane Eyre isn't a favorite of mine either, but I do like it. I ways found more interest in Rochester as a character though. Jane is a good character, she's easy to sympathize with from her horrific childhood, yet she came out a nice person who's learned to stand up for herself. In her, Charlotte Bronte created a fantastic representation of of Victorian middle-class morality. Of course I'll help you bandage this man who's been attacked and is bleeding to death in your house without asking any questions, but how dare you ask me to sit up with you the night before our wedding... < insert sarcasm > Sorry...

But with Rochester, here you have this man, who has been sold off into marriage to a woman he knows nothing about, with no knowledge of her family's mental history. He quickly finds himself saddled with a wife he'll never have a real marriage to, yet he takes her home and tries to do what's best for her - unlike her family. Locking her up seems strange, but she was a danger to herself and other people, and even for a wealthy family, she could have been forcibly removed if there were greater public knowledge of her. He just wants something in life of his own, and finds at least happiness with this French dancer - only to find she's using him for money. Yet he still raises her illegitimate child, even with the high likelihood it isn't his. His bitterness is understandable, he's been used by every person he's ever come in contact with. He finally finds Jane and thinks he has another chance. Should he have told her, yes. It was wrong not to be honest and give her the choice. But with Jane's sexually repressed, selective morality, we all know how that would have gone. He saw himself losing the last thing he cared about.

For the movies, my favorite overall is the 1980 - I think - version with Timothy Dalton, only because it includes the fortune teller scene near perfect. My favorite for the film itself is the miniseries from a few years ago, with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson. I like both the 1930's version with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, and the 1990's version with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsborough. The 1997 version with Samantha Morton and Ciarin Hinds is also good, but I wasn't thrilled by the 2011 version with Michael Fassbender.

Marie wrote: "Jane Eyre isn't a favorite of mine either, but I do like it. I ways found more interest in Rochester as a character though. Jane is a good character, she's easy to sympathize with from her horrific..."


Did you see the version made in the early 70's starring George C. Scott and Susannah York? I loved that version.

Did you see the 70's version of Wuthering Heights with Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff? Excellent movie.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I have to agree with your mother on this one QBear. :D
What else could people do in that era if a member of their family became schizophrenic as Bertha appeared to be? Rochester saw..."

Judging from Bertha's actions she was definitely mentally ill and not in touch with reality.

I've enjoyed reading you comments since I haven't heard anyone say that didn't like this book before.

Laurie wrote: "Marie wrote: "Jane Eyre isn't a favorite of mine either, but I do like it. I ways found more interest in Rochester as a character though. Jane is a good character, she's easy to sympathize with fro..."

I haven't seen the one with Susannah York, though I've seen very few versions of anything made in the 70's or 80's. I had an English teacher in high school that was obsessed with film. He was very laid back with the honors classes, and always finished each novel study with a version of the film. Timothy Dalton's was his favorite Jane Eyre.

I've seen the Timothy Dalton version of Wuthering Heights as well, and liked it a lot.

Maybe the fact that I was a highly hormonal young teenager in the 70's is the reason why I enjoyed watching these versions of both classics. I'm not sure I would feel the same way if I happened to watch them again now that I'm older.

George C. Scott was also an Oscar winner in that decade and I think he nailed the part personally.

How nice it must have been to have such a cool teacher!

I'll have to try and find the George C. Scott version, since everyone says it's so good. I was born at the very end of 1985, and those versions are never really shown. I have a satellite, but I'm thinking I need to look into either Netflix or amazon.

He was a pretty cool teacher - we used to joke that he was a holdover from Woodstock - but he was only like that with the honors students. He was also the NHS sponsor, and most of us were in Honor Society.