Suggested topics for Research Related to Jane Eyre

  1. How is Charlotte Bronte’s life story reflected in the novel?
  1. In Chapter 1 (page 8 of the Signet Classic edition), Jane mentions the novel Pamela. How does the story of that novel relate to this one?
  1. She also mentions Bewick’s British Birds, in Chapter 1 and on page 231. Research that book, and explain how it connects to Jane Eyre.
  1. In Chapter 3 (page 20), Jane mentions reading Gulliver’s Travels. What is that story about, and what are Jane’s thoughts about it? (It’s mentioned again on page 231.)
  1. Jane is also fascinated with tales from the Arabian Nights. Research the tales, and explain Jane’s fascination. (She is reminded of her childhood fascination on page 231.)
  1. Page 25 mentions Guy Fawkes. Why would Abbot think of Jane as a “miniature Guy Fawkes”?
  1. On page 49, Helen Burns is reading Rasselas, a work by Samuel Johnson. What is it about, and how does it relate to Jane Eyre?
  1. What was the state of the British educational system in the 1840’s, or Victorian England? Who went to school? Where did the poor or orphans, go?
  1. What is typhus? How serious is/was it? Is it still a concern in the modern world?
  1. Research the career of “governess” in Victorian England. What were the expectations? The benefits? Necessary training?
  1. When Jane first meets Mr. Rochester in the fog, she assumes he and his dog Pilot are a Gytrash. Research this term. How does it relate to a novel with Gothic themes such as Jane Eyre?
  1. The novel makes reference to the study of phrenology, or the way the relative sizes of parts of the human skull affect personality. Research phrenology, and discuss the novel’s references to it. (See page 253 for one example.)
  1. In addition to phrenology and the Gytrash, the novel mentions other dabblings into mysticism such as fortune telling, presentiments, and mesmerism. What was the reaction of Bronte’s contemporaries to the inclusion of these topics in her novel?
  1. St. John Rivers wants Jane to marry him and become a missionary in India. What would such a life have been like? Why do you think the novel’s last three paragraphs are about St. John?
  1. St John is a parish priest when Jane meets him. How did a man obtain that position in Victorian England? What were his responsibilities?