Classical Literature and Understanding.

This blog is for any classical related book, from Homer to Gemmel. I hope to post useful and relelvant information that may give you an insight into the classical texts being studdied at GCSE and A Level such as Shakespeare and Virgil.
Texts currently to be included are:

Jane Eyre
Pride And Prejudice
Romeo and julliete
Macbeth
To Kill a Mockingbird
Catcher in the Rye
The Odyssey
Of Mice and Men
The Swords of Night and Day
Twelfth Night
Sense and Sensibility.

I will try and update this list as time goes by. If people wish for other books to be added then just post and i will update the list to suit your needs.

The first text is Jane Eyre: (For this novel i recomend the wordsworth edition as it has excellent notes).
The novel is set in 19th century England when marriage was still about money and status, the rich married the rich to maintain the wealth and family honour. Jane Eyre is a girl born to a family of importance but when her father marries her mother, the family disown him and Jane's parents die when she is very young and her uncle Reed adopts her. When Jane's uncle Reed dies, he makes his wife swear an oath that she will continue to look after Jane, however the treatment Jane recieves from her aunt and cousins is not to her liking. This is a Gothic/ Romance novel.

Chapter one:
The novel opens with Jane narrating and looking back on her past at Gateshead. Jane describes the setting, "there was no possibility of taking a walk that day" in a negative way showing her feelings for the house she is living in and the people she lives with. The rain is pouring down Gateshead and Jane has been asked to leave by her aunt because she does not feel that Jane is socialy capable of handling the conversation that her older cousins will be having.
In this chapter we meet the rest of the Reeds- Georgiana, Eliza and John. We learn from Jane that John is a bully who holds himself superior to the others in the house on account of him being a man and the next of kin to inherit the estate. John bullies Jane because of her thirst for knowledge, Jane wishes to become educated like her cousins and finds comfort in the solitude of reading by the window escaping the eyes of John Reed.
At the end of the chapter we see a different side to Jane, John throws a book and cuts Jane's head open. Jane retaliates and attacks John causing her to be locked up in the room that her uncle died in which she fears.

Main themes- Superioirty shown to her by her cousins and aunt throughout the chapter
                      Abuse shown to her by John Reed by the throwing of a book
                      Hatred shown to her by all the Reeds, especially John and Mrs. Reed when she is
                      hurt and locked in the 'red room'.               

Chapters 2-4
These chapters are about the time Jane spends in Gateshead after being released from the 'red room' on account of being sick in the begining of chapter 3 and being sent to School at Lowood in chapter 4. During these chapters, Mrs. Reed sends for Mr. LLoyd the Apothecary to tend to Jane while she is ill. Mr. LLoyd enquires about Jane and her family and Jane tells him that she has none because her parents died from Typhoid and left her to the care of her uncle. Jane also shows us that wealth and status is important to her "No; I should not like to belong to poor people" but also showing her reistence to the injustice shown to her because she is not afraid to continue to live with them if it means she doesnt have to live in poverty. In chapter 3, we start to see the strength of character that Jane possesses and her continous thirst for knowledge and equality becomes apparent when she informs Mr. LLoyd that she would like to attend school. Although she desires to be far away from Gateshead, Jane also feels a sense of longing to become the woman that she was meant to be and to become of importance. She also has a desire to be accepted and maybe Lowood will be the place where she finds acceptance.

Her wish is commanded, in Chapter 4 it is announced that she will be attending Lowood School which is run by Headmaster Mr. Brocklehurst an extremley religous man at first appearance. Mrs. Reed openly declares Jane to be a liar to Mr. Brocklehurst and Mr. Brocklehurst informs Jane that when he returns to Lowood, he will inform the whole school that she is a liar, " Deceit is, indeed, a sad fault in a child.... it is akin to falsehood, and all liars will have their portion in the lake with burning fire and brimstone; she shall, however, be watched,  Mrs. Reed. I will speak to Miss Temple and the other teahers" although this hurts Jane, it doesn't prevent her from wanting to attend Lowood and leave Gateshead. We start to see the strength of Jane even as a small girl of ten years old because she is willing to suffer in order to gain her wishes, she is willing to attend Lowood even though she knows that she will suffer. 

Chapter 2 tells the story of the drama Jane experienced while being locked in the red room. How she sees the ghost of her uncle Reed, screams and recieves no sympathy from her aunt or the servants who are ordered to leave her there in confinement. Jane becomes ill and is taken from the room, the chapter ends with jane describing how she has a fit of unconsciousness that closed the scene. We are now introduced to the theme of supernatural, the experience in the red room and the idea of a ghost foreshadows the events that take place in later chapters in Thornfield.

Characters met- Mr. Brocklehurst
                        Mr. LLoyd


Chapters 5-10
Theese chapters cover the time that Jane spends in Lowood school, the friends she makes, and some of the lessons she learns. The years spent at Lowood are important ones for Jane, remember that she is only eighteen when she marries Mr. Rochester so the past eighteen years that she narrates to the reader are crucial to the understanding of her character and attitudes that stay with her throughout the novel.

In chapter 5, Jane arrives at Lowood school and they are shocked to find that she has travelled the entire  50 miles by herself (which don't forget was a very long way in those times and took most of a day if not more than one day). Jane leaves Gateshead at 5.am without saying goodbye to her aunt or any of her relatives, we learn from Jane that she refused to speak to her aunt when she came to see her the night before. Upon first arrival, the school is nothing like what she expected it to be, the stone shows that it is old but it does not look like the sort of school that a rich person would attend and this shows the meaness and character of Mrs. Reed because although she is likely to never see her niece again, she cannot spare the money to send her to a school that involves paying lots of money for. I think that Mrs. Reed sees Jane as someone not worth spending any money over (we learn from Helen Burns that this school is a charity school and that parents don't pay very much for their children to attend and most of the children are orphans). The conditions of the school are terrible and without wishing it and trying very hard to avoid it, Jane has entered a life of poverty with frozen water and food that they can't always eat. We also learn that Mr. Brocklehurst does not live in the school and that it was left to him to run by his mother who re-built some of the building. Miss Temple is the teacher in charge and from Helen we are told that she is an interesting teacher with lots to say, who is nice but has to follow Mr. Brocklehurst's orders. The description given by Helen  after Miss Temple announces that they will be given bread and cheese to make up for the food that they were given earlier that they could not eat, shows Jane that there are some good people in the world and that there may be some happiness for her in her new home but that it will be difficult to achieve under the watchfull eye of Mr. Brocklehurst."Miss Temple is very good and very clever; she is above the rest, because she knows far more than they do."

Chapter 6 tells us of her first term at Lowood and her frienship with Helen Burns (although we meet Helen at the end of chapter 5, her and Jane only really become friends in chapter 6). Helen is an important character for Jane, in a novel where religion is a massive theme, Helen can be seen as Jesus for Jane, teaching her about humanity and the important things in life. Jane becomes enrolled as a member of the fourth class and starts her education properly which she finds difficult at first due to the length and content of them. Jane finds herself observing the class with Helen in, where Helen appears to be picked on by Miss Scatcherd. Helen seems to be a constant victim and appears to have many faults but it hurts Jane to watch Helen suffer like this and wonders as to why Helen doesn't challenge the allegations made against her "why" thought I "does she not explain that she could neither clean her nails nor wash her face, as the water was frozen?"  Now we start to learn about the conditions of Lowood and Jane starts to understand what her time at this institution is going to be like. Helen quietly accepts her punishment from Miss Scatcherd, (again maybe reverting back to the idea that Jesus died on the cross to save others without complaining.) But Helen also teaches Jane the way to get by in the patriarchal system, because of the innequality those that are considered inferior will have a harder time out in the world than those that are condisdered superior and Helen teaches Jane an important lesson "It is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you; and besides, the bible bids us return good for evil".

Chapter 7 is a very important chapter during Jane's childhood and teenage years. This chapter features the return of Mr.Brocklehurst and a test for Jane. He starts by calling a school assembly and questioning the events that have taken place, he also tells Miss Temple that she shouldn't have given them extra food when they were unable to eat breakfast, "my plan in bringing up these girls is, not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardly, patient, self-denying". This tells us something about his character and attitudes. We have already learnt from him in chapter 4 that he is seen as a respectable man and he has children, so we can assume that he doesn't treat his children the same way as he treats the children at Lowood. We also see Jane humiliated in this chapter by him and forced to stand in the middle of the room while she is called a liar and not to be trusted. Jane's fears are confirmed in this chapter but this is also a big step for Jane, there has been a change in her because if she had remained the character she was at Gateshead, "I who had said I could not bear the shame of standing on my natural feet in the middle of the room, was now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy". We see the character development of Jane quite clearly at the end of the chapter, previously she could not bear to be shamed. What she has learnt from Helen about actions and thoughts have helped her to endure her shame than to run away from it and create more problems for herself. Without the comments from Helen in the previous chapter, I think she wouldn't have stood in the middle of the room but that she would have fought against the false accusations and as a result, it would have been more difficult for her to clear her name and start a new life at Lowood.

Chapter 8:
Jane is comforted by Helen's words "Everybody Jane! Why there were only eighty people here that have heard you called so and the world contains hundreds of thousands".Although Helen comforts Jane, it is Miss Temple that really helps Jane. From Miss Temple, Jane is given a reason to try hard in all that she does and she is given new hope, we even learn that Helen is ill although we are not told what she is ill with. Miss Temple also starts to uncover Jane's past and using the information she is told by Jane, she is able to help clear Jane's name from the accusations given to her by Mr.Brocklehurst. "Well now Jane, you know, or at least I will tell you, that when a criminal is accused, he is always allowed to speak in his own defence. You have been charged with falsehood; defend yourself to me as well as you can." This is the first time we see Justice and Reason offered to Jane. Instead of being treated badly, she is given a chance to defend herself and to be treated as an equal instead of something lower than anyone else (like the treatment she was given by her cousins and aunt at Gateshead). The fact that she has been called a criminal suggests the level of education she will receive because the crimes spoken against her are serious and we as the reader don't start to see the seriousness of it until Jane  takes the position at Thornfield.
Chapter 9: 
This is one of the only chapters while Jane is at Lowood that she does not spend a lot of time with Helen Burns, because Helen is absent from the normal routine at Lowood and Jane does not see her. Through the absence of Helen, we see Jane develop her social skills, previously only having her cousins did not help her talk about intellectual things. We have already mentioned the idea that Jane has a thirst for knowledge and we can see that she is keen to acquire knowledge in any way she can. We also learn from Jane that she and Mary get on very well together " She had a turn for narrative, I for analysis; she liked to inform, I to question; so we got on swimmingly together". This is also a significant chapter because it features the death of Helen and Jane is once again left alone. We see the other side of Jane, previously we have seen the argumentative side of her and the side that will stand against injustice but in this chapter we learn that she likes to analyse things instead of just absorbing the information. The end of this Chapter is hugely significant in terms of religion because we see the strength of religion for some people and the importance of Helen to Jane. When we learn from Jane that she has stayed with Helen all night until she dies. We see the strength of religion from Helen and the importance of symbolism throughout this novel. "I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is good ; I can resign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend: I love Him; I believe He loves me." This is the last bit of direct speech that features in this chapter and i think it is a very powerful way to end the chapter. The theme of religion really peaks in this chapter and we experience a power beyond Human ability. Helen is strong in her faith and her strength helps Jane to remember teachings later on in the chapters with Rochester later on in the novel.
Chapter 10:
This chapter is told by Jane, almost as if it is not real to her. There is pace to the chapter, Jane states that she stayed at Lowood for eight years and spent some of that time as a teacher alongside Miss Temple. Although there is not much dialogue in this chapter, we learn a lot about Jane and her feelings in this chapter, especially when Miss Temple leave the school to get married and consequently leaves Jane alone again. Although there is not much to say about this chapter, if you are asked about this chapter in the exam, it is significant because Jane seeks work and is given some at Thornfield Hall, where she spends the next twenty and more chapters describing her life to us, so it is an important chapter. This chapter is also a build up to the start of her relationship with Rochester because she is in need of a friend but is also free to feel independent and confident about the job she will be taking as a governess because she is not likely to meet many people her age that she can befriend while working at Thornfield Hall. It is also important to note that when she starts work at Thornfield, her employer, Mr.Rochester is not there and they meet later on in the novel.
Chapters 11- 20:
"A NEW CHAPTER in a novel is something like a new scene in a play". As an opener for Chapter Eleven, it seems fitting that Jane's first words to us as the reader should be these. Her childhood at Lowood has past and now she has moved on in the world to seek employment and is able to leave her past behind her and start afresh.
We don't meet Rochester until Chapter 1 and it is highly unlikely that you will be asked about chapter 11 in any detail in the exam.
In chapter eleven (I tend to find that this is the chapter i always forget about because she hasn't yet reached Thornfield) Jane sets her new scene to us. She is waiting in an inn, having left Lowood academy and is awaiting the arrival of an unknown person to come and take her to Thornfield hall.
It is important to take note of the description and the scene painted for us through her use of imagery. " with such large figured papering on the walls as inn rooms have; such a carpet ..." Jane uses a lot of detail to describe her surroundings and it could be suggested that she has done this to show the contrast between her previous accommodation (Lowood) and the society that she is now going to move in to.
In this chapter, Jane becomes acquainted with Mrs. Fairfax of whom she had had previous correspondence with through the advertisement. This character is someone who is not heavily described. From her conversation with Jane, the only this that we learn are that she is slightly deaf, she has no family and the she is alone when Mr. Rochester leaves his residence for long periods of time, " in winter-time one feels dreary quite alone in the best quarters."
Briefly, Jane gets a feel for the house and the other people that she will live with. John - the man who drove her to Thornfield hall and Leah are the only other people who's presence is made known upon her arrival.
Later on in the chapter, Jane begins to understand that Thornfield does not belong to Mrs. Fairfax and instead belongs to Mr. Rochester. Jane also meets Adela and Sophie (the nurse).
Characters Met- Mrs. Fairfax, Leah, John, Adela and Sophie.

Chapter 12:
This chapter is the much anticipated meeting between Rochester and Jane.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfN7JLlIWhE&list=PL77A0CF178AEFC9F7
The encounter is not what one would expect. Jane is passed by a man riding a horse, accompanied by a dog, who rather suddenly and unexpectedly falls off his horse when his horse slips on a sheet of ice. The rider sprains his ankle and as Jane attempts to help him, in their dialogue, the rider accuses her of being the cause of his accident. Before the man rides off, Jane informs him that she will not leave because she is waiting to see "if you are fit to ride".

There is a fair amount of dialogue between them which can be watched in the clip of the original version of Jane Eyre, posted above.

It is important to take notice of the description of Rochester. Being described as 'Middle Height' and 'Stern' are things that you may be asked about in the Exam because they show Jane's first impressions of Him.

From a first impression, this creates the idea for the reader that there is something dark about Rochester. " His figure was enveloped in a riding cloak, fur collared and steel clasped". The fact that she can tell very little about him because he is covered in this cloak leaves him as an unknown figure. 

Jane says that she "felt no fear of him". This in turns shows us something of Jane's character. She is questioning a man who is clearly older than her, with stern features and clearly comes from a background with money (told by his riding clothes). We have previously seen Jane's resilience and strength of will but now we start to receive a different measure of it. This is not just Jane as a child refusing to do what she is told but now she isn't afraid to talk to people who society would claim were above her and I think that this shows an immense sense of courage and strength that we haven't seen until now.

The chapter ends with Rochester ridding off towards Thornfield and upon Jane's arrival back at Thornfield, she learns that Mr.Rochester has arrived back and that it was him who she encountered earlier.But not before we are given a brief insight in to his character. He takes a quick glance at her dress and determines that she is a servant but only remembers that she is the new governess with help from Jane.
Character met- Mr. Rochester

Chapter 13
Jane meets with Rochester properly. She seems to be anxious about him being there. She wanders around trying to determine if he is around and work out what he is doing. Eventually she is summoned with Adela to take tea with him. She is required to dress appropriately "Is it necessary to change my frock?"
Yes you had better: I always dress for the evening when Mr.Rochester is here."
The suggestion that Jane could appear before him dressed like a commoner is almost unthinkable. The fact that she needs to change her dress again suggests this idea of status and wealth. ( you will find that this a particularly common and recurring theme throughout this novel. This a theme that many critics such as Angela Carter like to pick up on and comment about).
The dialogue between the characters is rather lengthy and Rochester is trying to understand his new employee. His comments almost appear arrogant: "who are your parents?"
"I have none"
"I thought not".
There is definitely this feel that she is well below him and he can tell everything about her just from looking. I feel that he is almost scoffing at her with his last remark.
The dialogue between Jane and Rochester ends with him sending Adele to bed but certainly doesn't suggest that Jane left the conversation feeling beneath him. In fact, when Jane leaves the room she starts a new dialogue with Mrs. Fairfax and it is in this conversation that we get her first real impressions of the man "You said Mr. Rochester was not strikingly peculiar, Mrs. Fairfax"
"Well, is he?"
"I think so".
Jane goes on to inquire about Mr. Rochester and learns from Mrs. Fairfax about his past and his brother. It is clear that the topic is private because she does not push the topic when there are signs to suggest that it should not be talked about further.

Chapter 14
In some ways, there isn't much to talk about before chapter 17. Rochester sometimes keeps to himself and attends to his business, while Jane attends to hers which is teach Adele. So why am i doing an analysis on the these chapters? 
Chapter 14  is after the first page, mostly dialogue between Rochester and Jane. He desires conversation and considers Jane to be closer to his superiority than his other servants. In fact, once again he forgets that she is under his employment "Oh yes, I had forgotten the salary!".
This chapter is possibly one of the best for character understanding. Jane is honest with Rochester and we get an idea of how he feels and sees himself.
'You examine me, Miss Eyre,' said he: 'do you think me handsome?'
I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something conventionally vague and polite; but the answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I was aware-'No sir.'
Jane's lack of self control suggests to us that she still hasn't managed to learn the type of respect and obedience that should have been shown to older men/ women. She should have learnt this from her time at Lowood. Even now she is still having trouble learning to filter her thoughts and show respect. The brutality of her honesty can work either way. It could be her downfall or it could be what others like about her. Certainly, Jane is different and not willing to succumb to the hierarchy. 
It is important to note that this quality of Jane never abandons her. We've seen it from her time at Lowood. She has always and will always be very opinionated. Her morals and beliefs cause her to strive for the treatment and the life that she believes that she deserves.
Upon her insults, Rochester surprises us even more with his following order "you shall be answerable for it. Criticise me"
In some ways, this comment is almost a complete contrast to what we already know about Rochester. His longing for criticism is a different portrayal of the proud and superior Rochester that we met in the previous chapters.
However, this fleeting moment of weakness and contrast very quickly vanishes. He soon repays her insult with one of his own: "you are not pretty any more than I am handsome,"
And only minutes later we receive from Jane more description of Rochester to suggest his pride. 
"yet there was so much unconscious pride in his port; so much ease in his demeanor".
This pretty much speaks for itself and yet it also suggests that Rochester is a far more complex character than initially portrayed. His pride is unconscious and almost undoubtedly what he was brought up with, but his desire to be criticised possibly suggests that he doesn't want to be proud and superior.
He again shows his longing to be equal with Jane, to have someone on his own level to talk to by saying: " The fact is, once for all, I don't wish to treat you like an inferior: that is' (correcting himself), 'I claim only such superiority as must result from twenty years' difference in age and a century's advance in experience."
Jane seems to draw out this contrast in his character. "I have plenty of faults of my own: I know it".
This seems to be the conscience that he wont show to other characters. Almost a desire to be something more than what he is and something more that what he is expected to be. Of course, He has a much greater secret that Jane can imagine and she may not understand the power in his comment. He really does understand his own faults.
This is pretty much all that i wanted to talk about in this chapter. It ends with Adele talking in French. There isn't much excitement in this chapter but it is important for character development.

Chapters 15-22
Chapter 15 explains the connection between Rochester and Adele. Adele is the daughter of a french dancer that Rochester was acquainted with and he has cared for her after the death of her mother. After that, Rochester leaves Thornfield again and the rumor is that he is bringing back guests. In these chapters we are introduced to more characters of Rochester's station.
One important thing to mention is that Rochester is attacked. His room is set on fire while he sleeps and Jane puts the fire out and saves his life. This is the first time we see that Rochester has a desire to be with Jane. He is reluctant to let go of her hand or let her leave his room but he does so. Jane learns about Grace Poole.
Jane also leaves Thornfield briefly and returns to see her Aunt who is dying. She sees Georgiana  and her other cousins. She learns that John has died. From her aunt, she also learns about her uncle, John Eyre who wishes to contact Jane. Aunt Reed never told Jane about this letter, it had arrived a few years ago.
When Jane arrives back at Thornfield hall, she has to spend time with  Rochester's company. Adele introduces herself to them and is granted permission to sit with them in the evenings. Jane almost scolds Miss Ingram because she believes that Rochester will marry this women. She is consider a lesser person by Jane. Not as intelligent and certainly not an equal to Rochester. 
Jane takes her opportunity to leave the drawing room as soon as possible and stops to fix her sandal outside the door. Upon standing up she comes face to face with Rochester who tells her that she has been getting paler and more depressed upon his absence. So depressed that him telling her so brings tears to her eyes. The highlight of Chapter 18 is when he has to bite his lip to stop himself calling her 'my love'.
After that, there is a lot of talk about the wedding and he takes great pains to convince everyone that he is going to marry Miss Ingram. He makes Jane sit in the drawing room with them every evening and observe. She can't stop herself falling in love with him more and more.
His response to Jane returning in Chapter 22 is important. "just as if you were a dream or a shade"
His affection for her can be seen. He inadvertently tells us that he dreams of Jane and dreamed of her return. He also says "she comes from the other world". He calls her a 'Shadow' or an "elf". It is as though he doesn't believe that she has really returned to him. This also foreshadows the end of the book. when she returns to him in something like chapter 42, she doesn't believe that she is there. He thinks that when he wakes up in the morning that she will be gone. Throughout the next few chapters, he uses language like this to describe her. It is clear to us as the reader that he is in love with her but it is not clear to Jane.
The one thing to note is something that Jane tells to us at the end of chapter 22: 'An impulse held me fast- a force turned me round. I said- or something in me said for me, and in spite of me- "Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home- my only home". It seems obvious to say that her feelings for him are so forceful that she has to talk to him. But it seems interesting to observe the strength of her feelings. This is a women who has always had complete control over herself in this way. She had control over what she was saying but something is forcing her to thank him for the life he has given her. This is a freedom that she has never had before- a place that she actually wants to be in- this is something new for Jane.
I know i'm rushing over these chapters. There is a lot of description about Thornfield which will undoubtedly be useful in the exam but it's not really worth me doing an in depth chapter analysis over these chapters. It's important to pay close attention to the description of Miss Ingram as you may be asked to compare her with Jane. They have very few similarities. Miss Ingram is of a higher social status but all that is important to her is money. She is attractive but not intelligent.
Characters met- Miss. Ingram, Mrs. Ingram, Colonel and Mrs. Dent, Grace Poole

Chapter 23!
If you're romantic then this is one of the best chapters in the book. This has a long and almost frustrating dialogue between Jane and Edward concerning his marriage. As the reader you almost want to hit them with something and just make them tell the truth, but Bronte makes us patiently endure the build up to the declaration of love.
'Rouses to something like a passion', Jane refuses to believe that Edward intends to marry her and not Miss Ingram. She is determined to show her own free will and that she is better than the man that will marry someone he does not truly love. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you". It's interesting to see how determined she is to leave him, when only minutes before she says: "I have known you, Mr Rochester; and it strikes me with terror and anguish to feel I absolutely must be torn from you forever. I see the necessity of departure; and it is like looking on the necessity of death." Here we see just how important Thornfield and Edward are to her. We already know that she is strong willed, but we are once again shown that she is able to be something other than brave. She is able to feel fear- something that hasn't really been shown since her time in the Red room. Having described leaving Thornfield as like facing death, it makes you wonder how she can suddenly be so determined to leave him, even after he has said that he wants to marry her.
Jane remains to be sceptic about him (he even calls her so) " little sceptic, you SHALL be convinced".
She doubts him almost entirely until he explains everything to her. He explains that he proved the Miss Ingram had no love for him and that he only loves her "You- you strange, you almost unearthly thing!- I love as my own flesh." Many points could be made about his choice of language. What is it that makes her unearthly? Is it that she is obviously of a much lower social status than him? Is it that she isn't beautiful? Or is it that she is his intellectual equal and that this combined with her social status is almost unthinkable and makes her almost unreal? 
As the conversation develops, the weather changes and they have to return inside. They are seen by Mrs. Fairfax and she seems shocked (she knows something that Jane doesn't know). 
I'm sure that i haven't been through this in enough detail. This is possibly my favorite chapter and i will update this section on it later on.

Chapter 24:
This is one of the few chapters that i will look at in detail. From here on in the story gets a bit warped and there are certain sections of the book that can be done as an overview and I see no reason to focus strongly on them at the moment. I will come back and edit all the chapters that I have skimmed over later, but I'm about 2 years behind with this blog!
Following on from the end of Chapter 23, Jane awakens and immediately tries to confirm if she had been dreaming or not. She asks for Edward and finds him. Upon her instructions, he speaks to Mrs. Fairfax and they start the wedding plans. 
Jane as the narrator tells to us that there has been a transformation: " I looked at my face in the glass, and felt it was no longer plain: there was hope in its aspect and life in its colour; and my eyes seemed as if they had beheld the fount of fruition, and borrowed beams from the lustrous ripple. I had often been unwilling to look at my master, because I feared he could not be pleased at my look; but I was sure I might lift my face to his now, and not cool his affection by its expression. I took a plain but clean and light summer dress from my drawer and put it on: it seemed no attire had ever so well become me, because none had I ever worn in so blissful a mood." 
Jane having received love and affection that she had never felt before has been transformed from the plain governess that was not beautiful in to something bursting with life and colour. It can be argued that before the last two chapters, Jane almost didn't have a life. Her life and soul were vanishing from her, she had been getting paler. She says so herself, 'there was hope in its aspect and life in its colour'. She has become a new person. The other half of Rochester. Her confidence and belief has been restored by his declaration of love. Feel free to argue against anything I say. It would be good to hear your opinions on my analysis and gain an insight into your own thoughts about Jane Eyre.
Jane has made the transition from child to women. All though she did this when she left Lowood, in society at that time, marriage was important and it was the path that women were expected to take. For Jane, marriage is a big step and certainly presents her as a women and not a child.
So back to the text....
She says that she was previously afraid to look at him because she knew that she was plain. I find this surprising because she made it clear to him that he was not handsome either. He also made it clear to her that she was plain and therefore you would think that they were perfectly suited for each other.
She lacked confidence until now. Lacked belief in herself. Now she has been given confidence, she has belief and she is happy. This happiness is a new happiness for her. A happiness she never experienced in her childhood... to feel loved.
It is also important here to note that Jane doesn't change her style of dress. She still wears something plain, but her belief and happiness prevent it from looking plain. Although she has been transformed, she still has her old characteristics that make her Jane.
Moving on because so far I have only looked at the first page!
Similar to chapter 22, Rochester continues to use words such as 'elf'. It's almost as if he doesn't really believe it either. However, as i've mentioned above, he also notices the transformation in her "Is this my pale, little elf? Is this my mustard- seed? This little sunny-faced girl with the dimpled cheek and rosy lips, the satin-smooth hazel hair, and the radiant hazel eyes?"
He proceeds to giving her a new name: Jane Rochester. Jane can't quite accept it- she's not quite comfortable with it. Something to notice and pick up on is this idea that Jane isn't comfortable with being this new person. It doesn't feel real and doesn't feel like her. Maybe it is too soon for her.
As the chapter proceeds, he tries to give her jewels and she refuses. She doesn't want anything fancy, anything to take away her reality. She is friendless and penniless except what he gives her, but she never was a women that wore jewels. 
She also doesn't quite believe that he really loves her. She tells him as much. " For a little while you will perhaps be as you are now,- a very little while, and then you will turn cool; and then you will be capricious: and then you will be stern, and I shall have much ado to please you: but when you get well used to me, you will perhaps like me again,- like me, I say, not love me. I suppose your love will effervesce in six months, or less."
Her disbelief and doubt are clear but we as the reader have to try and understand why. Is it her lack of self confidence or just her history? A girl who never felt loved, suddenly has someone twenty odd years older than themselves who is rich and has rejected better looking and socially more preferable women for a plain governess. His love is hard to believe and she doesn't believe that it can really be true. Perhaps she is saying this to comfort herself when everything goes to pieces in the marriage.
It could also be argues that she is prejudice/ Sexist. She goes on to talk about how she has read books written by men and they claim that the husband is only really interested for the first six months. Jane is insecure.
Moving further ahead (a lot happens in this chapter). Mrs. Fairfax and Jane talk. Mrs. Fairfax can't really believe it and she actually causes Jane to cry. She warns Jane that "All is not gold that glitters" and questions his real motives for marrying her. Does she know about the mad women in the attic? She is aware of how cruel men can be, especially ones that are much older than there wife. We have to take her warnings to Jane as an act of kindness and friendship. She does not really know the true character of Edward (they have never had that relationship) and so she can only assumes what she sees and knows about his family- that they are proud and like money.
She goes with Rochester to Milcote to go shopping for the wedding. she takes Adele with her and it is clear to her that Adele will have to have a new governess. They go shopping and they prepare everything for the wedding.
I've picked out a quote from the last page of the chapter for religious purposes. " My future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven. He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun. I could not, in those days, see God for His creature: of whom I had made an idol". 
To start off with the obvious- having an idol that comes in the way of God is breaking one of the ten commandments.
No marriage can be health if the other person means that much to you. Jane is dependent on Rochester and completely absorbed by him. Already he stands between her and religion. That sentence in particular may suggest that she knows that she is doing something wrong in entering in to this marriage. Don't forget that this was a particularly religious and catholic society. To forget God and allow someone else to become more important was a big problem and was going to cause big problems for the marriage.
Forgot to mention- Rochester goes away to take care of some business and while her is gone, Grace Poole (or who Jane thinks is Grace Poole) enters Jane's room in the night and breaks the veil that Jane is to wear for the wedding. (This is important for the next two chapters)

Chapters 25 and 26
Jane is anxiously awaiting the return of Rochester. She longs to be comforted for him and in her desperation for him, she runs to the gatehouse in the rain to await his arrival.
She explains to him what has happened and he comforts her. He tells her not to worry. In his direct response to her he calls her his "prize". Needless to say that this is possessive language. We have already learnt from Jane how important her is to her but now we can see how important she is to him as well. The choice of the word 'prize' almost suggests that he has won her. It sounds as if he thinks that he deserves to have her... and interesting point to debate.
I'm skipping over all the dialogue, so i'll just make a point about the chapter in general. 
The chapter has a fast feel about it. The choice of language is quite quick- almost as if Jane is not really in this world at all. Everything is happening in her imagination and she can't quite believe that it is happening. Up to this point- the feel of the narrative has been quite slow. We have been taken through everything by Bronte/ Jane at a medium pace, but now things have to move fast again.
So here we are at the actual wedding.
The setting is described and there are not many people to witness the wedding. However, we all know that Jane does not actually marry Rochester at this point. Mason (who has been previously met in something like chapter 19 and was stabbed by Grace Poole/ Bertha Mason Rochester) interrupts the wedding and proves that Edward is already married. Edward shows everyone his wife and Jane locks herself away. 
Rochester knew that was he was doing was wrong. It wasn't a case of mistaken identity- he wanted to become a bigamist. " I took care that none should hear of it- or of her under that name". He seems pleased with himself about covering up his marriage.
Bertha tries to Kill Rochester and he only restrains her. He does nothing to attack her or hurt her. They ascertain that she is clearly insane and that it was her who attacked Mason, set fire to Rochester's room and broke Jane's veil.
We have previously been given hints that Rochester had a secret. In chapter 23 when she says that she has no family to interfere with them, he says that that is what he likes best. (don't quote me on that- actually go and find the quote!!)

Chapter 27:
We're now at the middle section of the novel. This is the last chapter i will focus on properly for a while. I'll combine most of the next ten chapters or so.
We know that Jane cannot stay with Rochester and be his mistress. We know that she has locked herself away in her room and not eaten anything since discovering the  truth about Thornfield hall.
Jane has made up her mind to leave Thornfield and start a new life away from Rochester. She unlocks her door and stumbles out of her room- only to be caught by Edward who has been sitting opposite her room waiting for her to either come out or to make some sort of noise. He wanted her to be passionate and confront him and is put out when he realises that she hasn't shed a single tear: "I expected a scene of some kind. I was prepared for the hot rain of tears; only I wanted them to be shed on my breast: now a senseless floor has received them, or your drenched handkerchief. But I err: you have not wept at all! I suppose, then, your heart has been weeping blood?"
(There's lots that I could focus on in this chapter but instead i'm going to try and just give an overall summary. This chapter is better done independently as character analysis and interpretation).
To move on in the chapter- Jane is taken to a room and nursed back to health. She remembers that she cannot display her love to him or allow him to do so either. We see a slightly more aggressive side of Rochester now as he desperately tries to explain to Jane about his marriage and make her hear reason. He still refuses to accept that they have to live separate lives and that she has to live Thornfield.
Jane informs us that she 'forgave him on the spot'. This shows us something about her character. She is fierce (as we have seen in the beginning chapters) and passionate, but now we see that she is loving and gentle.
So she leaves Thornfield in the morning, taking no money with her or anything that could be used as an equivalent. She runs away and keeps on running. Bronte describes the events of her running away and where she stays but i'm going to skip ahead to the moor chapters.

The rest of the Chapters until chapter 37:
I know that i'm merging loads of chapters together but i think that it is easier to just give a summary of what happens and then go into character analysis.
There are at least a few times when Jane wants to die or at least feels like she is dying before she is rescued by St.John Rivers on the moor. This is where the most recent film starring Michael Fassbender starts.
Jane is taken in by Rivers who has two sisters, Diana and Mary. She learns German and Rivers starts teaching her Hindustani. He is a missionary and about to go to India and is searching for a suitable wife. He loves a young women called Rosamund but will not marry her because she would not be a suitable missionaries wife. This tells us something about his character. He is very rigid in his beliefs and is also proud. He will not make himself look bad or marry someone that is not suitable. We also learn that he is very attractive and in many ways- he is the complete opposite of Rochester (so it is good to learn these things about him and compare him).
Jane gets on very well with Diana and Mary and while she is there- they find out that they are actually all cousins. Jane also learns that her uncle in Madeira is dead and has left her a substantial amount of money. She offers to share it with her cousins so that they are not left penniless.
Jane stays there for a long time but leaves them to return to Rochester. She leaves because she hears his voice calling her in the night and she calls back to him.
There is a lot of detail about what Jane does with her time spent with the Rivers and what the place looks like etc but I'm not such a huge fan of these chapters and will only come back to it when i have updated this post to include the last few chapters of the book.... which I am now very close to doing!
Jane learns that Thornfield hall was burnt down by Bertha in her mad rage. She was on the roof and Edward tried to bring her down off the roof before the entire house collapsed... he was unsuccessful. Consequently, Bertha is dead and Rochester is not only blind but only has one hand. Jane travels to his accomodation- a small house in solitude where he lives with only John and Mary.

Characters met- St. John Rivers, Diana Rivers, Mary Rivers, Rosamund.

Chapter 37:
Jane observes him walking in the gardens and enters the house. She greets Mary and John and takes Rochester his water. Pilot recognises her and after a fashion, Rochester ascertains that it is Jane and she is not just a phantom that he sees in his dreams. He questions her about where she has been and she learns that he would not have made her his mistress. He soon learns about St. John and his proposal to Jane but again proposes to Jane who accepts him.

Chapter 38:
"READER I MARRIED HIM"
So It's all been said. They are married and Rochester recovers sight in one eye so that he can see his first born child who is put in his arms. No need to say... they live happily ever after. They receive visits from Diana and Mary, both who are married. One is married to a colonel and the other to a clergyman and a friend of St.John's. St.John remains unmarried in India.

So this is the debate. I always lose this argument and i'm intrigued to hear your thoughts on it.
People say that Jane could only return to him when she was independent because she would now be his equal on all levels. I disagree- I'm not sure that it had anything to do with the money... I think it was more to do with Bertha still living and Rochester had to suffer the punishment for his attempted crimes. I think that if Rochester had come and found Jane after Bertha had died, Jane would have married him without any money. I don't know why Bronte did what she did but anyway- that is my view... what's yours?

If you would like to comment- feel free. If you would like to contact me directly to ask me something or to get me to go over something in more detail... email me: literalunderstandingthewayyouneedit_12@hotmail.co.uk