Jane Eyre Suffering

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is the tale of a young lady, twenty-nine years young at the time of narration, who encountered both Heaven and Hell during her short lifetime. From being an orphan to marrying her master, twenty years elder, Jane Eyre truly encountered the struggles of life. Though she suffered and encountered trials and tribulations, she managed to portray herself as an independent, strong willed, and courageous woman, which was uncommon during life time. Jane Eyre’s misery started before she was even born, in a sense foreshadowing her tragic life. At the engagement of her parents, all of her mother’s family, the Reed’s, abandoned and disinherited her due to Mr. Eyre’s poor social status. A year after their wedding, Jane became
an orphan as her parents contracted typhus and passed away. At this time, Mr. Reed, Jane’s maternal uncle, proceeded to adopt her, but he too becomes ill and dies. On his death bed, he made his wife, Mrs. Reed promise him that she would look after Jane Eyre as if she were one of their own, not knowing that she considered Jane a burden.
Raised at Gateshead Hall, Jane Eyre starts her childhood with constant abuse from both her aunt and her cousins.
At the age of ten, Mrs. Reed feels that she cannot put up with Jane anymore as she constantly resists punishment, fights John Reed, and criticizes the treatment she receives from her aunt. To Mrs. Reed, this is a clear sign of rebellion and not knowing how to control this poor worthless orphan, she sends her away to Lowood Institute. Excitement fills Jane’s small heart for only a moment when she realizes she is leaving Gateshead, but upon arriving at the institution she learns it is a religious school for poor orphans headed by Mr. Brocklehurst. At Lowood, Jane learns what it truly is to be poor as they live in horrendous conditions, eat food that can be considered scraps and never have enough to fulfill their needs. Apart from the gruesome living conditions, the girls have to face atrocious treatment from certain teachers if they do not obey their rules. At the institution, Jane befriends Helen Burns, a tranquil, amicable young lady who strongly follows the word of the Lord and believes that by getting humiliated in front of everyone, she is practicing a doctrine of Christian endurances, where she has to love her enemies and fully accept her
mistakes. At Lowood, with the help of Helen and Miss Temple, one of the institutions only benevolent teachers, Jane manages to excel and learn French, drawing skills, as well as, a bit of piano playing. Tragically, when Jane believed all was going well with her life, the institution became infected with Typhus, killing many, including Helen. Before Helen’s death, Jane learns that Helen is actually happy that she will die young that way she will not have to anymore sufferings in life, which shocks her because she is not ready to die, but she can now understand death. Jane remains at the institution until she is eighteen, two years as a teacher after she finished as a student at the age of sixteen. She leaves Lowood after getting hired at Thornfield by a woman by the name of Mrs. Fairfax. Her job there would be the governess for a little ten year old French girl, by the name of Adele Varens. Upon arrival at Thornfield, Jane learns that she will not be working for Mrs. Fairfax, but for the owner and guardian of Adele, Mr. Edward Rochester. While residing at Thornfield, Jane discovers that something strange occurs on the third floor where from time to time she hears devilish laughter coming from, but is told to not worry about it because it is just their strange servant Gracie Poole, who drinks a little too much from time to time.
One night while walking to Millcote, Jane encounters a horseman who has slipped and fallen off his horse. After helping him and returning to Thornfield, Jane discovers that he is her employer and becomes attracted to his mysterious, passionate nature.