Books

Small 8vo. 6.75 x 4.5 inches. viii + 467 pp. Bound in contemporary half dark brown leather, gilt, over marbled boards; spine in compartments with raised bands decorated gilt. Some foxing of pastedowns and flyleaves, but otherwise a very good copy. Early label of Clarendon Circulating Library, Seymour-street, Euston-square. Early signature at head of title. Early single volume edition of Jane Eyre, the famous first novel of Charlotte Bronte, first published in three volumes in 1847. A reprint of the third edition of 1848 in a binding contemporary with the book's publication. (Wise, p. 21; Lydia Craig, 'Drafting Jane Eyre; Charlotte Bronte at the Circulating Library,' Victorian Popular Fiction Association website). FICTION NOVELS LIT. FICTION 19TH CENTURY FICTION.

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte is a bildungsroman that chronicles the life of its eponymous protagonist. Orphaned and mistreated as a child, Jane Eyre grows up at Gateshead Hall under the care of her cruel aunt and cousins. She then attends Lowood School, where she faces hardship but receives an education that shapes her character. As a young woman, Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, employed by the enigmatic and brooding Mr. Rochester. Jane's time at Thornfield Hall is marked by her growing affection for Rochester, despite their differing social statuses. Their relationship blossoms until a shocking revelation about Rochester's past disrupts their plans for marriage. Forced to leave Thornfield Hall, Jane finds refuge at Moor House, where she discovers her distant relatives, the Rivers family. She forms strong bonds with them but remains haunted by her love for Rochester. The narrative reveals Jane's fierce independence, unwavering principles, and quest for autonomy and love despite societal constraints. Eventually, she inherits a fortune and learns that Rochester, now blind and maimed from a tragic fire, seeks reconciliation. Returning to Rochester, Jane finds him humbled and rehabilitated. They reunite and marry, embracing a life together built on mutual respect and equality. "Jane Eyre" is not only a tale of romance but also a nuanced exploration of societal expectations, feminism, morality, and the struggle for personal identity and integrity. Bronte's novel broke boundaries by portraying a strong-willed, independent female protagonist who defies convention in her pursuit of love and self-realization. The novel's enduring appeal lies in its compelling characters, richly detailed settings, and themes that resonate across generations, making "Jane Eyre" a timeless classic in English literature.