Message

The novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë does not present a clear overarching message, but several ideas can still be drawn from the text.

Firstly, the novel is intended to be a social commentary on the treatment of women in early 19th century England. The story presents a woman’s perspective as she struggles against gender and class prejudices and attempts to fight for equal treatment and independence. Jane is critical of the rigid social hierarchy and class structure of her time and believes that a person’s character and moral goodness is more important than their wealth or class. As a poor and plain character, Jane presents the importance of inner values over outward appearance. She also works to show that women are people with rich inner lives, not...