’Jane Eyre’ is the first and most famous novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), published in 1847 under the pen name Currer Bell.
After a harsh and nearly loveless childhood at Lowood, an institution for poor and orphaned girls, the protagonist and title character becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. There she falls in love with Edward Rochester, the master of the house. Rochester is attracted to her, too. But there are some obstacles to their love and secrets of the past. And then almost supernatural things start to happen at the house.
By using typical motifs from Gothic fiction and combining Gothicism with romanticism, 'Jane Eyre’ is a distinctive Victorian novel. There are many adaptations for film, television and theatre. The novel is still one of the most loved books and part of the canon of English literature.