Thornfield- arrival
Characters
John, the driver- takes Jane from the George Inn in Millcote to Thornfield.
Leah- a maid-servant.
Mrs Fairfax– a neat, elderly widow, and manager/housekeeper of Thornfield.
Miss Adela Varens– Rochester’s ward, and the girl Jane is to govern. Sheis ‘docile, but disinclined to apply’. She is very expressive and was trained a little in singing and recitation by her mother.
Mr Edward Rochester– owner of Thornfield. 35 years old, or thereabouts.
Sophie- Adela’s French nurse/attendant.
Madam Frédéric and her husband- couple who took care of Adele after her mom died, and before Rochester took her in.
Grace Poole- the servant that looks after Bertha.
Mr Carter- the surgeon who examines Rochester’s sprained leg.
Rowland Rochester- Edward’s brother, who, we are told, wasn’t just in his representation of Edward to his father. They conspired to help Edward make a fortune for himself with some arrangement that Edward never approved of.
Celine Varens- a French opera dancer and Adele’s mother, for whom Edward says he once cherished a grand passion. Edward catches her in an affair and ends everything with her. Celine says Adele is his daughter, so she left Adele with Edward and ran away to Italy with another boyfriend.
The Leas- neighbors
Mr and Mrs Eshton and daughters, Amy and Louise- neighbors
Lady Ingram- very nice looking, but very haughty
Blanche Ingram– very pretty.
Mary Ingram- a bit slim and very quiet.
Lady Lynn- 40ish, haughty and stout
Mr Frederick Lynn
Mrs Colonel Dent-
Mr Richard Mason- from the West Indies, brother of Berta.
The gypsy fortune-teller- sees all the young women, lastly Jane, who he asks pointed questions about her feelings for Rochester, only to reveal he is Rochester in disguise
While Edward can act imperiously and commanding towards Jane, he still invites her into his presence as an equal and confides himself to her. She appreciates this connection and desires his presence. After the neighbor’s party, where she learns of Blanche Ingram, Jane denigrates herself for thinking that she might fit into Rochester’s world. But during the party, she watches and feels that the ladies there are not connected with him the way she is. She is slighted at various times during the party by some of the ladies. But while she is engaged in watching Rochester and Blanche consult during the game of charades see lets the reader know that she is not jealous. She senses Blanche is inferior to her. Miss Ingram is showy, but not genuine; accomplished but with a poor mind; she was not original, nor had she any opinions of her own. She believes Rochester will marry her, though she doesn’t know why, but that Miss Ingram had nothing with which she could charm him.
In the aftermath of Bertha’s attack on Mason, Jane is drawn even more into Rochester’s confidence. He notes that she is willing to help in everything, as long as it is right.
Gateshead Hall- a brief return
A message arrives that Mrs Reed is on her death bed and has requested to speak to Jane. Jane returns and is greeted cooly by the daughters, Eliza and Georgiana. But Jane finds that they no longer intimidate her. When she sees Mrs Reed, she realizes that she now only wishes to forgive and be reconciled.
Mrs Reed informs her that three years ago, Jane’s wealthy uncle from Madeira had wished to adopt her and make her his heir. He was told Jane was dead.
The struggle here is letting go of the old wounds and forgiving, even when those that have wronged her are only half-repentant.
Thornfield- Return
Mr Wood- the clergyman who performs the wedding ceremony
John Green- The clerk at the church
Mr Briggs- Solicitor from London who stops the wedding with the news that Rochester is already married.
Bertha Antoinetta Mason Rochester- Edward’s first wife.
Jane’s Struggle
Jane returns to Thornfield and meeting Rochester, says, “Wherever you are is my home- my only home.” But she is also convinced Rochester will be married to Blanche, and she had asked to be sent away before Blanche moved in. Jane spills her feelings to Rochester one night, who then lets her know that it is her he wishes to marry, not Blanche. So he proposes and she accepts. In the interim 4 weeks she resolves to let him know all her rough edges, so that he will not be deceived about who she is. She refuses finery and declares she will continue as the governess until married. But she confesses that he was becoming an idol to her, her whole world. On the day of the wedding, it is revealed that Rochester is already married to a mad woman. Jane is devastated at the loss of her soulmate. She understands that she must leave Thornfield. Rochester begs forgiveness, which Jane gives him.
Rochester confesses his love and claims Jane must not love him if she insists on leaving.
He offers marriage on the Continent where his current marriage won’t be an impediment.
He tells her that the marriage was a trick played on him for money.
He tells her he married Bertha when he was still young and foolish.
He paints Bertha as fiendish and demonic.
He swears he will take care of Bertha, but she herself will not let him live as her husband.
He shares his history of interactions with women all through the continent, being continually deceived until he found Jane, the authentic love of his life.
He first gives all the reasons why, while technically married, he should not be considered as such… and then he appeals to Jane’s heart by confessing his love of her for who she is.
Then he appeals to Jane by telling her that his life and happiness are dependent on her.
But Jane sees that this is an idol that she must renounce.
Rochester continues to tempt her, but she answers his temptations with what is right.
Jane’s struggle is with all of these temptations- rationalizations of sin. She finally finds connection and love and when an inconvenient truth gets in the way, she chooses to let the Lord guide her and take care of it, rather than trying to take care of it herself.