From the beginning of the book there are many similarities between the lives of Charlotte Brontë and the character she writes about, Jane Eyre. **Possible spoiler alerts ahead!!!**
Both women:
- Were born in England
- Were orphaned (or at least had one deceased parent)
- Went to a boarding school at an early age (descriptions of the schools are similar)
- Charlotte- age 8, Clergy Daughter's School
- Jane-age 10, Lowood Institution
- Had to watch the deaths of loved ones (some even of the same cause: consumption)
- Charlotte- her mother and several siblings
- Jane- Helen Burns and other schoolmates
- Were teachers at some point
- Became governesses
- Eventually married (although they had drastically different "romances")
- Charlotte- Never fell in love, married a man her father recommended
- Jane- Fell in love with Edward, left him and almost married John Rivers, but came back to and married Edward in the end.
Are you thinking about writing on the same topic? Have you noticed any other similarities that I have missed?
I was thinking about doing Victorian Era but I can definitely see the comparison between Charlotte and Jane. I don't necessarily think that this is an autobiography but simply using some parts in her life to use as a story. She uses things here and there to compare to her life or so we think but I think this is more of a play off of what she believed her life could have been or someone elses.
ReplyDeleteI was looking into doing the Victorian Era as well, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I definitely think that Charlotte Bronte was writing about her own experiences, but I also think that she was writing with her imagination. For example, when she left Edward then came back to him, I think that maybe she wished that she did that with her own life and didn't just stick with her father's recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI was also thinking of using autobiographical. I think Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre from her perspective of what her life was like, although I also think she adds some things, or rather changes minor things to keep her identity hidden at first. Another similarity I have noticed is their personalities; they both have a lot in common in that area. Charlotte Bronte and Jane both have trouble connecting with people, are timid, and have some sort of artistic feature (Charlotte can write very well and Jane is always drawing).
ReplyDeleteI can clearly see the similarities between Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte. It's interesting that Jane Eyre isn't a traditional autobiographical novel, one where the author clearly writes about their life, instead Bronte goes over her life using a fictional work in the form of Jane Eyre. I will definitely consider writing my essay about the similarities between Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking about writing about the Victorian era but I can see how much of Jane Eyre (the book and the character) can be related to Charlotte Bronte's life as well. They were both depressed growing up, Bronte's reason was most likely the death of family members and Jane Eyre's reasons were her parents', uncle's, and first friend's death as well as having to grow up in a household where she was hated and didn't know what love and affection felt like. Another similarity could be how Jane likes to draw and read and how Bronte liked to write books.
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