How to Read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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0:00 why read Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre?
2:00 on the first reading experience
3:00 making the acquaintance of Currer Bell
5:00 fiction as a lie that tells the truth
6:00 getting to know the Brontë sisters
8:00 life in the village of Haworth
9:00 poems of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell
10:00 how the Brontës created their own worlds
12:00 reading the Bronte sisters collectively
13:00 composition and publication of Jane Eyre
14:00 Charlotte Brontë keeps her identity secret
16:00 ‘allow me to introduce you to Jane Eyre’
17:00 ‘when we are struck at without a reason…’
18:00 channeling romantic longings into art
20:00 unrequited love in Charlotte Brontë’s letters
24:00 Charlotte Brontë biography recommendations
26:00 comparing Rochester and Heathcliff
27:00 reading and writing as vicarious experience
28:00 the rich imagination of Charlotte Brontë
30:00 on the gothic elements in Jane Eyre
32:00 gothic, secrets, and antiquated spaces
33:00 Edward Rochester as byronic protagonist
35:00 influence of the Romantics on Brontë
36:00 Brontë’s desire to create a plain heroine
39:00 sympathising with the central protagonist
41:00 ‘millions are in silent revolt against their lot’
44:00 the novel’s powerful cry for equality
45:00 connecting to the quest for self identity
46:00 governesses, marriage, and self-mastery
48:00 orphan status and the human condition
50:00 relationship between reader and writer
51:00 the heroine’s psychological complexity
53:00 ‘conventionality is not morality…’
54:00 violating every code human and divine
55:00 recommended editions of Jane Eyre
56:00 the theme and structure of Jane Eyre
57:00 recommended reading pace for Jane Eyre
59:00 Jane Eyre as immersive reading experience
1:00:00 thank you and preparatory questions for you

[@pedrolopez8592]

My favorite literature professor used to say "There are two kinds of people in the world: the Wuthering Heights people and the Jane Eyre people." I am afraid, after reading Wuthering Heights multiple times, that I enjoy it better than Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre, however, is what made me study literature in college. That story was riveting and sorrowful.

[@carokat1111]

So true. I adore Jane Eyre but detest Wuthering Heights. Strong words, but the WH characters are so unlikeable that I just cannot get past that.

[@Sunnhia]

Enjoy JE thoroughly but *love* WH

[@shaggyherur]

To anyone seeking an audiobook version, Thandiwe Newton's narration of Jane Eyre is SUCH a treat.

[@anna_rn]

I agree! She did an excellent job.

[@josephtuite8774]

It is brilliant.

[@28Cozy28]

Just downloaded this narration on Audible, for free. Thank you! 🙏🏽

[@MirandaKHayes]

I just cannot get enough of Nadia May’s version. I’ve listened to it twice now. I’ll have to give Newton’s a try but May’s has a special place in my heart of being the first to tell me the story of Jane Eyre ❤️

[@deanblanton6804]

I prefer Anna Popplewell's narration, but Thandiwe also does an EXCELLENT job

[@kategoman2969]

Jane Eyre is one of my favourite comfort novels and has helped me through high school, college, illnesses and loneliness. It's also distracted me from my disability as do other things. I first read Jane Eyre aged 11 and fell in love with both Jane and everything about the novel. I remember not liking Mr Rochester very much as he deceives Jane but after many readings of the novel, I began to sympathise with him as he's not had an easy life with Bertha. It's a beautiful and romantic book and I've loved it for 23 years. Thanks for the video and giving me an opportunity to talk about novels Ben. X

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful appreciation of this masterpiece, Kate. I love how special Jane Eyre is to you. Great literature truly has a life-saving power and our favourite writers end up becoming our close friends. I don't know where I would personally be without writers like Charlotte Brontë :) x

[@kategoman2969]

@BenjaminMcEvoy Thank you for your lovely message, Ben. I learnt about The Brontes on a school trip to Haworth in October 1999, aged 10. I visited The Bronte Museum and fell in love with the family. I read Jane Eyre in the autumn of 2000 just as I started high school which wasn't the easiest time for me so Jane Eyre helped me. The novel still continues to comfort me through dark times. I own two editions of the book. My aunt bought me a 1930s copy in 2011 and my parents gave me the Folio Society edition for my birthday a few years ago. It's beautifully illustrated. I've read Wuthering Heights but I find the book dark and disturbing. I really like The Tenant of Wildfell Hall too. I wish Anne got more credit for her novel. I love Juliet Stephenson's narration of Jane Eyre which I own on Audible. I want to listen to it again. I think books do help us and comfort us through life. Ben, thank you very much again for allowing the opportunity to discuss my beloved Jane Eyre. 😊 x

[@angierodriguez4729]

I read Jane Eyre in Spanish when I was around 15 years old and I loved it so much that I had to read it again a couple years later, now that I’m 26 and a lot more fluent in English I must read it in it’s original language so that I can enjoy it in all of its glory :)

[@katblack394]

I did my honors thesis on Jane Eyre, many, many years ago, so it will always be close to my heart.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Such a brilliant novel to choose for your thesis! I can see why it would be so special to you, Kathy :)

[@susanherbert3014]

Jane’s personal strength is what makes this my all time favorite book. I first read it in 2018 and read it a second February/March of this year. I too actively thought about the story when I had put the book down even after finishing it as well. Prior to reading Jane Eyre, I had read Villette, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Agnes Grey, Wuthering Heights, and all of Jane Austen’s books. As for my choice of male leads, definitely Mr. Rochester. He drew Jane out of the corner so she was able to participate in the evening’s discussions and challenged her intellectually, while Heathcliff’s highly emotional nature of jealousy, anger, and violence were not appealing to me. I very much enjoyed watching this video and it is making me want to pick up my copy of Jane Eyre again!

[@yousseffjactthar]

Dear @Ben I know its not in this year’s syllabus, but reading Wide Sargasso Sea just after reading Jane Eyre would be such a mind blowing experience… I love Jane Eyre, but after reading WSS, it radically changes your whole perspective on the novel and the characters… once you read it you’ll never see Jane Eyre with the same eyes again… it’s Such a great example of conversations happening through literature… ❤

[@annariadne]

jane eyre was one of the first novels that made me fall in love with reading. prior, i didn’t read much, but i always enjoyed the classics i had to read for school. i remember picking up a three dollar copy of jane eyre and it collected dust for two years before i finally decided to read it; and wow- i’m lucky i did. not only did it introduce my own volition and soul into the world of literature, but it truly changed my perspective on the world. to the brontë sisters!

[@therookerybookery]

Jane Eyre has been sadly sitting on my bookshelf collecting dust for years, but thanks to you I now can't wait to start it!

[@aamnainfebruary]

This book was a great distraction to me during India’s particularly brutal second wave of Covid. Hearing the name “Jane Eyre” is enough to take me back to that time.

[@nikk3251]

One of my favourite books too. I'm sorry India had a brutal 2md wave. 'Gain of function' comes to mind. Take care fellow Jame Eyre fan ☺

[@aamnainfebruary]

@@nikk3251ah it was mostly the government managing it all very poorly. Thank you, and you take care as well

[@aarushidwivedi7825]

i can relate. i hated how scared all of us were of the 2nd wave. constantly feeling terrified, so many people dying everyday. im happy that you could find comfort in this book. for me, i could not get myself to read any book during that time.

[@aamnainfebruary]

@@aarushidwivedi7825we both made it. I hope you’re doing better now. God bless us all

[@Tolstoy111]

Hope you eventually do "Madame Bovary"! It's probably the greatest novel you haven't done yet.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm definitely planning to discuss that one! :)

[@PokhrajRoy.]

We have entered Spooky Season and the Brontëverse! Well done! 👏🏽

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

My absolute favourite time of year! And the Brontës are such perfect reading as the days become cold and dark :)

[@jgatsby22]

I'm reading Wuthering Heights right now for that very reason!

[@cindybohl9593]

Jayne Eyre is my all time favorite book! I love, love this book and have seen every movie made from this book.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wow!! That's so awesome :) That makes me so happy to hear!

[@haydersdk5088]

jane eyre, one of the first classics that i read and fell in love with. fascinating book and easily accessible , highly recommended classic for beginners

[@KawtarElAzouki]

Would you describe it as an easy read in terms of style and vocabulary? I am a non-native speaker and I am hesitant to start reading it. I get so annoyed when I start reading a book and get bored when the vocabulary is too complicated then end up throwing it away.

[@haydersdk5088]

@@KawtarElAzouki yes i would describe it as a relatively easy book for beginners the plot and style is straightforward especially for a classic, you might encounter a few words or phrases that you dont understand but that is a positive and good learning opportunity. and i am also a non native English speaker and i enjoyed it thouroughly

[@KawtarElAzouki]

@@haydersdk5088 Thank you very much 🙏🏼 I appreciate your response. I will start reading it today.

[@pinkvio]

This is too good I’m rewatching it over and over

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, thank you!! I'm so happy to hear that! :)

[@mariasmiles68]

I just found a few classics at the thrift store, including Jane Eyre, Barnes & Noble classics edition. I have always wanted to read it, and I am a bit late to the party (I'm54). I definitely want this to be "life changing," and I want to love it so much that I want to keep going and read all of the Brontë sisters' works. I think you would make an excellent narrator as well. 📖

[@amitaspoetry384]

Hello Benjamin. I do enjoy your videos. Amazing!!! Charlotte Bronte and her protagonist Jane Eyre have each touched me in so many ways. Sheltered, with hardly any experience in the ways of relationships and yet understanding so well the depths of passion and romantic love, being solid in her feminine strength even at a time of repression and being so deeply in touch with her inner truth, makes this amazing author so ahead of her times. I love the other Bronte’s as well for these qualities. Thank you for your introspective insights. ❤️🙏🏾

[@juliasampaio3364]

one of my favourite books

[@idance0001]

I just started reading this, thank you! Looking forward to this video! (I also love Wuthering Heights, the book, not only the Kate Bush song)

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's amazing! I would love to know what you make of it! I'm a big fan of Emily's great novel too. And also the Kate Bush song 😊 🎶

[@wangqian1014]

I read Jane Eyre after reading Agnes Grey and loved both books in different ways for the different reading experiences with them. Jane Eyre truly a deeply moving book that captivates the reader with the passion conveyed between the lines.

[@graceyao2838]

Very helpful, thank you, You are so clever, must be the reading + thinking

[@yolandasilverio1205]

Hi Benjamin, I just found you on You Tube. I am a prolific Victorian reader, but your You Tube on Marcel Proust really intrigued me. I bought all 7 volumes of In Search of Lost Time and soon will begin a deep reading of In Search of Lost Time. I will soon be turning 70 years of age. I have lost much time in my life, some of the time quite frivolous but now that I am reaching 7 decades I think the best gift I can give myself is read "In Search of Lost Time." I have prepare myself by purchasing a lovely journal to have beside me while I read and then write my inner thoughts and experience of what I read and perhaps connect what I write from my past experience, or even what I would love to experience henceforth. I believe this is the perfect time to read Marcel Proust and will adhere to all your suggestions in the video. Thank you for finding a treasure in your channel.

[@katrinaarrojo4549]

Jane Eyre is my favourite out of the Brontës. It's very complex and personal, and as a woman I can relate to her. This discussion is very insightful and I agree with you, it is a somewhat rebellious book in their time. It is such a treat rereading it! Hope you can discuss more of the Brontë Sisters. Wuthering Height is so poetic and dark but I think Anne Brontë is least talked about. Tenant of Wildfell Hall is my favourite in her works.

[@EatWithBadlands]

Hi Benjamin. Congratulations on 100k subscribers! Your channel is what got me into reading classic literature. I have always enjoyed reading but I never really even considered reading the classics until I saw how interesting you made them all sound. I’ve now read and enjoyed Crime and Punishment, The Illiad, and I have about 150 pages left of War and Peace lol.

[@cindychurch335]

I read for the first when I was 11 years old, and have reread many times! Next time I visit England I want to visit the Brontë museum and homestead. My partner and I had plans to do so. He was a retired literature teacher and would have enjoyed it so much. Sadly, he passed away before it happened. But what a marvellous read! Hmmm.. Rochester or Heathcliff? Both. My younger, dark passionate and curious self claims one while my current self prefers the heroic Rochester.

[@thomasstein4087]

Literally started the book an hour ago and came to this to see if you had posted about it, tysm!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's such amazing timing! I'd really love to know what you make of it :)

[@oc2538]

20:49 I just found a copy of this used on World Of Books. I'm so curious to see her personal letters, I wonder how much of her is actually in Jane Eyre.

[@strange.lucidity]

Yay! Thank you for the great content Benjamin. You make these works available to so many people with your knowledge, enthusiasm and love for these books. Your work is love made visible as you always say. Keep it up

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, thank you so much! That is so incredibly kind of you to say. You have completely made my day 🙏❤️

[@jennyaldridge4186]

Really looking forward to reading this book with the book club.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm so excited for this one too, Jenny! I love how much affection there is for Jane Eyre. It's definitely going to be a very special reading experience :)

[@user-wm2fv3sp3x]

Thank you, Benjamin, for another brilliant video. Definitely team Rochester. Heathcliff is too brutish, violent, and cruel, though he did have a difficult childhood. My first reading of Jane Eyre when I was in my teens in university. That was after reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. You can imagine the shock. It was like experiencing day and subsequently night. Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte are just so modern and the message of equality is still relevant today. For me, in my teens, I was not able to appreciate the wit of Jane Austen and quite tired of reading about having teas and ball dance again and again. Jane is plain so unlike the conventional heroine in those days and more relatable and you can see her growth as a person in the novel. Wuthering Heights is indeed a standalone, and I love it too. The gothic atmosphere evoked is so enveloping and seeps into your veins. Also read Anna Karenina and love it. Jane Eyre and Tess of the D'urbervilles were my favorites in my teens and still have a special place in my heart some 40 years later. I have read them many, many times. Thinking of joining the book club. Want to read Jane Eyre again.

[@devil_pls]

I just wanna say I absolutely love your Channel Benjamin! I only discovered it very recently but I can't get enough of your videos. You are amazing at talking about the books you focus on. I started getting into reading more in the last few years after ignoring that passion for a long time but I think that passion has always been hiding inside me. I just needed my first attempts at reading some great novels that have that alluring aura around them in order to truly ignite that burning flame of passion. Greetings from Germany

[@booksinbed]

Thank you for making this and sharing it with us; I learned so much! I'm about to pick the book up for the first time and am even more excited now.

[@DansVilleray]

Thank you so much Benjamin for this video full of great information on Charlotte's life and the Gothic form. Your passion for the great books is absolutely contagious. I love it! You made me pick up and appreciate Moby Dick!! I read Jane Eyre in French many years ago and I absolutely fell in love with it. She shows us the way to resilience, inner strength and love. What a model of fortitude! My goal is to read it in English. I'm sure it will be a different reading experience.

[@arshjotkaur]

This is so well researched and informative! When I had first read Jane Eyre, I read it as an interesting story which I had enjoyed. But now whenever I will re read it, I will see Charlotte Brontë in it.

[@twist_4758]

I am currently studying this book for my British Literature class, this video comes out at the perfect time ! This book is new to me and I like it so far !

[@CatherineMarianne]

Team Rochester here. 😍Great discussion of my favorite novel. You've inspired me to read deeper and wider all of the Bronte sisters' works (I've only read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights) and the biographies. Thank you!

[@dileniaa.8580]

Team Rochester here.😃😍me too!

[@ArkayneShad0w]

I just started reading this! About halfway through now. Your timing is impeccable

[@veenaraina4379]

Hello Benjamin ! When will you discuss about Thomas Mann. Reading his Doctor Faustus right now. Love all his writing.

[@rodneyadderton1077]

Hello Benjamin. I like your podcast and You Tube channel. I have always liked the idea of 'living' the books I read. The characters becoming real people. I do not know of many who feel this way, so it was truly refreshing to hear you say that. May there be many more discussions to come. Take care. From the divided states.

[@Sunshinysky432]

Yay, one of my favorites! 👏🏻Looking forward to a fourth read with Hardcore Literature Bookclub and hearing your in depth, thought provoking lectures along the way! Thank~you, Benjamin.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Suzanne :) I can't wait to hear your thoughts from your fourth reading of this masterpiece! I can feel that this is going to be a very special reading experience!

[@boebie100]

Bravo to you man, for explaining the joy of reading this (and other) book! The way you go about it reminds me very much of my English teacher back in the day. I am very glad I found your channel here! I love the 19th century classics, A specially the English and Russian classics in this century!

[@priscillamontoya]

I have a strong desire to join the Hardcore Literature Club and hope to do so sooner rather than later. I have read Jane Eyre about 3 or 4 times but right now I just started re-reading Villette for the second time. While Jane Eyre is undoubtedly the more popular and is considered her masterpiece, my personal favorite is Villette. Other than all the French in it, which being an American I'm woefully ignorant of, I just love it. Your suggestions on how to read Jane Eyre I think will help me read Villette in a way I didn't the first time. Thank you for all you do and for your generosity. It is much appreciated.

[@rennanpoeta]

Este é o tipo de notificação que eu gosto de receber aos domingos. Obrigado pelo vídeo, Benjamin! 😍

[@28Cozy28]

Top drawer, as usual. Your videos are an oasis, an escape from the mundane. I'm obsessed with the Brontes at the moment, and surprise surprise, along came your video. Thanks, guv'nor. 🙏🏽

[@alessandrojamesdelrosario8666]

This book is my favorite,im currently reading it and enjoying the plot. The other book i was reading was Wuthering by her sister Emily. I'm planning to read Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey as well Charlotte's three books The Professor, Villete and Shirley

[@ancabanca4228]

I have found the audiobook recommended. Your advice is gold, thank you!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it :)

[@madebylora]

In the early 90s I read Jane Eyre for the first time as part of A level English. It was by far the best thing to come out of that course and it’s been my favourite novel ever since. I still cry at all the same parts every time I read it!

[@EduardoHenrique-nd1ro]

Thanks for sharing this amazing video, Benjamin! Have an amazing week ahead! Cheers from Brazil!

[@WeSLifechronicles]

I discovered this channel yesterday and I’m glued to it. Congrats on 100k 🎉

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Welcome to the channel! Thank you so much for the kind congratulations :) I'm completely speechless!

[@paulh.9668]

Benjamin, when listening to you, I’m always trying to understand your intelligence that allows you to speak without interruption, showing a complete immersion into the literature. Also, Wuthering Heights has always been my favorite novel. Heathcliff had to overcome so much from an early age.

[@redeemed_sigma]

I haven't read it since my school days, and I can't say I was very engaged with it. I'll have a watch of the video and see if I learn to appreciate it

[@eileenharrison7816]

I’ve just found your channel and I’m loving it. I read Jane Eyre in my teens and I can still feel its effect 50 odd years later. Some of your recommendations seem a bit highbrow for me - I didn’t have a university education 😢. But I’m tempted to give one or two of them a try. Also many of today’s paperbacks have quite small impacted pages, which I find off putting. Suggestions welcome. I have read - or tried to - James Joyce’s Ulysses - and I didn’t understand it at all. I just assumed I’m not clever enough. I’ve read most of Steinbeck and I love Ishiguro. Where to begin on the deep dive into literature appreciation - or should I stick to gardening 😅

[@KristaHarrisSB]

I’ve read Jane Eyre several times, but after watching this, I feel compelled to read it again. Is too late to join the book club? The first time I read Jane Eyre was when I was 14. I was sick at home and my English class was watching the film adaptation. Since I missed it, I decided to read the book, which was actually not assigned reading. I fell in love with the book and was almost glad I got sick. I’ve since read it a couple more times. It just keeps getting better. I am also a fan of Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff and Rochester are such different characters, it would be interesting to do a close reading comparison of the two. Also, you mentioned gothic novels, and I just recently finished reading The Mysteries of Udolpho. Hard to get through the overly effusive descriptions of scenery, but I am so glad I read it.

[@kenjiparas]

Never clicked this fast! Another banger by sir Ben! Jane Eyre is actually on my list and I can't wait to read it after my current novel which is Wuthering Heights. Thank you for this amazing content sir!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, my friend! I really appreciate that :) I love that you're going to read Jane Eyre right after Wuthering Heights! I would be very keen to know which one resonates with you the most!

[@kellicoffman8440]

I hope you read it if you have not yet it is the first classic I read and still my favorite glad there are no spoilers as this is one you should experience as it happens

[@jackpuddy2009]

Hi Ben, I absolutely love the channel! I was wondering if you were going to do any videos on Kurt Vonnegut? He is my absolute favourite, and I would love to hear your thoughts on him

[@BereniceWeber]

Benjamin McEvoy, you are a wealth of knowledge! You have a special gift to get one's interested on "Hardcore Literature", pun intended. English is my second language, and I have been trying to immerse myself onto the classics of English literature. I read Jane Eyre last year and found it fantastic. Back in 2001, I started my journey into the USA life, at the same time, I read Wuthering Heights. As for your question regarding Mr. Rochester versus Heathcliff characters' traits, I find Mr. Rochester less evil, less cunning, more likeable, yet, as a rebel woman, I feel more "attracted" to Heathcliff, always going for the dangerous type (insert laugh!). I am currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, and your video on the book that turned Dorian evil it's masterful too. Thank you for your talks and videos. You are a fountain of literature inspiration!

[@CurtRowlett]

This lecture about my all time favorite Bronte book has been a true joy to listen to. Thank you, sir!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, thank you so much, Curt! I really appreciate that, my friend 🙏😊

[@CurtRowlett]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Also, let me give you another big THANK YOU for recommending the book, "The Secret History of Jane Eyre." I'm reading that now and you are correct, it is definitely a fascinating read (and anyone who loves Jane Eyre will learn something new by reading it.).

[@lisab2856]

Thanks for the fantastic content, Benjamin! Also, congratulations on 100K... ❤

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, thank you so much, Lisa! I really appreciate that 🙏❤️

[@bobbyjosson4663]

Excellent essay. I'd like to see more top hundreds but of all types short stories, with maybe one divided into genres, too. It's a great way to encourage readers into the reading habit.

[@Saraneyd]

I’ve re read Jane Eyre more than any other book. I loved taking time out every summer to read it but that was a few years ago. I’ve been thinking about joining the Hardcore Literature Book Club. This video has persuaded me absolutely. I’ve leant so much from it. Thank you Ben.😊

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Sarah :) I'm so happy you enjoyed the video so much! I'm thrilled that you're joining the discussion at the book club. I can't wait to hear your insights as we read through this masterpiece. I can definitely understand why you have reread this book so much. Truly such an astonishing novel! 😊

[@amherst88]

Really enjoyed this -- *thank* *you* (& very much thinking about joining the book club just to hear your further lectures :) An aside but to Charlotte's dislike of Austen, it always struck me as possibly because Austen is so (comparatively) spare in her prose -- she says what is necessary, and often with a proverbial razor -- Brontë's language is utterly and completely different and I wonder if Austen seemed like something of a cold fish to her given the kind of intensity in/with which they wrote their novels and lived their lives.

[@Spock800]

I’m excited that you made an in depth video on this one. I’m reading this right now. I’m 4 chapters in and loving every page. I did a month of the Proust tier last month and I listen to the podcast as well. Been following for a while Ben. I love your perspectives on everything. Your passion is infectious. - Tony

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Tony. That means the absolute world to me :) I am so grateful to have you watching and reading along with me. I'm thrilled that you're loving Jane Eyre so much. It really is such a masterpiece. I would love to hear what you make of the rest of it because it keeps getting better and better throughout!

[@Spock800]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy when she cries out “Deceit is not my fault!” I nearly cried the scene is so powerful. I felt elation for Jane in that moment, and was blown away how Brontë was able to connect me to her character so deeply in only a few chapters, but I knew I was in love when I read her description of sitting by the window pane and looking out at the damp November day, before the first incident with John Reed. That’s when I knew I was all in.

[@margaretaklemming2492]

Thank you, from Stockholm Sweden, believe it or not I was just about to start reading Jane Eyre, and how lucky was I not, so now when I have a better understanding of the milieu and the author it will be a happening instead of merely reading a book. How fun.

[@ExperienceDesignLab]

Incredible video. Incredible passion. I will start Jane Eyre for the first time soon. I'm sure now it will be very inspiring - you're doing fantastic work!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much! That is so kind of you :) You have completely made my day! I'd love to know what you make of Jane Eyre!

[@Ricky-es9vg]

I definitely would like to read this book after watching your video.. I will add to my list for the winter. Up next is Great Expectations for me.

[@polinanikulina]

In Charlotte's passionate letter, I see more of Mr. Rochester than Jane Eyre. I still feared for him on a recent re-reading of the original - even having read the russian translation a decade ago. Jane has Faith and Reason to ground her, and years of experience compartmentalizing her past to keep functioning. Mr. Rochester's emotional immaturity is captured well in Wide Sargasso Sea, the prequel by Jean Rhys.

[@KhaPiano]

Perfect timing. I’m about half way through the book and been watching the channel for the past couple months :)

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Fantastic timing! I hope you're enjoying it :) And thank you so much for watching, my friend!

[@KhaPiano]

You said it more perfectly than I could ever - “a force of nature”. And so far it’s been nothing short of that.

[@steveolson1712]

Can i just say, thank you so much. You are a beacon of passion and remind me daily why it is I love great literature so much

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Steve. That is incredibly kind of you to say. You've completely made my day 🙏

[@brendamiller5785]

Why have I never read this? I've seen all the movies....time for the book. Canada

[@rosanna5515]

Thank you. Most engaging and educational.

[@vedsaipandla3259]

It's always a good day when Ben uploads :))

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, my friend. I appreciate you! :)

[@user-th1ji4qg8x]

Marvelous explanation vs analyze of characters of this pearl of ENGLISH LITERATURE!

[@caracarlson-roberts6325]

You are so well spoken.

[@zacharyreshovsky8279]

This is really great analysis. As good as as a lecture from a college professor!

[@spiritcreek9813]

Loved this novel. I’ll have to read it again 🎉!

[@andreluissoriano]

I just finished Jane Eyre and it’s a book I find to be very good in some parts and boring in other parts. But it hooked me and kept me thinking about it after reading, so that’s something. I love this video, gives me more insight about things surrounding the book.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Congratulations on finishing Jane Eyre! It sounds like you gave it a very deep reading. It's definitely a sign of a profound work when you continue to think about it after you've finished! :)

[@ceciliabustos9979]

Thanks for the video. Last year you encouraged me to read Tolstoy's Anna Karenenina. Now I am going to go for Bronte's Jane Eyre. Soon I will be joining your book club. Thanks a lot ❤❤😊

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

You're so welcome. Thank you so much for watching, Cecilia. I am so happy to hear that you read Tolstoy's great novel. I can't wait to hear what you make of Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece! ❤️🙏

[@dillonfitzgerald7847]

your videos are consistenly great, thank you!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, my friend. I really appreciate that!

[@NataliaGoreva]

I've just joined your Book Club today and I'm super excited to start the journey! It's going to be a tough choice between Anna Karenina (which I read in high school but want to re-read with a more slow and thoughtful approach) and Jane Eyre which I haven't read. I'm one of those people who often read several books in parallel so maybe that's what I'll have to do this time! 😅

[@kellicoffman8440]

Try Jane you will love me rodchester

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

We're so happy that you're reading with us, Natalia!! I'm so excited to hear your insights as we read through these great books together. It's definitely a tough choice between Anna Karenina and Jane Eyre. They're both such beautiful masterpieces and contain so much wisdom. And it sounds like you have the same reading style as me! I love running multiple books in parallel. I find that the authors start to speak to each other when I do that 😊

[@NataliaGoreva]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Thank you for a warm welcome! I have been catching up on a lot of your videos and one of them was about your reading style. It was the first time I finally felt at peace with mine because of you sharing that! I used to think it’s kind of silly/not productive to surround myself with 8-10 books in one evening and look through some sections from each for 10-15 min. To be fair I do it mostly with non-fiction books on the same or similar topic. With fiction it would be “only” 3-4 at a time. 😂 But yes, your sharing your experience made me feel seen! Thank you!

[@alexhindes3861]

Benjamin, hope your doing well. Thanks for the content.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Alex! I really appreciate that. I hope you're keeping well too 🙏😊

[@marinarees3828]

So well done!

[@meggy8868]

Wonderful lecture. Thank you

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Mary!

[@-Konstantinreadsnow]

I was planning to read it, now i will read it without a doubt with your video, thank you.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I would love to know what you make of it! :)

[@jesusdelcanto9715]

I hope a video on the Arabian/1001 Nights! It's such an influential work.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm actually planning a podcast on it at the moment ☺️

[@Avalon501]

Sorry if this is something you've already made a video on, but, I just found your channel recently and in some of the videos I've watched you mentioned allusions to other novels and intertextuality between a lot of books that I plan on reading. So if hypothetically you are new to deep reading the classics, or want to get into that, what would be a comprehensive guide to doing do? As in, where do I start, Homer? Shakespeare? and where do I go from there?

[@yaseminbekiroglu5605]

Super well made! 💯💯💯

[@laurau6491]

Fantastic video. It gives me inspiration.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, Laura ☺️

[@joshbryant6366]

very interesting to know of this french professor of charlotte, especially after having read villette! 🤔🤔

[@MirandaKHayes]

Ben, Just finished my second read through of JE and finally made time to watch your video. I know it was spoiler free but wanted to have it fresh on my mind before watching. Now we definitely need a spoiler-filled video! I was so disturbed by Jane Eyre on my second read through…she is young enough to be Rochester’s daughter! I think she has daddy issues :/ she is so obsessed with serving and pleasing others and I feel Mr. R really took advantage of that. I will say at least we know neither had interest in the other based just on looks. But (spoiler) when she insists on leaving and he whispers in her ear that he may get violent…that is just unforgivable to me! Maybe it’s my knee-jerk reaction as a DV survivor? Maybe he didnt mean he would hit her but that he would become violent and break things around him? Either way, so childish of him. To throw a tantrum when he doesnt get what he wants. And for St. John to do the same, the way he WHINED like a toddler, “But it’s not what I want…it’s not what I want!” Seriously! Then he accused her of not doing what GOD wants her to do. I can only look past Jane going back to Mr. R since he tried to save poor Bertha in the fire and stopped begging Jane to come back even though at that point, their marriage would have been legal. Speaking of Bertha, I’ve seen criticism that this novel is racist and I didn’t quite catch that until my recent reread. My first “read” of Jane Eyre was listening to the audiobook and I have terrible ADHD and missed a few details! Caught the second time around that Bertha was Creole I think? I cant remember off the top of my head. But it was insinuated that she was darker complected, when we find out how she and Mr. R met. This was after the scene where she ripped Jane’s veil in the night where she was described as having long dark hair and swollen purple lips. Wondering what your thoughts are. Thank you for such an in-depth video! This is the first I heard of Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey being published together. Coincidentally picked those two up on my birthday last month. Diving into WH now! Thanks again and take care Ben!

[@umara1015]

I just read it for the first time recently and it blew me away! Not since Dickens have I come across an author who utilizes first-person narration in such a memorable and engaging way. When I read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte a couple of years ago, it became one of my favorite novels ever. Jane Eyre is also now one of my favorites. So much so, that I have already put other novels aside and started reading Villette. At this rate, when I develop my own top 10 list in the future, it's likely going to be primarily made up of books by Dickens and the Bronte sisters. It's too soon to make any definitive statements because I have not yet read even a tenth of the literature of the great 19th-century novelists. That being said, in my (limited) reading experience so far, Victorian literature is the GOAT!

[@fahds2583]

Wait till you read French classic

[@kimmyk3640]

I want to read every book you discuss. So many books so little time!!!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, thank you so much, Kimmy! This is my lament every single day. So many books so little time! I really feel that :)

[@freedomtrail8255]

Thank you this was wonderful

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

You are so welcome! Thank you for watching :)

[@marjoriedybec3450]

💝It was my first book of 2023, a re-read. Its probably my all-time favorite novel. I read a tattered hardcover edition in high school for fun. The Lowood School scenes gripped my imagination. Then in college, I memorized the punishment scene at Lowood for a speech class and presented it. Of course memorization requires a deeper consumption of a text. I believe I've read the book five times cover to cover and have read parts countless times. This year, the feminism hit me more strongly. Also the section I purposely read the John Reed section more slowly than in the past. It was a worthy endeavor to give it it's due. Jane is a fantastic character who inspires me.

[@Musiclife-sn2cw]

This will be my first work.of classic literature that I'll take on. I am using a dictionary so far. Your video was helpful. Thank you. Do you think this is a good starter novel for the classics ?

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you very much :) That's so exciting to hear! I definitely think Jane Eyre is a fantastic starter for the classics. I'd love to know what you make of it!

[@Musiclife-sn2cw]

@BenjaminMcEvoy I will let you know, so far its fantastic. I'm a huge fan of your work here on KZbin. You inspired me to pick up reading again several months ago.thanks for responding.

[@donaldkelly3983]

Enjoyed the presentation on Jane Eyre! I came very late to JE after a number of failed attempts as a younger man. It was a different experience from WH, which was like trying to read a hurricane. Jane is a Protestant saint who will not bow to her oppressors and is rewarded for it. JE reminded me of Robinson Crusoe, except the island she's marooned on is England and the people who make her miserable are the cannibals. As Harold Bloom said, the Brontes are more like themselves than they resemble any contemporary writer.

[@macareuxmoine]

OMG, my favorite 😍 gotta listen right away 🥳

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

🥰🙏

[@XeeshanAhmad2]

Keep up the good work brother..

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much, my friend. I really appreciate that 🙏

[@Little_Shadow_]

My impression of this book changed many times. The first time, I was 11 years old. Then, about five times overall. For some reason, it's quite comport read for me, even though the book itself is not.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

I only read Jane Eyre this year after putting it off, well, most of my life. Once I read it though, I was utterly drawn in. Why hadn’t I ever read this brilliant novel?! (I asked myself). It made me realise how I had some wrong assumptions about books. In the end, I bought copies of this book and gave them as gifts to my female friends urging them to read it and have their lives changed as well. (Yeah I became THAT person!) 🤣 Thank you for your videos. They are all brilliant!

[@Chris-rv1vj]

hello benjamin, i am 17 years old and have recently began to start reading the classics, and I have just been given my grandparents' entire old book collection since they recently passed away. do you have any recommendations as to how I should maintain these rare old books? some are dusty etc....and what should I read first (my grandma pretty much had every classic so ill probably have anything you recommend) I was looking up old books myself and then I was just given a treasure chest of them for free hahaha. thanks!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Hello Chris! I'm so sorry to hear about your grandparents' recent passing. I hope you're looking after yourself during this difficult time. You have some truly special treasures with their classic book collection! For old rare books, I personally keep them away from sunlight and areas with a lot of moisture. Some might advise to handle them sparingly, but I love reading so much I simply ignore that advice :) As for which classic to start with - do you know which works might have been your grandmother's favourite? If there are any clues (like writing on the covers), that might be a nice place to start. For my personal recommendations, Charles Dickens' Great Expectations and Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles are two novels that meant a lot to me when I was seventeen. You might enjoy them, especially as the autumn season is now upon us!

[@Chris-rv1vj]

​@@BenjaminMcEvoy thank you for your kind words, Benjamin. I found out that her and my grandfathers favorite book was the count of monte cristo, and by chance (or fate?) I actually had the exact same copy as they did (Barnes and noble hardcover, they also had an older copy as well.) I was in the midst of reading that book anyways, so i will definitely finish that. I will keep the books away from sunlight, and will definitely check out that Dickens book next. Aside from your response here, I just want to let you know that you have been a major factor in me going from a stereotypical modern era kid with 0 interest in books to actually caring about literature. thank you so much!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's so amazing! The Count of Monte Cristo is a brilliant choice. I think we can all connect to Edmond Dantès. And thank you so much for your kind words, my friend. I really appreciate that and am thrilled that you're getting so much out of reading these great books!@@Chris-rv1vj