These questions came to mind when I received an email from a young man who argued that Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, was an immoral book which Catholics should not read. His argument was rooted in the immoral actions of Edward Rochester, a brooding and Byronic presence in the novel with whom Jane Eyre becomes involved romantically. I’ll let my correspondent state his case:

We see Edward Rochester breaking his wedding vows, poisoning the marital union by his rejection of giving up his life for his wife. He would have been content to continue his infatuation with Jane Eyre had she not discovered he was married; even after she knows this, Edward pleads with her to stay and be with him even though he cannot legally marry her…Edward clearly disregards his marital vow and is indifferent to the moral demand of the value-response his wife merits; he completely disregards the entire sphere of values to pursue his desire for union with Jane. In doing this, he poisons his affection towards Jane.

This is all very true, but the presence of a wicked and prideful character does not make the novel wicked and prideful. On the contrary, the novel exposes Rochester’s prideful wickedness, his neglect of his insane wife, and his deceitfulness. It also shows how his moral relativism has harmful and destructive consequences.

Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel is a great example of what might be called the art of darkness, which paradoxically sheds light on the presence of goodness, truth, and beauty. What, then, is the art of darkness and how does it show us goodness and truth? (...)

Having shown the difference between the art of darkness and the dark arts, there is no denying that Jane Eyre is very much the former. It is a Christian novel written by a devoutly Christian novelist. (Joseph Pearce)

BookClub's AI thinks that Jane Eyre will turn you into a lifelong reader. The same AI thinks that Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair is good for a rainy day. Whatever.

Antes de traducir un clásico hay que decidir también qué hacer con quienes lo habitaron previamente. La mayoría de profesionales prefieren no mirar demasiado atrás, trabajar a solas con el original y dejar las versiones anteriores para el final. Con Jane Eyre, Molines se fue “directa al texto para intentar no contaminarme. Si no, puedes tener la tentación de dejarte condicionar por esas decisiones. Cuando ya tenía la traducción terminada, eché un vistazo para ver cómo había resuelto algunas cosas que me generaban curiosidad”. Y como conocía la obra con anterioridad, sabía que había cuestiones en las que quería marcar la diferencia: “en inglés la narradora dice reader, y lo habitual ha sido traducirlo en masculino. Yo lo he desdoblado y hablo de lector y lectora. También por el contexto de la época, cuando las grandes lectoras de novela en ese momento eran mujeres”.

Al releer Cumbres Borrascosas en inglés, Rovira se sorprendió por la dureza y sobriedad de la novela, que no recordaba de sus lecturas anteriores: “Ese lenguaje refleja mucho aquel paisaje seco, oscuro, ventoso, húmedo en el que tiene lugar la novela. Por eso quise evitar embellecerlo o dulcificarlo, también en los diálogos en los que los personajes llegan a ser muy crueles. Mi principal aportación ha sido respetar esa aridez y esa aspereza del original”. (...)

Trabajar con una obra inédita ofrece al traductor algo parecido a atracar en un territorio virgen. Un clásico, en cambio, llega lleno de huellas. Para Molines, el primer caso implica, por una parte, “abrir tu propio camino, pero también vas a ciegas en muchas cosas”. Mientras que, cuando te zambulles en un clásico, “suele haber muchos estudios que analizan intertextualidades, metáforas y otros aspectos del texto. Todo eso ayuda a afinar cuestiones que pueden pasar más desapercibidas. Por ejemplo, en Jane Eyre hay muchísima terminología relacionada con el orientalismo, muchos referentes de la India y esto se ha estudiado desde los estudios poscoloniales. Tiene un peso importante en la novela. Si acudes a traducciones antiguas, esa vertiente suele neutralizarse y desaparecer, porque quizá el traductor pensaba que en España no se iba a entender”. (Lucía Márquez) (Translation)

The Brontë sisters’ father was the parish priest of Howarth [sic]. The museum is a renovated parsonage where the sisters lived. Traces of the sisters remain everywhere, including the fireplace used by Emily Brontë and the dress of her elder sister Charlotte, who wrote *Jane Eyre*.

After leaving the parsonage, I began a trek across the moor—the wild, open landscape that inspired *Wuthering Heights*. Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse said to have influenced the novel, sits atop a hill approximately 430 meters above sea level.

Walking for about an hour and a half across the moor, where only the wind’s whisper could be heard, I reached the desolate scene: two trees standing beside a crumbling stone house at the hill’s summit. Sitting on the roof of the abandoned house and looking down, I saw vast plains dotted with purple heather flowers swaying in the wind—a serene yet beautiful sight. I realized that the author, having grown up in such scenery, could depict a love that is both tranquil and ferocious. Facing the strong wind, I quietly recited Catherine’s famous line expressing her passion for Heathcliff: “I am Heathcliff!” (Kwak Ah-ram)

Conversely, the trailer for Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned does a pretty solid job of selling it as being just as faithful of an adaptation as many of the others have been over the past century. There’s Catherine’s ghost, a look at Cathy (meaning that the story will at least dabble in the decades-spanning material), and even looks to be taking significant inspiration from the latter pieces of the book that rarely see any play in cinematic versions. Notably, the film has even cast Sky Cheema, a non-white actor, in the role of Heathcliff, which was famously played by the very white Jacob Elordi most recently, inciting a great deal of controversy.

All in all, this is a fun riff on the idea and is just as valid as any number of the countless other adaptations over the years, in theory. My hope is that Hirani and co. keep their heads up and resist the urge to just turn it into a hack-and-slash feature with Wuthering Heights cosplay, instead embracing the story’s actual text in meaningful ways. To their credit, the trailer looks like much more of the latter rather than the former, so I’m more than down to check it out. (William Jones)

A book Min Jin Lee would give to her younger self: 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Originally published in 1847, this novel has become one of the most-read books of all time. It’s the story of every chapter of Jane Eyre’s life, from her harsh upbringing as an orphan to her position as governess for a young French girl at Thornfield estate, where she meets and falls in love with the charming Mr. Rochester. It’s a powerful tale of love, classism, religion and feminism.

What Min Jin Lee says about this book: “[I] recall reading this in [my] 20s, but [I] should have read it in [my] teens and then revisited it in [my] 30s.” (Carissa Mosness)

She awarded the literary classic 5 stars, and high praise — the only thing she disliked about the book was “that the story had to end! I wish it could have gone on forever,” [she] said. 

She felt picking up the Brontë novel also boosted her vocabulary. 

“One thing I like about this book is that it’s a older book and has older words to learn, so you can learn what they mean,” [she] said.

9. Performative male book

He has one whole book – a copy of Wuthering Heights he bought for his GCSEs (because he thought it was the same as Jane Eyre). The book is displayed prominently opposite the door, to demonstrate what an erudite feminist he is. (Claudia Cox)

 S4 E7: With... Ruth Rossington

Mia and Sam chat to their colleague Ruth on this episode! Ruth is part of the Visitor Experience team at the Museum and has previously worked as a journalist and London tour guide!

We look at the progression of photography in the nineteenth century and discuss the mysterious backstory of one particular item in the collection...

One of the biggest challenges in adapting Jane Eyre is that the novel is deeply personal.

Written in the first person, readers experience the world through Jane's thoughts, feelings and reflections.

On stage, those internal monologues cannot simply be narrated.

Instead, they must become performance.

As John Caird explained during the media day, the production solves this by allowing the ensemble to share Jane's narrative voice, preserving the intimacy of Charlotte Brontë's writing while embracing the possibilities of live theatre.

Music becomes another extension of that voice.

Rather than interrupting the story, the songs continue it. (...)

The score also reflects another defining feature of the production.

Rather than functioning as individual showpieces, the musical numbers become part of the ensemble's collective storytelling.

Co-director Megan McGinnis explained that casting focused not only on vocal ability but also on finding exceptional storytellers capable of serving the narrative together.

That collaborative approach was evident throughout the rehearsal room, where every performer contributed to Jane's journey rather than simply stepping forward for individual moments. (...)

Following our rehearsal room visit, one thing became abundantly clear: the music isn't simply accompanying Jane Eyre.

It is helping tell Jane's story.

Having now experienced the completed production, it is fascinating to reflect on how those early rehearsal excerpts formed part of a much larger emotional journey, demonstrating once again why Jane Eyre continues to inspire artists almost 180 years after Charlotte Brontë first introduced readers to one of literature's most remarkable heroines.

The show's Jane (Charlie Burn) and Mr Rochester (Ashley Gilmour) give it their all and the pair sparkle as they duet, “Secret Soul” being their standout song. Neither can be described as plain despite all around them claim- the audience’s chuckles confirming this. Gilmour’s Rochester is rakish and playful, making it easy for Burn’s elegantly innocent Jane to fall. Although her character comes to resemble a watered-down Belle of Beauty and the Beast– no fault of Burn’s as all she is given to do is sing pining ballads. When flashes of Jane’s anger and insecurity break through in “Painting Her Portrait” she is electric in her range and colour. It’s a Jane I wish we got to see more of. (...)

A stylish and charming show full of music, Jane Eyre would be better served by trimming its blur of Act 1 songs to allow more direct conversation between its characters. Jane sings of hunger for knowledge and independence in “Sweet Liberty” only for this interest to rarely emerge again And Burn and Gilmour barely let the sexual tension simmer before off singing their attractions. 

Charlie Burn leads the company as Jane, bringing warmth and emotional depth to one of literature’s most beloved heroines. Ashley Gilmour plays Rochester, and the pair share an engaging chemistry, particularly during their sweeping and heartfelt musical moments. Emily-Rose Samuel also impresses as the young Jane, capturing the character’s determination and spirit.

Gemma Page showcases the prowess of a seasoned actress switching between the contrasting roles of Mrs Reed and Mrs Fairfax. She brings a grounded and assured presence to both. Morgan Large’s striking monochrome costumes, complete with corsets, ruffles and delicate detailing, create a beautiful visual world, while projections of misty moors, graves and barren trees provide the perfect gothic backdrop.

With its excellent cast, outstanding vocals, atmospheric design and timeless romance, Jane Eyre the Musical offers London audiences a passionate and engaging journey into Charlotte Brontë’s unforgettable world. (Zia Trench)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre might have been published 180 years ago, but it’s still relevant today, telling the story of a woman reinventing her life by falling in love with a man who thinks he can reinvent his life by simply ignoring his past—or, more accurately, locking it away. No spoilers (again, the book is 180 years old, what are you waiting for!), but you might want to check the attic before you crack this open late at night. (Carly Hillman)

Sarah Gill: What are your top three favourite books of all time, and why?

Kevin McManus: It’s difficult to limit it to three. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë has stayed with me for its emotional intensity and unforgettable sense of place. Post Office by Charles Bukowski showed me that literature could be funny, raw and deeply human without being polished or sentimental. Plainsong by Kent Haruf is a novel I return to again and again for the quiet compassion with which it portrays ordinary people finding dignity, community and hope.

Siddhesh Shirsat: Which book, film, song or piece of art has stayed with you over the years?
Shreya Sachdev: Jane Eyre, when I need inspiration to remain enterprising; any Agatha Christie novel, when I want to be transported back to childhood afternoons reading with my mother.

[Interviewer] What are you reading right now?

Wuthering Heights.