One of the earliest influential feminist novels, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre allows readers to take an in-depth look at a strong female character's thoughts and feelings. A coming-of-age story of the title character, the novel tackles themes like classism, sexuality, religion and feminism.
Fully entitled Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, the novel takes place in 19th-century England and tells the story of Jane Eyre. At an early age, Jane is sent to live with her unkind aunt and cousins after her parents die. Soon after, Jane is sent to an all-girls boarding school where she loses her best friend. Eventually, she is employed as a governess to Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with the stern owner, Mr. Rochester.
Just as Jane is about to marry the man of her dreams, she learns that Mr. Rochester is already married to Bertha Mason, an insane woman who lives in the attic of the manor. Distraught, she leaves her love and job behind. Without money and dying from exposure and starvation, Jane finds solace in the home of John Rivers, a clergyman.
After some misunderstandings and a bizarre turn of events, Jane discovers that John and his sisters are her cousins and that her uncle has left her a large inheritance. Jane returns to Thornfield Manor and learns that the house had burned down, killing Bertha and leaving Mr. Rochester blind. Seeking out her love, Jane reunites with Rochester and nurses him to health, living happily ever after.
In addition to hundreds of plays, movies, musicals, radio shows and television programs based on the novel, adaptations of the classic are increasingly popular today. Readers can find unofficial sequels like Jane Rochester and Jane's Daughter as well as reworkings of the classic like Jane Slayre, where the title character hunts vampires in addition to falling in love with Mr. Rochester, and Jane, set in the 20th century where Mr. Rochester is a world-famous rockstar. While these modern renditions aren't nearly as popular as the original, their existence continues to raise popularity for the 1847 novel.