Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

71 reviews

edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I first read this book in middle school and was thoroughly unimpressed; but reading it again, I have absolutely fallen in love. I think it's one of those books where you can find little gems tucked away in every time you read it. There's so much commentary on this (rightful) classic that I won't say much, only that I admire Jane's character for not succumbing to things she finds demeaning or morally wrong. She faces so much pressure from her aunt, her school's discipline and Helen Burns' example, Mr. Rochester, and St. John Rivers, but she refuses to bend to anything she doesn't want. As someone who has experienced far-right, high-control religion, I particularly focused on her rejection of the mamby-pamby, turn-the-other-cheek, obedient-until-death attitude represented by Helen Burns and St. John Rivers. She is a real person, not a monolith or symbol, who makes her own way in within the systems she lives in. 
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brodi727's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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treehouselibrary's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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thewillowwood's review against another edition

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dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved this book. It has many flaws, to be sure, but it was one that I felt deeply connected to throughout.
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bobcat_thepagemaster's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was the first time I have ever read Jane Eyre despite being an English major (how scandalous I know!!). Having read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte multiple-times and being one of my all-time favorite books, I knew I was in for a treat! 

The book begins when Jane Eyre is a rambunctious young-girl. She is forced to live her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and cousins after the death of her parents. Jane is treated unfairly and punished by Mrs. Reed. Eventually, Jane is sent away to a girls school during this time she befriends a girl named Helen. The book continues to follow Jane throughout her life, she graduates from schools and teaches there for two years until she answers an advertisement for a governess. This is where we get to meet the dark, mysterious, and wealthy Mr. Rochester. We witness both Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre fall for one another knowing their love is forbidden due to the class divide
and the fact that Mr. Rochester is still married to his wife, who he hides in the attic!
 

This book is considered a classic for good reason! It gives us modern readers a look into what life was like for young women in the 19th-century—what their limitations where when it comes to love, work, and opportunity. There’s politics, religion, love, and gothic spookiness all wrapped into one story. Charolette Bronte’s prose is unparallel! She began writing this book in 1846 yet feel very modern. It is intelligent, honest, and unforgiving. I believe everyone should read this book at some point in their life. 

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madzie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 A classic for good reason. Bronte was a master of her craft. Despite being 500+ pages, every moment of this book is well-used. The plot may be slow to the modern reader, but everything pays off, and the tropes of the genre and personable characters make the reader continue reading no matter what is transpiring. Jane Eyre jumps off the page as a character well before her time but possibly even more relevant today than in Bronte’s time. Jane’s inner conflict drives the story and leads us to deeply consider our own lives and the lives of those around us in ways that very few authors have ever illustrated. Other characters support her story, and the themes astoundingly well as the reader tries to uncover their motives. 

Unsurprisingly, Bronte writes beautiful, imaginative, addictive, and vivid prose that deeply touches her readers even hundreds of years later. Although outdated, Bronte’s writing still allows for such deep feelings, blunt ideas, and spine-chilling moments that modern readers will not find her as pretentious as some of her peers (or sisters). Themes create a deep consideration of our modern world and our interactions with others as well as literature in a way like no other.  

This is a must-read classic that opens our eyes to women in modern society and history, as well as other topics of oppression, abuse, autonomy and individualism, and other ideas that are very pertinent to 21st-century life. If you love classics, you must pick one up. If you are interested in Jane Eyre but not classics typically, rest assured; this is an addictively good read that will keep you guessing. 

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sgferguson's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

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moa's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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carolinecronj's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

I went into this without knowing anything about the plot and would recommend you to do the same if you are still unspoilered, because some of the turns of the plot really surprised me.

What I greatly enjoyed about the book is its superb writing. Charlotte Bronte's command of the English language is nothing short of astounding, and her description of the various setting and a treat to read. 
 
However, my main problem with Jane Eyre is the romanticisation of abusive, manipulative and toxic character traits and relationships. I could not help but cringe at many of the supposedly sweet or romantic interactions throughout the book.

Furthermore, there are some deeply misogynistic archetypes, and the language throughout the book is at times ableist, racist and colonialist. 

In its own time and society, Jane Eyre was in many ways a revolutionary piece of writing and I definitely recommend it to be consumed as a historic product of its time. But if you are looking for a sweet and unproblematic love story, you should be looking somewhere else.
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cait's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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