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Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is the story of an orphan, and a tale of romance, and a book full of clashing, conflicting opposites. There’s the conflict between men and women. There’s the conflict between morality and the desires of the heart. There’s the conflict between … well, click on Jane Eyre, Recap 2, and find out for yourself.

Video Transcription:

If you remember one thing about Jane Eyre, remember this.

OK, sure, remember crazy Bertha. But remember something else, too. Jane Eyre is a book about the conflict between opposites.

You can’t have a book without conflict, right? It’s what moves the story forward—and keeps you reading.

Conflict definitely keeps you reading when it comes to Jane Eyre. You want to know where orphan Jane will end up. And when she ends up at Mr. Rochester’s, you want to know what’s going to happen between the two of them. And then when Jane flees Mr. Rochester’s, you want to know how she’s going to survive—and if she and Mr. Rochester will ever be reunited.

As if all that conflict in the plot wasn’t enough, there are also a dozen or so conflicts between opposites bubbling beneath the surface of Jane Eyre.

Like …?
The conflict between light and darkness.
The conflict between men and women.
The conflict between giving in to duty or giving in to passion, between the upper class and the lower class, between morality and the desires of the heart.

The conflict between being true to yourself and being true to what society says you should be.

There’s even conflict within Jane’s character.

Yep. That’s actually where crazy Bertha comes in. But you’ll have to wait ‘til Recap 9 to hear more about that.