I haven't read Jane Eyre since high school. I remember being afraid when I read the parts with the mysterious laughter and the ghost-like woman drifting through the halls. I remember being horrified that that woman turned out to be the insane wife of Mr. Rochester, who was supposed to be in love with Jane. I remember being pissed, then, that he planned to dupe Jane into an illegal marriage without ever telling her that he was already married. Never once did I believe it was a love story. My head kept saying "Get out of there, Jane. He's awful. You can do better." My heart agreed.
I guess perspective comes with age. This time around, I sympathized with Mr. Rochester. He was duped into a dishonest marriage with the crazy lady, and all he wanted was a chance a real life with a woman he really loved. Because he did really love Jane. His actions are still terrible, but I can understand them.
When Jane leaves him, the high school Stefanie thought she made the exact right choice and that she should forget about him. Adult Stefanie agreed that it was the right choice, but damn if I didn't want her to go back.
Love stories in high school are boy meets girl, boy does some jackass thing that ruins the relationship, girl leaves boy even though she still loves him, boy executes some grand gesture to win girl back, girl forgives and they go to prom.
Love stories in the adult world are very very different. There are no formulaic plots (except for romantic comedies, which have a funny line or two, if they're lucky, but mostly suck). Jane Eyre is an adult love story that I never fully appreciated until now.
A new movie adaptation is in theaters now, starring Mia Wasikowska as Jane and Michael Fassbender as Mr. Rochester. Oh and Judi Dench is the maid because if it's a British period movie, Judi Dench is contractually obligated to appear.
The movie was lovely. Mia and Michael have great chemistry together (my favorite scene is when she's telling him she's leaving him. Holy guacamole that is an intense moment. Jane is a strong woman. I probably would have caved). I really believe that they love each other and I really really wanted her to go back.
Of course she does go back. When she gets there she sees that there's been a terrible fire and learns that Crazy Mrs. Rochester died in it and Severely Depressed Mr. Rochester almost did, too. (This is always hilarious: In the book, Rochester has one eye knocked out of his head and the other is burned up, plus he has a hand amputated after it was crushed by a beam. Not a pretty picture. In the movie, Rochester is indeed blind but still has both his eyes, and he also sports a shaggy beard. That's the extent of the damage. Can't have him getting TOO ugly, I guess?)
English teachers would point out the significance of Rochester being handsome in the beginning but plagued with an unattractive soul full of secrets and compare it to his physical decline in the end, albeit with a cleansed soul. Then they'd point out that Jane loved him before his ailments, and that she loved him just as much after them. The moral of the story, kids? You can't choose who you love, but you can choose how you let them love you. And that's the adult Stefanie, who finally figured that out, speaking.
P.S. - You can pay full price admission for this one. It's worth it.
I guess perspective comes with age. This time around, I sympathized with Mr. Rochester. He was duped into a dishonest marriage with the crazy lady, and all he wanted was a chance a real life with a woman he really loved. Because he did really love Jane. His actions are still terrible, but I can understand them.
When Jane leaves him, the high school Stefanie thought she made the exact right choice and that she should forget about him. Adult Stefanie agreed that it was the right choice, but damn if I didn't want her to go back.
Love stories in high school are boy meets girl, boy does some jackass thing that ruins the relationship, girl leaves boy even though she still loves him, boy executes some grand gesture to win girl back, girl forgives and they go to prom.
Love stories in the adult world are very very different. There are no formulaic plots (except for romantic comedies, which have a funny line or two, if they're lucky, but mostly suck). Jane Eyre is an adult love story that I never fully appreciated until now.
A new movie adaptation is in theaters now, starring Mia Wasikowska as Jane and Michael Fassbender as Mr. Rochester. Oh and Judi Dench is the maid because if it's a British period movie, Judi Dench is contractually obligated to appear.
The movie was lovely. Mia and Michael have great chemistry together (my favorite scene is when she's telling him she's leaving him. Holy guacamole that is an intense moment. Jane is a strong woman. I probably would have caved). I really believe that they love each other and I really really wanted her to go back.
Of course she does go back. When she gets there she sees that there's been a terrible fire and learns that Crazy Mrs. Rochester died in it and Severely Depressed Mr. Rochester almost did, too. (This is always hilarious: In the book, Rochester has one eye knocked out of his head and the other is burned up, plus he has a hand amputated after it was crushed by a beam. Not a pretty picture. In the movie, Rochester is indeed blind but still has both his eyes, and he also sports a shaggy beard. That's the extent of the damage. Can't have him getting TOO ugly, I guess?)
English teachers would point out the significance of Rochester being handsome in the beginning but plagued with an unattractive soul full of secrets and compare it to his physical decline in the end, albeit with a cleansed soul. Then they'd point out that Jane loved him before his ailments, and that she loved him just as much after them. The moral of the story, kids? You can't choose who you love, but you can choose how you let them love you. And that's the adult Stefanie, who finally figured that out, speaking.
P.S. - You can pay full price admission for this one. It's worth it.
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