Jane Eyre and Education

Abstract

Charlotte Brontë created the first female Bildungsroman in the English language when she wrote Jane Eyre in the mid-nineteenth century. Brontë’s novel explores the development of a young girl through her educational experiences. The main character, Jane Eyre, receives a formal education as a young orphan and eventually becomes both a teacher and a governess. Jane’s life never strays far from formal education, regardless of whether she is teaching or being taught. In each of Jane’s experiences, she learns invaluable lessons, both in and out of the classroom environment. Jane excels in the sphere of formal education, which allows her to become a graceful and accomplished woman. However Jane learns the most important lessons of her life during crises. The moral and spiritual lessons Jane acquires in times of difficulty are the most important educational experiences she receives, and they allow her to progress from a lonely orphan to a happily married woman