Jane Eyre is one of those books you pick up because you feel you ought to. It is, after all, a classic, and full of all the merits attached to that status. So it is with a sense of virtue and self congratulation that you start to read what has been considered by so many to be such an excellent book, and it is almost unexpected when you find yourself thoroughly gripped by it.

Jane Eyre is infused with the sense of misery and claustrophobic restrictions of society that come through all of the Bronte sisters’ work. In spite of that, however, it is an inspiring and ultimately uplifting story of rebellion against those very things.

Our heroine is not gifted with many astounding talents, nor is she exceedingly beautiful or rich. She is remarkably placed to lead an unremarkable life. She rises above the cruelties and privations of her childhood, however, to find a comfortable placing as a governess in a lovely estate. When she falls in love with her master, however, she is forced to choose between her principles and her happiness.

The story may seem familiar, but it is woven with plenty of twists and mysteries, and the manner of the happy ending is far from being your predictable Disney-like fare. It is, nevertheless, a happy ending by Bronte standards, and that is all I will say in order not to spoil it for those few who haven’t read it yet.

In the context of the times, Jane Eyre was groundbreaking in its portrayal of a feminist character. While modern assertive women may think nothing of mousy Jane, for the time she was an extremely assertive and controversial character, who was passionate about her right to pursue her destiny on her own terms.

On a personal level, readers of all kinds will be able to identify, if not directly with Jane, then with the cruelty of the world and our powerlessness against the tide of events. The story of Jane Eyre tells, however, that no matter how low your position in life or how strong the current of events that sweeps you along, you are ultimately able to determine the course of your own destiny. This is how, in the end, a book by the one of the notoriously gloomy Brontes manages to deliver quite an uplifting message.