Charlotte Brontë’s Life and Victorian England
Key Vocabulary
- Glad – happy
- Lean – move the top part of the body
- Wondered – asked himself
- Wounded – injured
- Wandered – moved around
- Wicked – very bad
- Rage – great anger
- Mad – angry
- Dangerous – likely to cause harm
- Chaperone – an older person who supervises young people
- Tenderly – with much love
- Tore it to pieces – ripped
- Harm – damage
- Inquiry – official investigation
- Curate – assistant of a priest
- Grammar school – school for clever children
- Housekeeper – person who works in the house
- Stared – looked for a long time
- Servants – persons who work for their owner and are paid
- Grinned – smiled
- Public schools – private schools
- Garment – a long dress
- Factories – buildings where machines are used to make large quantities of goods
- At once – immediately
- Attic – room at the top of a house
- Jug – container of water
- Aside – on the side of the road
- Thin – light
- Out of place – not right
- Delighted – very happy
- A while – some time
- Odd – strange
- Guests – visitors
- Slipped – slid, lost balance
Characters in *Jane Eyre*
Bertha Mason (Grace Poole), Mr. Brocklehurst (owns the school), Miss Temple (head teacher), Miss Ingram, Mr. Briggs, Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed, Mrs. Reed, John Eyre, Mr. Mason, Diana, Mary, and St. John Rivers, Mrs. Fairfax, Adèle Varens, Mr. Rochester, Helen Burns.
Charlotte Brontë: A Biographical Sketch
Charlotte Brontë was born in 1816 in Thornton, Yorkshire. She was the third daughter of Patrick Brontë and Maria Branwell. Charlotte’s mother died in 1821, and her aunt, her mother’s sister, came to live with the family. Charlotte and her sisters were sent to a boarding school at Cowan Bridge, which served as the model for Lowood School in *Jane Eyre*. Two of her sisters died at this school. Later, she and her sister Emily attended another school, Roe Head, where Charlotte made lasting friendships. Charlotte worked as a governess for a short time before she and Emily opened a school at Haworth. In 1842, they went to Brussels to study languages at the Pensionnat Heger, where Charlotte fell in love with the director, but her feelings were not reciprocated. Charlotte’s first novel, *The Professor*, was not accepted by publishers. However, *Jane Eyre* brought her great success. She and her sisters published their works under male pseudonyms. She died in 1855 at the age of 39, one year after marrying Mr. Nicholls, her father’s curate.
Life in the Time of Queen Victoria
Charlotte Brontë lived through the reigns of four monarchs. The last of these was Queen Victoria, who became queen in 1837. During this time, Britain was a wealthy and powerful nation with numerous industries, great writers and artists, a large empire, and extensive railways.
Victorian Family Life
For wealthy families, life was comfortable. Most families had servants, as they were inexpensive. The house was cleaned early in the morning, ready for when the family got up. Meals were at the same time each day, and children were expected to eat all their food. If they didn’t, it would be served again at the next meal. In the winter, children played indoor games, and in the summer, they played in the garden. The sons of the family were expected to work hard at school to succeed in their careers. Young women had to learn social skills. The only “career” for most well-off young women was a good marriage. Some poorer girls with a better education sometimes worked as governesses. When a young man and woman liked each other, the man asked the girl’s father for permission to visit her. The young couple could only meet if they were supervised by a chaperone.
Schools in the Victorian Era
Before Queen Victoria’s reign, there were few schools for the children of poor parents. There were public schools (which were actually private, fee-paying schools) for the children of wealthy parents and grammar schools for clever children from less affluent backgrounds.
During Queen Victoria’s reign, many more schools were established for poor children.
Victorian Houses
If the owner had money, the house was comfortable, typically with three floors, a large cellar, and gardens. The father sat at the head of the table during mealtimes and carved the meat for the rest of the family.