JaneEyreisafirst-personnarrativeofthetitlecharacter.Thenovelgoesthroughfivedistinctstages:Jane'schildhoodatGateshead,wheresheisemotionallyandphysicallyabusedbyherauntandcousins;hereducationatLowoodSchool,wheresheacquiresfriendsandrolemodelsbutalsosuffersprivationsandoppression;hertimeasthegovernessofThornfieldHall,whereshefallsinlovewithherByronicemployer,EdwardRochester;hertimewiththeRiversfamily,duringwhichherearnestbutcoldclergymancousin,StJohnRivers,proposestoher;andthefinalewithherreunionwith,andmarriageto,herbelovedRochester.Duringthesesectionsthenovelprovidesperspectivesonanumberofimportantsocialissuesandideas,manyofwhicharecriticalofthestatusquo. 　　Primarilyofthebildungsromangenre,JaneEyrefollowstheemotionsandexperiencesofitseponymouscharacter,includinghergrowthtoadulthood,andherloveforMr.Rochester,thebyronicmasteroffictitiousThornfieldHall.Initsinternalisationoftheaction—thefocusisonthegradualunfoldingofJane'smoralandspiritualsensibilityandalltheeventsarecolouredbyaheightenedintensitythatwaspreviouslythedomainofpoetry—thenovelrevolutionisedtheartoffiction.CharlotteBrontëhasbeencalledthe'firsthistorianoftheprivateconsciousness'andtheliteraryancestorofwriterslikeJoyceandProust.Thenovelcontainselementsofsocialcriticism,withastrongsenseofmoralityatitscore,butisnonethelessanovelmanyconsideraheadofitstimegiventheindividualisticcharacterofJaneandthenovel'sexplorationofclassism,sexuality,religion,andproto-feminism. 　　(271words)