One of my greatest blind spots in literature is pre-twentieth century literature. In university, I’m taking Victorian literature to remedy my blindspots.

Jane Eyre is the first novel we have read, and it deserves all the renowned acclaim it receives. This is the novel of the Victorian period. Brontë writes with a deeply level of patient and delicacy to weave the attitudes of the period in one novel. There is commentary on gender, class, religion, and morality,
while ostensibly remaining as a romance novel. It is also an inspired work; there are notable gothic elements integrated into the narrative in a unique way compared to her contemporaries. The title character and our protagonist is the very example of an admirable character: we suffer with her, we laugh with her, we are happy for her. Despite it being a five-hundred-page book, one should find it easy reading Jane Eyre. The novel is very well paced. There are slower paced moments which are contrasted by rewarding quicker-paced moments. 

Don’t let the “the curtains are blue” meme get to your head. Brontë writes with intention; it deserves to be read by everyone.