Masterpiece Theatre's Jane Eyre (2006)

"After a wretched childhood, orphaned Jane Eyre yearns for new experiences. She accepts a governess position at Thornfield Hall, where she tutors a lively French girl named Adele. She soon finds herself falling in love with the brooding master of the house--the passionate Mr. Rochester. Jane gradually wins his heart, but they must overcome the dark secrets of the past before they can find happiness."

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This 2006 BBC Masterpiece Theatre's version of Charlotte Bronte's gothic novel, Jane Eyre, stars Ruth Wilson as the adult Jane and Toby Stephens as Edward Rochester. Beautifully filmed scenes and relatively true to the original novel, I think this 2-disc production captures just the right balance of gloomy atmospheric effects and period details, as well as great portrayals of the dark and troubled Rochester and the quiet but fiercely principled Jane.

I loved watching the interaction between Jane and Rochester as their relationship develops--always conscious of her position as a paid governess and her lowly station in life, Jane maintains a guarded distance from the master. He is intrigued by Jane from their first meeting, and Rochester takes great pleasure in teasing her and attempting to draw out the thoughts and feelings from the prim and proper Jane. Their tete-e-tetes are charming and, at times, humorous and snappy. There was just the right amount of chemistry and restrained passion, and I adored the way a young, fresh-faced Jane positivey glowed when in love.

There were terrific performances from supporting characters -- little French Adele was charmingly pretty and spoiled; Mrs. Fairfax was business-like and loyal to the master of the house; and my favorite, the creepy and sinister Grace Poole.

Here is a quick overview of scenes covered in the movie:

Disc 1
The Red Room
Taken Away
Invitation to Thornfield
Meeting Rochester
Adele's Picnic
Bedroom Fire
Rochester's Return
Ghosts and Games
A Cry in the Night
Leave of Absence

Disc 2
Visiting Mrs. Reed
Return to Thornfield
An Earnest Proposal
Going to Town
Wedding Day
A New Life
Last Night at Thornfield
One Year Later
Coming Back
A New Arrangement

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There was one area that I noticed a serious departure from the original text. The most obvious change in character appearance was in Bertha Mason's . The author describes Bertha in the after-wedding scene as animal-like, with a bloated, purple face, and shaggy black hair. Monstrous. However, in this production, we see a sensuously beautiful woman, albeit deranged and dangerous. While the reader of the novel knows that Bertha was a Creole beauty from the West Indies when she and Rochester were first married, her mental state and sickness causes her to deteriorate to a hideously monstrous state. At any rate, that obvious change stood out as a glaring departure from the original storyline.

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Overall, a really great production of Bronte's classic gothic novel and highly recommended for Jane Eyre fans. From her terrifying childhood of abuse at the hands of her aunt and cousins, the horrors of Lowood School, and her journey of self-discovery and relationships with Rochester and St. John, this production touched on all the major elements which make Jane Eyre a beloved favorite for me. I could watch it again and again!

Jane Eyre's Daughter by Elizabeth Newark

From the publisher:

"In this sequel to Jane Eyre, young Janet Rochester is consigned to Highcrest Manor and the guardianship of the strict Colonel Dent while her parents journey to the West Indies. As Janet struggles to make a life for herself, guided by the ideals of her parents, she finds herself caught up in the mysteries of Highcrest.

Why is the East Wing forbidden to her? What lies behind locked gates? And what is the source of the voices she hears in the night? Can she trust the enigmatic Roderick Landless, or should she transfer her allegiance to the suave and charming Sir Hugo Calendar?

Whether riding her mare on the Yorkshire moors, holding her own with Colonel Dent, or waltzing at her first ball, Janet is strong, sympathetic, and courageous.

After all, she is her mother's daughter......"


My thoughts:

Before I sum up my impressions of Jane Eyre's Daughter, I think I first need to say that I am wary of fan fiction and classic spin-offs -- particularly when they are from novels that are very close to my heart. I read a few Austen-inspired books for the Everything Austen Challenge and quickly learned that not all spin-offs are created equal. Some are fantastic and spark renewed interest in classic novels; others are mediocre. Only a few are truly worthy of association with the original. Charlotte Bronte's gothic masterpiece, Jane Eyre, is sacrosanct in my opinion, so I approached this "sequel" with a very critical eye, ready to dismiss anything that did not ring true to the Bronte original.

Reader, I was very impressed!

This is a thoroughly engaging tale narrated by the daughter born to Jane Eyre and her beloved Mr. Rochester. (Although a daughter is not mentioned, to my knowledge, in the original, Jane refers to their son as their "first-born," so it is plausible that they had other children.) Filled with many familiar elements that made Bronte's original gothic tale so intriguing, you'll revisit the bleak and wind-wept Yorkshire moors and a restored Thornfield, meet a Byronic figure whose striking resemblance to Mr. Rochester stirs up vicious gossip, and watch in fascination as a spirited Janet comes to blows with Isabella, the beautiful and haughty niece of Blanche Ingram. There's even Pilot, bred from generations of Rochester's original dog, ever-present, resting by the fire, always loyal and devoted.

I found the journey of Janet Eyre from girlhood to womanhood to be poignant and believable, with one exception. She is very honest with her feelings in the beginning of the tale, feeling much loved and doted on by her larger than life father, but feels slighted by her more reserved mother. (I do take issue with the way Jane Eyre is portrayed in the beginning of this book, being a bit cold to her daughter, but attentive to her husband and son. Not in true character, in my opinion, but it is resolved satisfactorily.) Frightened by the news that she must attend a girls' school in London when her parents and brother must leave to attend to matters related to Bertha Mason's family in Jamaica, she feels lost without the comfort and support of her father. It is at this school where Janet begins to learn indepedence and self-confidence.

Upon completion of the girls' school, Janet must, according to her father's guardianship plan, live with Colonel Dent at Highcrest Manor. Like Thornfield, Highcrest Manor has its own secrets and tragic past that comes back to haunt the inhabitants. Two enigmatic gentlemen enter Janet's life, and as the plot unfolds, we learn which one is friend or foe.

The writing is excellent and moves along quickly, with lots of suspenseful twists, wonderful period details, and an ending that left me with happy tears. Keep in mind that it's not perfect, it does have a few spots that readers won't like or agree with, but generally an enjoyable read.

Recommended if you're a Bronte devotee. I'm off to a good beginning for the All About the Brontes Challenge!

4/5 stars

Title: Jane Eyre's Daughter
Author: Elizabeth Newark
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
2008
303 pages
genre: historical fiction/romance

All About the Brontes 2010 Challenge

I was very excited to learn about this new reading challenge for 2010 at Laura's Reviews! Having previously mentioned on my blog about my love of the novel, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (even going so far as selecting the name Jane for my daughter's middle name and Rochester for my dog!), it should come as no surprise that I jumped on this challenge as soon as I learned of it. Like the Everything Austen challenge, it brings renewed interest to the original writings of all the Brontes, including Bronte-inspired books and movies. Click here to find all the details of the All About the Brontes 2010 reading challenge at Laura's Reviews.

For this challenge, I am using two books already in my TBR bookshelf, and I will add to my list as I find new titles to include. (Unfortunately, I already completed The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James this year, so it won't count, but it was very good and recommended for this challenge.)

Jane Eyre's Daughter by Elizabeth Newark
Book description: In this sequel to Jane Eyre, young Janet Rochester is consigned to Highcrest Manor and the guardianship of the strict Colonel Dent while her parents journey to the West Indies. As Janet struggles to make a life for herself, guided by the ideals of her parents, she finds herself caught up in the mysteries of Highcrest.

Why is the east wing forbidden to her? What lies behind locked gates? And what is the source of the voices she hears in the night? Can she trust the enigmatic Roderick Landless, or should she transfer her allegiance to the suave and charming Sir Hugo Calendar?

Whether riding her mare on the Yorkshire moors, holding her own with Colonel Dent, or waltzing at her first ball, Janet is strong, sympathetic, and courageous....after all, she is her mother's daughter...

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Charlotte Bronte: A Writer's Life by Rebecca Fraser (a biography written by a former President of the Bronte Society)

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Two movies in my collection that I will view again are both Masterpiece Theatre productions of Jane Eyre (2006) and Wuthering Heights (2008). Both are excellent productions that are highly recommended; gloomy, gothic settings at their best!

FYI - If you visit the Bronte Blog and scroll down the right side bar, there are lists of e-texts on all the Bronte novels and many books about the Brontes. This would be a good place to explore if you're interested in this challenge.

Here's to great reading in 2010!