Chapter 37

Summary

Ferndean is very depressing and gloomy looking, all dark and desolate. Jane watches the house from the grounds, nervous and excited at the prospect of seeing Mr. Rochester again. It happens sooner that she expects. Suddenly, someone comes out of the house. It’s Mr. Rochester! He hides the arm with the missing hand in his jacket. He looks desperate and miserable. He stands out in the rain, ignoring John, the servant, when he offers to help him back inside. Jane lets herself in, and greets the astonished servants. They are delighted to see her again. Jane decides to surprise Mr. Rochester. She enters his room, and Pilot recognizes her. Mr. Rochester soon realizes it’s her, but at first thinks he’s imagining her voice and presence. She assures him she’s real, and tells him about her fortune. Jane seems to bring life back into Mr. Rochester, though he still considers himself a ruin. Jane eventually leaves for the night after combing Mr. Rochester’s wild hair.

The next morning, Jane and Mr. Rochester eat together. They then go outside and she describes the beautiful day for him. She sits on his knee and tells him what she did after she left Thornfield. Mr. Rochester assures her that he would not have forced her to stay, and would have given her money so she wouldn’t have to be destitute. Then he gets all jealous of St. John, until Jane tells him how cold and harsh St. John actually is. Mr. Rochester asks Jane to marry him, and she accepts. Mr. Rochester tells Jane that recently, he has truly repented of his immorality in attempting bigamy. Now he thanks God for tempering judgment with mercy. Then, the supernatural part of the novel is revealed. Remember a few chapters ago when Jane heard Mr. Rochester’s voice call her? He really did call her aloud that night. And he heard her reply but thought he dreamed it. Jane doesn’t tell him that she heard him and replied, however, because she is afraid of how Mr. Rochester will react to the supernatural in his fragile emotional state. The couple walks to the mansion together.

Reaction

            This chapter is like chocolate cake after the dreary oatmeal chapters of St. John (I don’t like oatmeal). The best part about Jane and Mr. Rochester’s reunion is that they so easily fall back into their old banter. It is very refreshing after St. John’s ridiculous behavior, even though Mr. Rochester does have to ask Jane if she really is a human. She assures him that she is, and then calls him a brownie when he calls her a fairy. More seriously, Jane’s uneasiness about their class difference and Mr. Rochester’s penchant for dressing Jane up are alleviated. Jane now is financially independent, and Mr. Rochester realizes that “fine clothes and jewels [are] not worth a fillip” (518). The ‘they get together’ chapter definitely meets my expectations. 

Chapter 36

Summary

In the morning, Jane prepares to leave Moor House for four days, at least. She plans to go to Thornfield and find out what has become of Mr. Rochester. She hopes he will still be there. Mary and Diana respect Jane’s privacy by not asking questions, and bid her goodbye. Jane takes the same coach to Thornfield as she did when running away from Mr. Rochester. The coach drops her off at a nearby inn, and Jane walks to Thornfield, feeling nervous and excited. When she gets there, however, oh horror! Thornfield has been burned to the ground, and is clearly empty. Jane goes back to the inn and inquires about what happened. She learns that Bertha Mason set Thornfield on fire last autumn, and fell to her death. Mr. Rochester is blind and missing a hand, because he tried to save everyone and a beam fell on him as he exited the burning house. Mr. Rochester is at Ferndean, his other manor, with just two servants. Jane offers to pay double the normal fare if the guy can drive her to Ferndean before dark.

Reaction

Jane is going to see Mr. Rochester soon! And he’s disabled, poor guy. I absolutely loved Jane coming back to Thornfield being compared to a man trying to surprise his sleeping lover. The guy at the Rochester Arms trying to tell Jane about her own story is pretty amusing. Also, Mr. Rochester no longer has a wife, so he and Jane technically can marry now. Hey, just saying.

Chapter 35

Summary

St. John still teaches Jane Hindustani, but is exceedingly cold and detached. Also, he’s nicer to his sisters in contrast just to show Jane what she’s missing. She again asks him to forgive her, and he again claims he already has. He once more asks her to marry him, and she once more refuses. He is very angry, but is suppressing it. He says that he will pray for her. When Jane goes inside the house, Diana is there. She saw Jane and St. John’s argument, and wants to know about it. When Jane fills her in, she too is horrified at the loveless marriage he proposed. Diana agrees that Jane should not marry St. John. Jane sums it up, “He forgets, pitilessly, the feelings and claims of little people, in pursuing his own large views. It is better, therefore, for insignificant to stay out of his way lest, in his progress, he should trample them down” (483).

That night, St. John reads an inspiring passage out of the Bible. He is so sincere and reverent that Jane is touched, and when he asks her to marry him again after, she almost agrees out of duty. Suddenly, she hears a voice cry out in the night. It’s the voice of Mr. Rochester! He sounds urgent and despairing. Jane, troubled and excited, tells St. John she needs to be alone. He leaves without any questions. In her bed, Jane makes up her mind to do – something – tomorrow.

Reaction

Wow! A touch of the supernatural? I’m not quite sure how Jane heard Mr. Rochester’s voice, but this is getting interesting indeed. Hopefully, the voice means Mr. Rochester is alive. St. John, however awful he might be, is a very sincere, devout, and good Christian. He is generous and eloquent, and he speaks so authoritatively about God’s will that Jane is swayed. I’m so glad Jane does not get carried away and agree to marry him. When I reread the mysterious voice part, I realized that while Jane is running outside and replying to the voice aloud, St. John is still there, watching her talk to the sky, probably very confused. That mental image just cracks me up. He likely was so obedient when Jane told him to leave because he was afraid she was possessed or something.

Chapter 34

Summary

Jane bids a fond goodbye to her pupils, and happily leaves for Moor House, planning to renovate it with Hannah’s help, in time for Diana and Mary’s arrival. St. John disapproves of this plan, because he thinks it frivolous, but Jane goes ahead anyway. When she is done, she shows it to him, but while he claims it is an improvement, he does not seem appreciative in the least, and goes right back to studying after glancing through the rooms. Jane is hurt, and starts to think that St. John really is as cold and harsh as he says he is. In contrast, Diana and Mary arrive joyfully and love the improvements made to the house. The girls have a good time, talking and laughing. Jane notices that St. John is pleased that his sisters are back, but does not like to see them so high-spirited and laughing. Soon, it is Christmas. The girls have a great time, and are full of holiday cheer. St. John, however, is the scrooge of the bunch. He does not like their lightheartedness, and would rather see everyone occupied in useful activities. In addition, he does not seem bothered when he learns that Rosamond is engaged to another man, and tells Jane that he has won the battle against temptation.

More scarily, St. John begins to gain power over Jane. He encourages her to make sacrifices and work hard, and she does not dare complain when she is over-taxed. He also asks her to switch from studying German to Hindustani, since he is studying it as a preparation to go to India. Jane agrees, though she does not want to switch. Jane also learns that he is upset when she laughs or talks about trivial matters. In his presence, she feels compelled to engage in only serious conversation and serious activities. Jane wants to obey him, but she feels as though she is changing her own nature to conform to his.

Meanwhile, Jane is still worried about Mr. Rochester, and writes to Mrs. Fairfax multiple times, asking how he is. However, she gets no reply, and grows despondent. To make it worse, in the spring, St. John increases the pace of Jane’s Hindustani lessons, giving her no respite.

One day, he asks her to go for a walk with him. She obeys, and they walk in silence. He presently insists that they must rest. They sit there quietly for half an hour. Then, he tells her that he wants her to go to India with him – and here’s the kicker – as his wife! Jane says that she will go with him, but not as his wife. She decides that she cannot marry a man who thinks of her as a tool instead of loving her. St. John says that she must chose the right path, and leaves her. That night, she kisses his sisters goodnight, but ignores Jane. She runs out after him, and asks him to forgive her. He says, very coldly, that there is nothing to forgive, and goes to bed.

Reaction

This chapter is all about St. John, and how he slowly gains influence over Jane, almost withering her spirit. All my instincts tell me Jane should get out of there, pronto! St. John is such a Debbie Downer. The contrast between St. John and Mr. Rochester is startling. Jane is finally content and St. John tries to take it away. On the other hand, Mr. Rochester really tried to make Jane happy, whatever else you might say about his methods. 

Chapter 33

Summary

It is wild and stormy outside. Jane gets a nice fire going, and curls up with a book to wait it out. Suddenly, St. John enters her house. He takes his frozen cloak off, and sits down by the fire. He seems very broody, and there commences a rather hilarious conversation in which Jane tries to make small talk, and St. John is deeply distracted and fails to reply in more than single words. Jane decides that he if doesn’t want to talk, and just traveled in the snow to sit there, she will ignore him. She tries to read her book, but he acts so very mysterious that it is hard to concentrate. And then, as suddenly as he entered her house, St. John finally begins to speak.

Apparently, the piece of paper that he had so dramatically stolen the day before has Jane’s signature on it, and he found out her real name. He was surprised because people are looking for Jane, and she’s in the local papers. She is sought after because when her uncle John died, he gave her, instead of her cousins, all his money. Sounds familiar? Yep, he’s the same uncle that the Rivers siblings didn’t get any money from. And yes, that means that Jane is their cousin. Oh coincidence! Since St. John was filled in on her complete back-story by the officials looking for Jane, she asks him about Mr. Rochester. Unfortunately, no one knows what how he’s doing. Jane is delighted to have a family, and decides to divide up her new-found fortune with them. The Rivers siblings protest, but eventually give in. Now Jane, Diana, Mary, and St. John each have five thousand pounds.

Reaction

This is the happiest chapter in the book so far. It’s great to see Jane to joyful and carefree as she is when she finds out that she’s related to Diana, Mary, and St. John. Now Jane is wealthy, and has cousins that she loves. This is a very pleasant chapter, but I still wonder what happened to Mr. Rochester. Also, I wonder why Jane never locks her door, since St. John has come in twice without knocking.

Chapter 32

Summary

Jane and her pupils soon warm up to each other, and Jane soon finds some very intelligent, academically inclined young ladies. She makes good friends with several of them, and visits their families. She becomes a popular figure in the village due to her consideration and kindness. Jane is happy, but at night, she has torturous dreams of Mr. Rochester. Rosamond visits the school often during the day, often when St. John is there, teaching the girls the catechism. She visibly affects him, no matter how hard he tries not to show it. After hanging out with Rosamond for a while, Jane thinks that she is very charming and sweet, if a bit frivolous. Rosamond asks Jane to paint a picture of her, and Jane has a delightful time painting such a beautiful model. While she is just adding the finishing touches on the painting, St. John stops by. He starts some small talk, then suddenly looks startled when he sees the painting. Jane decides to be as blunt as only she can be, and ask him why he does not marry Rosamond.

St. John, because he is weird, decides to imagine what might be for precisely 15 minutes. In that time, he looks happy and mumbles about being married to Rosamond. When the time is up, however, he puts all thoughts of her out of his head. He says that he cannot give up his dream of being a missionary, and he know that Rosamond would make a terrible missionary’s wife, so he must try to stop loving her. He is also surprised at Jane’s boldness, because his iciness is usually so off-putting that most people do not confront him as Jane does.  As he is about to leave, he suddenly seems to notice something on a piece of scrap paper on Jane’s desk. He tears off a piece from the paper, and leaves. Jane is rightfully astonished, but she can’t find anything special about what is left of the paper.

Reaction

Well! St. John is unintentionally hilarious. His reactions to Rosamond’s presence are kind of over-the-top, because he actually trembles. The poor children he is talking to must think he’s insane. Also, he actually takes out a watch to measure out the 15 minutes of daydreaming time. And then he doesn’t explain why he dramatically stole a tiny piece of paper from Jane. I really don’t know what to make of that man. 

Chapter 31

Summary

Jane’s new house is simple and small, yet neat and clean. Her pupils seem very rustic and ignorant, but she hopes she will get to know them better. She cannot help but feel disappointed that she is working with such dull seeming girls, and is ashamed that she feels that way since she was begging for food a month ago. Jane also is agonized thinking of Mr. Rochester, but again affirms that she is glad she chose the moral path. St. John comes along, and asks her how she is doing. Jane replies that she is content enough. Suddenly, an incredibly beautiful woman comes along. It’s Miss Oliver, the rich heiress that provides for the school. She asks Jane how she likes everything, and invites St. John to visit her house. St. John has a peculiar reaction to Rosamond Oliver. He obviously is in love with her, and has to make a great effort not to accept her invitation. Very short chapter!

Reaction

The scene with Rosamond and St. John consists of her trying to make him pay attention to her, and him desperately avoiding doing so. However, he seems so tortured that what could have been a funny scene is rendered tragic. Jane’s feeling of degradation at working with such ignorant, poor people is very human, but I hope her compassion shines through and she changes her mind. 

Chapter 30

Summary

Jane soon loves Moor House, and finds that Mary and Diana are indeed kindred spirits. They get along perfectly. Mary and Diana are better read than Jane is, but Jane is the best at drawing. They all learn from each other and study together, and overall have a pleasant, beneficial relationship. Diana is the leader of the trio, and the Rivers sisters are more talkative than Jane is. St John is much more reserved than his sisters are. He is blameless in his life and habits, but does not seem content. He rigorously follows his religious duties, but takes no pleasure from them. Jane decides to ask him if he has found a job for her, since he does not bring it up for a month. He avoids telling her at first, instead talking about how it is not very grand, and Jane may be disappointed. The position is teaching poor village girls in nearby Morton. Jane accepts happily. St. John is pleased, but predicts that she will leave soon for want of adventure. She replies that she has no ambition. St. John freaks out at the word ‘ambitious,’ and nervously asks how she knew he was so, though Jane was talking about herself. Diana tells Jane that St. John is as “inexorable as death” (412). Later, a letter comes to St. John, saying that the Rivers siblings’ uncle John is dead. They do not mourn, since they never knew him. They are disappointed that he gave all his wealth to their other relative who is as close to him as they are, though giving them even a little money would allow them to do a lot of good. Over the next few weeks, Moor House empties. Mary and Diana leave to be governesses, Jane leaves for the schoolhouse to teach, and St. John and Hannah leave for the parsonage.

Reaction

This chapter was fairly short and simple, as Jane recuperates in Moor House, and then gets ready to start her new job as a teacher. However, it would have been a lot shorter if St. John wouldn’t talk so much. To think I assumed he is a laconic man! When Jane asks about her new job, he rambles for three pages before he finally spits it out. 

Chapter 29

Summary

For three days afterwards, Jane lies in bed in a kind of stupor – she hears visitors coming in but cannot respond or get up. From their conversations, Jane knows that Mary and Diana do not regret their hospitality, and St. John says that Jane needs rest, but a doctor is not required. On the fourth day, Jane finally gets up, and dresses slowly and painfully. She goes down to the kitchen, where Hannah greets her. Hannah asks Jane if she is a beggar. Jane articulately and logically explains to Hannah that she was wrong to make assumptions about Jane due to her poverty, and wrong to shut Jane out in the rain. Jane totally owns Hannah in their conversation, pointing out that the old servant was thoroughly prejudiced and mistaken. Hannah gamely admits her mistake, all is forgiven, and they part as friends.

Later, Jane talks with Mary and Diana. Diana seems to take charge, and Jane is happy to let her be the leader. Mary is gentle and sincere, but slightly more introverted. St. John is exceedingly cold. He does not say a word to Jane, and then when he finally does talk, asks her painful questions, such as her marital status, and her previous residence. Jane decides to tell them part of her story. She explains her life in brief. She does not tell them about Mr. Rochester, the abortive wedding, and the locations she stayed at previously. She only says that she had to leave her position as a governess abruptly. Jane admits she is using a fake last name, but does not tell them her real one nonetheless.  After Jane’s tale, St. John agrees to help her get a job.

Reaction

I can completely understand Jane’s incredulity and gratefulness towards St. John, Mary, and Diana. Jane’s desperate search for food and shelter was one of those situations where everyone seems unsympathetic and selfish, until one person steps up and restores faith in humanity. Mary and Diana seem like very sweet, intelligent girls who Jane will get along with famously. St. John is another story. Yes, he saved Jane’s life. Nevertheless, he also created one of the most awkward moments in the book by not even acknowledging Jane’s presence while they wait for the ladies to bring tea. He just sits there and reads as Jane sits there and watches him. Later, however, he continues to help her by promising to get her employment somewhere. Strange guy. 

Chapter 28

Summary

The coachman leaves Jane at Whitcross. Unfortunately, Whitcross is hardly a place where she can find work or food. It is a glorified signpost, with the nearest town 10 miles away. Jane suddenly realizes that she left all her possessions on the coach. Now she has no money, food, or acquaintances to help her. She spends the night in the woods, where she is comfortable enough, but suffering from a broken heart. In the morning, she is very hungry, having eaten only a roll the day before. She walks for hours, and finds a nearby hamlet. Tired and hungry, she enters a bread shop to ask for a piece of bread in exchange for her handkerchief or gloves. However, when she sees the lady at the front desk, she cannot bring herself to beg. Instead, she inquires about job offers in the hamlet. The woman is not rude, but unhelpful, and Jane leaves without food or employment. She asks for a job as a servant at a nearby house, but is refused, albeit gently. She goes to the parsonage, but the clergyman, who is supposed to help the destitute, is out of town for a fortnight. The only time she eats that day is when a kind farmer gives her a piece of bread. The night is cold and wet. The next day, Jane manages to eat some porridge a little girl was about to give to the pigs. The rest of the day is spent in looking for a job and being rejected everywhere. In the evening, Jane’s strength is failing her and she is starving. Suddenly, she sees a light that, on further investigation, comes from a house. She goes near the house and watches the occupants through a window.

An elderly servant woman, Hannah, is knitting. Two sophisticated young ladies are studying German by the fireside. Apparently, they are waiting for someone named St. John. The two women are named Mary and Diana, and Jane feels as though they are kindred spirits. Eventually, she knocks on the door and Hannah answers. The servant seems suspicious of Jane’s request to talk to Mary and Diana, and thinks Jane’s despair is merely a charade. Hannah seems to think it is a plot to steal something or harm the ladies, ands shuts Jane out. Poor Jane realizes that she is going to die of starvation and cold as the rain beats down on her. She says aloud that she must try to accept death as God wants it, and a voice answers her. It is St. John, who has come home, and he allows her to be brought in. The ladies, full of compassion, give her some food. She says her name is Jane Elliot, since she is trying to avoid discovery. She is given a warm, dry bed, and sinks into it, thanking God gratefully.

Reaction

Jane’s desperate situation is painful to read, because she has nowhere to turn and is met with suspicion everywhere she goes. It paints the sad situation of mistrust; where in the name of self-preservation, people forget their compassion. In addition, pride gets in the way of need until hunger overtakes Jane and she resorts to begging. It is fortunate that St. John saw the exchange between Hannah and Jane, because Jane would probably have died overnight from exhaustion, hunger, and cold. Hannah is the new Grace Poole in that she is the new woman-who-talks-strangely. She says words like “childer,” “bairn,” and “knawn’t” (384-5). Better than ‘ware,’ at least!

Chapter 27

Summary

Jane, in her room, suddenly realizes that she must leave Thornfield. She cannot bear to think of leaving Mr. Rochester, but she knows that it must be done if she wants to maintain her self-respect. She feels worse when she realizes that although she has been in her room all day, no one came to check on her. She stumbles out of her room, and Mr. Rochester, who is waiting outside, catches her. He is concerned by her silence; he expected an outburst of anger and misery. He apologizes sincerely for hurting her so badly, and she secretly forgives him on the spot. He carries her down to the library when she grows faint from distress, and revives her with wine and food. He then tries to kiss her, and she pushes him away. He is upset by the rejection, and accuses Jane of not caring about him now that she cannot marry him. He then forgets her rebuff and goes on to talk of them moving away to live together, Grace Poole being paid to stay with Bertha Mason, and Adèle going to school. He overrides her protests that she will not be his mistress, and plans their happy future together. When he realizes that she is serious about leaving, he tries to dissuade her, but she stands firm. She then retires to her room and Mr. Rochester asks her to reconsider during the night. He warns her that he will despair if she leaves.

Jane decides to leave Thornfield at night. After packing her small amount of money and some food, she silently exits the house, mentally saying goodbye to her friends and Mr. Rochester – who is awake, pacing in his room. Then, she sets down the road to nowhere in particular, just away. As she travels, she is so full of despair that she falls down once, but picks herself back off the ground (metaphor!). She sees a carriage, and asks for a ride to wherever it is going. The coachman accepts her meager amount of money though it is not enough, and they set off. On the way, Jane cries her heart out, and present-day Jane, narrating, hopes that we readers never undergo the amount of pain she felt at that time

Reaction

On one hand, I think it is ridiculous that Mr. Rochester cannot divorce Bertha Mason and marry Jane, so I sympathize with Mr. Rochester’s plan to ignore his current marriage. However, Jane is so incredibly strong in this chapter that I am amazed. Her sense of self-worth and the amount of character it takes to run away from the love of her life and her only friends is very admirable. This chapter is crucial in Jane’s development as a person, and she proves to be resolute, determined, and very adept at making decisions. I’m somewhat surprised, however, that Jane has no plan for where she is going.

Chapter 26

Summary

It’s the day of the wedding! In the morning, Sophie helps Jane get into her dress and veil. Jane, looking at her reflection, appears like a stranger to herself. Then Jane hurries down to breakfast and eats quickly. Mr. Rochester makes sure everything is packed so the couple can leave for Europe right after the wedding, and then rushes Jane to church. He looks grim, and has an unaccountable sense of urgency about him. When they get to church, Jane notices two men in the shadows, watching. The wedding starts without a hitch, when one of the men steps forward and declares that the wedding cannot go on, because Mr. Rochester already has a wife. Mr. Rochester dares him to prove it, and the other man steps forward. It’s Mason! He says that as of three months ago, his sister, Bertha Mason, was living and married to Mr. Rochester. When an official document is produced, Mr. Rochester gives in, and tells everyone that it is true, and the wedding cannot proceed. He explains that his wife is kept a secret at Thornfield because she is insane. He married her fifteen years ago. He also announces that Jane had no knowledge of this, and that she is innocent.

Jane is in shock, and she follows him blindly when he leads her, the clergyman, Mason, and the guy who stopped the wedding to the house to show them his wife. He waves away the congratulations of the bewildered servants, who don’t know that the wedding is called off. He shows everyone the way to a hidden room on the third floor, and opens it. Inside, Grace Poole is cooking something over the fire, and tells Mr. Rochester that her “charge” (337) is in a slightly dangerous mood. Bertha Mason acts like a wild animal, and attacks Mr. Rochester with great strength. He wrestles her into submission, trying not to hurt her, and they leave the room. Jane is then informed that Mr. Mason heard about the wedding from Jane’s uncle, whom Jane had written to about it. Jane’s uncle has a fatal disease and could not come to England to save Jane from bigamy, so Mason came instead. Then everyone leaves and she goes to her room. In her room, Jane mechanically takes of her wedding finery and changes back into her governess clothes. She realizes that all her future is shattered, and her brain tells her she must leave Mr. Rochester, despite her heart’s struggles. She feels like she is drowning.

Reaction

I can hardly believe that Mr. Rochester tried to trick Jane into a false marriage. Obviously, he did not mean to hurt her and clearly loves her, but he certainly did fool her. Poor Jane. He lied to her in the worst possible way. Looking back on their whirlwind romance, it seems so clear – that was his secret pain; that was his past sin. Think about it, his wife was locked up upstairs while he proposed to Jane! I suppose divorce is impossible for Mr. Rochester since his wife is insane, because that would solve the whole problem. Mr. Rochester’s life story is indeed very bewildering. The part when he shows everyone Bertha Mason is especially confusing, since Jane kept referring to the woman as ‘it.’ In addition, I really don’t know what Jane should do now. If I were her, I wouldn’t keep being Adèle’s governess. And it wasn’t Grace Poole laughing and attacking people all this time! She merely takes care of Mr. Rochester’s wife and was used as a scapegoat to deflect Jane’ suspicions. My favorite lines were both from Grace Poole, who called Bertha Mason “snappish, but not ‘rageous” (338) and told the men to “Ware!” (338) – she presumably means ‘beware’ – when the mad woman was about to attack them.

Chapter 25

Summary

It is now the day before the wedding. Mr. Rochester has been out on a business trip the last two days, but he is late, and Jane grows anxious. It is dark outside, but she cannot sleep. She decides to take a walk, and wait for Mr. Rochester to arrive. She goes to the split chestnut tree. She muses that though it is damaged beyond repair, each splinter has a companion. Mr. Rochester still does not show up, so Jane decides to try to intercept him on his way back. She does meet him soon, and he helps her up on the horse after greeting her affectionately. They get home, and talk in the library. Mr. Rochester notices that something troubles Jane, so she tells him what happened last night.

Last night, Jane had a few nightmares. Both dreams included an infant that Jane had to carry, and Mr. Rochester leaving or being torn away from her. Mr. Rochester comforts her, but Jane says the worst is yet to come, and it wasn’t a dream. In the middle of the night, Jane woke up to see someone rummaging in her closet, where her wedding dress and veil were. The strange figure was tall, female, and grotesque. She looked like a vampire. The vampire lady spitefully tore Jane’s wedding veil and stamped on it. Then she snuffed the candle out in Jane’s face, whereupon Jane was overcome with terror and fainted. When she came to, it was morning and she was alone. When he hears this story, Mr. Rochester tries to assure Jane that the woman was a dream, but Jane can refute this theory, since the veil actually is torn and trampled upon. Then Mr. Rochester tells her that it was Grace Poole, and Jane just imagined her creepy appearance. Jane disagrees, but can find no better explanation. He then asks her to sleep in Adèle’s bed for the night just to be safe. Jane does, but she can’t sleep all night. She has a vague feeling of dread. In the morning, she feels strangely emotional, and cries over Adèle when she leaves the little girl.

Reaction

So…either Grace Poole is completely loony, or the vampire lady is not Grace Poole. Let’s think about the facts. According to Mr. Rochester, Grace Poole is a middle-aged woman hired to do some sewing, laughs drearily to herself, makes random animal noises, almost burned him alive, stabbed and bit Mason, and tore Jane’s wedding veil. In addition, she has some kind of leverage over him, so he does not fire her. But then, faced with the Grace Poole we have seen – placid, laconic, and calm – it just seems impossible that they are the same person unless she has fits of madness. Also, the bad omens are piling up. The lightning-struck tree, the infant dreams, and the tearing of the veil. The wedding is in the next chapter!