English Lit Jane Eyre Key Quotes

A heart saddened by...

A heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John and Georgianna Reed

You have no business to...

You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left none; you ought to beg, and not live here with gentlemen's children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mama's expense

Did anybody ever...

Did anybody ever see such a picture of passion!

Rebel...

Rebel slave

For if you don't repent...

For if you don't repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away

Her beauty, her pink...

Her beauty, her pink cheeks and golden curls, seemed to give delight to all who looked at her

I uttered a wild...

I uttered a wild involuntary cry

I cry because...

I cry because I am miserable

Children can feel, but they cannot...

Children can feel, but they cannot analyse their feelings; and if the analysis is partially affected in thought, they know not how to express the result of the process in words

Poverty for me...

Poverty for me was synonymous with degradation

I could not see how...

I could not see how poor people had the means of being kind

Glad enough to get rid of such a...

Glad enough to get rid of such a tiresome, ill-conditioned child, who always looked as if she were watching everybody, and scheming plots underhand

If she were a nice, pretty child...

If she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that

I was now...

I was now in for it

From every enjoyment...

From every enjoyment I was, of course, excluded

To make sure that nothing worse than...

To make sure that nothing worse than myself haunted the shadowy room

Human beings must...

Human beings must love something

That proves you have a...

That proves you have a wicked heart; and you must pray to God to change it

An account of the awfully sudden...

An account of the awfully sudden death of Martha G-, a naughty child addicted to falsehood and deceit

I am not deceitful...

I am not deceitful: if I were, I should say I loved you

I don’t dislike you, Miss; I believe...

I don’t dislike you, Miss; I believe I am fonder of you than of all the others

Even for me...

Even for me life had its gleams of sunshine

The garden was a wide...

The garden was a wide inclosure, surrounded with wall so high as to exclude every glimpse of prospect

I wonder what sort of...

I wonder what sort of girl she is - whether good or naughty?

I had only been a spectator of...

I had only been a spectator of the proceedings at Lowood, I was now to become an actor therein

And if I were in your place I should...

And if I were in your place I should dislike her; I should resist her

I must resist those who...

I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection

You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls is...

You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls is, not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardy, patient, self-denying

I have a master to serve whose...

I have a master to serve whose kingdom is not of this world: my mission iis to mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh

A string of hair twisted in...

A string of hair twisted in plaits which vanity itself might have woven

Ardently I...

Ardently I wished to die

I cannot bear to be...

I cannot bear to be solitary and hated

I was asleep...

I was asleep, and Helen was - dead

This is not like what...

This is not like what I have heard of the treatment of governesses; but I must not exult too soon

They are only servants, and one...

They are only servants, and one can’t converse with them on terms of equality: one must keep them at due distance, for fear of losing one’s authority

The laugh was...

The laugh was repeated in its low, syllabic tone, and terminated in an odd murmur

But women...

But women feel just as men feel

Had he been...

Had he been a handsome, heroic-looking young gentleman

How could I possibly...

How could I possibly prefer the spoilt pet of a wealthy family, who would hate her governess as a nuisance, to a lonely little orphan, who leans towards her as a friend?

And was Mr. Rochester now...

And was Mr. Rochester now ugly in my eyes? No, reader.

When these fine, fashionable...

When these fine, fashionable people get together, they are so surrounded by elegance and gaiety, so well provided with all that can please and entertain, they are in no hurry to separate