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Summary and Analysis of Volume II, Chapters 1-5
Volume II, Chapter 1 Summary: The day after the fire in Rochester's bedroom, Jane is shocked to see Grace, who presumably tried to murder Rochester last night, mending the curtains. Grace tells Jane that Rochester fell asleep while his candle was lit, but he awoke before the fire spread too far. Both Jane and Grace seem to know more than each lets on, and they test the other's story; Jane accordingly changes part of her story. Jane is flummoxed by Grace's account and by Rochester's desire for Jane not to tell her side of it. Jane learns that Rochester has left for a social engagement at someone's estate, most likely for a week or more, and that he is a favorite of the ladies there, particularly the young and beautiful Blanche Ingram. Jane feels foolish for having thought she, a plain, poor governess, was of interest to Rochester. She quickly sketches an ugly portrait of herself and paints a gorgeous picture of what she imagines Miss Ingram looks like as a reminder of their different positions in life. AnalysisThe chapter is split into two sections: the plot developments surrounding the fire, and Jane's preoccupation with Rochester. It is clear that Grace is probably not the culprit behind the curtains, or else Rochester would have fired her. If anything, she knows something about it that she must withhold from Jane, and the odd laugh Jane heard is most likely behind the mystery. Jane's sense of inadequacy compared to Blanche Ingram pivots around appearance but more around class. Though Rochester is not handsome, his class and noble manners make him attractive, but Jane's personality, for all its sparkle, cannot make up for her relative poverty, especially compared to the beautiful and wealthy Miss Ingram. Volume II, Chapter 2 Summary: After two weeks, Rochester sends word that he will be returning in a few days with guests. The servants busily prepare the house for his arrival. Jane notices that Grace spends nearly all her time on the third-floor. Jane overhears the servants discussing Grace's high salary and the difficulty of her job, but they stop when they see Jane. Rochester arrives with Miss Ingram and several other men and women. Jane and Adèle keep out of their way as they socialize and dine. Rochester appears to prefer the company of Miss Ingram to that of the other ladies. Jane and Adèle are invited to socialize the next night after dinner. Jane aloofly observes the scene, paying special attention to Miss Ingram, as Adèle charms the crowd. Miss Ingram and the others speak dismissively of Jane and governesses in general. Miss Ingram goes on to criticize male vanity; beauty should be the domain solely of women, and her future husband will not be her aesthetic equal. She then plays piano, commanding Rochester to sing. He does, beautifully, and Jane leaves inconspicuously. Rochester meets her outside and beseeches her to return, as she seems "'depressed,'" but Jane declines. He nearly bids her goodnight with a term of endearment before stopping himself. Analysis: Although Miss Ingram's beauty and confident manner take center stage in the drawing room, the attraction between Rochester and Jane is evident after Jane leaves, especially in his parting words to her. Miss Ingram demonstrates the snobbery and classism that strikes at the heart of Jane's curious position that she holds both at Thornfield and previously at Gateshead: poverty in the midst of great wealth. The flip comments of the society ladies about their governessesand their casual ignorance of Jane in the roommake Jane a virtual prisoner of her social standing. Yet another prisoner lurks at Thornfield: Grace. In her third-floor hideaway, she is "as companionless as a prisoner in his dungeon." "Prisoner" is a loaded word for Jane Eyre, suggesting imprisonment far beyond physical confines. However, the mysterious events and hints surrounding Grace suggest she may not be companionless, after all. Volume II, Chapter 3 Summary: Thornfield is a vibrant, fun place with the visitors. One night they play charades; Rochester pairs off with Miss Ingram. Miss Ingram's mother says Jane "'looks too stupid'" to play. Rochester and Miss Ingram pantomime a marriage ceremony among other scenes until one of the gentlemen solves the charade: Bridewell (a London prison). Jane watches the two of them flirt after their mutual success, unable to still her growing love for Rochester. However, she is not jealous of Miss Ingram, whom she views as disingenuous, dim, and rude, and she believes Miss Ingram's attempts to woo Rochester fail. Rochester's desire to marry for social connections also surprises Jane, though she does not hold it against him. One day while Rochester is out on business, a handsome man named Richard Mason arrives looking for Rochester, whom he knew from the West Indies. That night an elderly fortune-teller comes to Thornfield; after much debate, they allow her to tell the fortunes of the young ladies in private. Miss Ingram is first, and afterwards she dismisses the teller as a charlatan, though Jane sees that Miss Ingram is disturbed by whatever her fortune was. The three other young ladies have their fortunes told, and report, with glee, that the woman seemed to know everything about them. The fortune-teller insists she will not leave until she has read Jane's fortune. Analysis: The marriage pantomime has obvious parallels to Jane's romantic anxieties. While she cannot believe Rochester actually prefers Miss Ingram to her, she does believe he can only marry someone of Miss Ingram's elevated social position. Jane is no bride, but a "Bridewell," imprisoned by her social class and confined to limited romantic possibilities. The Gothic element of the novel continues with the fortune-teller. Brontë creates suspense both by ending the chapter on a cliffhangerwhat will Jane's fortune reveal?and by not revealing the nature of Miss Ingram's disturbing fortune. Volume II, Chapter 4 Summary: Jane joins the fortune-teller in the library. The fortune-teller, who admits she has an inside source in Grace, tells Jane several truths, focusing on her feelings toward Rochester. The fortune-teller predicts that Rochester will marry Miss Ingram; her previous implication to Miss Ingram that she wants Rochester only for his money is what disturbed the young lady. She gives Jane her own fortune, which revolves around Jane's power of reasoning over her emotions. Suddenly, the old woman reveals her disguise: it is Rochester. Jane, who had suspected something was amiss from the start, that perhaps the woman was Grace in disguise, is not too upset. When she tells him that Mason has come to Thornfield, Rochester is shocked and nearly faints. He asks Jane to go into the dining-room and find out what Mason is doing. She reports that the party, Mason including, is socializing. Rochester, after assuring himself of Jane's loyalty, asks her to whisper an invitation to Mason to see Rochester. She does so, and goes up to bed; late at night she hears Rochester cheerfully show Mason to his room. Analysis: The Gothic element of fortune-teller mingles with the novel's Gothic romance once Rochester reveals his disguise; mysticism and the supernatural give way to Rochester's burgeoning love for Jane. The reader is also delighted to see that he is aware of Miss Ingram's mercenary designs on his estate. Rochester's ability to disguise himself also speaks of his hidden, secretive identity. In a novel that otherwise focuses on Jane's internal world, Brontë keeps the action moving by constantly introducing new pieces of the mystery of Rochester's past; here, Rochester's feelings concerning Mason apparently reverse completely without any explanation. Volume II, Chapter 5 Summary: During the night, Jane hears a shrill cry from the third story, then someone shouting for Rochester's help. Jane hears the sounds of someone opening a door and running upstairs. Jane leaves her room, as has everyone else. Rochester descends from the third story and reassures everyone that a servant has merely had a nightmare. Everyone retires to bed, but Jane goes back and dresses. She thinks she is the only one who heard the words after the scream and is certain Rochester's story is false. After Jane waits for an hour in her room for another sound, Rochester asks her to come with her upstairs. He has her bring a sponge and some salts, and then shows her the tapestry-room Mrs. Fairfax had once shown her. He opens a door hidden behind the tapestry, from which again emanates the curious laughter Jane sometimes hears, speaks with whomever is inside, and then emerges and closes the door. Rochester then shows Jane what he has brought her up for: a dazed Mason lies on a chair in the tapestry-room, soaked in blood. Rochester promises him that Jane will fix him up and he will be fine by morning. He directs Jane to tend to him without any conversation between the two. Jane is frightened by the baffling circumstances, especially by the thought of Grace in the next room. After two hours, Rochester returns with a surgeon, Carter. Mason says that "'she'" bit him when "'Rochester got the knife from her.'" Rochester blames Mason for going to see "'her'" without him; had he waited until tomorrow, Rochester would have accompanied him. After Carter does more work on him, Mason stands up, and the party helps Mason into a carriage waiting outside. Rochester instructs Carter to take him home; he will visit in a day or two. After they leave, Rochester takes Jane on a walk around the garden. Rochester assures her that neither he nor she is in any danger; the only thing he has to fear is Mason's saying a certain thing. He asks her to consider the following "hypothetical" situation: a young man, in a foreign land, made an errornot a crime or an illegal actthat has haunted him forever. No measures he took to deal with it alleviated his misery. He traveled copiously, hoping that would help him, but not until he returned home and met someone new did he feel better. He wants to marry this woman, but feels convention is against him. Is this man, who seeks repentance and salvation in this woman, justified in overturning custom, he asks? Rochester then admits he is the man, and says the woman isafter a long pauseMiss Ingram. Analysis: It is unclear what prompts Rochester to change his tack with Jane; obviously, he is discussing her in his hypothetical story before revealing that Miss Ingram, supposedly, is his object of desire. Jane describes Rochester's face as "losing all its softness and gravity, and becoming harsh and sarcastic" when he names Miss Ingram. There is little doubt that Rochester prefers Jane to Miss Ingram, so to bolster the romantic plot of Jane Eyre, Brontë continues piling on to the mystery of the room on the third story. Whoever is in thereand how it relates to the "error" Rochester committed in his youthis preventing Rochester's marrying Jane, much more so than the presence of Miss Ingram does.
ClassicNote on Jane Eyre
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