Jane Eyre is orphaned, bullied and humiliated as a child, but her spirit is never broken. After leaving her harsh boarding school, she finds work as a governess and finally discovers the love that she has always longed for, with the dark and sardonic Mr Rochester. But Rochester has a monstrous secret, concealed in the attic of Thornfield Hall - a secret that threatens to tear them apart.
Challenging the notion of Charlotte Bronte as an isolated figure, this study situates her work within the rich context of Victorian psychological discourse. Sally Shuttleworth utilizes extensive local research, including newspaper articles and medical texts, to examine the interplay of economic, social, and psychological themes in the 19th century. The analysis delves into how Bronte's fiction responds to the era's complex views on sexuality and insanity, highlighting the influence of medical and psychological surveillance on her writing.