Her difficult path to happiness

A Youngish Perspective interviews Eleanor Zeal, writer of the play Jane Eyre Convention.

This piece brings together Jane Eyre and a modern-day fan convention. What first sparked that idea for you?

Several years ago I became aware of several new film adaptations of Jane Eyre and even though I’d read it at school I wondered why it was so enduringly popular. Going back and re-reading made it clear that the rags to riches narrative was very compelling as is the complex central character of Jane Eyre, a plain and humble heroine. I discovered that Jane Eyre is the second most produced and adapted novel, after Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was then a natural leap to imagine obsessive fans/readers wanting to have their own convention where they could actually be the character they loved and follow her difficult path to happiness. [...]

Jane Eyre continues to inspire such passionate audiences. What do you think keeps people returning to it?

I think people just love the idea of an underdog being successful. Ordinary people can relate to Jane’s humble beginnings and be inspired by her extraordinary character and determination in the face of adversity. It’s also a story about women and class so we can appreciate the inequalities of her time and how she navigates that.

Inviting audiences to bring “bonnets and emotions” creates a very particular atmosphere. What kind of experience are you hoping people step into?

The wearing of bonnets is of course entirely optional and there are also imaginary bonnets beneath each seat. It’s a way of bringing the re-enactment convention to life and allowing the audience to feel part of the story and the convention. They are addressed as if they are fellow attendees and invited at various points to join in with the various strong  emotions being expressed. The majority of the team are also drama therapists so they are used to facilitating emotional release. This is not therapeutic theatre per se but it may have a mildly therapeutic effect.

Beneath the comedy, the show explores the dilemmas and emotions within Jane Eyre. What conversations are you hoping to open up through that?

The piece is of it’s time but the plot device of a first wife and black woman locked in the attic feels like it should be explored so we attempt to rehabilitate Bertha and give her a voice. We also explore Charlotte Bronte’s early feminism as expressed through Jane. We know that originally the novel was published under a male pseudonym as women were not considered capable. The play then looks at how male voices are still louder and more powerful via the characters at the convention and the arguments/conversations they have. One character has a boyfriend who we learn is fairly abusive and controlling which echos some of the characters in the novel.

Firstpost wonders, 'Why does every period drama character look like they have an iPhone face?'

The issue here is rarely about the acting talent involved, but rather the cumulative effect of current beauty standards on the performer’s face. Take, for example, the recent discourse surrounding Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights. The casting of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi prompted significant online discussion, with some viewers noting that their appearances, while undeniably striking, felt jarringly modern.

They appeared less like inhabitants of the desolate Yorkshire moors and more like figures poised for a contemporary social media grid. Similarly, the criticism directed toward Dakota Johnson in her adaptation of Persuasion (with very arched eyebrows) highlighted how modern grooming and the omnipresence of current cosmetic trends can shatter a narrative’s historical illusion. When the faces of our protagonists are so visibly shaped by today’s beauty trends, it becomes difficult for the viewer to suspend their disbelief. (Treya Sinha)

According to Soy Carmín, Jane Eyre is one of '5 Romantic Novels That Sparked Outrageous Scandals When First Published'.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

When Charlotte Brontë released her Gothic romance in 1847 under the male pseudonym Currer Bell, it became an instant bestseller but deeply divided Victorian society. Critics were absolutely horrified by the sheer independence and fierce determination of the main character. One reviewer even claimed it would be no credit to anyone to be the author of such a book. The massive scandal centered around the fact that Brontë placed genuine intellectual power, passion, and authority squarely into the hands of a young woman who dared to overstep conventional rules. Conservative readers viewed this display of female autonomy as entirely anti-Christian and anti-authority. Personal opinion: this is the best part because the exact qualities that nineteenth-century critics attacked as vice are the precise reasons why millions of readers still love the book today. (Jesús López)

Writer Cynthia Gómez writes about mentions reading Gothic classics in an article for CrimeReads.

I’ve been a fan of Gothic literature since before I even knew what the word meant. When I was eight or nine our family listened to Dracula (an abridged version) on a road trip; I was reading The Secret Garden for fun when I was ten. Together, those served as my gateway drug, leading me to the trashy Goth wonderland of V.C. Andrews, and then to Jane Eyre, which I read in the basement guest room of my grandparents’ house in the mountains, a place only reachable by a narrow, winding road.