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Jane Eyre (Play)

Unit 3 – Play

Jane Eyre

Warm Up

Every child has a right to education, a life free from poverty, and protection from abuse.

Look at the picture.
Discuss in pairs and answer:
1. What are the basic human rights?
2. What is education?
3. Why do we need education?

Think and Answer
1. How would life be on this planet if some of the human rights are excluded?
2. Are there any rights you would still like to add to the human-rights list?

Play: Jane Eyre

Charlotte Brontë

Scene 1 – At Gateshead

Jane Eyre is ten years old. Both her parents are dead. She lives with her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and three cousins—Eliza, John, and Georgiana. Bessie is the servant-maid.

Bessie: Miss Jane, keep out of mischiefs today. Mrs. Reed is in a frightful mood at breakfast this morning.

Jane: Oh, she never takes notice of me anymore. I think she hides in the sitting-room if she hears me coming down the stairs.

Bessie: I am speaking of Miss Georgiana and Eliza. No quarrelling with those two, or you will have the whole house in uproar.

Jane: Oh, it’s not me who starts it. I’ll hide myself in the library with Uncle Reed’s book.

[Jane sits on the floor and looks through a picture book. John, Georgiana, and Eliza enter.]

John: Here she is.

Jane: What do you want?

John: How dare you ask me, “What do you want?” Come here when I call you.

Eliza: What are you reading now?

Jane: Bewick’s History of British Birds.

John: Show me.

Eliza: It’s one of father’s books. You know, not one of these books belongs to you.

John: Bring it to me here.

[Jane rises and cautiously goes to John.]

John: You have no business to take our books. You are a dependant. You have no money. Your father left you none. You ought to beg, not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us. Go, stand by the door there, out of the way of the mirror and the windows.

[Jane moves a few steps away. John throws the book at her. He runs towards Jane, grasps her hair and shoulder, and hits her. One or two drops of blood from her head trickle down her neck. Eliza screams. Bessie and Mrs. Reed enter.]

Bessie: Dear! Dear! What fury to fly at Master John like this!

Mrs. Reed: Frightful child! Take her away to the red room and lock her in there!

Bessie: But, Mrs. Reed…

Mrs. Reed: The red room! Do as I say.

Bessie: Didn’t I say…

Jane: He threw the book at me.

Bessie: Come quickly. What shocking behaviour for a young girl!

[Bessie brings Jane to the red room and leaves her there. Jane collapses to the floor and cries. She hears a noise and screams.]

Jane: Bessie! Let me out. Please, let me out. Help me, Bessie.

[Mrs. Reed and Bessie appear in the hall.]

Mrs. Reed: What is the horrible child up to now?

Bessie: Miss Jane, are you all right?

Jane: Let me out. Please, Bessie.

Bessie: Are you hurt? What is the matter?

Jane: I heard something. Please unlock the door.

Mrs. Reed: Stop this screaming. I will not be taken in by your tricks, Jane. I shall let you out in the morning.

[Jane is left in the room. When she wakes up, Bessie is sitting next to her. Jane is confused.]

Jane: Where…? Bessie…?

Bessie: It’s Bessie, Jane. You have been asleep ever so long. It’s nearly dinner-time.

Jane: Am I ill? I feel so ill.

Bessie: Doctor has been and gone. He says it’s fever.

Jane: Am I going to die?

Bessie: No, child. You will be all right within a week. You fell sick in the red room with crying, I suppose.

Jane: It was not crying, Bessie. I heard some noise. I saw something.

Bessie: Don’t upset yourself again. Now you need to rest.

Jane: It was Uncle Reed.

Bessie: Shhhhh… No more talking. Close your eyes. I will stay with you.

Jane: I shall never forget it.

[Jane falls asleep.]

Bessie: Poor child. I do believe it.

[After this incident, Mrs. Reed writes to Mr. Brocklehurst, who runs a school—Lowood. He visits Gateshead. Jane is sent to Lowood with him.]

Scene 2 – At Lowood

[The driver wakes Jane. She is let off at the gates of Lowood. She meets Miss Miller and Miss Temple.]

Miss Miller: Jane Eyre?

Jane: Yes, madam.

Miss Miller: This way.

[They cross the stage where Miss Temple is waiting. Jane enters a dark stone building. All is quiet.]

Miss Temple: This child is very young to be sent alone. She had better be put to bed soon. She looks tired. Are you tired?

Jane: A little, madam.

Miss Temple: And hungry too, no doubt. Let her have some supper before she goes to bed, Miss Miller. [To Jane] Is this the first time you have left your parents to come to school, my little girl?

Jane: My parents are dead.

Miss Temple: Oh, I see. Can you read and write?

Jane: Yes, madam.

Miss Temple: And sew? Do you sew?

Jane: A little.

Miss Temple: [Touches her cheeks gently] I hope you shall be a good girl, Jane Eyre.

Jane: Yes, madam.

[Miss Miller and Jane exit. The next day they enter a wide long room full of girls aged ten to twenty, uniformly dressed. The room is noisy.]

Miss Miller: Silence!

[The girls quieten immediately.]

Miss Miller: Go to the wash.

[The girls hesitate.]

Girl: Miss Miller, the water is frozen again.

Miss Miller: Very well, monitors. Remove the basins.

[Miss Temple enters.]

Miss Miller: The new girl—where shall I put her, Miss Temple?

Miss Temple: Perhaps the fourth form.

Miss Miller: But she is so little.

Miss Temple: She can read and write. I think she will do well there.

[Jane is put in Form Four. After lunch the girls go to the garden. Helen enters, sits, and reads.]

Jane: Is your book interesting?

Helen: I like it. [Hands it to her] You may look at it.

Jane: [Glances] I think it is too difficult for me. [Returns it]

Helen: You read one of your age.

Jane: My name is Jane Eyre. What is your name?

Helen: Helen Burns.

Jane: Can you tell me what the writing on the stone over the door means? What is Lowood Institution?

Helen: This house where you have come to live.

Jane: And why do they call it an institution? Is it anyway different from other schools?

Helen: It is partly a charity school. You and I, and all the rest of us, are charity children. I suppose you are an orphan—both parents dead?

Jane: Both died before I can remember.

Helen: Well, all the girls here have lost either one or both parents. This is called an institution for educating orphans.

Jane: Are you happy here?

Helen: You ask rather too many questions. I have given you answers enough for the present. Now I want to read.

[Spring arrives. Semi-starvation and neglected colds predispose most students to infection. Forty-five of the eighty girls lie ill. Helen is also ill. Jane visits her in Miss Temple’s room.]

Jane: Helen, are you awake?

Helen: [Pale but composed] Why have you come, Jane? It is past eleven o’clock.

Jane: I have come to see you. I heard you are ill and I cannot sleep until I speak to you.

Helen: You have come to bid me good-bye. You are just in time.

Jane: Are you going home?

Helen: Yes, to my long home—my last home.

Jane: No! No, Helen! Where are you going? Do you know?

Helen: I believe; I have faith. I am going to God. How comfortable I am. The cough has tired me. I feel as if I could sleep.

Jane: Good night, Helen.

Helen: Good night, Jane.

[Helen dies that night. The school improves. Jane spends eight years at Lowood—six as pupil, two as teacher. She wants liberty and advertises in The Herald. A week later she receives a letter from Mrs. Fairfax, Thornfield. Jane leaves Lowood.]

Scene 3 – At Thornfield

Mrs. Fairfax: How do you do, my dear? I am afraid you have had a tedious ride. Come to the fire. Do sit down.

Jane: Thank you, madam. Don’t trouble yourself.

Mrs. Fairfax: Oh, it’s no trouble. You have brought your luggage?

Jane: Yes, madam. Shall I have the pleasure of seeing Miss Fairfax tonight?

Mrs. Fairfax: Miss Fairfax? Oh, you mean Miss Adela! Adela is your future pupil.

Jane: Indeed. Then she is not your daughter?

Mrs. Fairfax: No, I have no family. She is Mr. Rochester’s ward. Come, I will show you your bedroom.

[Jane rests. Next morning she takes a walk.]

Mrs. Fairfax: Out already? You are an early riser. How do you like Thornfield?

Jane: I like it very much.

Mrs. Fairfax: Yes, it’s a pretty place.

[Miss Adela runs up the lawn with her attendant, Miss Varens.]

Mrs. Fairfax: Here she comes. Good morning, Miss Varens.

Miss Varens: Good morning, Mrs. Fairfax.

Mrs. Fairfax: [To Adela] Come and speak to the lady who will teach you.

Miss Adela: Good morning, Miss Jane.

Jane: Good morning. Come here. [Adela approaches.] You are beautiful. Tomorrow we begin our lessons.

Miss Adela: Our learning?

Jane: Yes. We will walk through the fields, learn about nature, animals, flowers—everything in and out of books. And we will paint.

Miss Adela: Paint, Miss Jane?

Jane: Yes. Art is the window of the soul. Do you like to draw?

Miss Adela: Yes, Miss Jane. I can sing and dance too. Shall I?

Mrs. Fairfax: Adela, you have many weeks to entertain Miss Jane. Now go to your room.

Jane: I shall look forward to the entertainment eagerly.

[Jane starts teaching Adela and leads a new life at Thornfield.]

Discuss and Answer

Why does Jane want to go to school or learn anything in the first place?
Why does education become such an important issue for her as a child?
What does Jane’s education at Lowood prepare her to do?

Glossary

mischiefs – annoying behaviours
uproar – loud, confused noise
dependant – one who relies on another for support
screams – loud, high-pitched cries
collapses – falls down / becomes unconscious
frozen – absolutely still; turned to ice
charity – an organization helping those in need
predisposed – made liable or inclined beforehand
composed – calm; in control of feelings
tedious – tiresome; boring
lawn – grass-covered ground

Chew on This

In Jane’s childhood, education replaces every emotional and physical need—food, shelter, family, friendship. Because Jane first understands the world through a teacher–student lens, all her friendships carry a master–pupil tinge.

Vocabulary

A. Semantic Map

Create word-maps for:
library – building – garden – student – teacher – advertisement – animal – art

Example (library):

library ├── book │ ├── story │ ├── novel │ ├── comic │ └── magazine ├── newspaper │ ├── weekly │ └── monthly └── languages ├── Tamil └── English

B. Vocabulary Frame

Words: notice, hide, quarrelling, quickly, tired, wide, pretty, threw
For each word:
- Top-right: definition
- Top-left: opposite
- Lower-left: sentence using the definition
- Lower-right: small drawing
- Centre: the word itself

C. Syllable Sort

Monosyllabic	Disyllabic	Trisyllabic
ten	servant	dependant

Add more from the play.

Listening

D. Listen to the father–daughter camping conversation. Mark True or False:
1. Dad hasn’t been to this fishing spot since last year.
2. Dad used to go fishing with his father.
3. Dad has talked a lot about this spot in the past.
4. The daughter also loves to fish.
5. Dad says his daughter must fish.
6. The daughter is going to cook the fish.
7. Dad’s fishing place hasn’t changed since he was a boy.

Speaking

E. Describe Jane’s possible paintings with a partner.

F. Role-play (groups of three)
- Student A: Jane at Gateshead.
- Student B: Jane at Lowood (after a few months).
- Student C: Jane, age 18, heading to Thornfield.
Decide who is the unhappiest “Jane”.

Reading

G. Tick qualities for each character and rate 1–10. Justify in 1–2 sentences.

Characters	Jane	Mrs. Reed	Bessie	Helen	Miss Temple
arrogant
bitter
caring
courageous
cruel
emotional
friendly
kind
sensitive
rich / poor
patient
self-disciplined
unjust

Writing

H. Rearrange into a paragraph

Use conjunctions:
Jane Eyre is an orphan. She lives with her aunt Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed does not like Jane because Jane is not her daughter. Jane’s uncle Mr. Reed likes Jane, but he dies. He makes Mrs. Reed promise to take care of Jane, but instead she sends Jane away. Jane is ten years old; she is sent to Lowood School. Jane graduates and stays there to teach. She leaves for Thornfield, where she is a governess. She is very happy there.

I. Mrs. Reed’s Letter

Complete the letter to Mr. Brocklehurst:

Gateshead Hall, Gateshead Northumberland Mr. Brocklehurst Lowood Institution Lowood Durham Dear Sir, I understand that you have a school for __________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Reed

Grammar

J. Determiners

Fill with a little / a lot of / a few / few / fewer / many / much:
(Passage about getting a new telephone connection.)

K. Present Perfect Tense

Write sentences about Harish’s life events (1971-2001).

L. Past Perfect

Fill blanks with correct past-perfect forms of verbs in the Paris trip passage.

M. Prepositions

Look at the rabbit picture and write 8 sentences using prepositions.

N & O. Comparative & Superlative Survey

Interview classmates, complete table, write 3 comparative & 3 superlative sentences.

P. Passive Voice

Underline all passive forms in the Kennedy–Lincoln assassination article.

Direct Speech

Change to direct speech:
1. Jane told Bessie, “I will hide myself in the library with Uncle Reed’s book.”
2. John ordered, “Come here when I call you.”
3. Eliza asked, “What are you doing now?”
4. Mrs. Reed told Bessie, “Take her away to the red room and lock her in there.”
5. Miss Temple asked, “Can you read and write?”
6. Miss Miller asked, “Where shall I put her, Miss Temple?”
7. Jane asked, “Why do they call it an institution?”
8. Helen asked, “Why have you come here?”
9. Jane asked, “Shall I have the pleasure of seeing Miss Fairfax tonight?”
10. Miss Adela said, “I can sing and dance also.”

Connecting to Self

R. Case Study
Research present-day options for orphans in India. Prepare 2–3 fictional case-study profiles.

Project

S. Storyboard
- Complete the given Jane-Eyre storyboard by filling speech bubbles.
- Create your own storyboard for “At Thornfield”.
- Make a PowerPoint presentation using the storyboard.

Listening Passages (Units 1–3)

Included for teacher reference: cyclone alert, airport announcements, camping dialogue.

Acknowledgements & List of Contributors

Names of authors, reviewers, artists, coordinators, and publishers provided in original.

Practice Practice Exercises

1. What are the basic human rights?

2. What is education?

3. Why do we need education?

1. How would life be on this planet if some of the human rights are excluded?

2. Are there any rights you would still like to add to the human rights list?

1. Dad hasn’t been to this fishing spot since last year.

2. Dad used to go fishing with his father.

3. Dad has talked a lot about this fishing spot in the past.

4. The daughter also loves to fish.

5. Dad says his daughter MUST fish.

6. The daughter is going to cook the fish.

7. Dad’s fishing place hasn’t changed since he was a boy.

I understand that you have a school for .

Yours’ Sincerely,

Two years ago, I moved to a new neighbourhood. There seemed to be very people in this area without telephones, so I expected to get a new phone quickly. I applied for one as soon as I moved into my new house. ‘We aren’t supplying new phones in your area’, an engineer told me. ‘ people want new phones at the moment and the company is employing engineers than last year so as to save money. A new phone won’t cost you money, but it will take time. We can’t do anything for you before December. ‘You need patience if you’re waiting for a new phone and you need friends whose phones you can use as well. Fortunately, I had both. December came and went, but there was no sign of a phone. I went to the company’s local office to protest. ‘They told me I’d have a phone by December,’ I protested. ‘Which year?’ the assistant asked.

I never (see) such beautiful sights before I visited Paris in 2012. I (save) money for five years before I booked my trip to Paris. I was very excited! Before my trip to Paris, I never (be) out of India.

When I went to Paris, I spent many days touring the city. The city was big. Sometimes I got lost and asked for directions. I asked for directions in French. That was easy because I (study) French for two years before I visited Paris.

By the time I left Paris, I (tour) many beautiful places. The Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Luxembourg Gardens were just a few of the places I saw. Before I visited Paris, I only (see) those places on television.

4. .

5. .

6. .

7. .

8. .

a. How old are you?

b. How tall are you?

c. What bicycle do you have?

d. How many languages do you speak?

e. At what time do you usually wake up?

f. How far is your home from school?

1. Jane told Bessie that she would hide herself in the library with Uncle Reed’s book.

2. John ordered Jane to come there when he called her.

3. Eliza asked Jane what she was doing then.

4. Mrs. Reed told Bessie to take her away to the red room and lock her in there.

5. Miss. Temple asked Jane whether she could read and write.

6. Miss. Miller asked Miss. Temple where she should put Jane.

7. Jane asked Helen why they called it an institution.

8. Helen asked Jane why she had come there.

9. Jane asked Mrs. Fairfax whether she would have the pleasure of seeing Miss. Fairfax that night.

10. Miss. Adela told Jane that she could sing and dance also.

1. Why does Jane want to go to school or learn anything in the first place?

2. Why does education become such an important issue for her as a child?

3. What does Jane’s education at Lowood prepare her to do?