Jane Eyre
Being a huge fan of the Bronte sisters and their work (and member of the Bronte society!), I approach any re-telling of their work, whether book or film, with the greatest caution. And yet, I discovered ‘Jane Eyre’ through reading an abridged version of the book which I found on the classroom shelves when I was about 7 and was instantly captivated so the power of a carefully abridged, skilfully written classic should not be underestimated!
In a book which is about a quarter of the length of the original, Patrice Lawrence has managed to maintain both the atmosphere of the book and Jane’s character. Echoes of Charlotte Bronte’s original text can be heard (…with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie the nurse…with cold-nipped fingers and toes to the grumbling complaints of the nursemaid, Bessie) capturing the appalling treatment of the young Jane at the hands of her aunt and cousins, the cruelty of Miss Scratcherd, the awful conditions of Lowood Institution, using the present tense to create a sense of immediacy and tension.
But ‘Jane Eyre’, like many books of this period, is full of references, comments and language which make uncomfortable reading for modern eyes. The appalling treatment of, and language used around, mental illness, the descriptions of darker-skinned people, Rochester’s treatment of Jane as well as the child cruelty and sexism have all been skilfully managed by Patrice Lawrence. Some things- John Reed, for example, ‘berates his mother for the darker tone of her skin which is similar to his own’- remain whilst others have been removed.
I finished the book satisfied that I had read ‘Jane Eyre’, not frustrated and furious as I often do! Not only does this version serve as a possible stepping stone to the original, it is also sure to support many for whom the original- in both length and language- is too much, allowing those readers to experience Jane’s story. Reader, I enjoyed it. (Sorry- couldn’t help it!)
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte, abridged by Patrice Lawrence
Walker Books ISBN: 978-1529520415