Season Three: On Eyre
July 2, 2021 - March 4, 2022
An Eyrehead and a skeptic walk into a podcast…
Join Vanessa Zoltan and new co-host Lauren Sandler as they embark on the English class you always deserved, diving deep into Jane Eyre through the themes of power and desire. The podcast takes a roughly chapter-by-chapter look at the text. Discussions range from ideas of class and colonialism to sex and gender to religion and repression as Lauren and Vanessa explore the roles of oppression and inequality, empowerment and rebellion in the text and beyond, with some help from experts along the way. Major “Eyreheads” and first-time readers alike are invited into Lauren and Vanessa’s conversation as they grapple with this complicated work—and as they try to figure out if Jane Eyre is a book they want to pass on to their daughters, and to future generations.
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An Introduction
If you know anything about Vanessa Zoltan, you know that Jane Eyre is her favorite book. In fact, she just wrote her own book about it: Praying with Jane Eyre. But after spending so much time lovingly pouring over this text, it's time to take a step back. Each week of On Eyre, Vanessa and Lauren Sandler will take a critical look at the text and ask themselves ‘does this old book still have something to say in our world?’ But before we jump into the first chapter, a few questions need to be answered. Questions like: Who is Charlotte Bronte, and why should anyone (who isn't Vanessa) care about this book?
No Possibility of Taking a Walk (Chapter 1)
Vanessa and Lauren dive into Jane Eyre, starting with a close look at Chapter 1. They discuss the first sentence of the book, Jane’s abuse at Gateshead Hall, and what it means to be a ‘precocious girl.’
I Resisted All The Way (Chapters 2 + 3)
Vanessa and Lauren tackle chapters two and three of Jane Eyre, wrapping up Jane's time at Gateshead Hall. They discuss the famous 'red room' scene, explore Victorian sensibilities about sex and womanhood, and grapple with Jane's comparison to a 'rebel slave.'
Keep in Good Health and Not Die (Chapter 4)
Vanessa and Lauren slow down again to look closely at just one chapter - chapter four of Jane Eyre. They discuss Mr. Brocklehurst and his Christianity, Jane’s powerful use of her own voice, and what Gateshead Hall represents in the context of the larger book.
I Came On Purpose To Find You (Chapters 5 - 8)
Vanessa and Lauren settle into the Lowood School in chapters 5 through 8 of Jane Eyre. They grapple with the role of Christianity in this book, paying special attention to how Charlotte Bronte's ideas are expressed through the character of Helen Burns.
The World is Pleasant (Chapters 9 + 10)
Vanessa and Lauren wrap-up their time at Lowood School in chapters 9 and 10 of Jane Eyre. They discuss Jane's peculiar perspective on dying in chapter nine ("what a drag to die" as Lauren puts it), the special tenor of Helen's death by tuberculous, and the power of female friendship.
Many thanks to Phoebe Judge for lending her voice to Helen this week. Phoebe read the entirety of Jane Eyre aloud on her podcast Phoebe Reads a Mystery last fall. We highly encourage you to go back and listen to her reading of the book as a companion to our show!
Millions are in Silent Revolt (Chapters 11 + 12)
Vanessa and Lauren have arrived at Thornfield Hall in chapters 11 and 12 of Jane Eyre. And who do they find on the road outside of Thornfield? Why Mr. Rochester himself, the 'hero' of our romance! This week they analyze Jane's restlessness in her new home, The Gothic as it appears in these chapters, and why women are attracted to brooding bad boys like Rochester.
But What Do You Think? (Chapter 13)
Vanessa and Lauren get cozy with Jane and Rochester in chapter 13 of Jane Eyre. The two lovebirds have their first real conversation in this chapter and it is steamy... well at least to them it is. Vanessa and Lauren aren't as sure that Rochester's brand of flirtation is the healthiest for our dear heroine.
Special thanks this week to Dr. Rachel Teukolsky, who was interviewed twice for this episode. Check out her latest book Picture World: Image, Aesthetics, and Victorian New Media.
Paving Hell With Energy (Chapters 14 + 15)
Vanessa and Lauren set the bed on fire in chapters 14 and 15 of Jane Eyre. They take a close look at the character of Celine Varens and continue their debate on whether Rochester is a sexy hero or a manipulative boss (or both).
It Does Good to No Woman (Chapters 16 - 18)
Vanessa and Lauren and settling in with the new party at Thornfield in Chapters 16 through 18 of Jane Eyre. After last week’s big bed burning scene, Mr. Rochester up and leaves Thornfield. But when we returns, he’s got a whole new cast of characters in tow. Our biggest introduction is to Miss Blanche Ingram, and Vanessa and Lauren debate whether she’s redeemable.
I Can Live Alone (Chapters 19 + 20)
Vanessa and Lauren and start to get closer to the secrets at Thornfield Hall in Chapters 19 and 20 of Jane Eyre. After we learned about a mysterious gypsy in our last episode, we finally have a chance to meet her and hear what she has to say about our dear Jane. Vanessa and Lauren discuss the trope of the 'gypsy' in Victorian literature, the ways in which it's harmful to Romani people, and how it's being used in this text.
I Felt Pain, and Then I Felt Ire (Chapters 21 + 22)
Vanessa and Lauren return to Gateshead in Chapters 21 and 22 of Jane Eyre. Mrs. Reed is dying, and Jane has come to sit by her bedside. But it's not a 'typical' death bed exchange – there's no great moment of redemption for Mrs. Reed, she dies a villain. Vanessa and Lauren explore what this dynamic reveals about Jane's growth over the course of the novel, and what it means about Jane's sense of home.
I Am No Bird (Chapters 23 + 24)
Vanessa and Lauren meet under the chestnut tree at Thornfield in Chapters 23 and 24 of Jane Eyre. They discuss Rochester's proposal (!) and continue to examine the many power differentials in this budding relationship.
Grave and Quiet at the Mouth of Hell (Chapters 25 + 26)
Vanessa Lauren finally journey up to the third floor of Thornfield Hall in Chapters 25 and 26 of Jane Eyre. They dissect the character of Bertha Rochester and try to parse out Charlotte Bronte’s voice from Jane Eyre’s as the narrator.
Take The Maniac With You to England (Chapter 27 - Part 1)
With so much to cover in Chapter 27, we’ve decided to break it up into two episode. This week, Vanessa and Lauren focus in on Bertha and grapple with the racist and imperialist themes of Jane Eyre.
Many thanks this week to Dr. Rab Houston for consulting with us about the history of asylums in Victorian England. Check out his project Promoting Mental Health Through the Lessons of History.
When Body and Soul Rise in Mutiny (Chapter 27 - Part 2)
This week we're returning to Chapter 27 of Jane Eyre, this time zooming in on Jane and Rochester. Vanessa and Lauren discuss Jane's fears about becoming a mistress and compare it with the limitations of a Victorian marriage.
Blameless in His Life and Habits (Chapters 28 - 30)
This week, we find that Jane has run away from Thornfield and is wandering the moors of England without a shilling to her name. Vanessa and Lauren discuss homelessness past and present and its tropes in literature. We also meet four brand new characters: The three Rivers siblings and their housekeeper Hannah.
I Feel Now That I Was Right (Chapters 31 - 33)
Vanessa and Lauren enter Jane’s school room in Morton, in Chapters 31 through 33 of Jane Eyre. They continue to debate whether Jane should have left Rochester, and discuss St. John’s missionary aspirations and Rosamund’s beauty.
He Wanted to Teach Me (Chapters 34 + 35)
Vanessa and Lauren say 'no' to St. John, in Chapters 34 and 35 of Jane Eyre. This week, St. John proposes to Jane. We look at his behavior before and after the proposal, discuss his missionary zeal, and debate whether the supernatural elements of this book serve or hinder its message.
She Kindled The Bed (Chapters 36 + 37)
Vanessa and Lauren reach Ferndean in chapters 36 and 37 of Jane Eyre. This week we discuss Bronte's depiction of disability, Bertha's powerful exit from the novel, and how gossip spreads in the wake of tragedy.
Reader I Married Him (Chapter 38)
Vanessa and Lauren have finally finished the whole dang book! This week we read the very last chapter and discuss the hegemony of marriage, Bronte's descriptions of true love, and why St. John gets the last word of the novel.
Final Thoughts
After months for reading the book together, Vanessa and Lauren return to their original question for this podcast: Is this a book we want to be passing on? We discuss the importance of critical reading and what we think this weird book is all about.
Adaptation Episodes
No examination of a book is finished without looking at what came after it. In this short series following On Eyre, we look at several adaptations of the text and ask ourselves 'what do these teach us about Jane Eyre and its impacts?'
The Flight of Gemma Hardy
The first episode of this short series is all about The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey, and we were lucky enough to get Margot Livesey herself to speak with us about the book. Vanessa and Margot discuss 'why do people keep coming back to this text?' and 'what are the hardest things in this text to modernize?'
Wide Sargasso Sea
When Jean Rhys published Wide Sargasso Sea in 1966, she took on a question we’ve been asking a lot throughout this podcast: what about Bertha? The book was a huge success, and has been read side by side with Jane Eyre ever since.
This episode, we are lucky enough to be joined by Dr. Erica L. Johnson, co-editor of Wide Sargasso Sea at 50 and Jean Rhys: Twenty-First Century Perspectives to discuss the book. From Dr. Johnson, we learn about Rhy’s life, how to categorize and think about her work, and what it shows us about Jane Eyre.
The 2011 Film
When the wonderful women of the Heaving Bosoms podcast invited Vanessa on their show, we couldn't resist roping them in to our Jane Eyre adaptation project! This week, in a crossover episode, Vanessa, Erin, and Melody watch the 2011 film adaptation of Jane Eyre.
Re Jane
After visiting the land of Jane Eyre films, we’re returning to modern book adaptations with Re Jane by Patricia Park. We’re lucky enough to be joined by Patricia Park herself to discuss her feelings about "Reader I married him", how she re-imagined Bertha, and how her own experiences visiting Korea informed the book.
The Brontës
Throughout our season of On Eyre, we've given you some small glimpses into the life of Charlotte Brontë. You probably know that she came from a literary family, that she attended a school very like Lowood, and that she died young. But before we put Jane Eyre back on the shelf, we wanted to spend some more time with dear Charlotte and her life in Haworth.
This episode we're joined by the incredible Brontë biographer, Dr. Juliet Barker. Juliet shares with us more about how the Brontë children grew up, their joys and tragedies, and what the success of Jane Eyre meant to Charlotte.