The bildungsroman Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte charts the growth of its lead character from childhood to adulthood. Jane gains valuable life lessons from a variety of characters, including several female characters, throughout the course of the book.

Jane’s Early Life with Mrs. Reed

Jane experiences abuse from her aunt Mrs. Reed and her cousins at the start of the story. But even in this trying circumstance, Jane gains valuable insights from the women in her life. She observes Mrs. Reed’s unkindness and realizes the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. Jane also looks to Bessie, the nursemaid, as a role model for her own behavior, noting that “Bessie’s presence, compared with the thoughts over which I had been brooding, seemed cheerful” (Chapter 1).