- over-applicationnounChapter 1 →
Excessive hard work or study, especially to the point of harming one's health. Here it suggests John's pale appearance comes from studying too much.
“the mother’s heart turned from an opinion so harsh, and inclined rather to the more refined idea that John’s sallowness was owing to over-application and, perhaps, to pining after home.”
- retrospectiveadjectiveChapter 2 →
Looking back over past events or experiences in one's mind. A retrospective rush of thought means memories of the past flooding in all at once.
“mood of the revolted slave was still bracing me with its bitter vigour; I had to stem a rapid rush of retrospective thought before I quailed to the dismal present.”
- heterogeneousadjectiveChapter 2 →
Made up of things or people that are very different from each other and do not naturally fit together. Here it describes Jane as a mismatched outsider among the Reed family.
“to regard with affection a thing that could not sympathise with one amongst them; a heterogeneous thing, opposed to them in temperament, in capacity, in propensities; a useless thing, incapable”
- animadversionsnounChapter 6 →
Critical or censuring remarks about someone's performance or behavior. Here it means the fault-finding comments Miss Scatcherd makes after each girl recites her lesson.
“quiet, the subject of their lessons could be heard, together with the manner in which each girl acquitted herself, and the animadversions or commendations of Miss Scatcherd on the performance.”
- expostulationsnounChapter 6 →
Earnest, reasoned objections or protests made in a gentle effort to persuade someone to change their ways. Helen's expostulations are mild and rational rather than angry.
“One strong proof of my wretchedly defective nature is, that even her expostulations, so mild, so rational, have not influence to cure me of my faults; and even her praise”
- shame-facednessnounChapter 7 →
A quality of modest, bashful self-restraint; the outward appearance of humility and propriety. Used here in the religious sense of dressing and behaving with decent, unshowy modesty.
“in these girls the lusts of the flesh; to teach them to clothe themselves with shame-facedness and sobriety, not with braided hair and costly apparel; and each of the young”
- deferentiallyadverbChapter 7 →
In a manner that shows respectful submission and polite regard for someone's higher rank or importance. Miss Temple receives the visitors with extra courteous respect.
“These ladies were deferentially received by Miss Temple, as Mrs.”
- superstitiouslyadverbChapter 11 →
In a way driven by irrational fear that unseen or supernatural forces are at work. Here Jane means she would have felt an unreasoning, fearful dread rather than logical alarm.
“but that it was high noon, and that no circumstance of ghostliness accompanied the curious cachinnation; but that neither scene nor season favoured fear, I should have been superstitiously afraid.”
- superintendencenounChapter 13 →
The responsibility of overseeing and managing something, especially an institution's resources or operations. Here it refers to Brocklehurst's exclusive control over the school's food supply.
“He starved us when he had the sole superintendence of the provision department, before the committee was appointed; and he bored us with long lectures once a week, and with”
- disembarrassedadjectiveChapter 13 →
Free from awkwardness or self-conscious discomfort; perfectly at ease in a social situation. Jane sits down without any sense of embarrassment despite being in an unfamiliar grand house.
“I sat down quite disembarrassed.”
- opera-mistressesnounChapter 15 →
Female companions or lovers kept by a wealthy man who were typically associated with the opera world, regarded as socially disreputable. Rochester uses the term for the succession of women he maintained before Jane.
“quietly, as if it were the most usual thing in the world for a man like me to tell stories of his opera-mistresses to a quaint, inexperienced girl like you!”
- impenetrabilitynounChapter 16 →
The quality of being impossible to understand or see through; utter inscrutability. Jane uses it to describe Grace Poole's face, which gives nothing away and cannot be read.
““I will put her to some test,” thought I: “such absolute impenetrability is past comprehension.””
- superciliousnessnounChapter 21 →
An attitude of cool contempt or scornful superiority toward others, expressed in looks and manner rather than words. Here it describes the silent disdain the Ingram party conveys without directly speaking.
“A certain superciliousness of look, coolness of manner, nonchalance of tone, express fully their sentiments on the point, without committing them by any positive rudeness in word or deed.”
- gentleman-highwaymannounChapter 18 →
A well-born robber who held up travellers on the road, a romanticised figure from earlier centuries regarded as dashing rather than merely criminal. The phrase flatters Rochester by imagining him as a daring, roguish man of action.
“Oh, had you but lived a few years earlier, what a gallant gentleman-highwayman you would have made!”
- breeches-pocketnounChapter 24 →
A pocket in breeches, the close-fitting knee-length trousers worn by men in that period. Rochester means he is carrying the engagement ring hidden in his trouser pocket.
“The ring, Adèle, is in my breeches-pocket, under the disguise of a sovereign: but I mean soon to change it to a ring again.”
- out-manoeuvredverbChapter 26 →
Outfoxed or defeated by a cleverer move; having one's plans blocked by circumstances or an opposing force that proved smarter. Rochester means fate or providence has blocked his scheme.
“Rochester continued, hardily and recklessly: “Bigamy is an ugly word!—I meant, however, to be a bigamist; but fate has out-manoeuvred me, or Providence has checked me,—perhaps the last.”
- loose-principledadjectiveChapter 27 →
Having weak or absent moral standards; willing to behave dishonestly or immorally without much scruple. Rochester asks if Jane thinks him morally unprincipled and dissolute.
“You think me an unfeeling, loose-principled rake: don’t you?”
- self-approbationnounChapter 27 →
A feeling of satisfaction or approval of one's own conduct; the inner sense that one has acted rightly. Jane says she has none of this comfort—she cannot even respect herself after leaving Rochester.
“I had no solace from self-approbation: none even from self-respect.”
- church-militantnounChapter 30 →
A theological term for the body of Christians still living on earth and actively fighting sin, as opposed to those already in heaven. St. John sees himself as a soldier in this earthly struggling church.
“from fleshly ties shall be laid on his shoulders, and when the Head of that church-militant of whose humblest members he is one, shall give the word, ‘Rise, follow Me!”
- fraternisationnounChapter 33 →
The act of treating people as brothers or equals, especially across class or social boundaries. St. John uses it sarcastically to mock the idea that Jane, now wealthy, can claim equal brotherhood with him.
“Famous equality and fraternisation!”
- vindictivenessnounChapter 35 →
A strong desire to punish or harm someone in revenge for a real or imagined wrong. Jane insists St. John is not motivated by a wish to hurt her, even though his manner feels punishing.
“John harboured a spirit of unchristian vindictiveness—not that he would have injured a hair of my head, if it had been fully in his power to do so.”
- inconsideratenessnounChapter 37 →
The quality of acting without thinking about how one's words or actions affect others. Jane admits her sudden proposal to live with Rochester was thoughtless of others' feelings.
“John, saw impropriety in my inconsiderateness.”
- impracticableadjectiveChapter 38 →
Impossible to carry out in practice; not workable given the actual circumstances. Jane finds she cannot return to being a governess because her new responsibilities make it unworkable.
“I meant to become her governess once more, but I soon found this impracticable; my time and cares were now required by another—my husband needed them all.”
Jane EyreNovel by Charlotte Brontë