Jane Eyre was filmed in 2006, and was shot in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is also where Thornfield Hall is presumed to be located (Wikipedia Contributors). An interesting find about Derbyshire that plays into Jane’s happiness within the reading and film is how Derbyshire is known for their botany. Wikipedia Contributors confirm, “Derbyshire is known to have contained 1,919 separate taxa of vascular plants.” While at Thornfield Hall, Jane takes pleasure in going for walks and being in the fields. Jane’s walks are what led to her chaotic meet with Mr. Rochester, him becoming another cause for her happiness. Flowers and nature play a role for Jane throughout the novel, but a specific moment that stands out is when Mr. Rochester offers her a flower after she was left alone for hours with Mr. Mason (230). Jane shows dedication to Mr. Rochester by staying with Mr. Mason and being at Mr. Rochester’s side. Mr. Rochester extends a flower to her, foreshadowing, that there is something more he feels for Jane. Looking back, Derbyshire being known for their botany could mean more for the setting of Jane Eyre, since when Mr. Rochester leaves Jane with Mr. Mason; Mr. Rochester entrusts Jane, and therefore, “trust” and “love” is within the gift of the flower he gives.  

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is proved like the film because they both have acknowledgements towards how Jane views Thornfield Hall. Jane’s happiness at Thornfield Hall translates well in both on screen and written. Brontë uses words to convey Jane’s surprise and pleasant arrival to Thornfield in the novel. Jane had expectations that she’d be treated cold and unkind like she had received her whole life from Gateshead to Lowood, and she had her guard up even when Mrs. Fairfax met her with a nurturing side (106). On the screen, Jane has the same surprised nature towards Mrs. Fairfax kindness through Jane’s facial expressions. Mrs. Fairfax says in the film, “Why, it's Miss Eyre! At last! Oh, we've been waiting for you for so long! Oh, I'm Mrs. Fairfax. Welcome to Thornfield. My goodness, Miss Eyre. How hungry you are. You must have been travelling all day. How long is it since you have sat beside the fire and eaten a hearty meal?” (19:10) Jane responds by saying, “Oh, approximately eight years” (19:40). Between Jane and Mrs. Fairfax’ exchange, there is tense music and a dark lighting to show Jane’s inner nervousness from this new place and adventure. Music can be placed in a film to lead the audience into feeling a specific way (hyponik). While music does play a role, facial expressions are important too. When Jane responds to Mrs. Fairfax, she has an expression on her face that tells the audience she has been longing for this moment of welcoming – to sit in a room and eat hot food with good company – and her eyes look glassy as if she could cry. It’s a happy moment for Jane feeling accepted in that moment by Mrs. Fairfax with a meal and warmth.

Works Cited: 

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre, edited by Deborah Lutz, 4th ed., New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 2016. 

Fox, Marion Laffey. The austere stone façade of Haddon Hall ascends along a gravel path up a hill to its terraced, rose-filled gardens. The 3,800-acre estate includes parkland, a working farm, and 600 acres of woodland. Photo by Marianne Majerus. FLOWER, Flower Magazine, flowermag.com/ visit-derbyshire-uk/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2022. 

Hyponik. "How Music Creates Cinematic Suspense." Hyponik, hyponik, 26 Feb. 2020, hyponik.com/ uncategorized/how-music-creates-cinematic-suspense/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2022. 

"Jane Eyre, Episode 1.", directed by Charlotte Brontë, and Susanna White., produced by Diederick Santer, British Broadcasting Corporation, and Boston WGBH., BBC Worldwide, 2006. Alexander Street, https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/jane-eyre-episode-1. 

Wikipedia contributors. "Charlotte Brontë." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Mar. 2022. Web. 11 Mar. 2022. 

Wikipedia contributors. "Derbyshire." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Feb. 2022. Web. 11 Mar. 2022.