In Victorian literature, governesses are common and familiar characters, one of the most well-known probably being the character of Jane Eyre.  Following Napoleonic Wars, many families found themselves in economic distress due to bank failures which caused economic panic and crises in the early 19^th century.  Boys from middle- to upper-class families could work jobs in factories or other sectors, but the girls could not; their only acceptable work was to be a teacher in a school or in a private home (Hughes), which was the path Jane Eyre pursued.  

Having a governess in the home was also a symbol of social status for the family, signifying that they had enough money to pay for someone else to educate the children in the home (What is a Governess?).  Subjects traditionally taught by governesses were reading, writing, arithmetic, and languages, usually French.  Her purpose was to educate young boys until they could go to school and train girls to become ladies. 

The position of a governess was a unique one: she was usually from a middle-class family and worked in an upper-class home (What is a Governess?).  She would not fit in with the other servants in the house, who would likely be from the working class, and she would not be equal with the family, which was illustrated in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.  Jane is from a middle- to upper-class home, but has no assets of her own, so she seeks a job as a governess.  Arriving at Thornfield, she finds herself in an odd spot, higher than the servants, but not equal to Mr. Rochester (although that does seem to change somewhat throughout the novel). 

Works Cited

Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 1847.

Hughes, Kathryn. "The Figure of the Governess." British Library, 15 May 2014, www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-figure-of-the-governess. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.

"What Is A Governess? What Was Role Of Victorian Governess?" Victorian Era, victorian-era.org/what-is-a-governess.html. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.