Question

Read the excerpt from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Here, Jane and Mrs. Fairfax discuss Mr. Rochester.

[Jane] "Well, but, leaving his land out of the question, do you like him? Is he liked for himself?”

[Mrs. Fairfax] "I have no cause to do otherwise than like him; and I believe he is considered a just and liberal landlord by his tenants: but he has never lived much amongst them.”

"But has he no peculiarities? What, in short, is his character?”

"Oh! his character is unimpeachable, I suppose. He is rather peculiar, perhaps: he has travelled a great deal, and seen a great deal of the world, I should think. I dare say he is clever, but I never had much conversation with him.”

"In what way is he peculiar?”

"I don’t know—it is not easy to describe—nothing striking, but you feel it when he speaks to you; you cannot be always sure whether he is in jest or earnest, whether he is pleased or the contrary; you don’t thoroughly understand him, in short—at least, I don’t: but it is of no consequence, he is a very good master.”

What does the dialogue reveal about Mrs. Fairfax’s perspective on Mr. Rochester?

She thinks he is a good man but is confused by him.
She thinks he has been too influenced by his time in other countries.
She thinks he is too intelligent to have a conversation with.
She thinks he is kind but believes that he should spend more time at home.

Answer 1

She thinks he is a good man but is confused by him.

Mrs. Fairfax repeatedly says she likes him and that he’s a just, liberal landlord and a “very good master,” but also calls him “peculiar,” hard to read, and says she doesn’t thoroughly understand him.