“I am not a bird; and no net catches me; I am a free human being with an independent will." (Bronte, Jane Eyre). This quote expresses Charlotte's beliefs about women's equality. Charlotte Bronte was born in 1816. She was one of six children and lived in the county of Yorkshire, England. She worked first as a governess in the Sidewick family, then in the White family for only nine months. Charlotte wanted more for herself and none of her jobs fulfilled her ambitions. When she returned home, she discovered her sister Emily's poetry and decided to publish a selection of the poems written by all three sisters. Some of these poems are called: "Apostasy", "Life" and "The Teacher's Monologue" (Charlotte Bronte: A Brief Biography). After that Charlotte knew she would write for the rest of her life. Jane Eyre was Charlotte's first novel and was published in 1847. She thought this book would have a huge impact on society's opinions. Charlotte disguised her identity so the editor would think she was male. With people thinking he was a male author; the novel became a success and was very popular. When his real name was revealed, ratings dropped because this novel challenged conventional thinking. Although audiences discovered that Charlotte was a woman, Jane Eyre had already had an impact on society. No one believed that a woman could write such a historical novel. “An eminent contemporary, indeed, has employed the keen vivacity of a woman's pen to demonstrate by irresistible proof that Jane Eyre must be the work of a man.” (Shirley pg. 49). Other Times critics said: "For all its faults, Jane Eyre was an extraordinary production." (Shirley p. 47). Charlotte's novel influenced everyone, “man or woman, young or old, whatever it is, no... middle of paper... n worry about Jane. Over the course of the novel Jane learns to get love without sacrificing herself and hurting herself in the process (sparknotes.com Love Versus Autonomy). In the end she believes she is worthy of love and her search comes to a happy ending. Although Jane Eyre is considered a classic, I was not impressed. I think most of this novel was bland, except the part with Bertha. It made this novel so much more appealing. Bertha is the main conflict and adds more emotion to the book. In my opinion Jane Eyre might have been attractive in the late 1800s, but not today. As an author of the time, Charlotte Bronte made an impact. It influenced the way female authors wrote, it opened the door to change, and that's why Jane Eyre is a classic. With this novel, Charlotte made a lasting contribution to our literature today and initiated a change in the perception of women.