Who Edward Rochester is
Edward Rochester owns Thornfield Hall, where Jane works as governess to his young French ward, Adèle Varens. He is restless and moody, moving quickly between sharp questions, anger and unexpected gentleness. Jane first meets him when his horse slips on ice, before she knows that he is her employer.
What Edward Rochester wants
Rochester enjoys Jane's honesty because she speaks plainly rather than trying to please him. When he asks whether she considers him handsome, her blunt answer amuses him rather than causing offence. He hints at past mistakes and a wish for forgiveness, but avoids giving Jane a full account.
Edward Rochester and the others in the story
Rochester speaks to Jane as an equal, although wealth, age and employment give him greater power. She respects him without yielding to his temper, and their evening conversations draw them closer. His secrecy troubles that closeness, especially as unexplained sounds and a fire disturb life at Thornfield.
A best-known line
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being, with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you.”
Questions
Who is Edward Rochester?
Edward Rochester is Jane's employer and the owner of Thornfield Hall, where she teaches Adèle Varens.
Why is Rochester drawn to Jane?
He values her frankness and her willingness to answer him without flattery. Their conversations give him a companion who treats him with respect but not fear.
Is Edward Rochester good or bad?
Rochester combines warmth with troubling uses of power and secrecy. He can treat Jane as an equal, yet he also asks for trust without explaining what he hides.