Jane Eyre, Chapter 38 summary
Chapter 38 of 38 · 8 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 38, Jane marries Mr. Rochester and describes ten years of mutual love, her care during his blindness, his partial recovery, and their son. She also recounts Adèle’s improved circumstances, Diana and Mary Rivers’s marriages, and St. John Rivers’s religious work in India as he anticipates death.
What happens
- Jane marries Mr. Rochester quietly, tells the household servants, and writes to announce her marriage.
- Diana and Mary approve, while St. John resumes correspondence without acknowledging the marriage.
- Jane moves unhappy Adèle to a gentler school, where she thrives and becomes a considerate companion.
- Jane describes ten years of marital harmony and her pleasure in helping her blind husband.
- After two years, Rochester regains some sight in one eye and can see their firstborn son.
- Diana and Mary marry loving husbands, while unmarried St. John works in India and expresses readiness for death.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Jane presents her marriage as reciprocal rather than one-sided. Their trust explains why Rochester can accept her help without shame.
Quick check
What first makes Rochester certain that his sight is improving?
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