Megan Wilson Design
It occurs to me that there have been lots and lots of JANE EYRE book covers over the years (the book was published in 1847) and why don't I post a few. True, this is not exactly a forgotten or overlooked book, but in the past I've posted about favorite not-overlooked and/or not-forgotten books and the world didn't come to an end.
JANE EYRE is one of my favorite books - let's get that over with up front - and if you need to know what the book is about, take a look at these covers - they will give you some idea. Hard to believe that Jane was the first feminist heroine (or so I viewed her then and now) from these romantically brooding covers, but the truth is there in the pages of this memorable novel. JANE EYRE is very definitely worth a read if you, by some wild chance, haven't read it already either in school or on your own. It is not, in any way shape or form, a 'difficult' book, though written in the style of the mid 19th century. It is a brilliant, brooding, deeply affecting classic for many reasons. One of which is the heroine's willingness to do what is right no matter the risk to herself.
Even with the first feminist heroine, Jane's creator had to first publish the manuscript under a male author's name. Better that than not published at all - Charlotte Bronte was no fool.
Her hero, Mr. Rochester was the first tall, dark and dangerous anti-hero, a protagonist so familiar today - he is to my mind, the perfect anti-hero, even better than Heathcliff, in the book written by Charlotte's sister.
At any rate, no more need be said about the book. It is available everywhere in every form imaginable.
Here's the artwork: (Where I can find the info, I'll name the publisher, the artist and/or designer.)
The New American Library - James Hill illustration - 1962 (This is one of the copies I had years ago.)
Anna and Elana Balbusso illustration
Murray's Abbey Classics - 1955
Julien Lacroix, Le Rameau D'Olivier - Grau Sala illustration - 1950
A.L. Burt Co. 1934
Thames Publishing - Regent Classics - 1952
Chatto and Windus Limited - The Zodiac Press - John Sergeant illustration
Scholastic Library Edition - illustrations by W.T. Maks - 1965
Blackie & Son Limited - The Kennett Library
Everyman's Library - detail from a painting byAugustus Egg 1862
Random House - The Modern Libary - Fritz Eichenberg illustration 1950
Claire Louise Milne illustration - 2011
Penguin Classics - Detail from a painting by John Everett Millais
Since it's Friday once again, don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom, to see what forgotten or overlooked books other bloggers are talking about today. Author Patti Abbott, our regular long-time host, is still on hiatus.
Since it's Friday once again, don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom, to see what forgotten or overlooked books other bloggers are talking about today. Author Patti Abbott, our regular long-time host, is still on hiatus.
Thanks for this trip through memory lane. I surely did read Jane Eyre while in high school, along with Wuthering Heights.
ReplyDeleteI like the covers by Black Cat, Anaconda and Everyman publishers. At last, getting to see women's faces, not their backs, side views, quarter views, etc.
Yes, I like checking out the many covers of classic novels. I may do a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE cover post or some other classic covers over the years. I love JANE EYRE - it's a story you just never get tired of.
DeleteYvette,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you: _Jane Eyre_ is not exactly a forgotten book. It may be many things, but not quite forgotten, I should think.
Never forgotten. But it's fun to look at the covers over the years. Though I suspect there may be some people who've never read the book. GASP!
DeleteYvette,
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity, what color (or should that be colour since it's England) is her hair?
I can't remember, but I doubt it was blond. Probably brown - like Bronte's own hair?
DeleteYvette,
DeleteWell, the illustrators responsible for the covers don't agree. Just wondering.
Maybe it's not mentioned in the books? I can't remember. Artistic license, I'd say. :)
DeleteLovely covers. I will be rereading this sometime. I know the basic story of course, but will have forgotten a lot of it.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's such a wonderful read and don't forget all the many movie versions too. Jane is a heroine for the ages. I truly believe tha.
Deleteone of the truly great novels; i must reread it soon... my favorite cover was the Milne, i think...
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to the James Hill cover because that's the one I owned for many years until it fell apart. But I like all of them, really. Some more than others.
DeleteChatto does it best. But who's the artist for the Random House cover? Looks familiar. Why were illustrators so fixated on the spoon bonnet – that didn't come into fashion until the 1850s? (Jane Eyre published 1847, so written earlier.)
ReplyDeleteFritz Eichenberg did the artwork for the Random House/Modern Library edition. He also did the interior woodcut illustrations which are spectacular for both JANE EYRE and WUTHERING HEIGHTs editions Published in the 40's. You can see some of his work here: http://www.victoriangothic.org/the-woodcuts-of-fritz-eichenberg/
DeleteI love those Signet Classics paperbacks! I had so many of them as a teenager hungry for good books. I wish I hadn't given them away.
ReplyDeleteYes, I had a bunch of them too. Most of them crumbled over time. :) My Dell Agatha Christie books did finally yellow and crumble. But I cut the covers off and still have some of them. But my JANE EYRE covers are long gone.
DeleteYvette, these are such wonderful covers of JANE EYRE, which reminds me I have to read the Bronte sisters someday.
ReplyDeleteThere's a PBS series on The Brontes which recently played on our public television channel, Prashant. The BBC did it, I think. Anyway, you may be able to get it at some point in your neck of the woods. I've been meaning to set some time aside to watch it online.
Delete