Edward Fairfax Rochester (often referred to as Mr Rochester ) is a character in Charlotte Brontë 's 1847 novel Jane Eyre . The brooding master of Thornfield Hall , Rochester is the employer and eventual husband of the novel's titular protagonist Jane Eyre . He is regarded as an archetypal Byronic hero .
66-425: Edward Rochester is the oft-absent master of Thornfield Hall , where Jane Eyre is employed as a governess to his young ward , Adèle Varens . Jane first meets Rochester while on a walk, when his horse slips and he injures his foot. He does not reveal to Jane his identity and it is only that evening back at the house that Jane learns he is Mr Rochester. Rochester and Jane are immediately interested in each other. She
132-465: A "passionate hero with a darkly mysterious erotic past". Literary critics note Rochester as a parallel of the titular character in the French folktale " Bluebeard " — a wealthy serial bridegroom who keeps the remains of his previous murdered wives in a locked room of his castle. Rochester echoes Bluebeard as a wealthy, middle-aged gentleman with a wife kept in a secret attic of his house, and like Bluebeard,
198-436: A 6.8 kg (15 lb) mule deer fawn. However, a few eagles may target prey considerably heavier than themselves; such prey is too heavy to fly with, thus it is either eaten at the site of the kill or taken in pieces back to a perch or nest. Golden and crowned eagles have killed ungulates weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb) and a martial eagle even killed a 37 kg (82 lb) duiker , 7–8 times heavier than
264-455: A close genetic relationship with Haliastur and Milvus ; the whole group is only distantly related to the Buteo group. Fish eagles exist in every continent throughout the world, except for South America. Although fish eagles can be found in many different places around the world, they have been classified as "Near Threatened". Reasons such as overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and
330-515: A hand, one eye and his sight, which is only partially returned after he marries Jane. Rochester is described to have a fine singing voice — "a mellow, powerful bass " — and acting skills which he displays during entertainments for his guests. He is adept at disguise and deception; while his guests are staying, Rochester disguises himself as a fortune-teller gypsy woman in order to spend time alone with Jane and interrogate her about how she feels about her employer. Charlotte Brontë may have named
396-473: A large part of their diets, either fresh or as carrion. Proposed subfamily Haliaeetinae. Genera: Haliaeetus , Icthyophaga . Some authors include Gypohierax angolensis , the "vulturine fish eagle" (also called the palm-nut vulture ) in this group. However, genetic analyses indicate it is related to a grouping of Neophron – Gypaetus – Eutriorchis ( Egyptian vulture , bearded vulture (lammergeier), and Madagascar serpent eagle ). The fish eagles have
462-512: A quiet wedding. They adopt Adèle Varens, and after two years of marriage Rochester gradually gets his sight back – enough to see his and Jane's firstborn son. Rochester is depicted as aloof, intelligent, proud and sardonic . A Romantic figure, he is passionate and impetuous, but tormented beneath his brusque manner. Aged in his mid to late thirties, Rochester is described as being of average height and an athletic build, "broad-chested and thin-flanked, though neither tall nor graceful." His face
528-482: A rumour that he is far less wealthy than she imagined. He asks Jane to marry him and she accepts. During their wedding ceremony, two men arrive claiming that Rochester is already married . Rochester admits to this, but believes he is justified in his attempt to marry Jane. He takes the wedding party to see his wife of fifteen years, Bertha Antoinetta Mason , and explains the circumstances of his marriage. He claims he had been rushed into marrying Bertha by his father and
594-415: A title that was applied to the character of Bluebeard in late 18th-century texts. John Sutherland argues that Rochester is also a wife-killer like Bluebeard; questioning why Rochester does not place Bertha in professional care for her insanity, he considered the character to be responsible for Bertha's death through "indirect assassination". Rochester has also been equivalated with the sultan Shahriyar in
660-419: A woman he could love, came home to England, and fell in love with Jane. Rochester asks Jane to go to France with him, where they can pretend to be a married couple. Jane refuses to be his mistress and runs from Thornfield. Much later, she finds out that Rochester searched for her everywhere, and, when he couldn't find her, sent everyone else away from Thornfield and shut himself up alone. After this, Bertha set
726-411: Is "a man of voracious sexual appetite." Brontë alluded to Bluebeard in her description of Rochester and his home. Before Rochester's wife's existence is revealed the novel describes the third story of Thornfield Hall where Bertha is secretly kept as looking "like a corridor in some Bluebeard’s castle". While negotiating the terms of her marriage to him, Jane refers to Rochester as a "three-tailed bashaw ",
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#1732863190584792-551: Is a re-telling of the Jane Eyre story set in contemporary times. Jean Rhys ' 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea gives an account of Rochester's meeting of and marriage to Antoinette Cosway (Rhys' revision of Bertha Mason). The first part of the novel is told from the point of view of Antoinette and the second part from Rochester's perspective. The novel depicts Rochester as an unfaithful and cruel spouse, and in its reshaping of events related to Jane Eyre suggests that Bertha's madness
858-688: Is after all a two-edged sword. All hawks seem to have this habit, from the smallest kestrel to the largest Ferruginous – but not the Eagles. Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the condors and some of the Old World vultures are markedly larger. It is regularly debated which should be considered the largest species of eagle. They could be measured variously in total length, body mass, or wingspan. Different lifestyle needs among various eagles result in variable measurements from species to species. For example, many forest-dwelling eagles, including
924-598: Is also often used in Christian iconography to represent the Gospel of John , and eagle-shaped lecterns are common in Anglican and some Roman Catholic churches . The eagle was believed to be able to look directly into the sun in the same way that the Gospel of John looks directly at Jesus' divinity, and the great distances the eagle flies represent the spread of the gospel to the ends of
990-421: Is borrowed into English from Anglo-Norman : eagle and Middle French : aigle , both derived ultimately from Latin : aquila ("eagle"). It is cognate with terms such as French : aigle , Portuguese : águia and Spanish : águila . It is broadly synonymous with the less common English term "erne" or "earn", deriving from Middle English : ern , from Old English : earn , in which it acts as
1056-403: Is described as not beautiful, but "harsh featured and melancholy looking". He is described as having black hair, a "decisive nose", a "colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features," and a "firm, grim mouth". In the novel, Jane often compares him to a wild bird, such as an eagle , falcon and cormorant . During the fire at Thornfield he loses
1122-499: Is fascinated by his rough, dark appearance as well as his abrupt manner. Rochester is intrigued by Jane's strength of character, comparing her to an elf or sprite and admiring her unusual strength and stubbornness. The two quickly become friends, often arguing and discussing topical matters. Rochester confides to Jane that Adèle is the daughter of his past lover, French opera dancer Céline Varens, who had run off with another man. Rochester does not claim paternity of Adèle but had brought
1188-417: Is most commonly used for the golden eagle or sea-eagle. Eagles are large, powerfully-built birds of prey , with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle ( Hieraaetus pennatus ), which is comparable in size to a common buzzard ( Buteo buteo ) or red-tailed hawk ( B. jamaicensis ), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight, despite
1254-425: Is not congenital but instead the result of negative childhood experiences and Mr. Rochester's unloving treatment of her. Rochester has appeared in adaptations of Wide Sargasso Sea . Thornfield Hall Thornfield Hall is a location in the 1847 novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë . It is the home of the male romantic lead, Edward Fairfax Rochester , where much of the action takes place. Brontë uses
1320-546: Is that High Sunderland Hall in Halifax was the basis for Thornfield. The house had all the Gothic features of Thornfield and is a location that was familiar to the Brontë family. Haddon Hall , near Bakewell , Derbyshire , has been used to depict Thornfield on several occasions: for the 1996 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli (starring William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg ); in
1386-401: Is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the wedge-tailed eagle has a visual acuity twice that of a typical human. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of
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#17328631905841452-639: The BBC 2006 mini series directed by Susanna White ( Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson ), and for the 2011 film ( Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender ) directed by Cary Fukunaga . In 1996 and 2011 Wingfield Manor , in Derbyshire , was used to depict Thornfield after the fire, and in 2011 Chatsworth House was used for the gardens. Other locations include Ripley Castle , Yorks, in 1970 ; Renishaw Hall , Derby, in 1973 ; and Deene Park , Northampton, in 1983 . The 1997 film used Naworth Castle , Cumbria, for
1518-741: The Holy Roman Empire . The eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was two-headed, supposedly representing the two divisions, East and West , of the old Roman Empire. This motif, derived from the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire was also adopted by the Russian Empire and is still featured in the Flag of Albania . The Roman eagle was preceded by the eagle of Ptolemaic Egypt and the Achaemenid Empire . In
1584-429: The buteonine black-chested buzzard-eagle of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus Spizaetus , live predominantly in woodlands and forests. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. Hunting techniques differ among
1650-618: The Beast as "Rochester is not a Prince Charming ; he is a beast in need of rehumanising." Rochester resembles the Beast because he is repeatedly described as not being handsome, Karen Rowe wrote, arguing that associating him with the Beast emphasises Jane's confrontation with male sexuality, symbolised by Rochester's "animality". Rowe argues that Rochester transforms in Janes eyes from "monster to seeming prince to an 'idol'", showing her that "immersion in romantic fantasy threatens her integrity". Rochester
1716-590: The Earl has a penchant for disguise and twice attempts to entrap the woman he loves in a spurious marriage. Literary critics also note the influence of Lord Byron , of whom Brontë was a known admirer, on Rochester's development. The character's threads of Byronism evolved out of Brontë's intimate knowledge of Byron's works including Cain , Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and Don Juan , as well as Thomas Moore 's Life of Byron , and William Finden 's engravings illustrating Byron's poetry and life. Caroline Franklin specified
1782-472: The Iberian Peninsula. Booted eagles or "true eagles" have feathered tarsi (lower legs). Tribe Aquililae or proposed subfamily Aquilinae. Genera: Aquila , Hieraaetus ; Spizaetus , Oroaetus , Spizastur ; Nisaetus ; Ictinaetus , Lophoaetus ; Polemaetus ; and Stephanoaetus . See comments under eagle species for changes to the composition of these genera. Most snake or serpent eagles, as
1848-609: The Mason family, and only after they were wed did he discover that Bertha is violently insane . Unable to live with Bertha due to her madness, Rochester tried to keep her existence a secret and kept her on the third floor of Thornfield Hall with a nursemaid, Grace Poole . It was Bertha who had set Rochester's bedsheets on fire, along with a number of other disruptive incidents. Rochester confesses that he had travelled around Europe for ten years trying to forget his failed marriage and keeping various mistresses. Eventually he gave up on searching for
1914-465: The Middle Eastern folktale collection Arabian Nights , as a disillusioned despot who distrusts women. Like Shahriyar, Rochester is tamed and eventually reformed by an intelligent woman. Brontë made several direct references to Arabian Nights in Jane Eyre , including having Jane compare Rochester to a sultan. Abigail Heiniger wrote that Jane Eyre resonates closely with the motifs of Beauty and
1980-535: The beautiful socialite Blanche Ingram . Rochester lets Blanche flirt with him constantly in front of Jane to make her jealous and encourages rumours that he is engaged to Blanche, which devastates Jane. Rochester tells Jane he is to be married, at which point Jane is prepared to leave Thornfield, believing Blanche is his bride. Eventually Rochester stops teasing Jane, admitting that he loves her and that he never intended to marry Blanche, especially as he had exposed Blanche's interest in him as solely mercenary when he caused
2046-436: The bird exhibits generalist feeding behavior, which means it does not hunt down specific types of snakes but rather feeds on them depending on their availability in the wild. Harpy eagles or "giant forest eagles" are large eagles that inhabit tropical forests. The group contains two to six species, depending on the author. Although these birds occupy similar niches and have traditionally been grouped, they are not all related:
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2112-520: The bird is derived from Latin : aquila by way of French : aigle . The origin of aquila is unknown, but it is believed to possibly derive from aquilus (meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish) as a reference to the plumage of eagles. Old English used the term earn , related to Scandinavia's ørn / örn . It is similar to other Indo-European terms for "bird" or "eagle", including Greek : ὄρνις ( ornís ), Russian : орёл ( orël ), and Welsh : eryr . In
2178-539: The character after John Wilmot (1647–1680), the second Earl of Rochester. Murray Pittock argued that the Earl is not merely Rochester's namesake but that his "career as it was popularly recorded is the model for the rakehell and penitent phases underlying the development of Mr. Rochester's character." Robert Dingley argued that it is possible Brontë drew specifically upon Wilmot's depiction in William Harrison Ainsworth 's 1841 novel Old St. Paul's , wherein
2244-446: The character were Brontë's ill-tempered father, Patrick , and hedonistic brother, Branwell . In Patrick, Pfordresher argued, Brontë "had observed Rochester’s physical vigor, determined will, passionate temper, and defiant courage." When Patrick began to suffer from cataracts in his old age, Brontë nursed him, as Jane Eyre does the blinded Rochester. Pfordresher argued that Rochester's hedonistic tendencies were inspired by Branwell — who
2310-455: The coat of arms of Kotka , Finland, the eagle is depicted carrying an anchor and the caduceus on its feet. Heraldic eagles are most often found displayed , i.e. with their wings and legs extended. They can also occur close , i.e. with their wings folded, or rising , i.e. about to take flight. The heads, wings, and legs of eagles can also be found independently. Eagles symbolize strength, courage, and independence and are commonly found in
2376-479: The depiction of Thornfield in a manner consistent with the gothic tone of the novel as a whole. An isolated mansion of unspecified size, the house has a number of apparently unused rooms that become important to the narrative during the Bertha Mason passages. The Hall's gloomy character also expresses and amplifies the sense of Mr. Rochester's depression and malaise before he falls in love with Jane. In contrast,
2442-602: The eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the Ganymede (mythology) page.) Eagles appear metaphorically in many translations of the Old Testament . God is spoken of as carrying Israel on "eagles' wings" in Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31 compares those who wait on the Lord to flying eagles, and Psalm 103 mentions renewing one's youth "as
2508-605: The eagle and often depicted eagles in their art. The golden eagle was sacred to the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli while the harpy eagle was sacred to Quetzalcoatl . Eagles are an exceptionally common symbol in heraldry, being considered the "King of Birds" in contrast to the lion , the "King of Beasts". Whereas the lion (e.g. England) usually represents authority, the eagle is the symbol of power. They are particularly popular in Germanic countries such as Austria, due to their association with
2574-457: The eagle was able to look directly at the sun, and that they forced their fledglings to do the same. Those that blinked would be cast from the nest. This belief persisted until the Medieval era . The eagle is the patron animal of the ancient Greek god Zeus . In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede , and there are numerous artistic depictions of
2640-566: The eagle". In explaining this rejuvenation, Augustine of Hippo says in his commentary on the Psalms that eagles' beaks overgrow as they age and that they break them against rocks to restore them. The translation, however, is uncertain: the word in the Hebrew, נשר , can also be translated vulture , and is listed alongside specific kinds of vulture in Leviticus ' discussion of unclean animals . The eagle
2706-454: The earth. The United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual reasons. In Canada, the poaching of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped
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2772-583: The exteriors and Knebworth House , Herts, for the interiors. Loseley Park , in Surrey, depicted Thornfield Hall in the 2006 film adaptation of Wide Sargasso Sea , the Jane Eyre prequel by Jean Rhys . Eagle See text Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle , bald eagle , and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae . Eagles belong to several groups of genera , some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise
2838-572: The figures listed are the median reported for each measurement in the guide Raptors of the World in which only measurements that could be personally verified by the authors were listed. The eagles are generally distributed in all types of habitats and nearly all parts of the world. The birds can be found in northern tundra to tropical rainforests and deserts. In North America, bald eagles and golden eagles are very common. Eagles are often informally divided into four groups. The snake eagles are placed in
2904-566: The genus Aquila . Most of the 68 species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa . Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—two in North America , nine in Central and South America , and three in Australia . Eagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of bird of prey large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50 cm long or more overall) vertebrates . The word "eagle"
2970-456: The grounds surrounding Thornfield are sublime and healthful to the novel's many troubled characters and serve as a backdrop to many happier scenes. A theory holds that North Lees Hall in Hathersage was the inspiration for Thornfield, particularly given that "Morton" in the novel is believed to be based on Hathersage, and that Brontë stayed in the area before writing the novel. Another theory
3036-493: The heraldry of many nations across the world. Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Dagestan, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Palestine, Panama, Russia, Romania, Serbia, South Sudan, Somaliland, the United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are the nations whose coats of arms feature an eagle. The eagle's continuing significance and worldwide appeal as
3102-412: The house on fire one night and burned it to the ground. Rochester rescued all the servants and tried to save Bertha, too, but she committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the house and he was injured. Now Rochester has lost an eye and a hand and is blind in his remaining eye. Jane returns to Mr Rochester and offers to take care of him as his nurse or housekeeper. He asks her to marry him and they have
3168-406: The incoming light. Like most diurnal raptors, eagles have little ability to see ultraviolet light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male. Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries , in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The parents take no action to stop
3234-415: The killing. It is said that eagles fly above clouds but this is not true. Eagles fly during storms and glide from the wind's pressure. This saves the bird's energy. Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. The type of prey varies by genus. The Haliaeetus and Icthyophaga eagles prefer to capture fish, though
3300-459: The name suggests, primarily prey on snakes. Despite filling the niche of a snake eagle, genetic studies suggest that the Madagascar serpent eagle ( Eutriorchis ) is not related to them. Over several decades, a great deal of research has been done on the Snake-eagle's diet, which is mainly made up of reptiles, especially snakes. When it comes to catching snakes, it is generally accepted that
3366-682: The narrator of Don Juan as potentially a significant inspiration behind Rochester's mercurial and seductive mannerism. The character was also influenced by the men in Brontë's personal life. Andrew McCarthy, the director of the Brontë Parsonage Museum , suggested that Rochester may have been inspired by Constantin Héger , a tutor whom Brontë fell in love with while studying in Brussels in 1842. John Pfordresher, author of The Secret History of Jane Eyre , argued that besides Heger, real-life influences on
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#17328631905843432-415: The orphaned child to England. Rochester quickly learns that he can rely on Jane in a crisis. On one evening, Jane finds Rochester asleep in his bed with all the curtains and bedclothes on fire; she puts out the flames and rescues him. Jane and Rochester grow closer and fall in love with each other. While Jane is working at Thornfield, Rochester invites his acquaintances over for a week-long stay, including
3498-441: The perspective of Rochester. The 2017 novel Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker gives an account of Rochester's childhood and life prior to his meeting Jane through to the events of the original novel. Rochester is given a childhood to mirror Jane Eyre's, with a father and brother who are cruel towards him and being raised in a boarding school . The 2023 novel, Jane & Edward: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre by Melodie Edwards
3564-447: The preying eagle. Authors on birds David Allen Sibley , Pete Dunne , and Clay Sutton described the behavioral difference between hunting eagles and other birds of prey thus (in this case the bald and golden eagles as compared to other North American raptors): They have at least one singular characteristic. It has been observed that most birds of prey look back over their shoulders before striking prey (or shortly thereafter); predation
3630-518: The reduced size of their aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors , apart from some vultures . The smallest species of eagle is the Great Nicobar serpent eagle ( Spilornis klossi ), at 450 g (1 lb) and 40 cm (16 in). The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons . The beak
3696-488: The solitary eagles are related to the black hawks and the Philippine eagle to the snake eagles. Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera Aquila and Hieraaetus are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus . Family Accipitridae The modern English term for
3762-464: The southern part of Finland , near the Gulf of Finland , is the town of Kotka , which literally means "eagle", while the town of L'Aquila in the central part of Italy literally means "the eagle". In Britain before 1678, eagle referred specifically to the golden eagle , with the other native species, the white-tailed eagle , being known as erne . The modern name "golden eagle" for aquila chrysaetos
3828-403: The species and genera, with some individual eagles having engaged in quite varied techniques based on their environment and prey at any given time. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it, so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart. The bald eagle is noted for having flown with the heaviest load verified to be carried by any flying bird, since one eagle flew with
3894-528: The species in the former often capture various animals, especially other water birds , and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera Circaetus , Terathopius , and Spilornis predominantly prey on the great diversity of snakes found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The eagles of the genus Aquila are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized vertebrate they can catch. Where Aquila eagles are absent, other eagles, such as
3960-466: The subfamily Circaetinae . The fish eagles, booted eagles, and harpy eagles have traditionally been placed in the subfamily Buteoninae together with the buzzard-hawks (buteonine hawks) and harriers. Some authors may treat these groups as tribes of the Buteoninae; Lerner & Mindell proposed separating the eagle groups into their own subfamilies of Accipitridae . Sea eagles or fish eagles take fish as
4026-709: The use of pesticides have contributed to the species' rapid population drop. The booted eagle is a group of eagle that typically migrates across the Sahara Desert to Europe. It usually reaches Europe around the beginning of March and leaves by the end of September. It's interesting to note that these types of eagles usually mate with the same partner and return to the same areas years later. Female booted eagles usually lay 1-4 eggs, which promptly hatch after 37 to 40 days. Researchers estimate that there are between 3600 and 6900 pairs of booted eagles in Europe, which are mostly situated in
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#17328631905844092-498: The usual word for the bird. The Old English term is turn derived from Proto-Germanic : * arnuz and is cognate with other synonymous words in Germanic languages such as Swedish : örn , German : Aar and Gothic : ara . Through the Proto-Indo-European root, it is further related to words such as Greek : ὄρνις ("bird") and Lithuanian : erelis ("eagle"). Although "erne" can be used to refer to any eagle, it
4158-456: The very large harpy eagle , have relatively short wingspans, a feature necessary for being able to maneuver in quick, short bursts through densely forested habitats. Eagles in the genus Aquila , found almost exclusively in open country, are noted for their ability to soar, and have relatively long wings for their size. These lists of the top five eagles are based on weight, length, and wingspan, respectively. Unless otherwise noted by reference,
4224-444: Was fired for having an affair with his employer’s wife before becoming the "self-destroying family humiliation" through his abuse of alcohol and opium — and that Jane's playful exchanges with Rochester were based on Brontë's habit of sparring with her brother, "her mental equal" and childhood companion. Alongside Heathcliff from Emily Brontë 's Wuthering Heights , Rochester is commonly regarded as an archetypal Byronic hero —
4290-570: Was introduced by the naturalist John Ray . The village of Eagle in Lincolnshire , England , has nothing to do with the bird; its name is derived from the Old English words for "oak" and "wood" (compare Oakley ). In the ancient Sumerian mythology , the mythical king Etana was said to have been carried into heaven by an eagle. Classical writers such as Lucan and Pliny the Elder claimed that
4356-555: Was voted the most romantic character in literature in a 2009 UK poll by Mills & Boon . Commenting on the poll in The Daily Telegraph , novelist Penny Vincenzi said the result was "no surprise", as Rochester is endowed with a "brooding, difficult, almost savage complexity". Rochester features in much literature inspired by Jane Eyre , including prequels, sequels, rewritings and reinterpretations from different characters' perspectives. Several novels retell Jane Eyre from
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