In this four-hour BBC miniseries version of Jane Eyre, there is much that’s missing; despite its length, it still felt rushed compared to the book. I’m sure the 2011 movie is even more rushed in comparison.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/jane-eyre/id1346185051
See below for some differences between the miniseries and the novel.
Miniseries vs. Novel
- In the miniseries, it was Jane’s fault Rochester’s horse fell. That really changes the scene!
- In the miniseries, Rochester did not dress up as a gypsy, he hired a woman to be the gypsy. That made the gypsy’s conversation with Jane a lot less intimate and authentic.
- In the miniseries, Adele was left to Rochester as a baby, not brought up by her mother, yet she still sang and danced as if she had lived with her mother. That didn’t make sense.
- The tree was struck by lightning, but did not burn up. The symbol isn’t nearly as powerful in the miniseries!
- In the miniseries, Rochester’s arm did not get amputated after the fire.
- How the lawyer heard about Jane’s wedding was not explained in the miniseries.
- There’s all this stuff about twins and brain science added in the miniseries.
- There’s a scene in the miniseries where Jane apologizes for not asking permission to read the books in the library, and he says she’s a thinking woman and can of course read them. That’s not in the book.
- In the miniseries, St John says he wants to take Jane to Africa (not India).
