Below is a summary of the major and minor characters in Jane Eyre, grouped by role and including their significance to the novel’s themes and development.

Major Characters

Jane Eyre

• The protagonist and narrator.
• An orphaned girl who matures into a strong, principled, and intelligent woman.
• Jane seeks love, dignity, and spiritual wholeness without sacrificing her moral independence.
• Her journey from suffering to self-possession forms the core of the novel.

Edward Rochester

• Master of Thornfield Hall and Jane’s employer.
• A brooding, passionate man with a dark secret.
• Represents temptation and moral ambiguity, but also emotional depth.
• His evolving relationship with Jane explores love, equality, and redemption.

St. John Rivers

• Jane’s cousin and a clergyman.
• Offers Jane a path of religious duty and self-denial through marriage.
• Represents austere righteousness and spiritual coercion—an ethical counterpoint to Rochester’s passionate intensity.

Helen Burns

• Jane’s close friend at Lowood School.
• A gentle, devout girl who endures cruelty with Christian patience.