Many of the girls in the school become ill with the typhus fever, and Helen dies of the consumption. Mr. Brocklehurst is blamed for the illnesses, and he is soon replaced by a kinder group, who creates a much more pleasant environment for the girls. After six more years of schooling and two years as a teacher, Jane takes a governess position at a home called Thornfield.
At Thornfield, the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, is in charge of running the manor. Jane begins teaching a pleasant but somewhat spoiled French girl named Adele. Mr. Rochester, the owner of Thornfield, returns from his travels, and begins spending time with Jane and Adele.
One night, Jane saves Mr. Rochester’s life by putting out a fire in his room started by a servant, Grace Poole. Mr. Rochester tells her to keep the event to herself, and the next day it is as if nothing has ever happened. Jane is confused by Grace’s high pay and how normally she is treated, and she wonders if there is something about the situation that she doesn’t know.
Jane soon finds herself falling in love with Mr. Rochester, but is upset when he brings home a group of guests, including a beautiful but cruel woman named Blanche Ingram. Jane fears that Mr. Rochester is going to propose to Blanche.
Jane learns that her cousin, John Reed, has committed suicide and that Mrs. Reed is near death. She returns to Gateshead, where Mrs. Reed gives her an old letter from her uncle, John Eyre, stating that he would like to adopt her and leave her his fortune. Jane attempts to make amends with her aunt, but Mrs. Reed refuses and soon dies.
When Jane returns to Thornfield, she expects Mr. Rochester to propose to Blanche, but is shocked when proposes to her instead. The wedding day arrives, but a man called Mr. Mason objects during the ceremony, claiming that Mr. Rochester is already married to Mr. Mason’s sister. Mr. Rochester says that this is true, but explains that his wife, Bertha, has gone mad. He takes the group back to Thornfield, where he shows them his insane wife, who is under the care of Grace Poole. Although Mr. Rochester’s pleads for Jane to come to France with him and attempts to further explain his situation, Jane decides to leave Thornfield.
Jane travels to another town, where she quickly runs out of money, forcing her to sleep outside and beg for food. A kind man, St. John Rivers, takes Jane in after finding her at his doorstep. Jane gives them a fake name, Jane Elliot, and befriends St. John‘s siblings, Diana and Mary. St. John finds Jane a job teaching at a school in Morton and introduces her to Rosamond Oliver, who Jane believes is in love with St. John.
One day, after discovering Jane’s real name, St. John tells her that her uncle John Eyre has died and left her twenty thousand pounds. He also explains that John Eyre is also his uncle, making Jane his cousin. Jane split’s the inheritance four ways among her new family.
St. John decides to become a missionary and go to India. He asks Jane to marry him and join him in India, but while Jane agrees to go to India, she refuses to marry him. St. John continues to push for the marriage, and Jane almost gives in, until one night she thinks she hears Mr. Rochester’s voice calling her and decides she must go back to Thornfield.
Upon her arrival at Thornfield, Jane finds that it has been destroyed in a fire started by Bertha. Mr. Rochester saved his servants, but was unable to save Bertha. He was also blinded and lost a hand in the fire.
Jane goes to Ferndean, where Mr. Rochester is now living with two elderly servants. Mr. Rochester tells Jane of how he called out for her in the night, but Jane does not tell him about the voice she thought she heard. Jane stays with Mr. Rochester, and they soon marry.
Ten years after the marriage, Jane tells of how content she is with Mr. Rochester. He began to regain his sight two years after their marriage, and was able to see their first born child, a boy. St. John sent a letter saying he is expecting to die soon, but Jane does not feel badly for him.