"Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags."  ~ Jane

So, the quote is in honor of one of my most favorite authors (superlative intended :); I decided I just had to feature Charlotte Brontë . Because she is that brilliant. I only wish that it were her birthday or something. But that's not 'til April, 'cuz I know now you're wondering. Anyhow, Jane Eyre literally changed my life. I know every girl you've ever known (including you, if you're a girl) might have told you the same thing. Well, hey. It's true. It's the quintessential story of the "Plain Jane" finding true happiness, however creepy it is that Rochester is waaaay to old for her. But hey! Happiness is happiness, right? I guess. But it's more than that. It's the story that gives the girl who is shy and uncertain of herself confidence, the story that makes a girl believe she is worth something. And also, aside from the fact that it is beautifully written and surprisingly entertaining, the incredibly human experiences that Jane endures resonate with the our own human nature.

For a long time, Jane was my hero. I don't know, maybe she still is. But either way, I was really excited to visit the moors around Haworth and visit the Brontë Parsonage. If you ever have been there, tell me: did it help you understand the Brontë sisters' writings? Because I feel like I understand Charlotte so much better after seeing the environment in which she grew up. The moors are a desolate, soul-sucking kind of place, but hauntingly beautiful at the same time.

Haworth Moors, Google.

But she also grew up next to a cemetery, which explain the somber tone in her stories, and her eerie and premature understanding of death.

Brontë Parsonage, Howard Carlilse.

Okay, so that wonderful painting makes the place seem a bit more cheerful than it really is, however pretty:

The Real Brontë Parsonage.

Um, yeah. I loved this day. It was like my own personal literary pilgrimage. It's worth it to note that right next to the parsonage is the Brontë Parsonage Museum... actually, it's kind of an extension to the house, of sorts. There is a really neat shop there, with a fantastic selection of every book about the Brontë sisters you'd ever need. There are lots of different versions of their novels and poetry, too; some I hadn't even heard of! The link to the museum's is here!

Oh, and bytheway, can I just say how excited I am for the new adaptation of Jane Eyre by Focus Features? I thought they did well with Pride and Prejudice, and now they are doing another of my favorite stories! Look it up on IMDB. It's got a stellar cast, with Jamie Bell, and Judi Dench. Huzzah! Here's a first look:

Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre.