Jane Eyre Allusions & Cultural References

Literature and Philosophy

• Thomas Bewick, A History of British Birds (I.1, II.6)
• Samuel Richardson, Pamela (I.1)
• Oliver Goldsmith, History of Rome (I.1)
• Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (I.3, II.6)
• John Milton, Paradise Lost (I.13, II.2, III.8)
• William Shakespeare, Hamlet (I.15, II.9)
• William Shakespeare, King Lear (II.4)
• William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing (II.5)
• The Arabian Nights (II.6)
• Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers (III.3, III.8)
• Sir Walter Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel (III.5, III.8)
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (III.6)
• Sir Walter Scott, Marmion (III.6, III.7)

Mythological References

• Bluebeard’s castle (I.11)
• the Gytrash (I.12)
• the Sphinx (I.14)
• the ignis fatuus ("false fire") (II.1, II.7, III.2)
• Diana (II.2)
• the Sybil (II.3)
• Hercules (II.9)
• Danae (II.9)
• vampires (II.10)
• the upas-tree (III.1)
• Apollo (III.11)
• Vulcan (III.11)

Biblical References

There are a LOT of Biblical references in Jane Eyre; here are some of the most important.

General:

• Psalms (I.4, II.4, II.11)
• the New Testament (I.6)
• Matthew (I.7, II.11, III.1)
• Proverbs 15:17 15:17 (I.8)
• Job (I.15)
• Luke (III.9)

• Rebecca and Isaac at the well of Nahor (II.3)
• Samson (II.9, III.1, III.11)
• King Ahasuerus (II.9)
• Lot’s wife (III.5)
• Nebuchadnezzar in the fields (III.11)
• Saul and David (III.11)

• 1 Kings 19:11-12 (II.4)
• 2 Samuel 12:3 (III.1)
• Zechariah 4:10 (III.3)
• Philippians 4:7 (III.4)
• 1 Corinthians 15:53 (III.6)
• 1 Timothy 5:8 (III.8)
• Amos 4:11 (III.9)
• Zechariah 3:2 (III.9)
• John 9:4 (III.9)
• Isaiah 34:4 (III.9)
• Song of Songs 2:11 (III.11)
• Psalms 23:4 (III.11)
• Luke 2:19 (III.11)
• Genesis 2:23 (III.12)
• Revelation 14:5 (III.12)
• 1 Corinthians 9:25 (III.12)
• Matthew 25:21 (III.12)
• Revelation 22:20 (III.12)