Charlotte Brontë · Jane Eyre, 1847
“I would always rather be happy than dignified.”
| Source | Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847), ch. 34 — Jane |
| Date | 1847 |
| Speaker | Jane, after St. John Rivers leaves the room in displeasure |
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About This Line
Jane says it at Moor House after the coldly composed St. John Rivers leaves the room in displeasure — and she chooses to go make peace rather than stand on her pride. Brontë’s most self-governed narrator picking warmth over composure, on purpose.
Why We Carry This Line
Ever laughed so loud that every one in the restaurant turned their eyes toward you? Ever skipped for no reason other than you felt like it? Ever grabbed a super soaker and used it saying “it’s only water!”? Yeah, me neither.
