Jane Eyre (1983) - Episode 2

BBC 1983 TV Mini-Series

Sian Pattenden ... Young Jane
Zelah Clarke ... Jane Eyre

My duty towards my neighbor

is to love him as myself.

My duty towards my neighbor

is to love him as myself.

This way, girl.

To love, honor and second
my father and mother.

Make haste, make haste.

You just wait here, my lass.

This child is very
young to be sent alone.

She had better be put to
bed at once. She looks tired.

Are you tired?

A little, ma'am.

And hungry, too, no doubt.

Miss Miller, let her have some supper

before she goes to bed.

Very well, miss Temple.

Now, Jane Eyre, is this the first time

you have left your
parents to come to school?

I have no parents, ma'am.

How long have they been dead?

Since I was a baby, ma'am.

Can you read and write?

Yes, ma'am.

And sew?

A little, ma'am.

I hope you will be a good child.

Go with miss Miller now.

Yes, ma'am.

That is the bedtime bell.

We have no time for idleness here.

You will learn to live by the bell.

Yes, miss.

Step aside, step aside.

Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre.

The bell, miss Eyre.

Do you not hear a bell?

Be up at once.

You have 5 minutes to
wash before prayers.

You 3 are late.

Report to me after morning classes.

Silence.

All rise.

For what we are about to receive,

may the Lord make us truly thankful.

Sit.

Eeuuww.

Eeuuww.

It's disgusting.

Sit down at once, girl.

Silence, girls.

It's like rotten potatoes.

Pigs get better than us.

This is abominable.

I'd like to make mr.
Brocklehurst eat the whole lot.

Girls! You will be punished

if you are disrespectful
to our benefactor.

To your classes!

Miss Miller, I have a word
to address to the pupils.

Be seated everyone.

You had this morning a breakfast

which you could not eat.

You must be hungry.

I have ordered that bread and cheese

shall be served to all.

Silence!

But miss Temple...

it is on my responsibility.

Ooh!

Cheese.

Oh, cheese.

Be quiet, will you?

Sit still, Burns.

Obey your teachers, girls.

Eat your breakfast.

A-u.

Tres bien. Sophie.

A-u-e-o-u.

Ou-ou-ou.

Penelope.

A-o-e-ou.

"...in the water under the earth.

"Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them,

"nor serve them.

For I, thy God, am a jealous God..."

To the garden.

Is your book interesting?

I like it.

What's it about?

Emily.

There are no pictures.

I like wild, mysterious
stories with pictures.

Do you want me to go away?

I did want someone to talk to.

Why do they call this an institution?

Is it different
from other schools?

it's partly a charity school.

You and I are charity children.

Have you been here long?

2 years.

Are you an orphan?

My mother is dead.

My father married again.

Are you happy here?

You ask rather too many questions.

I want to read.

Burns, you are slouching.

Sit up straight immediately.

He was deeply religious.

He made promises to the people

which he failed to keep

and was the author of his own downfall.

Oh, that is nicely done, Jane.

Thank you, miss Smith.

In what year did Charles
the First come to the throne?

Fuller.

Harrison.

16...

1610?

Wrong. Burns.

1625, miss.

Someone must have prompted you.

No, miss.

Ha. I refuse to believe a word you say.

And I insist on you
holding your head up.

I will not have you
stand in that attitude.

Pay attention, girls.

His first favorite was the
dashing George Villiers,

Duke of Buckingham, who
was assassinated in 1628.

Charles then fell under
the influence of his wife

who was a catholic.

We all know how evil popery is.

That turned the people
even more against Charles.

Many of them were known as puritans.

Burns, why were they called puritans?

Because they wished to purify the church

by dropping out many catholic practices.

You are glib enough,

but you still defy me by
letting your head droop!

Hold out your hand.

You dirty, disagreeable girl.

You did not clean your
nails this morning.

Yes, miss, I did.

You contradict me? You
dare to contradict me?

And lie to me?

Did I not say you were a liar?

Fetch me the instrument of correction.

Your hand.

Hardened girl.

Nothing will correct you.

Take the rod back.

Jane, you dropped my skein.

Jane, what is the matter with you?

I should get it from her hand

and break it under her nose.

Probably, you would
do nothing of the sort.

If you did, mr.
Brocklehurst would expel you.

It is far better to endure patiently.

The Bible bids us return good for evil.

If people were always kind and obedient

to those who are cruel and unjust,

the wicked would all their own way.

They would never feel afraid,

but grow worse and worse.

When we are struck at without reason,

we should strike back very hard.

I'm sure I should...

so hard as to teach the
person never to do it again.

Christ says "love your enemies."

Then I should love mrs. Reed

and her son John,

which I can never do.

Who are they?

Oh, dear. It's evening study.

I'll tell you on the way down.

My first quarter at Lowood

seemed an age of cold, hunger, hardship

and heavy tasks.

But at its end I had made progress.

This is excellent, Jane.

No wonder you're head of your class.

All your teachers praise you.

Do you find the girls friendly?

They are now, ma'am.

Good.

I like your pictures.

I shall give you drawing lessons myself.

Oh, thank you, ma'am.

And I think you are
capable of learning french.

I shall speak to madame Pierrot.

You may go.

Thank you, ma'am.

But there was one visitor to Lowood

of whose arrival I
was in constant dread.

Let the classes continue.

Back to work, girls.

- Madame Pierrot.
- Monsieur.

Miss Miller.

Disgraceful, Burns.

Stand up.

Look at these girls.

Their hair!

Flaunting curls.

Godless vanity her? In
an evangelical school.

Every girl's hair will be cut short

and these topknots removed.

I shall send a barber tomorrow.

But, sir...

Let them resume their work.

But, miss Temple...

Silence!

Sit down, girls.

Continue with your work.

I have a matter to discuss with you.

The accounts.

I am being forced to spend far too much.

We are being most economical, sir.

Allow me to disagree
with you, miss Temple.

You are not being most economical.

If you were, I should
have no need for complaint.

As it is, I must direct you to
trim your cloth by one quarter.

Your directions shall
be attended to, sir.

It is the new pupil.

I have a word to say respecting her.

Fetch that stool.

Girl.

Stand upon it.

Face the classes.

Miss Temple, teachers, girls...

you all see this girl?
You'll see she is young.

Who would think that the Evil one

had already found a servant in her?

And yet such, I grieve
to say, is the case.

You must be on your guard against her.

You must shun her
example, avoid her company

and exclude her from your sports.

Teachers, you must watch her.

Punish her body to save her soul...

if indeed such salvation be possible,

for... my tongue falters
while I tell it...

this girl, this child
of a christian land,

this girl is a liar.

How shocking.

This I learned from her benefactress...

the lady who adopted
her in her orphan state,

reared her as her own daughter,

and whose kindness this unhappy girl

repaid with an ingratitude so bad,

so dreadful,

that at last her excellent patroness

was obliged to separate
her from her own young ones,

fearful lest her vicious example

should contaminate their purity.

She has sent her here to be healed.

Teachers, I beg of you not to spare her

if she is to be saved.

Miss Temple, we will now inspect

the rest of the premises.

Be seated.

Let her stand a half
hour longer on that stool.

Face the classes!

And let no one speak to her

for the remainder of the day.

Come, eat something.

I have tried so hard to do well.

Helen, why do you keep friendly

with a girl whom
everybody believes a liar?

Jane, you are mistaken.

After what mr. Brocklehurst said?

He is little liked here.

Besides, Jane, if all
the world hated you,

you would not be without friends.

But I cannot bear to be alone and hated.

Jane, you think too much

of the love of human beings.

You're too impulsive, too vehement.

I came on purpose to
find you, Jane Eyre.

I want you in my room.

You may come, too, Helen Burns.

Is it all over?

Have you cried your grief away?

I'm afraid I shall never do that.

Why?

I have been wrongly accused, ma'am,

and everybody now will think me wicked.

We shall think you

what you prove yourself to be, my child.

Tell me, the lady whom
mr. Brocklehurst called

your benefactress is mrs.
Reed, your uncle's wife?

Yes, ma'am.

He is dead and she didn't want me,

but all the servants knew...

Helen told me your story, my dear,

as you told it to her.

Is all that true?

Yes, ma'am.

Did she tell you about the red room?

I shall never forget the day...

I have heard all about that, Jane.

Is there anyone else who
can verify your story?

Betsy might. She's one of the servants.

Or there is mr. Lloyd, the physician.

He came to see me after...

I know something od mr Lloyd.

I shall write to him.

And if his reply agrees
with your statement,

well, we shall know what to do.

Helen, how are you tonight?

Have you coughed much today?

Not quite so much, I think, ma'am.

And the pain in your chest?

It is a little better.

You 2 are my guests.
I am neglecting you.

Come to the table, girls.

Jane, Helen.

Thank you, Barbara.

Can you bring a little
more bread and butter?

There's not enough for 3.

Um... well, uh...

I did ask mrs. Harden,
she said she wouldn't.

Not after mr.
Brocklehurst's orders to her.

Very well.

Thank you, Barbara. You may go.

Fortunately, I can
supply the deficiency.

I had meant to give you
this to take away with you.

We shall feast now, shall we?

It is so good to see you both smiling.

The lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

I have inspected the dormitory,

and once more, your
drawer was a disgrace.

"...he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness

for his name's sake..."

You will wear that until bedtime.

Take your seat.

Yes, miss.

"...for thou art with me.

"Thy rod and thy staff will comfort me.

"Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies.

"Thou annointest my head with oil.

My cup..."

Mademoiselles, this is
your hour of recreation.

I shall leave you now.

No noise, please.

How can you be so passive?!

Are you all sembled?

Are all present, miss Temple.

I have an announcement to make.

It concerns the charges
which were alleged

in your presence

against Jane Eyre one week ago.

Jane Eyre, come forward.

Up here.

Stand beside me.

Teachers, girls,

I have made inquiries
concerning these charges

of a person who is fully
informed and utterly reliable.

And I am most happy to be

able to pronounce her innocent

of every imputation made against her.

You may step down, Jane.

I am so glad, my dear.

I'm not at all surprised.

Bravo, mademoiselle.

Je suis contente pour vous.

You are fortunate in
your protector, child.

Let the classes resume.

Well, Jane, I know that you
will work harder than ever

to prove your merit.

I will, miss Temple.

I would not leave Lowood now

for Gateshead and all
its luxuries, ma'am.

It was typhus.

Overcrowding, lack of sanitation,

semi-starvation, and
previously neglected illnesses

had made most of the pupils an easy prey

to the deadly fever.

Teachers helped those girls

to pack withy friends or relatives

to take them away from
the seat of contagion.

Many went home only to die.

Driver.

Some died at the school

and were buried quickly and quietly.

Miss Temple is waiting
for you in the sick room.

I shall stay and help her.

Mr. Bates, please.

What is it, girl?

I have other patients, you know.

Where is Helen Burns?

She has not come down to the garden yet.

Helen Burns.

No.

I fear she took a turn for the worse.

She is very poorly.

Her complaint is not typhus, you know.

It is consumption.

You are a God-fearing child.

You have seen other
friends go to their Maker.

Helen is not with us for long.

When the typhus fever
died away at Lowood,

a new management committee was formed

as a result of public
indignation at the abuses

which had caused the epidemic

and condemned its many victims.

Mr. Brocklehurst managed
to retain his post

because of his wealth
and family connections.

But Lowood became in time

a truly useful and noble institution.

I was a pupil there for 6 more years,

and as for the 2 years which followed...

Miss Eyre. Please, miss Eyre.

Very well, Mary.

B-o-u-g-h.

Bough of a tree.

B-o-w.
Bow.

Very good.

I'm very pleased with all of you girls.

Now I would like you to
learn the next 10 words

in your book for tomorrow.

Thank you.

You may start now.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Yes, I was a teacher and loved it.

But since Helen's death,

my one, my only, my dear friend

remained miss Temple.

And a day came that was inevitable.

God bless the bride and groom.

God bless the bride and groom!

Hooray! Hooray!

Write to me, miss Temple.

Please write to me.

- And me!
- I will, I will!

Well, good-bye.

Good-bye, miss Temple!

Hooray!

With miss Temple's departure,

i tired of the routine

of 8 years in one afternoon.

I longed for change, for liberty,

or, at the very least, a new servitude.

What do people do to get a new place?

Apply to friends?

I have no friends.

Or... advertise.

"A young lady accostumed to tuition

"Is desirous of meeting with a situation

"where the children are under 14.

Adress: J. E., post office, Lowton."