As an orphan, Jane has a childhood full of trouble, but her sense of self and stubborn independence help her to steer through the miseries inflicted by cruel relatives and a brutal school. A position as governess at Thornfield Hall promises a kind of freedom. But Thornfield is a house full of secrets, its master a passionate, tomented man. When she falls in love with her sardonic employer, Jane faces her greatest struggle, in a choice between love and self-respect.