At the end of Jane Eyre, Rochester and Jane venture into London, England to see an oculist to help with Rochester’s blindness. During this time in the 19th century, London was the capital of the largest empire of the world, yet it was also very, very dirty (NPR). According to Lee Jackson, the filth was mostly made up of horse “dung,” as London was heavily populated by horses for transportation (NPR). Eventually, the state intervened to enact public health reform, in what the Victorians called “municipal socialism,” and these reforms were then carried out in the 20th century (NPR). One of the driving forces for sanitary reform was the strong stench that would waft into houses in London, potentially carrying diseases, such as cholera or typhoid, according to Jackson (NPR).

At the same time, in London, the suburbs and housing consisted of clustered slums, where some houses were only two rooms, and on top of each other, with no ventilation (Historyextra). In addition, in these types of housing it was “impossible to keep either bodies or dwellings clean” and “it was often easier to defecate in the streets” (Historyextra). In 1875 the first “slum clearance measure,” the Artizan’s and Labourers’ Dwellings Improvement Act of 1875, was passed, in which health concerns were the main reason for it being enacted (Historyextra).

So, while Jane and Rochester do venture into London, as it is a major city that likely contained all the professionals who could assist them, the conditions of London at this time were pretty poor. This contrasts with their intention to venture into the city for a health concern, while the city itself was vastly unsanitary. In addition, Jane and Rochester, especially Rochester, probably were not well acquainted with the conditions of the city of London.

Works Cited

“'Dirty Old London': A History of the Victorians' Infamous Filth.” NPR, NPR, 12 Mar. 2015, https://www.npr.org/2015/03/12/392332431/dirty-old-london-a-history-of-t...

“Life in 19th-Century Slums: Victorian London's Homes from Hell.” HistoryExtra, 26 Oct. 2016, https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/life-in-19th-century-slums...

Image Citation

“Horses Drive Traffic on London's Oxford Street in 1890.” NPR, 12 Mar. 2015, https://www.npr.org/2015/03/12/392332431/dirty-old-london-a-history-of-t.... Accessed 27 Jan. 2022.