Helen Burns: Helen is a religiously fervent young girl who sets high moral standards for herself. Brontë uses various biblical allusions and Helen’s doctrinal comments to depict Helen as religious. She becomes Jane’s friend, and remains close with Jane during their time at Lowood. Helen is treated particularly poorly by Miss Scatcherd, a history teacher at Lowood, and seeks religion and God to overcome her difficulties in life. When Helen becomes ill with the disease going around Lowood School, she rests in Miss Temple’s apartment, and ultimately passes away while lying in bed with Jane by her side. Helen explains to Jane, “My Maker and yours, who will never destroy what He created. I rely implicitly on His power, and confide wholly in His goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to Him, reveal Him to me” (Brontë 97). Helen has confidence that God will accept her into heaven to be with Him. Helen proves to be a mature young girl who relies on God and religion as a guide in her life.
Adèle Varens: Adèle is a young French girl that becomes Jane’s student while Jane works as a governess at Thornfield Hall. Her mother, Celine, once had an affair with Mr. Rochester, so there are suspicions that Adèle may be Mr. Rochester’s daughter. Celine asks Mr. Rochester to take Adèle in to Thornfield, and Mrs. Fairfax hires Jane as Adèle’s governess. Adèle is depicted as curious and fast paced. She speaks mainly French, and when she speaks with Jane, she often runs on talking fluently, and is always asking questions. When Mr. Rochester has his friends over for their gathering, Adèle is eager to meet the ladies. After Jane and Mr. Rochester get married, Adèle is put into a school, but she is unhappy, and Jane moves her to a better school, where she matures into a “docile, good-tempered, and well-principled” young girl (Brontë 519). Adèle serves in the novel as a character in which Jane sees herself, and attempts to raise her how Jane would have liked to have been raised.
Bertha Mason: Bertha is the secret of Thornfield Hall that is kept hidden from Jane until her wedding with Mr. Rochester. She lives on the third floor of the estate with Grace Poole, a woman Mr. Rochester hired to watch after Bertha. Bertha is Mr. Rochester’s wife who became mentally unstable and bestial after they got married. She was locked up on the third floor and Mr. Rochester hired Grace to watch after her. However, on some occasions Grace lets her guard down and Bertha will try to do some harm to Mr. Rochester. Such occasions include Bertha trying to burn Mr. Rochester, tearing up Jane’s wedding veil, and ending her life by burning down Thornfield Hall. Bertha is mysteriously introduced in the book as a “secret of Thornfield Hall,” which Jane discovers while eavesdropping on a conversation between Leah and a charwoman, who comment upon Grace Poole’s wages for her strange job, which is undisclosed to Jane. Bertha is shockingly introduced to Jane on her wedding day, and is an obstacle in Jane’s love for Mr. Rochester, however they do get married after Bertha burns down Thornfield.
John Reed: In the beginning of the novel, John Reed is a young boy who bullies Jane Eyre, his cousin. He is always backed up by his mother, Mrs. Reed, in his arguments with Jane, which end with a punishment for Jane, the most severe being locked up in the room where her uncle, Mr. Reed, died. After this incident, Jane falls ill and is later sent to the Lowood School, where she is no longer bothered by John. As John grows up, he leads a life filled with alcoholism and an addiction to gambling. He constantly loses money, and he nearly sends the Reeds into bankruptcy. Mrs. Reed refuses to pay for any more of his debts, which leads John to commit suicide, and sending Mrs. Reed into a depression and then death. John’s behavior from a young age motivate Jane to succeed, and also lead him down a bad path for his future. Although he and Jane never got along, Jane is saddened to hear the news of his death.
Blanche Ingram: Blanche is the daughter of Lady Ingram, and the sister of Mary Ingram, and is recognized by many for her beauty. She has intentions of marrying Mr. Rochester, but he decides to use her to lure Jane and make Jane jealous. She attends Mr. Rochester’s gathering, and often feels threatened by Jane’s presence. When Mr. Rochester pretends to be a sorceress, he disappoints Blanche, and she does not take what he says well. Jane describes her reaction, “I watched her for nearly half an hour: during that time she never turned a page, and her face grew momently darker, more dissatisfied, and more sourly expressive of disappointment. She had obviously not heard anything to her advantage […]” (Brontë 225). Brontë’s description in Blanche’s change in character suggests that Blanche will not marry Mr. Rochester. Jane speaks to the sorceress, and figures out that it is really Mr. Rochester. Blanche’s role in the novel is to act as an obstacle to Jane for marrying Mr. Rochester, and Jane overcomes the issue of Blanche and decides to accept Mr. Rochester’s proposal.