Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre'
I can explain how Brontë uses a semantic field and pathetic fallacy to create a Gothic setting.
Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre'
I can explain how Brontë uses a semantic field and pathetic fallacy to create a Gothic setting.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A successful Gothic setting makes the reader feel uneasy and unsettled, but not necessarily frightened.
- A Gothic setting can be created through the use of semantic fields and pathetic fallacy.
- A semantic field is a group of words that all share similar meaning.
- Pathetic fallacy is when the weather reflects the mood (often of the main character).
- Brontë uses these methods in ‘Jane Eyre’ to characterise Lowood as a miserable and oppressive institute.
Keywords
To adhere to - to abide by/ to obey a set of rules or conventions
Oppressive - if something is oppressive, it makes people feel uncomfortable or it is cruel and unfair
Regimented - very strictly organised or controlled
Semantic field - a group of words that all share similar meaning
Pathetic fallacy - when the weather reflects the mood (usually of the main character)
Common misconception
Pupils think that Gothic settings have to be utterly terrifying to count as Gothic.
Gothic settings are not about frightening the reader as much as possible. They are about making the reader feel unsettled and creating an atmosphere of mystery and dark intrigue.
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 english lessons from the A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of an extract from 'Jane Eyre' (Charlotte Brontë). This can be downloaded from the Additional Materials section of the lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
- Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Starter quiz
6 Questions
a group of words which all have similar connotations
when the weather reflects the mood
when two or more words begin with the same letter
comparing two things that are not the same using 'like' or 'as'
the associations we make with a given word