Mrs. Fairfax

Mrs. Fairfax is the housekeeper of Thornfield Hall, a kindly, matronly widow who becomes Jane Eyre's first companion and confidante at the estate. Though Jane initially mistakes her for the owner of Thornfield, Mrs. Fairfax is in fact a distant relative of the Rochesters by marriage and a paid employee, a revelation that establishes an immediate equality between the two women. Her warm, domestic welcome—she personally removes Jane's shawl, orders hot negus and sandwiches, and shows her to a small, cozy bedroom—stands in stark contrast to the coldness Jane endured at Gateshead and Lowood, and it forms the foundation of a steady, affectionate relationship that lasts throughout Jane's time at Thornfield.

Identity and Background

Mrs. Fairfax is introduced as "the neatest imaginable little elderly lady, in widow's cap, black silk gown, and snowy muslin apron," seated by a cheerful fire with a large cat at her feet—a picture of domestic comfort that immediately reassures the newly arrived governess. She is the housekeeper and manager of Thornfield Hall, not its mistress, though she is distantly related to the Rochesters through her late husband, who was a clergyman and the incumbent of Hay. She explains that the present Mr. Rochester's mother was a Fairfax and second cousin to her husband, but she never presumes on the connection, considering herself "quite in the light of an ordinary housekeeper." Her employer is always civil to her, and she expects nothing more. This modesty and clear sense of her own station define her character throughout the novel.

Role at Thornfield and Relationship with Jane

Mrs. Fairfax acts as Jane's guide to the physical and social landscape of Thornfield. She shows Jane through the house, including the grand dining-room with its purple chairs and Turkey carpet, the elegant drawing-room with its white carpets and Bohemian glass, and the third-storey rooms with their antique furniture and "air of antiquity." It is during this tour that Jane first hears the mysterious laugh that will later prove to be Bertha Mason's, though Mrs. Fairfax dismisses it as the noise of Grace Poole, a seamstress. She also provides Jane with the first, though incomplete, account of Mr. Rochester's character, describing him as "rather peculiar" and noting that one can never be sure "whether he is in jest or earnest." When the house party arrives at Thornfield, Mrs. Fairfax assumes her duties as hostess, wearing her best black satin gown and gold watch to receive the guests. She gives Jane practical advice on how to enter the drawing-room without embarrassment, telling her to slip in while it is empty and choose a quiet nook. Throughout the visit of Blanche Ingram and the other fashionable guests, Mrs. Fairfax remains a steady, observant presence, though she is not invited to join the company herself.

Limited Knowledge and Conventional Views

Mrs. Fairfax's understanding of the mysteries at Thornfield is severely limited. She knows that Mr. Rochester has had family troubles—that his elder brother Rowland was not just to him, and that old Mr. Rochester and Rowland combined to bring Edward into a painful position for the sake of making his fortune—but she admits that what she knows is "chiefly from conjecture." She has lived at Thornfield for many years and has never heard of a Mrs. Rochester, nor does she suspect the presence of a madwoman in the attic. When Jane saves Mr. Rochester from the fire in his bed, Mrs. Fairfax accepts the official explanation that he fell asleep with a candle lit and quenched the flames himself. She is similarly credulous about the scream and struggle that follow Mason's attack, accepting Mr. Rochester's story that a servant had the nightmare. Her conventional worldview is most apparent in her reaction to Jane's engagement. When Jane tells her that Mr. Rochester has asked her to marry him, Mrs. Fairfax is astonished and troubled, warning Jane that "gentlemen in his station are not accustomed to marry their governesses" and that there are twenty years' difference in their ages. She urges Jane to be cautious, to "distrust yourself as well as him," and expresses fear that "all is not gold that glitters." Her doubts, though well-meaning, stem from a rigid adherence to social hierarchy that Jane has already learned to question.

Later Years and Correspondence

After Jane's flight from Thornfield, Mrs. Fairfax is sent away by the grieving Mr. Rochester, who settles an annuity on her for life. She is the one who responds to Mr. Briggs's inquiries about Jane's whereabouts, signing her letter "Alice Fairfax." When Jane returns to the neighborhood and learns of the fire at Thornfield, the innkeeper reports that Mrs. Fairfax was treated handsomely by Mr. Rochester and that she deserved it, being "a very good woman." Her departure from Thornfield marks the end of an era, but her kindness and domestic competence leave a lasting impression on Jane, who remembers her with gratitude as the first person to offer her a genuine home at Thornfield.