The story, which has been the subject of numerous television and film adaptations, is based on the life of the orphaned title character.

The drama is generally considered a successful adaptation, garnering critical acclaim and a number of nominations from various award bodies.

In this version of Charlotte Brontë's novel, Jane Eyre (Georgie Henley) is raised as a poor relation in the household of her aunt, Mrs. Reed (Tara Fitzgerald).

The owner of the estate is Mr. Rochester (Toby Stephens), who is courting the beautiful Blanche Ingram (Christina Cole).

After the death of her maternal uncle, the orphaned child Jane Eyre is left to the care of her uncaring and cruel aunt Mrs Reed.

After one of many ill-treatments she is accused of being bad blood and in an attempt to get rid of her, Jane is sent to Lowood School by Mrs Reed.

Here Jane learns that her pupil, a French girl named Adele, is the ward of the master of the house, Edward Rochester, who had had her mother, Celine Verans, as his mistress, and that she had left her illegitimate daughter in his care.

After Jane is able to rescue Rochester just in time, she wonders who set the fire and from whom these strange sounds from the North Tower came.

She is, however, rescued by the clergyman, St John Rivers, who takes her home and nurses her back to health with the help of his two sisters.

Jane cannot come to terms with the marriage proposal from St John Rivers or the prospect of living abroad as missionaries.

The scenes surrounding Jane's flight from Thornfield until regaining her health are treated as a brief flashback sequence, with many pages of text condensed into a passage of a few minutes' length.

Lucasta Miller states in The Guardian that, "The new BBC version shows that it is [...] possible to make successful drama by telling the story straight.

It features an excellent performance from Toby Stephens, who manages to make Rochester simultaneously macho and vulnerable, and also from Ruth Wilson as a quizzical, strong and un-neurotic Jane.

"[1] Barry Garron in The Hollywood Reporter suggests that, "the new adaptation written by Sandy Welch and directed by Susanna White doesn't add new colors to Bronte's romantic novel.

"[2] Dennis Moore of USA Today, argued that, "The story is splendidly retold [...] From sweeping shots of the English countryside through all seasons to intimate scenes in the recesses of the manor house, this adaptation of Jane Eyre shows off a richness American TV projects rarely attempt.

The lean scripting (even at four hours the program can't cover every one of Brontë's plot details), the expeditious pacing and the interaction among the actors are first-class, if not as brilliant as the more ambitious and magnificent Bleak House from last season.