'It seemed, sir, a woman, tall and large, with thick and dark hair hanging long down her back. I know not what dress she had on: it was white and straight, but whether gown, sheet, or shroud, I cannot tell.' What effect does the word 'shroud' have here?

MCQs on the language in Jane Eyre, which draws on emotion, ideas of justice, nature, law, education and religion.

Descriptions of people are detailed in terms of their physical appearance and behavior; these portrayals are explicitly linked to inner character. The natural environment is depicted through language which is lyrical and evocative. Jane’s powerful emotions are effectively conveyed through Charlotte Brontë’s mastery of the affective vocabulary, that is to say, language related to feelings.