Many people believe that eating disorders are a product of the twentieth century, brought on by teenage girls who aspire to become supermodels like Cindy Crawford. Although such pressures are triggers for many eating disorders, doctors diagnosed patients with anorexia as early as 1689 (Spignesi 7). An early example of anorexia is present in the novel Jane Eyre. Written in the mid-nineteenth century by Charlotte Brontë, this book describes a young girl whose personality bears striking similarities to that of a diagnosed anorexic. It has also been shown that the life of the main character, Jane, shares countless similarities with Brontë's life. Researchers' biographical information and Jane Eyre's autobiographical information (intentional or otherwise) confirm that Brontë suffered from an eating disorder. Brontë grew up in the nineteenth century, a time when many psychologists believe eating disorders may have been more common than initially thought. . With science and psychology still in its infancy, victims of these disorders were said to suffer from insanity, hysteria, or narcissism. Changes in twentieth-century society have led to an increased likelihood that an eating disorder will be discovered, diagnosed and reported. In the 19th century, however, girls did not undergo regular health checks at school and did little physical exercise. The girls' bodies were almost never seen undressed, except perhaps by their mothers, sisters, or maids. In the higher socioeconomic classes, women generally dressed elaborately, wearing corsets and other garments that concealed and transformed their figures. (van't Hof 28)Young women of the nineteenth century were a......middle of paper......ring of anorexia nervosa. Both were perfectionists, obsessed with food and seeking control. Works Cited Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 1847. NY: Penguin, 1966. Fraser, Rebecca. The Brontës: Charlotte and her family. NY: Ballantine Books, 1988. Minuchin, Salvador, et al. Psychosomatic families: anorexia nervosa in context. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978. Spignesi, Angelyn. Hungry Women: A Psychology of Anorexia Nervosa. Dallas: Spring Publications, Inc., 1983. Vandereycken, Walter, and Ron Van Deth. From holy fasts to anorexic girls. NY: New York University Press, 1994.van't Hof, Sonja. Anorexia Nervosa: historical and cultural specificity. Berwyn: Offsetdrukkerij Kanters BV, 1994. Whitney, Elanor Noss, and Sharon Rady Rolfes. Understanding nutrition. Minneapolis: West Publishing Co., 1993.