Edward Rochester: The Byronic Hero

Charlotte Bronte presents Rochester in many different ways. He comes from a rich family, and has a sophisticated personality. His attitude and behavior from the start of the book and the end of it has a dramatic change. Rochester corresponds to the mould of a Byronic Hero however, with his brave and humble actions, he starts to become less attractive as a hero. Moreover, one could argue although he is an unconventional hero he is appealing in both physical and mental ways. However, another could argue against this and find no attractive views of Rochester.

One of the characteristics that come under a ‘Byronic Hero’ is if you have experienced a troubled past. Throughout parts of the story, Charlotte shows that Rochester has been through this sort of experience. For example, when Edward Rochester married Bertha Mason, he was totally unaware that madness ran down her family line. Eventually, when he found out he had no option but to take her to his country house – Thornfield Hall and lock her up. Due to this dilemma his wedding with Jane Eyre had been affected, as he already has a wife, he could not marry Jane. Another factor that is linked to a Byronic Hero is ‘rude’. Rochester is often snappy and terse with Jane. Such as when she is called into Rochester’s study he orders her to ‘sit’ as if she was an animal or rather treated as if she his dog, as he was ‘used to have people do what he says’. This shows that he is a man that he is normally abrupt and arrogant on a daily basis. Moreover, Charlotte gives us the impression that Rochester is not a cynical man. An example is when he was convinced that Adele who was left in his care by his French lover, Selena, was not his own daughter.

Edward Rochester was born into a prosperous f...

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...ws us although he was mean to her at first, he did not hate her, and tried his best to save her. These actions make him less and less like a Byronic Hero. One could argue these kinds of actions done by Rochester makes him more attractive. As well as that, this shows the amount of love and care that Rochester gives to Jane, as he tries to be courageous and humble for her.

I think that Edward Rochester is a complicating, but at the same time an interesting character. Moreover, the fact that Jane does not fall in love with a handsome and caring person, but a ugly and man who has been through a lot of pain is interesting as well. Furthermore, I think he is a convincing and interesting hero. Although by the end of the book he does not fit every characteristic of a Byronic Hero, he shows a warm, and caring side which you would not have seen at the beginning of the book