Examples Of Point Of View In Jane Eyre

Do you know what it’s like to internally battle over what is right and wrong? Throughout the novel Jane Eyre, the main character Jane is thrown into situations where her morality is regularly questioned. However, the reader can often times decipher how Jane would react to a situation because they understand the events Jane has endured in the past. Jane Eyre’s point of view functions to show how she developed her sense of ethics and morality which ultimately affects her decisions throughout the novel.

One narrative strategy used in the novel is point of view. A point of view is an attitude towards handling a situation. Views are acquired through experience and thought. Jane’s point of view begins at the Reed’s house. There she is mistreated

and abused. While there her sense of justice developed from her constant mistreatment. The next important place that sculpted her thoughts was Lowood. The girls were underfed, underdressed, and not many people cared for the orphan girls. After Lowood, Jane was modest and made it her duty to follow the rules just as she did at the school. By guiding the readers through her major events in her life through her thoughts, the audience can see how Jane has evolved into an independent woman with her own ideas on justice.
One crucial example of Jane’s sense of morality and ethics in action is when Rochester asks for her hand in marriage.

Jane is ecstatic, but once it is known that Rochester is already married Jane is completely against marrying him even though they truly love each other. She would be his mistress and Rochester would be challenging the church, two things which are not ethically correct to Jane. Jane was strong and heroic by declining. Many other women would not have turned Rochester down even when they would be his mistress because he is a wealthy man. Why did Jane not accept his invitation to marriage? She even explains to herself that she has no one that would care what actions she takes. The one person who does care about ethics and morality is Jane. She is a woman that has dignity and respect for oneself and does what she believes is correct according to what she learned from past

experiences.
Without Jane’s wisdom from previous events she might have accepted Rochester’s first proposal. She was very tempted. If Jane had accepted she would have been with her beloved, but she would lose respect for herself. Jane would be in that marriage and be consumed by the thought that she went against her own beliefs. Her point of view since the beginning of the novel illustrates Jane’s reasoning for the many problems she faces.
Now, this is what would have happened if the situation in Jane’s perspective the first time had been ethically and morally sound.

After a year Jane returns to Thornfield in search of Rochester. Unfortunately, she learns that the estate has been ruined in a fire and that Rochester is mostly blind and has lost a hand in the fire. Also, Rochester’s deranged wife killed herself. Jane is more eager than ever to return to Rochester. This time Rochester proposes and Jane accepts. Jane only accepts because Rochester is no longer married. If Bertha Mason had still been alive, Jane would never have been compelled to accept the second proposal. Jane would never dream of becoming a mistress to any man, even Rochester. Unfortunately Bertha did commit suicide, but now that means Rochester is a widower and an eligible bachelor once

again.
Another great example of Jane’s sense of ethics and morality put forth is when St. John demands her hand in marriage. She had already declined Rochester and she loved him. Jane thinks marriage should be between two people who love each other as equals. St. John does not love Jane and wishes to have her for his trip to India. Jane understands why he would demand her for the trip, but they are cousins who are not involved romantically. Jane declines because of her point of view on the subject. She will not enter a loveless marriage that would have her bound to someone who would not treat her as an equal, but as someone to command. As Jane explained before to Rochester, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will,” (23, Bronte).
In the novel Jane Eyre, many characters have to choose between what is right and their happiness. Jane’s point of view starts out at the Reed’s and is altered and worked upon throughout the entire novel. From what she learned at the Reed’s and at Lowood Jane developed her own opinions on morality and ethics. Her point of view functions to show how she developed her sense of ethics and morality by guiding the readers through the many experiences Jane endured. Ultimately, Jane’s collective experiences came together each time she had to make a decision which she based off of her point of view.