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Reflections of JANE EYRE
Reflections of JANE EYRE
Reflections of JANE EYRE
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Two major men teach Jane to appreciate the complexities of her emotions and passions for life: Mr. Rochester and St. John. Both are antithesis of each other but both help Jane blossom into a woman with morals and ideals. With Mr. Rochester, she thrives in Thornfield’s environment where she does not need to suppress her passion and responds naturally to Rochester’s strong fervor. Because she did not receive proper moral schooling as a child, she did not know how to control her emotions. This problem is solved when Rochester fully exploits Jane’s weakness to his advantage by constantly making her feel jealous and inferior. It is not until Jane realizes Rochester’s sadistic intentions of making her feel jealous does she rebel and develop her independent thinking. “Her nature is passionate, but she also recognizes the dangers of uncontrolled passion…inherently conscious that actions must be tempered by reason” (Napierkowki 164). Because of the heartache and betrayal she experiences with Mr. Rochester, Jane finally recognizes her unrestrained emotions. His constant bombardment and humiliation leads Jane to learn to control her emotions or risk getting harmed. By becoming aware of her faults, she is able to reason her every move and make wise actions. Jane’s aspirations to finding a family of her own with Mr. Rochester overshadow her problem of being easily manipulated through her emotions. While Rochester was passionate and fiery, St. John was the opposite of him. The cold restraint and extremes St. John goes to subdue Jane’s ardor to the point where it no longer exists. “…fixed his blue pictorial-looking eyes full on me. There was an unceremonious directness, searching, decided steadfastness in his gaze” (Brontë 517). Living in an... ... middle of paper ... ...l the very last moment when she is famished. Her stubbornness paves the way for her independence. Moor House is where most of Jane’s progress toward independence happens. St. John offers the most schooling through his unique relationship with her. Because he does not oblige to her every whim, St. John enchants Jane. His power over her is so commanding that she had little say in _______. When St. John is persuading Jane to go to India with him and become his missionary wife, Jane gets swept up by his sudden passion and her responsibility toward her faith. Holding onto to the little independence she has, Jane breaks St. John’s power and follows her ____. “Her immediate triumph over St. John’s power is stated in terms which confirm Jane’s sense of the absolute correction of her own inner drives and her totally confidence in her ability to assert her will” (Blom 100).
Eventually, she returns to her former employer, discovering Thornfield in ashes, Mrs. Rochester dead, and Mr. Rochester blind and free from wedlock. Flooded with motifs, Jane’s continual struggles between her passions and responsibility prevail as the main theme of Bronte’s entrancing narrative. From the introduction of Jane’s orphan life, she battles between her ire at cousin John’s antics and obedience to Aunt Reed’s reluctant guardianship.
was not a better place but it helped Jane stand on her own feet. Through
Because Jane is the narrator, the reader is given a biased point of view that St. John’s character is unfavorable. Throughout Jane’s life she has had oppressive male figures dominate her life, such as John Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst; thus, Jane can conditioned herself to be apprehensive when confronting men. After gaining her physical and emotional strength back, Jane studies St. John’s character. Jane’s first impression of St. John is pessimistic, she states “Had he been a statue instead of a man, he could not have been easier”(Bronte 329). By comparing St. John to a statue the reader is forced to see St. John as someone who is cold and rigid. Jane sets up the perception that St.John is disconnected from human feelings. Jane also presents a biased view of men when she first meets Rochester, who later becomes her husband. Furthermore, Jane’s first impressions of Rochester are also negative. Upon first being introduced to Rochester, after he asked to see her, Jane comments, “But it appeared he was not in the mood to notice us, for he never lifted his head as we approached. . . There was something in the forced stiffed bow, in the impatient yet formal tone, which he seemed to further expresses”(Bronte 111). Upon meeting Rochester for the fir...
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre chronicles the growth of her titular character from girlhood to maturity, focusing on her journey from dependence on negative authority figures to both monetary and psychological independence, from confusion to a clear understanding of self, and from inequality to equality with those to whom she was formerly subject. Originally dependent on her Aunt Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Mr. Rochester, she gains independence through her inheritance and teaching positions. Over the course of the novel, she awakens towards self-understanding, resulting in contentment and eventual happiness. She also achieves equality with the important masculine figures in her life, such as St. John Rivers and Mr. Rochester, gaining self-fulfillment as an independent, fully developed equal.
... all the heavy, dark, imagery is used to conjure up a sweltering passion between Jane and Mr. Rochester who later becomes her love and at the end of the novel, her husband. In reverse, the eyes of St. John are described as “large and blue” (Brontë 345), foiling Mr. Rochester. Later on in the novel, St. John’s demeanor is described as “cold”, several times, indicating the lack of passion that exists between him and Jane.
In fact, I am glad the book ended with the focus on the character of St. John instead of with Jane or Rochester, as it hints to us that the importance of the book is not about finding the right person, falling in love, and living happily ever after. The theme of this book is about following your conscience. In this regard, Jane and St. John both did the same thing in this story: They both had strong, driving consciences; they both were tempted but pursued their course; and they both found a satisfying life in the end. This book is not about developing a relationship with a romantic partner, but about developing a relationship and learning to follow and live in tune with your own moral conscience.
...inist heroism by refusing to address him as “Master Reed”. Jane admits to being “habitually obedient to John” as conventional society would have (Brontë 13). John stresses his superiority over Jane both physically and verbally: “Now I’ll teach you to rummage in my bookshelves; for they are mine, all of this house belongs to me” (Brontë 14)! Janes inferior position is highlighted when John throws the book at her. Janes reaction solidifies her as a strong willed girl when she declares him “a murderer—[...] like a slave-driver—[...] like the Roman emperors” (Brontë 15)! She attacks him physically and verbally casting herself as a key heroine in her fearless approach. Jane proves herself exceptional for her time by shattering the conventional role of women, silent and submissive, to a voice raged with passionate defiance against the patriarchal society” (Simpson 12).
Jane Eyre is born into a world where she is left bereft of the love of parents, family, or friends, but instead surrounded by hateful relatives. She resolves to attend school to begin her quest for independence. This theme is seen through Jane’s behavior when she renounces her relation to her aunt Mrs. Reed, ignoring the nurse’s orders and leaving her room to see Helen again, and when she acquires the courage to speak her opinion to Mr. Rochester.
Jane started out with no family, causing her to yearn for someone to accept her as their family, treating her with love and respect. At a young age, Jane lost her parents, leaving her with her aunt and cousins. They treated her poorly, acting as if she was incompetent and considering her more of a servant than a family member. Then, they sent her off to school, forgetting about her entirely. Eventually, Jane acquired the family she had always dreamt of. She never felt quite right with other people accepting her, that is, until Mr. Rochester came into her life. She did not feel as though she had found her true family until she had met him. "All these relics gave...Thornfield Hall the aspect of a home of the past: a shrine to memory.” (92). When they get married, her dreams are achieved, as she finally got the family she had always wanted.
posts, this was felt to be a women's job as it is the mother who would
This brought into question Jane’s grand need for independence. Jane’s equality in a relationship is derived from her desire for independence. Jane reveals her need for independence in her relationship with Mr. Rochester when she told him she would always call him master but she would not be inferior to him. Haiyan Gao asserts in her article “Reflection On feminism in Jane Eyre,” “Jane loves Rochester with all her heart and Rochester’s status and wealth make him so high above for Jane to approach, yet she never feels herself inferior to Rochester though she is a humble family teacher.” It is also notable that Jane does not pursue a relationship with Mr. Rochester with the intention of gaining money.
Moseley goes on to say, “Liberty and love are in some way at war in the lives of all of us.” It is not until Jane reaches personal liberation, that she is capable of loving someone else to a full extent. Throughout Jane Eyre Jane must learn how to gain love without sacrificing herself in the process. Orphaned at an early age, Jane becomes used to a lackluster lifestyle without any true value. It is not until she finds love and comfort in her friends at Lowood that her life begins to turn around. Upon meeting Rochester, Jane’s life was only as plain as she made it. She untwines in a world wind romance, ultimately finding the love she craved without losing her self-value.
Another important journey Jane makes is from Gateshead back to Thornfield having visited her aunt Reed on her deathbed. By then Jane realizes that she loves Rochester. A key theme is raised here, Jane fierce desire to love and to be loved. She feels alone and isolated when she has no friends around her. This is a sharp contrast compared to other characters’ search for money and social position.
How does Bront portray Jane as an unconventional female character in the novel Jane Eyre? Jane Eyre was published in 1847, during the reign of Queen Victoria. The novel was written by Charlotte Bront, but published under the pseudonym Currer Bell. Pseudonyms were used frequently by women at this point in time, as they were believed to be inferior to men. The The work of female authors was not as well respected as those of male writers.
In lieu of the married Bertha fulfilling the feminine standards of an “angel of the house,” Bertha’s circumstances alter her into a “demon of the house” in her violent attacks and physical appearance. As Rochester approaches Bertha during his admittance of his first marriage, “the lunatic [Bertha] sprang and grappled his throat viciously, and laid her teeth to his cheek” (Bronte 381). Shortly after, Rochester explains to his audience that “Such is the sole conjugal embrace [he is] to know — such are the endearments which are to solace [his] leisure hours” (Bronte 381). In the second quotation, Rochester admits to desiring a wife that would perform some of the duties that Patmore outlines as a woman’s responsibility. By vocalizing his desire for a wife to hold and to amuse him with sentiments during his free time, readers can then deduce that Rochester expected Bertha to fulfill many of the same restrictive expectations that Patmore championed. In Patmore’s opinion, this type of relationship would result in “passionate duty love flames higher, / As grass grows taller round a stone” (Patmore 23-24). According to this depiction, the duty a woman faces in her relationship stokes the flames of her love for her husband. However, Bronte’s characterization of Bertha as beastly along with her many