Mary Wollstonecraft's Treatment Of Women In Jane Eyre

In the interaction between people, it is crucial that each party’s development of beliefs remains independent of the other’s person as a whole, and is instead focused upon the logic of the argument itself. True rational discourse may only be achieved when the two parties grant one another their utmost respect. This basic guiding principle of reasonable discussion is necessary in avoiding falling into the trap of ad hominem attack or becoming dismissive of another’s ideas simply by the judgement of their appearance. In the past, and still in the present, attacks on the opponent’s person rather than his or her ideas have been rampant, especially in politics. In the time of Mary Wollstonecraft, however, being a woman was reason enough for one’s thoughts to be entirely dismissed. Wollstonecraft

attacks this subconscious tradition with the argument that a woman should not submit to a man by virtue of their respective genders, but rather respect another on the basis of his or her reasoning, not social standing, a thought paralleled by Brontë in Jane Eyre.

The idea of women’s autonomous thought present in Wollstonecraft’s claim in her A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is a valid extension of the major themes referenced within Jane Eyre.
Throughout the novel, Jane Eyre is repeatedly subjected to the attempts of others to exert the power of their social standing upon her. However, in each recurring instances, Jane became further comfortable in rejecting the tradition of women’s submission to men and achieves her own end. After being a servant to the wishes of Gateshead Hall for years as an unsupported orphan, Jane manages to discover an independence

within herself to break free from the chains she has been wrapped in throughout her life. While Rochester would love to think that he has control over Jane, her subversive manipulation and persuasion lead Rochester in the direction she desires. On page 458 of the novel, Rochester attempts to attack Jane’s insecurities to keep her with him in saying “Who in the world cares for you? Or who will be injured by what you do?”, to which Jane indomitably replies “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” Jane does not allow herself to fall prey to the Rochester’s attempts at intimidation and instead tactfully rejects his reasoning in favor of her own logic and strength. Later in the novel when St. John uses the influence of his position as a man and religious figure to persuade her in joining him on his trip, despite becoming very close to accepting this offer, she rejects it in favor of her own will, returning to Thornfield. This independent decision-making is a demonstration of her growth as a character and establishes one of Jane Eyre’s overarching ideas: that women can think for themselves, without the guidance or submission to another on account of social standing.
Similarly, the novel and Wollstonecraft share similar ideas of rejecting the tradition of social standing. Jane Eyre repeatedly sets up situations dominated by the inner workings of social classes, then proceeding to break them down and replace them with controversial demonstrations of people radically different social stature. Brontë first presents the familiar trope of the rich, important man ( Rochester) engaging in relations with the beautiful, high-class woman (Blanche Ingram). Jane is allowed to present her perspective on this relationship and she criticizes it, seeing no love between the two. Shortly thereafter, Rochester withdraws his feelings for Blanche, proceeding to confess his true feelings for Jane, a low-class orphan. Just as Wollstonecraft does not approve of submitting to the social power of others, especially men, Jane Eyre’s themes reflect Brontë’s harsh criticisms of traditional norms encouraging exactly the equivalent.
The overarching message in Wollstonecraft’s claim is the equality of ideas in the face of social imbalance. She advocated for a mutually beneficial respect for reasoning and thought, rather than hierarchal power. Rather than be pushed down by the deeply set patriarchal structure of her country, she steped up to make herself heard. This message of achieving the same mental and social autonomy and independence that men have already created for themselves resounds clearly with the concepts in Jane Eyre. Just as Jane found her own voice in her development throughout the novel, Wollstonecraft told the world that she has found her own. There is no need for the fog of tradition to cloud rational debate in the modern world. Each and every person has his or her own brain, capable of developing his or her own thoughts, none of which is more valid to be shared simply on the basis of an arbitrary social hierarchy.