English Essay 2 Jane Eyre

Ms. Milliner Nneoma Anyanwu
E8-04 2-26-14

Essay #2

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre can be viewed in many different ways, but most of all, it is a romantic novel. Some, however, don’t see it this way. The beginning stages of the love relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester’s are a bit unusual. We first encounter this relationship between Jane and Rochester during their first dramatic meeting. She encounters him when he falls off his horse and she is required to give him assistance. Jane’s first impression of his face is that ‘He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow’. This may portray the dimness in his face, waiting to be enlightened by a woman which, in this case Jane. Further on in this chapter, unaware of whom he is, on her return home, Jane is amazed to discover that the gentleman she assisted in the road was her employer, Mr. Edward Rochester.
Jane and Rochester’s relationship develops from a small relationship such as employer and employee to a large and committed relationship such as apposed true love. Although the reader only comes to acknowledgement of Jane’s love in Chapter 17, after Jane meets Rochester’s supposedly bride-to be, Miss Blanche Ingram. As readers recall, during their first meeting, Jane gave a vague and brief description of Rochester however, after a while of becoming acquainted with Rochester and falling in love with the unique man she had now met, Jane explains his appearance to be ‘colorless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth - all energy, decision, will - were not beautiful, according to rule; but they were more than beautiful to me.’
At some point in most individuals’ life they will seek a meaningful, romantic relationship resulting in love, commitment, companionship and happiness. After a somewhat hard childhood, deprived of affection, security and love, Jane enjoys much comfort and freedom at Thornfield. However, she continues to experience restlessness and boredom until the arrival of Mr. Rochester. After a quiet, reserved period, Jane and Mr. Rochester spend many hours in conversation. Jane becomes alive in his attention, is stimulated by the challenges he offers and is comfortable in arguing against his opinions.
To Jane, love “is the power which sustains life.” Mr. Rochester confides to Jane that he is in despair, believing himself doomed to suffer for his past sins. Although he tells her of a love he once experienced, the love was worn-out. Apart from this brief confession, the reader is aware that Jane and Mr. Rochester’s conversations are limited to general conversations regarding philosophy. It is very evident to the reader in the first part of the novel that a mutual attraction if felt by both Jane and Mr. Rochester. Although, until they can get through some obstacles that stand in their way, the attraction the share will not progress into a meaningful relationship; it will remain static.
This relationship dominates the novel, as it becomes the most important thing in Jane's life. At first, Jane finds Mr. Rochester rather rude and insensitive, but it is her ability to stand up to him that earns his love. He hopes to secure her in a bigamous marriage. Although the modern reader is sympathetic to Mr. Rochester who was tricked, as a young man, into marrying a lunatic, the 19th century reader would have no doubt that Jane does the right thing in leaving him - to be his mistress is not an option.