Jane Eyre
REPRESENTATION OF VARIOUS WOMEN IN JANE EYRE AND THE SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE VICTORIAN SOCIETY
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte utilizes the Victorian convention of the orphaned heroine who is forced to find her way in the world. Two popular feminist theorists, Sandrs M. Gilbert and susan Gubar have said in their essay “The Madwoman in the Attic” that there is a trend int the literary history that places women characters into one of the two stereotypes : either the “passive angel” or the “active monster”. The “angel” image is one of the domesticated woman whose ultimate goal is to please and tend to her husband and family. However,Charlotte bromte did not limit her characterization to this strict dichotomy between monster and angel. Jane eyre herself possesses many of the qualities of the angel:she is pure,moral and controlled in her behaviour. Yt,at the same time,she is passionate,independent and courageous. She refuses to submit to apposition of inferiority to the men in her life,even when faced with a choice between love and autonomy and ultimately triumphs over social expectations. Moreover,her childhood experiences demonstrate the same rebelliousness and anger that characterize”the monster”. Her appearance of control and patience is learnt at her staya y Lowood though she stillll maintains the fiery spirit that defined her charactera s a child.
Throughout the novel jane encounters numerous women who offer her either positive or negative models of women. In a book which is so concerned with the narrator’s own development, a typical BILDUNGSROMAN,it is perhaps inevitable that these role models should be reperesented in ways that emphasize the role they have in formation pf her character and opinions.
The initial female characters that we are introduced to,apart from Jane herself are Mrs. Reed and her two daughters,jane’s cousins Eliza and Georgiana. Mrs. Reed palys the role in Jane Eyre of the almost Cindrella-like evil aunt showing llove only towards
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte utilizes the Victorian convention of the orphaned heroine who is forced to find her way in the world. Two popular feminist theorists, Sandrs M. Gilbert and susan Gubar have said in their essay “The Madwoman in the Attic” that there is a trend int the literary history that places women characters into one of the two stereotypes : either the “passive angel” or the “active monster”. The “angel” image is one of the domesticated woman whose ultimate goal is to please and tend to her husband and family. However,Charlotte bromte did not limit her characterization to this strict dichotomy between monster and angel. Jane eyre herself possesses many of the qualities of the angel:she is pure,moral and controlled in her behaviour. Yt,at the same time,she is passionate,independent and courageous. She refuses to submit to apposition of inferiority to the men in her life,even when faced with a choice between love and autonomy and ultimately triumphs over social expectations. Moreover,her childhood experiences demonstrate the same rebelliousness and anger that characterize”the monster”. Her appearance of control and patience is learnt at her staya y Lowood though she stillll maintains the fiery spirit that defined her charactera s a child.
Throughout the novel jane encounters numerous women who offer her either positive or negative models of women. In a book which is so concerned with the narrator’s own development, a typical BILDUNGSROMAN,it is perhaps inevitable that these role models should be reperesented in ways that emphasize the role they have in formation pf her character and opinions.
The initial female characters that we are introduced to,apart from Jane herself are Mrs. Reed and her two daughters,jane’s cousins Eliza and Georgiana. Mrs. Reed palys the role in Jane Eyre of the almost Cindrella-like evil aunt showing llove only towards
Bibliography: “Madwoman in the Attic” Sandra Gilbert and susan Gubar Dark Dobles in Jane eyre-Chatnoir