jane eyre as a bildungsroman
Bronte’s Bildungsroman: Jane Eyre
From a seed to a flower,
Spreading itself like a weed
Through the world.
From a chick-let to a hawk,
Spreading it’s wings and soaring high
Through the heavens.
A rose unfolding its petals,
Showing its beauty to the world.
A sponge soaking up water,
Like a mind with the knowledge
Of the world.
I am here
And I am ready to take on the world.
Such are the aspirations of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre who grows up moving from a radical stage to “a more pragmatic consciousness” From unloved, penniless orphan to treasured, upper class wife, the story of Jane in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is one of development and personal growth. When published, Charlotte Brontë took a male pseudonym in order to avoid prejudices based on gender (Guy). While speculation on the identity of the author was a factor in the popularity of Jane Eyre, the story of Jane’s character kept the audience reading.
As a novel in the bildungsroman genre, the narrative carries readers through the development of Jane and her “healthy self-interest and rebellious questioning of rules and conventions” (Watkins). Readers are introduced to Jane when she is a young girl living in the manor known as Gateshead. As an orphan, Jane is isolated and unloved by the Reeds, the family of the house. The lack of compassion for Jane is evident when she is locked in the “Red Room,” a haunting chamber where the last of Jane’s known blood relatives died. Mrs. Reed’s harsh punishment of Jane and the cruelty the orphan faces from the other children of the house leave Jane without a sense of belonging. Early in the story, Jane’s questions of belonging connect the novel to the bildungsroman genre.
Jane’s desire for a better life is seemingly fulfilled when she learns she will be leaving Gateshead for the Lowood School. However, a cruel and abusive headmaster leaves Jane wondering if her situation will ever truly change. Fortunately, a
From a seed to a flower,
Spreading itself like a weed
Through the world.
From a chick-let to a hawk,
Spreading it’s wings and soaring high
Through the heavens.
A rose unfolding its petals,
Showing its beauty to the world.
A sponge soaking up water,
Like a mind with the knowledge
Of the world.
I am here
And I am ready to take on the world.
Such are the aspirations of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre who grows up moving from a radical stage to “a more pragmatic consciousness” From unloved, penniless orphan to treasured, upper class wife, the story of Jane in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is one of development and personal growth. When published, Charlotte Brontë took a male pseudonym in order to avoid prejudices based on gender (Guy). While speculation on the identity of the author was a factor in the popularity of Jane Eyre, the story of Jane’s character kept the audience reading.
As a novel in the bildungsroman genre, the narrative carries readers through the development of Jane and her “healthy self-interest and rebellious questioning of rules and conventions” (Watkins). Readers are introduced to Jane when she is a young girl living in the manor known as Gateshead. As an orphan, Jane is isolated and unloved by the Reeds, the family of the house. The lack of compassion for Jane is evident when she is locked in the “Red Room,” a haunting chamber where the last of Jane’s known blood relatives died. Mrs. Reed’s harsh punishment of Jane and the cruelty the orphan faces from the other children of the house leave Jane without a sense of belonging. Early in the story, Jane’s questions of belonging connect the novel to the bildungsroman genre.
Jane’s desire for a better life is seemingly fulfilled when she learns she will be leaving Gateshead for the Lowood School. However, a cruel and abusive headmaster leaves Jane wondering if her situation will ever truly change. Fortunately, a