Bronte demonstrates her stance on feminism by creating characters that defy the stereotypical ideal woman during the Victorian era. Jane’s characterization opposed many desired virtues of the Victorian era because the ideal woman at the time was docile and selflessly devoted to her family as demonstrated in Patmore’s poem which reads, “ Man must be pleased, but him to please/ Is woman’s pleasure.” (Document E) As opposed to the character of Jane Eyre portrayed as a strong, stubborn woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and has control of her own choices. Since she has no familial male figures present in her life, Jane has the opportunity to make autonomous decisions on what she wants, contradicting the standard rule of male ownership of…
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre tells the story of Jane’s growth and development as she searches for a meaningful existence in society. Author Faith McKay said, “No matter what your family happens to be like…it affects who you are. It matters.” Jane is an orphan, forced to battle a cruel guardian, a patriarchal society, and a rigid social order. (Anderson, “Identity and Independence in Jane Eyre”) Jane has concrete beliefs in what women deserve, as well as obtainable goals for how she imagines her place in society as a woman (Lewkowicz, “The Experience of Womanhood in Jane Eyre”) and with self-growth, Jane Eyre was able to define herself as well as equip herself with wisdom and…
Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre was produced in the Victorian era, when social elitism was in its prime and there was great segregation between the upper and lower estates. The former was composed of the clergy and nobility and was defined by wealth, privileges and lavish lifestyles. The middle class, conversely, were the most frustrated by the exclusiveness of the upper estate. Possessing skill, intelligence and assertiveness, they believed that rank and power should derive from talent and merit, rather than from noble birth. Through the demonisation and infliction of a tragic downfall upon “Master Reed”, Brontë condemns the life of pleasure and honour, the lifelong inactivity so heavily indulged by those born into the aristocracy. By characterising Mr Brocklehurst as excessively and hypocritically pious, Brontë highlights the upper clergyman’s propensity to masquerade as a great nobleman, rather than to exercise the competence and benevolence integral to his role. Finally, Brontë implements a love of “servitude” and disdain for a “still … doom”, as well as the ambiguous social position of a governess in her protagonist, Jane Eyre, rendering her an agent for the middle class’ philosophy on worthiness of privilege. Ultimately, Brontë’s Jane Eyre calls for the reformation of the Victorian social structure as the extremities involved in social elitism ignore the inherent needs of man.…
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre illustrates the significance of self-respect, confidence, and integrity in overcoming several predicaments. Bronte portrays this through Jane, who possesses both a sense of self-worth and dignity, which are continually tested and depicted throughout the novel. These attributes are illustrated when she refuses St. John’s hand in marriage, leaves Rochester after discovering his secret that he is married, and when she bravely stands up to Mrs. Reed.…
“Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! - I have as much soul as you, - and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you!” This was a quote by Jane Eyre, from the book Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre was strong-willed, hopeful, and at the end forgivable. She had a tragic life but she still stayed strong. Some people believe that Jane Eyre changed throughout the book significantly. While others disagree, that Jane Eyre changed throughout the book. Overall, Jane Eyre did not change as much as one might think. Being forgivable is what changed in Jane Eyre’s life. Jane Eyre did not change as much as one might think, even though she grew up in a horrible home, she went to an unfriendly school, and she had mixed emotions and actions that happened while working for Mr. Rochester.…
Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre explores one woman’s life in 19th century England. Jane lives in a society whose culture is shallow and apathetic to virtue. Even though she is exemplary in character and intellect, these attributes are forgotten in place of class and beauty. Jane struggles with the harsh judgment she faces for being poor and conventionally unattractive. Jane departs from Victorian ideals and argues that equality must supersede gender roles and conditions of one’s birth. Phyllis Yeo contends that Jane is inconsistent. She states that whenJane characterizes Bertha Mason as a monster because of her mental status, this fails to uphold her ideals. I disagree that the characterization of Bertha makes Jane an imperfect character.…
It is rather obvious to the reader that Brontë, through the character of Jane Eyre, is somewhat critical of Victorian England’s strict social structure and hierarchy, a primary vehicle for delivering this criticism being Brontë’s exploration of Jane’s complicated social position as a Victorian governess. Jane is of ambiguous class standing, and as a result is a source of tension among the other characters around her. As a Victorian governess, who tutored children in not only social etiquette, but also in academics, it was a prerequisite that Jane possessed not only the ability to teach but also the ‘culture’ of the aristocracy. Yet, as a paid employee, Jane remains penniless and powerless, comparable in status to the other servants at Thornfield.…
Charlotte once said to her two younger sisters that, "I will write a heroine who is as normal as I am; however she will attract the readers' interest as any heroine in your novels does." In 1847, Charlotte realized her prediction.…
I think that the lack of guidance for Ophelia and Hamlet possess significant impact on the choices that both characters make. Essentially, Ophelia is left without anyone to really advocate for her. She understands that her emotions for Hamlet are intense and that the situation that surrounds them both is equally volatile.…
If there’s one thing that Charlotte Bronte could not be accused of, it is writing a simple romance novel. Jane Eyre is by all accounts a novel of love, but also a novel of personal growth, of pain, of things above human comprehension, and of happiness. Bronte intimately acquaints her readers with Jane Eyre, and gets us to love Jane despite all the obstacles she has to face .In keeping with the heart of the bildungsroman novel, Bronte lets us see not just the good times in Jane’s life, but also the bad and the ugly. Bronte further ensnares the reader with the supernatural element she laces throughout the novel that is often the harbinger of bad times for Jane. It is with this combination of elements that Charlotte Bronte writes the great Gothic novel; it is almost like a recipe, one happy fairytale plus a handful of mysterious supernatural events equals the perfect balance of romance and horror for the perfect gothic novel.…
During the mid-nineteenth century, the English writer Charlotte Bronte published Jane Eyre under the pen name Currer Bell. Jane Eyre is a novel of the bildungsroman genre, meaning that is follows a character through the stages of their life. This novel follows the emotions and experiences of its protagonist as she develops into adulthood. On her journey, she finds love in the master of the fictitious Thornfield Hall as well as her true identity. Jane Eyre’s strong sense of morality and equality become the backbone of her definition of self as well as the fight between love and passion. The introduction of love becomes a temptation and develops into an internal battle. The bildungsroman nature of this novel allows the battle to be broken down into the stages defined by the author. Therefore, the first stage is that of Jane Eyre’s time at Thornfield Hall and her courtship with Mr. Rochester. This is the point in which she must chose between herself and her love. Edward Rochester is Jane’s greatest temptation and the largest obstacle to her identity, the battle is most ardently viewed in three separate stages within her time at Thornfield Hall: the inequality of the courtship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, the lead up to the their nuptials and the moral choice after the revelation of Bertha Mason.…
The relationship between Jane and Rochester, in Jane Eyre is an intriguing, captivating and unconventional one, right from their first meeting. Throughout the novel, Bronte conveys the struggles in which Jane is faced with, in order to have a genuine loving and equal relationship with Rochester, without betraying her own personal beliefs and principles. Also the issues of social class standing, social rules, gender roles and religion in the nineteenth century Victorian culture present as obstacles to Jane in her quest. Jane finds a companion in Rochester who can offer her the love, acceptance and sense of belonging she so yearns for. However Jane must find a way around the issues I have presented, which are a result of Victorian attitudes in society during the nineteenth century,…
The plot of this novel is undoubtedly intricate and fascinating, but what makes the majority of female readers attracted to it is the heroine’s personality. Jane is brave, firm and sensible in pursuit of her love, liberty, and equality. She sweeps the world away to be with Mr. Rochester and believes in pure truer…
Jane Eyre is the story of an underprivileged, orphaned girl 's pursue for love. However, the plot of Jane Eyre is very obscured. Suspense plays a great role in the story. In each chapter, Jane discovers an answer to one question only to be perplexed with another mystery or dilemma. Through the use of similes, metaphors, and other literary devices, Charlotte Bronte conveys many hidden meanings throughout this text to keep readers interested, thinking, and full of suspense.…
After reading Jane Eyre, I think Jane Eyre is a great woman. Jane is disadvantaged in many ways as she has no wealth, family, social position or beauty. Jane does have intelligence though, and her disposition is such to make Rochester fall in love with her. Through a serious of troublesome situations between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, the author set up a great female image before us: insisting on maintaining an independent personality, pursuing individual freedom, advocating equality of life and being confident in hard conditions. And the most observably thing she shows us is the feminism.…