Character Foils In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

One of the biggest character foils in Jane Eyre is between Mr. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers. From the first time we meet these characters, it is easy to tell the two apart. While one is ruled by a religious forces the other is controlled by emotions. Jane has to make a choice, and decide how she is going to live the rest of her life. At the end of the novel, she makes a choice between what is expected of her, and what she wants. To simply the question, does she choose the Prince, who is saintly, and on a mission to help others, or does she choose the Beast who hold so much passion, that it is hard to contain? When meeting a stranger you immediately take in their appearance and features, just as Jane does after coming face to face with Mr. Rochester for the first time, noting that he had a “dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow; his eyes and gathered eyebrows looked ireful and thwarted” (Bronte Ch.12). During this encounter it becomes obvious that Rochester is more than a little rough around the edges, being rude and abrupt, while openly judging Jane. Shortly after her encounter with Rochester, Jane realized that the craggy faced man is the wealthy owner of Thornfield Hall. During Janes second engagement with Rochester, it

John was sacrificing passion for principal, while Rochester abandoned principle for consuming passion. This is one of the biggest differences in between the two characters, which is why Jane chose Rochester over John. At one point, Jane is describing both of their eyes, stating that Rochesters was, “under such steadfast brows, ever revealed such flaming and flashing eyes” (Ch.26). His eyes were full of fire, burning bright, full of passion, while St. Johns were rock, ice, and snow. Because of that warmth that radiated from Rochester's eyes, because of the emotion that flowed from them, Jane chose him. She needed love and affection, and instead of finding it from the saintly Prince Charming, she found it in the rugged