Coming Of Age In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre
An orphan, a governess, and now a fiancée: Jane Eyre is by no means a traditional protagonist for a novel that explores themes of true love, honesty, and coming of age. And yet, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre masterfully captures the life of a young woman in 19th-century England as she attempts to balance her individual desires with what society wants. Her life is irreversibly changed once she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, the estate of Mr. Rochester. The two fall in love, and are quickly engaged. Soon thereafter, Jane 's affluent fiancé takes her into town to make wedding preparations. Such an excursion entailed shopping: arguably Jane’s least favorite activity, after gnawing off her own arm, as Jane is frugal and has been raised not to accept what she hasn’t earned. In the carriage on the couple’s journey home, Brontë draws many comparisons between Jane and Rochester’s relationship and that of a master and slave. Brontë’s language heavily features riches and themes of bondage. By juxtaposing …show more content…
Society watered her down, and to consummate her marriage to Mr. Rochester would also consummate Jane’s transformation from her freethinking self into the ideal Victorian woman. To insult society’s idolatry of a submissive wife displays influence from radical 18th and 19th-century philosophers such as the firebrand Mary Wollstonecraft. Her sway over Brontë’s work may not be conspicuous, but Wollstonecraft wrote in A Vindication of the Rights of Women that “the duty expected from [women] is, like all the duties arbitrarily imposed on women, more from a sense of propriety, more out of respect for decorum, than reason; and thus… they are prepared for the slavery of marriage.” What society failed to recognize was that love does not necessitate marriage: as Wollstonecraft wrote, for Jane to submit to marriage would also be to submit to slavery that society
Gender Norms In Jane Eyre And The Awakening
1302 Words | 6 PagesJane develops a *find quote about jane thinking her crush on Rochester is childlike* but is morally derailed when it is revealed that Mr. Rochester has been hiding his feral wife in the attic. This presents Jane with the arduous decision of choosing to stay with her love or to leave in the night. Jane chooses the latter the author, Emily Brontë writes, ***find quote**. Though this must have been a difficult decision, Jane choose, out of her selfless nature, to pursue an uncertain and dangerous path just to preserve a principled world. This is not only an impressive response when she was tested but it is a display of feminism.
Who Is John A Foil In Jane Eyre
1115 Words | 5 PagesJane Eyre, a diary written by Charlotte Bronte, is told by the perspective of a young, fiery woman by the name of Jane, who comes into contact with two men. Two men who ultimately guide her towards two life paths, forcing her to choose one, leaving the other behind. In the novel, Jane is faced with the choice between two potential husbands, Rochester, the fiery man for whom she loves truly or St. John, a more icey, practical choice for Jane, creating an significant difficult choice. In the end, Jane chooses Rochester leaving behind St. John, which shows how Jane is better suited for Rochester because of their similar moralities, life goals, and indestructible bond. In the novel, St. John distinctly serves as a foil to Rochester, for he proves to the reader that their moralities are weaved into the final decision Jane is ultimately faced with.
Examples Of Diction In Jane Eyre
427 Words | 2 PagesFinally, the details about society show that Jane recognizes the standards of her victorian society and needs to abide by them. After Jane had thought awhile, she no longer “felt justified in judging” Mr. Rochester and Blanche for “acting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them.” Though Jane wishes to be loved by Mr. Rochester, she comes to the realization that rich men do not marry lower-class women in her
Emotional And Character Development In Bronte's Jane Eyre
1588 Words | 7 PagesBronte 's Jane Eyre transcends the genres of literature to depict the emotional and character development of its protagonist. Although no overall genre dominates the novel exclusively, the vivid use of setting contributes towards the portrayal of Bronte’s bildungsroman (Realisms, 92) and defines the protagonist’s struggles as she grapples with her inner-self, and the social expectations of her gender. The novel incorporates Jane’s frequent conflicts, oppression, isolation and self-examination as she defends her identity and independence. Set amongst five separate locations, Bronte’s skilful use of literal and metaphorical landscapes, nature, and imagery, skilfully intertwines with the plot and denotes each phrase of her maturity.
Development And Development In Jane Eyre
901 Words | 4 PagesIn Charlotte Bronte’s novel “Jane Eyre” Edward Fairfax Rochester plays a contributing role in Janes development and growth as a character and human being in the Victorian time period. Not only does he play a large role in her independency, but in her emotional and spiritual growth as well. She grows around him whether she likes it or not. Due to Edwards manipulative and seductive nature, jane has to grow and develop in a way that has her frequently questioning her own ideals, whether that be spiritually or morally, and strengthening her independence by constantly refusing her feelings for him and adapting to punishing situations. Edward also opens Janes eyes to a world that is bigger than she realized due to his company at the house, wealth, and opportunities at the favorable Thornfeild manor at which she was employed by him.
Overcoming Barriers In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre
1511 Words | 7 PagesOvercoming Barriers Famous singer Tupac Shakur once stated that, “Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real.” Shakur may have been talking about successfully reaching your biggest hopes, but this quote reflects a different meaning in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. As Jane has recurring strange dreams, she does not realize that her dreams foreshadow her future reality. Instead of trusting her symbolic dreams, Jane disregards them and instead focuses on her current life with Rochester, as everything seems in place for their upcoming marriage.
Theme Of Innocence In Brontë's Jane Eyre
1658 Words | 7 PagesAs humans, we come across new experiences everyday. With these new experiences comes an innocence, because they are just that, new. They are situations we have never been in before, so the lack of knowledge that comes with something new also provides purity. While we obviously gain experience as we grow older and figure out the inner workings of the society, most of us still find ourselves in these new situations. For example you don 't know how things work on your first day of a new job.
Examples Of Happiness In Jane Eyre
991 Words | 4 PagesJane Eyre: A Quest for True Happiness Charlotte Bronte’s classic heartfelt novel entitled “Jane Eyre” depicts how an unloved orphan constantly wishes for affection and acceptance throughout her life. Even at an early age in life, she never truly understood what it meant to be “loved” and what it means to “love” others. With this, maturing into a young lady definitely opened her eyes to the realities of life. Moreover, the novel also depicts a patriarchal society where women aren’t respected with dignity and equality. In this coming of age novel, discover how a young woman courageously faced her fears and triumphed with love in the end.
Comparing Mary Wollstonecraft's Pride And Prejudice
568 Words | 3 PagesThe Reverberation of Mary Wollstonecraft in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) has often been regarded as one of the most influential and important articulations in the history of feminist theory. Wollstonecraft, addressing such issues as education, politics and marriage and debunking the myths of female frailties, vehemently argues for the rights of women and the equality of the sexes. In particular, Wollstonecraft’s views on marriage are continuously echoed throughout Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice (1812). Wollstonecraft’s notion that marriage should be based on friendship and respect rather than economic security or physical attraction is an ideal epitomized by the nuptials between Pride and Prejudice’s two leading characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Matrimony in eighteenth and nineteenth century England played a significant role in the lives of women.
The Struggle For Independence In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre
431 Words | 2 PagesWhen a new suitor, St. John, proposes to Jane, she again rejects the marriage. This time, it 's because St. John plainly states that Jane would be subordinate to him as a missionary 's wife. Jane soon leaves St. John too. It 's only when Jane is fortified financially through an inheritance and socially by newly discovered family that Jane marries a blind and crippled Mr. Rochester. A marriage without equality, according to Bronte, shouldn 't have to be the only option
Gender Roles In Jane Eyre
933 Words | 4 PagesShe states a more modern view upon the subject about the female role in society where she states a desire that women should be able to do the same things as men, without a judgemental view from society. This view of gender roles was controversial in the Victorian era, but Jane Eyre represents a new and fresh feature in the early feminist movement with a more equal view upon the subject. Though, upon the marriage with Mr. Rochester, Jane shows another side of her feministic character. The independent Jane, starts to question her role in the marriage.
Jane Eyre Psychoanalytic Analysis
1485 Words | 6 PagesJane goes against the expected type by “refusing subservience, disagreeing with her superiors, standing up for her rights, and venturing creative thoughts” (Margaret, 1997, p. 325-346). She is not only successful in terms of wealth and position, but more importantly, in terms of family and love. These two needs that have evaded Jane for so long are finally hers. Adding to her victory is her ability to enjoy both without losing her hard-won independence. Everybody has the rights to pursue happiness, to pursue the true spirit of life, which can be seen from Jane Eyre’s struggle for independence and equality.
Elements Of Individualism In Jane Eyre
1414 Words | 6 PagesCharlotte Bronte takes us on a journey from the point which Jane Eyre, the protagonist lives with her aunt and cousins whom very much dislikes her in Gateshead to her going to a boarding school in Lowood, after which she becomes a governess in Thornfield where she falls in love with Mr. Rochester her employer whom she later finds out is married to a mad woman by the name of Bertha Mason, upon her discovery of this she picks up and leaves Thornfield, she then ends up at Marsh End where he meets her relatives. The novel carries us through ever important event in her life, which introduces us to new aspects of her personality, up until her eventual marriage to Mr. Rochester. The novel fits this theme as its protagonist chooses individualism as she refuses to take the role subservience as that of a traditional female of the Victorian era society, she stands up for her rights and want she believes in, she ventures in her own unique thoughts, and stands by her views even if it means disagreeing with those superior to her. Jane comments on the role of women in society and the greater constraint imposed on them. V.S Naipaul’s
Feminism In Jane Eyre
791 Words | 4 PagesRebecca West once said, “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat”; feminism and other social issues are fundamental to literature, with them commonly being a driving force behind both modern and classic works of fiction. Feminism is everywhere, with women still fighting for gender equality in modern day Britain as demonstrated through Emma Watson’s United Nations speech which was broadcasted in September of 2014 where she differentiates feminism from ‘man-hating’. Feminism has developed considerably over time as general attitudes have been swayed through literature, political movements and women’s portrayal of themselves. In 1847, Charlotte Bronte released her novel ‘Jane Eyre’ which was viewed as very radical for its time as Bronte uses Jane to exhibit her resentment towards society. Jane is presented as a morally strong, determined character who, when she falls in love, embraces the notion instead of the label and profits which are associated with it; she states that she “cares for [her]self” and that “more unsustained [she is], the more [she] will respect [her]self” as she is not tempted away from her self-respect.
Theme Of Marriage In Jane Eyre
805 Words | 4 PagesTopic: Marriage in “Jane Eyre” In “Jane Eyre” Charlotte Brontë rejects the traditional role of women subdued by social conceptions and masculine authority by generating an identity to her female character. Thesis: Jane´s personality will bring into being a new kind of marriage based on equality, meanwhile her choice for romantic fulfilment will depend solely on her autonomy and self-government. Introduction Charlotte Brontë´s “Jane Eyre” stands as a model of genuine literature due to the fact that it breaks all conventions and stereotypes and goes beyond the boundaries of common romance in order to obtain love, identity and equality. 1.
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