Elements Of Feminism In Literature

Although feminism in literature began in early 1960’s, there were many writers who had been preparing for it since long. In English fiction the first few names that come to mind in that respect are Bronte sisters who gave much more power to the woman characters than known earlier. This aspect of their writing has not been explored fully by the critics and scholars. This paper is focused on the elements of feminism in their fiction which paved way for later generation authors and inspired them to present the women characters in more meaningful ways in their literary works.

Key words: Feminism, Bronte Sisters, Victorian literature, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Anne Bronte

“This has always been man’s world”1 laments Simone de Beavouir. She goes on speaking about the suppressive character of this world where man is always the subject and woman “the object, the other.”2 It is in this context she goes on explaining the social conditioning going on since centuries, because of which she finally

Rochester, and put him finally at her mercy. Rochester is the commanding, imperious person of “blind ferocity”, who thinks and acts quite independently. But the same hero, after the tragic accident of burning, becomes blind and crippled. It is at this juncture that Jane Eyre reappears in his life to declare, “I am my own mistress” and “independent woman now.” The helpless hero bends down to confess his predicament, “I have little left in myself”. His pride is gone and he pleads before Jane. “My very soul demands you”.7 Jane Eyre has no helplessness of the earlier days because she has inherited enough property now, but because she loves Rochester so she marries him when he is at the receiving end. This couple is described quite precisely “as if a royal eagle chained to a perch, should be forced to entreat a