Bronte '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.
In Charlotte Brontë 's, Jane Eyre, we see a reversal of gender roles for both Mr. Rochester and Jane. In multiple scenes of the book the two switch back and forth from their “natural” roles, which ends up benefiting the two. In the story, Mr. Rochester, the big burly owner of Thornfield, occasionally drops his natural patriarchal role to become a feminine character. Jane also does this as she takes on a more masculine role from time to time, and drops her feminine complacency. While usually both characters dropping their gender-specific roles could turn out bad, in this story, dropping the stereotypical gender roles by blurring them leads to happiness by the end of the story. Both characters, venturing out of their gender roles, find ways to compliment and figure out who the other person really is, and, in the end, a burgeoning love fully blooms. When examining the gender roles of Mr. Rochester and Jane, both are a blend of each and life seems better when conventional gender roles are forgotten.
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?
Jane Eyre is a female Bildungsroman written by Charlotte Brontë in 1848. In the novel we follow the protagonist, a young Victorian woman who struggles to overcome the oppressive patriarchal society in which she is entrapped. It is a story of enclosure and escape, from the imprisonment of her childhood to the possible entrapment of her daunting marriage. Throughout the novel Jane must fight against her inevitable future that society has already chosen for her. We see her attempt to overcome the confinements of her given gender, background and status. She must prove her worth against the men she encounters throughout her life, showing her equality in intelligence and strength. Her refusal to submit to her social destiny shocked many Victorian readers when the novel was first released and this refusal to accept the forms, customs, and standards of society made it one of the first rebellious feminism novels of its time (Gilbert and Gubar). This essay will discuss the relationships Jane formed with the men she encountered throughout the novel and will attempt to identify moments of patriarchal oppression within the story.
Arguably, Helen’s short presence in Jane’s life influences Jane’s many of Jane’s decisions throughout the test. First, Jane forgives Mrs. Reed for her cruel treatment during Jane’s childhood. Jane also forgives Mr. Rochester for his deception and decides to return to him, all before knowing about the fire and Bertha Mason’s death. Just as Jesus preached to his disciples to forgive and live a pure life. In Maria Lamonaca’s literary criticism, "Jane's Crown of Thorns: feminism and Christianity in Jane Eyre" she states, “[Helen’s] example and beliefs serve Jane in good stead later in the novel. It is Helen who advises Jane to study the New Testament and follow Christ's example, in particular his injunction to "Love your enemies"--a counsel that clearly influences the forgiveness Jane grants the dying Mrs. Reed” (Lamonaca
Oftentimes, minor characters help to reveal a theme or contribute to the characterization of the protagonist. In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Helen Burns serves as a foil character to the protagonist, Jane Eyre. Throughout the novel, Helen’s docile and pious nature helps to emphasize Jane’s development from a passionate girl to a modest woman. Helen’s theological beliefs also allow her to serve as a foil character to Mr. Brocklehurst, the headmaster of Lowood Institution, and St John Rivers, a zealous missionary, in order to reveal how Christianity is used to control Jane. Compared to the male characters in the novel, Helen’s positive use of religion proves to be more effective in encouraging Jane to adopt Christian values. The
Thornfield was a completely different world for Jane. It was a major change physically and socially, as a governess she had more opportunities and duties to fulfill. Jane was not intimidated by what was expected of her, yet she was excited to see what the future at Thornfield had in store for her. The power of love was unavoidable for Jane, “The claims of her former love prove stronger than her sense of duty to that honorable but emotionally shallow Rivers” (Moss 3). Rochester was a major influence on Jane as this was a critical time she was maturing, yet she did not let him get in the way of her work. The work that was expected of her what always her top priority, Rochester was her second. “I believe he is of mine;—I am sure he is,—I feel akin to
Compared to other novels with female characters at the time, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Jane Austen’s female characters in Pride and Prejudice break the social norm for women and do not portray them as passive.
The titular Jane in Jane Eyre struggles to free herself from the power of others to achieve independence throughout the course of the book. As a child, she fights against unjust authority figures, and as an adult, she spurs multiple unequal marriage proposals. Bronte, through Jane asserts that a woman should be independent from others.
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. Unraveling the acclaimed novel definitely showcased how in the end “Love conquers all”. Truly, Jane Eyre will forever remain as a masterpiece of art due to its dynamic characters, insightful themes and exquisitely crafted sense of style and writing.
2. Why is it ironic that Jane is seen as the guilty party in the incident with John Reed? To whom does she compare John? What is she implying in this comparison?
Hysteria was first discovered in Egyptian texts dating back to 1900 BC. However, in the 19th century, the epidemic began to spread in Europe and the U.S. Exclusively to women, hysteria caused a variety of side effects such as sexual desire, emotional eruptions and nervousness. It was not until psychologist Sigmund Freud debunked the illness in the 1890’s, that hysteria was pronounced a misconception. Although the myth of the disease disappeared, the stigmas surrounding women’s behavior were still present. In Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys, and The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the female protagonists slowly slip into insanity due to the authority of their husbands. The image of the hysterical woman displayed throughout history
Jane Eyre, published in 1847, by focusing on its protagonist’s, Jane’s personality, dependency and self governance. The aim of this study is to look into Jane’s development and analyze her identity with the help of a theoretical framework drawn from psychoanalysis and developmental psychology, and within the context of the Victorian era. The novel focuses on Jane’s experiences and psychological growth from youth to adulthood.
A byronic hero carries traits of an unethical protagonist in order to show that one is narcissistic with evil intentions. In the novel Jane Eyre (1847) Charlotte Brontë creates the character of Edward Rochester to play the role as the byronic hero. Brontë is able to illustrate the character with her choice of emotional appeal, characterization, and tone. Brontë’s purpose in creating Rochester’s character was to show the characteristics of a byronic hero in order to capture the different aspects of his inhumane behavior and dark persona.
Individualism is the political and social philosophy that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. It is the idea that the individual’s life belongs to him and that he has an inalienable right to live it as he sees fit, to act on his own judgment, to keep and use the product of his effort, and to pursue the values of his choosing. It’s the idea that the individual is sovereign, an end in himself, and the fundamental unit of moral concernIndividualism in a novel refers to characters’ unique qualities as well as the way in which they express themselves. It is also called non-conformity, which implies standing out from the rest. Societal expectations in a novel refers to standards of behavior set and accepted to be “normal” by the society