Charlotte Bronte A Heroine

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She once told her sisters that they were wrong – even morally wrong – in making their heroines beautiful as a matter of course. They replied that it was impossible to make a heroine interesting on any other terms. Her answer was, “I will prove to you that you are wrong; I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself, who shall be as interesting as any of yours (Gaskell 235).
Introduction
Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was an English novelist whose novels have become enduring classics of English literature. In this essay, two of her novels will be discussed, Jane Eyre, published in 1847 and Villette, published in 1853. In both of these novels, Brontë demonstrates that she was way ahead of her time regarding feminism and gender equality. …show more content…

In earlier centuries women often took part in family businesses along with the men of the family, but as the 19th century progressed, it became more common that women were left to supervise the domestic sphere. The main professions considered suitable for women, who were allowed to work, were for the most part related to nursing and serving (Hughes). If a woman took a job and earned her own money, it was considered a great concern for humanity because it was commonly believed that “economic independence will automatically lead to sexual independence; if women are ‘self-supporters,’ they will not marry; if they do not marry, sexuality will no longer be controlled.” (Poovey 153). Women in Victorian England were believed to be inferior to men; they “were subjected to their [men’s] authority in many ways” (Fletcher 108) and their legal status could be compared to that of children. “[I]nnocence and inexperience and a cultivated fragility were the characteristic attributes of the Victorian girl” (Klein 264). There was a clear division of sexes and both males and females knew and accepted that their roles were different, because of the different gender. Even within marriage, women were not considered to be their husband’s equals and they were obliged to lead unequal lives until the end …show more content…

The working class woman had to go out to work, often for twelve or more hours a day (Calder 67). When the workday was over, all the household chores waited for her at home because the working class could not afford to pay for servants. At the time of no mechanical aids or ready water supply, the daily housework was both very difficult and time-consuming (Fletcher 87). As one can imagine, there was no way a normal woman could manage to work twelve hours or more a day as well as caring perfectly for the home. Consequently, the woman’s employment resulted in untidy homes, diseases, neglected children and unhappy husbands. “The employment of women was [thus] widely condemned. It was seen as an offence to feminine decency, as a threat to the family and as leading directly to immorality” (Calder

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