Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Knopf Publishing Group, 2006.
Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Knopf Publishing Group, 2006.
Bronte demonstrates her stance on feminism by creating characters that defy the stereotypical ideal woman during the Victorian era. Jane’s characterization opposed many desired virtues of the Victorian era because the ideal woman at the time was docile and selflessly devoted to her family as demonstrated in Patmore’s poem which reads, “ Man must be pleased, but him to please/ Is woman’s pleasure.” (Document E) As opposed to the character of Jane Eyre portrayed as a strong, stubborn woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and has control of her own choices. Since she has no familial male figures present in her life, Jane has the opportunity to make autonomous decisions on what she wants, contradicting the standard rule of male ownership of…
Jane’s plain and normal features – of which do her no good to distinguish her from the typical woman – prevent her from receiving fair and equal treatment to women born with blessed genetics. For example, in chapter 3 in which Jane’s cousin John bullies her, and gets her into trouble for defending herself, the house servant Abbot makes a comment to the other servant, noting that “if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that”, to which the other servant, Bessie, replies with a remark in which she notes that she can easier sympathize with Jane’s cousin Georgiana due to her beauty and grace. Even the older women in this book don’t give Jane the benefit of the doubt because of her appearance. Because Jane does not have any exceptional genetic features, somehow her worth as a person devaluates to a standard in which she cannot even receive sympathy. Furthermore, Jane shows the result of a lifetime of belittlement because of her appearance in chapter 26 when Mr. Rochester – the master of the…
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre tells the story of Jane’s growth and development as she searches for a meaningful existence in society. Author Faith McKay said, “No matter what your family happens to be like…it affects who you are. It matters.” Jane is an orphan, forced to battle a cruel guardian, a patriarchal society, and a rigid social order. (Anderson, “Identity and Independence in Jane Eyre”) Jane has concrete beliefs in what women deserve, as well as obtainable goals for how she imagines her place in society as a woman (Lewkowicz, “The Experience of Womanhood in Jane Eyre”) and with self-growth, Jane Eyre was able to define herself as well as equip herself with wisdom and…
Not only did Jane experience the death of her parents at a very young age, she also suffered the bereavement of her Uncle, who had taken her in, shortly after. Whilst on his deathbed, Jane's aunt had promised her husband she would bring up Jane as her own child, in their house, along with their three other…
When at school, Jane was learning much more than arithmetic. She was mature enough now to have a deep understanding of her faith, and developed a firm support for her beliefs. It was during this period of her life when she truly realized how her abuse in childhood formed her growing personality. Her discoveries of love and it’s lasting effect even after death are the evident foundations for her actions later on. By now, she had forgiven her abusers and moved on with her life, now that it was finally her…
Every topic in life can be portrayed as a controversial issue. There always have been two sides to every discussion and there always will be two sides. In the novel Jane Eyre, feminism is portrayed as the main controversial issue. In the early 19th century, women lived in a world that measures the likelihood of their success by the degree of their “marriageability”, which would have included their family connections, economic status and beauty. Women were also subject to the generally accepted standards and roles that society had placed upon them, which did not necessarily provide them with liberty, dignity or independence. This novel explores how Jane defies these cultural standards by her unwillingness to be defined by “marriageability”, unwillingness to submit herself to a man’s emotional power and her desire for independence while keeping her dignity.…
Gothic novels were around from 1764 until about 1820 the gothic novels were said to have started with the castle of otranto by Horace warpole in 1764. Some features that can define a gothic novel are things such as terror, mystery, the supernatural, doom, death, decay, haunted buildings, ghost's, madness, hereditary problems and so on. Jane Eyre is not a gothic novel but it seems to have elements which are like that of a gothic novel.…
Jane Eyre is an orphan adopted by her aunt. Jane is treated very cruel by her aunt her three children. Her aunt, Mrs. Reed, never listened to Jane. Her cousins always tormented her because they knew she would be punished. Her aunt branded her as a liar.…
The novel Jane Eyre is a story about a stoic woman who fights her entire life through many trials and tribulations until she finds true love and achieves an almost nirvana-like state of being. The manner, in which Charlotte Bronte writes, her tone and diction especially, lends its self to the many purposes of the novel. The diction of Bronte usually had characteristics of gothic culture and showed the usually negative and angry inner thoughts of Jane. The tone of the novel was there sympathetic towards Jane and displayed her as an intelligent and kind person who has been given a terrible lot in life. This allows the audience to feel connected with Jane because most people have gone through times in their life where they have felt similar emotions to that of Jane. This common thread between Jane and the audience allowed Bronte to better explain the internal struggles of Jane Eyre.…
Published in 1847, under the pseudonym Currer Bell, Jane Eyre, is “ one of the most widely read of English novels.” Written by Charlotte Bronte, this novel made a major impact on the Victorian reading public, as well as today’s viewing public. With about thirteen television and film adaptations, it is not surprising that Jane Eyre is one of the most filmed novels. Unlike most books of its time, Jane Eyre took its readers on a journey into the restricted life of women living in the nineteenth century. For certain, these nineteenth century women were dominated by the overbearing men of their time. Thought to be submissive and unreasoning, women were expected to allow the men in their lives to make all decisions. In this novel, Jane Eyre, an orphan, applies the education and tools she gained throughout her life of struggle to become a strong, independent woman. Along the way, Jane repeatedly faces alienation from society, yet works to find happiness for herself. Through this, it is evident that Bronte conveys an alienation theme by exhibiting Jane’s isolation from society, and Jane’s struggle to find a place in the social hierarchy.…
Jane’s confrontation to her Aunt Reed is the first time the readers witness her possess a sense of confidence. Throughout her life in Gateshead, Jane is treated with cruelty and abuse, and during the event of Mr. Brocklehurst’s visit, she is treated no differently. Mrs.…
During her time at Gateshed and Lowood Jane learns that love will always be there, even if it is hidden to an extreme. While at Gateshed Bessie had been there for Jane and was Jane's backbone during the hardships. "I daren't…
Jane’s life was full of strife and hardship, and she had many more mountains to climb than the other characters in Jane Eyre; but in the end, she had a life she was happy with. Jane’s struggles started very early in her life, she was orphaned and had to live with her abusive aunt. Jane’s aunt was rough, callous and unforgiving with Jane, as were her kids. When Jane turned ten years old, her aunt shipped her off to a school called Lowood. Jane at first was content with the change for she wouldn’t have to deal with the pain and fear that came along with living with her aunt, but her stay at Lowood did not go as she would’ve expected. At Lowood, Jane made a good friend by the name of Helen, but Helen soon fell ill and died. Jane stayed at Lowood…
Ten-year-old Jane, orphaned by the death of her parents and uncle, led a discontented life under the care of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Due to the harsh treatment she was subject to by both her aunt and cousins, Jane had severe outbursts of retaliation, which resulted in her departure from Gateshead and enrollment at Lowood School.…
The novel is titled “Jane Eyre: an autobiography”, that is, it is a fictional autobiography, the narrative about a life. It is a first person narrative and J is the narrator and modifies the narrative material (we only perceive what the narrator perceives. The reader takes place in the development of the central character.…