Jane Eyre Essay
Jane Eyre Essay
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte is a gothic, Romantic novel that was seen by critics at the time as a controversial text. All though not revolutionary it did contain elements of social rebellion. Elizabeth Rigby from the Quarterly Review labelled ‘Jane Eyre’ an “anti-Christian” novel and an “attack on the English class system”. When read from a 21st century context, the novel shows, through the use of various motifs and imagery, the development of one central character. Bronte shows Jane’s development, while highlighting aspects of her own social and personal context through the characterisation of Jane’s friends, family and acquaintances.
A contemporary contextual reading allows the audience to view Jane Eyre as a character based novel. One critical paper known as the “Tablet” described Jane Eyre as being “simply the development of the human mind”. This bildungsroman genre underpins this reading of Jane Eyre. Similar to other Victorian authors of the time, like Charles Dickens, Bronte uses Jane to represent an individual’s search for identity and their adjustment to society. Q.D Leavis wrote that “the novel is not…but a moral psychological investigation”. As such the novel becomes laden with varying themes and ideal and is neither restricted by genre or by political view (much like the human mind)
Characterisation is used consciously from the beginning of the novel to show the development of Jane’s individual nature and strength. One of the motifs used to represent Jane’s character is the colour red. A fine example of how the colour gains various meaning as the Jane develops is in the first 3 chapters. While in the first Chapter she is enshrouded by the curtains, which provide here with haven from The Reeds the colour soon becomes one symbolic of anxiousness, fear and anger as she is locked up in the red room. “A bed supported by massive pillars of mahogany , hung with curtains of deep red damask.” The description of the magnificent bed
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte is a gothic, Romantic novel that was seen by critics at the time as a controversial text. All though not revolutionary it did contain elements of social rebellion. Elizabeth Rigby from the Quarterly Review labelled ‘Jane Eyre’ an “anti-Christian” novel and an “attack on the English class system”. When read from a 21st century context, the novel shows, through the use of various motifs and imagery, the development of one central character. Bronte shows Jane’s development, while highlighting aspects of her own social and personal context through the characterisation of Jane’s friends, family and acquaintances.
A contemporary contextual reading allows the audience to view Jane Eyre as a character based novel. One critical paper known as the “Tablet” described Jane Eyre as being “simply the development of the human mind”. This bildungsroman genre underpins this reading of Jane Eyre. Similar to other Victorian authors of the time, like Charles Dickens, Bronte uses Jane to represent an individual’s search for identity and their adjustment to society. Q.D Leavis wrote that “the novel is not…but a moral psychological investigation”. As such the novel becomes laden with varying themes and ideal and is neither restricted by genre or by political view (much like the human mind)
Characterisation is used consciously from the beginning of the novel to show the development of Jane’s individual nature and strength. One of the motifs used to represent Jane’s character is the colour red. A fine example of how the colour gains various meaning as the Jane develops is in the first 3 chapters. While in the first Chapter she is enshrouded by the curtains, which provide here with haven from The Reeds the colour soon becomes one symbolic of anxiousness, fear and anger as she is locked up in the red room. “A bed supported by massive pillars of mahogany , hung with curtains of deep red damask.” The description of the magnificent bed