Jane At Gateshead Research Paper

C-internet
Literature

JANE AND THE FEMININE CHARACTERS IN JANE EYRE

MARIA HOLMSTRÖM

Martin Shaw

Autumn
2007-01-22
Mid Sweden University

Maria Holmström Mid Sweden University English C-net

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Table of contents

Introduction…………………………………………….…3
Aim…………………… ……………………………..… 5
Method………………………………………………….…5
Theory……………………………………………………..6
Jane’s five periods of her life into self discovery ………...7
Jane at Gateshead………………………………………….7
Jane at Lowood……………………………………………9
Jane at Thornfield……...…………………………….……12
Jane finds her family…………………………………….. 18
Jane marries……………………………………………….21
Conclusion……………………………………………….. 22
Works Cited……………………………………..……….. 23

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Maria Holmström Mid Sweden University English C-net

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The opinion of many Victorians did not support the way Jane acts in the novel. She is seen as an “‘anti-Christian’ refusal to accept the customs and standards of the society” (Gilbert & Gubar 338).

Jane’s five periods of her life into self discovery
Jane at Gateshead
The novel begins in the dark mansion of Gateshead where Jane was sent to be raised by her uncle, Mr Reed. Unfortunately, Mr Reed dies and he leaves Jane alone with Mrs Reed who makes life miserable for Jane. Jane is not as angel-like as her aunt expects and she is not regarded as good enough. Therefore Jane lives under tyranny and is treated like air by everyone.
Indeed, Gilbert and Gubar suggest that “Jane Eyre-her name is of course suggestive-is invisible as air, the heir to nothing, secretly choking with ire” (Gilbert & Gubar 342). Jane has to overcome oppression in this period to be able to continue her path to self-discovery (Gilbert &
Gubar 339).
Mrs Reed sends her son John to punish Jane several times and one day she fights back against Mr John and hits him in the head. The punishment this time is to be locked up in the red- room: “Mr Reed had been dead nine years: it was in this chamber he breathed his
I consider that Adéle longs for freedom and love as well knowing that she is a child that is left alone and has no contact with her mother or her father.
I believe that Jane observes the differences between her and Adèle and that she also feels that they do not have the same goal in life. Adèle’s mother was a dancer and lived a fashionable and rich life. Obviously she found it more attractive to live her own life than to take care of her child why she run away to Italy. I suppose that Adèle looks up to women like her own mother. Nevertheless, she tries to find her identity and the life of rich people seems more of the people she can identify with. Therefore, she can be related to what the French feminist theory asserts about women having to choose weather to be the silent and the unheard sex or the heard sex (Murfin). As I see it Adèle is more of the silent sex when the rich social norms and rules are a focus for her. Jane, in contrast, desires a life in freedom and despises the life of the rich. My opinion about Adèle will become more obvious when I