Jane and Bertha Mason are doubles and to say otherwise is incorrect. Both Bertha and Jane go through some form of mistreatment or oppression at some point in the novel. When young Jane remained at Gateshead she was often abused by her cousin John Eyre; she had enough of him and fought back calling him a “wicked and cruel boy” (11) her retaliation was described by one of the maids as a “picture of passion” (11). As punishment she was locked into the Red Room. This parallels Bertha since she was locked into the attic for behaving like a “madwoman” in the eyes of Rochester. Both characters are discarded, Jane is said to feel like a “nobody there [Gateshead]” (47), she had no real relation with her cousins besides being blood relatives but they …show more content…
Jane is depicted with warm, fiery imagery that represents her passionate spirit; It is evident that Jane often disagrees with people who come across as cold, with icy attributes. Basically, those who try to put out Jane's passionate spirit with their oppressive cold ways. When Jane Eyre is locked in the Red Room for going against her abusive cousin John Reed, she describes it as being a cold and dark space that was “solemn” (14). All the warmth, passion, and fire that the Red Room lacks emerges from Jane once her punishment is over and manifests itself in the confrontation with Mrs. Reed, which causes her “own passionate nature to bloom” (“"Fire and water imagery" in Jane Eyre 2015”). Jane uses her voice to escape from the silence imposed by her repressive aunt or any other authoritarian figure, which stands with the "contrasting elements” (“"Fire and water imagery" in Jane Eyre 2015”) that stand between her and her passionate spirit. When Jane transitions into Lowood, she is introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst who is oppressive and cold, similar to Mrs. Reed. In an effort to extinguish Jane's inner flame, Mr. Brocklehurst humiliates her in front of the entire school by forcing her to stand atop a stool, isolated in the middle, for everyone to see. Jane’s humiliation parallels Christ being crucified since the both are being persecuted for unjust reasons. Jane’s metaphorical …show more content…
Rochester, and is seduced by his “too-hot passion.”(“"Fire and water imagery" in Jane Eyre 2015”). Jane’s first encounter with Rochester was finding him injured on the side of the road with his chariot. The chariot is a representation of the balance between passion and reason, the horse signifies passion and the rider represents reason. Rochester’s accident while riding the chariot is a preview to Rochester and his unbalanced overly passionate self. When Jane meets Mr. Rochester for tea he is described as surrounded with light from flames, “Two wax candles stood lighted on the table, and two on the mantelpiece; basking in the light and heat of a superb fire … reclined on a couch appeared Mr. Rochester … the fire shone full on his face”(102). Rochester is continuously under some light that illuminates him. When Rochester is present, there is no reason for there to be a large source of light since it is metaphorically present within Rochester.Yet the passionate warmth within Rochester proves to be dangerous since it is unbalanced. Rochester lacks reason, because of this he can be abrupt and unable to think of the consequences of his actions. This is why Jane and Rochester’s first chance at a relationship failed miserably, that and the fact he was already married. Rochester, however, discovered how to balance passion and reason during their time apart, which enabled them to rejoin with a stronger
As mentioned before both women have strong consciousness;sss** though Jane is even more level-headed. This, paired with her Christian influence, gives Jane the strong power of wielding her morality as a knight would an iron sword; Although* it may be heavy and difficult to use, a sword is a perfect weapon to strike down and sever incoming enemies the same can be said for weighty decisions. The *serious, shocking *moment that most refer to when tracing Jane's brave choices is when she can let her lover go. * Jane, after working at the same institutionalized boarding school she went to as a student, finds a job opportunity to work as a governess under the house head, Mr. Rochester. Because of her witty and intelligent personality, Mr. Rochester takes a liking to Jane, even talking about deep and socially unconventional conversations that range from the handsomeness of his face to the class differentiation between the two of them.
Jane was raised by two significant women: Mrs. Reed and Miss Temple. It is evident from these relationships that it is imperative to have respect and affection for a connection to flourish. Although Mrs. Reed does not have Jane's best interest at heart, Miss Temple shows her the opposite remark. Mrs. Reed is abusive and harsh towards Jane, depriving her of the love and care that she deserves. She treats Jane as inferior, excludes her from family events, and makes her feel insignificant.
It is ironic that Jane is seen as the guilty party in the incident with John Reed because John started the fight when he slapped Jane. Then when John’s sisters, Eliza and Georgina, go to “tattle tale” on Jane, their mother blames Jane for the whole situation. Jane compares John to a “murderer,” “slave-driver,” and “Roman Emperors” (Bronte 9). During this comparison, she is implying that he is a very cruel and awful person. That he would beat her and boss her around.
Finally, the details about society show that Jane recognizes the standards of her victorian society and needs to abide by them. After Jane had thought awhile, she no longer “felt justified in judging” Mr. Rochester and Blanche for “acting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them.” Though Jane wishes to be loved by Mr. Rochester, she comes to the realization that rich men do not marry lower-class women in her
Jane requests to return to the Reed house, after learning about her cousin’s suicide and her aunt, Mrs. Reed’s, illness; however Rochester questions, “And what good can you do her… you say she cast you off,” Jane replies, “Yes, sir, but that is long ago; and when her circumstances were very different: I could not be easy to neglect her wishes now” (Brontë 227). Jane looks beyond that Mrs. Reed “cast[ed] her off,” implying that she has grown to let go of grudges and developed a mature mentality. The irony of Jane’s inability to “neglect her wishes,” infers how the injustice treatment of Mrs. Reed unaffectedly brings Jane to look past the situation by visiting the Reeds in a time of sorrow. In addition, Rochester attempts to convince his wedded Jane to stay with him, after learning about his mad wife; Rochester claims that his father had “sent [him] out to Jamaica, to espouse a bride already courted for” him but only so his brother and father to get “thirty thousand pounds,” Rochester further admits to Jane that “you know now that I had but a hideous demon. I was wrong to attempt to deceive you…
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. In Rochester and Jane’s first meeting, the two begin to show their blended gender roles immediately. Rochester is first described as having a “dark face” with “stern features”, with a complexion that seems, “ireful and thwarted” (146).
One of the most destructive secrets in the novel was Rochester’s secret that he kept away from Jane over a long period of time. The secret of his mad first wife Bertha that he kept hidden away in the third floor. It turned out the sounds I heard coming from the attic weren't the screams of Mr Rochester's mad wife Bertha. It wasn't the wife who burned to death in the fire that destroyed Thornfield Hall and blinded my future husband when he tried to save her. After we'd first got engaged, he'd had to admit that he was already married, and we'd broken off our engagement.
{Rochester admits that he could not be alone and that he has always craved some type of love even if he didn’t love his mistress back.} He tells Jane, “Yet I could not live alone; so I tried the companionship of mistresses. The first I chose was Celine Varens--another of those steps which make a man spurn himself when he recalls them. You already know what she was, and how my liaison with her terminated. She had two successors: an Italian, Giacinta, and a German, Clara; both considered singularly handsome.
In the beginning, she is deprived of education, love and appreciation of her presence which ultimately is her prime reasoning of taking off to be successful. Her experience at Gateshead was nothing more than miserable, she fought for what she needed and grew out of her comfort zone to stick up for herself. The strict rules and limits to freedom was not something Jane could handle for much longer, starting with the false accusations said by Brocklehurst of Jane. Brocklehurst is one of the many obstacles Jane fights to become happy and successful. She did not let him control how she envisioned her future life, rather she became even more passionate to prove how much of a cruel master he was.
Before Rochester, and his influence, Jane had been accustomed to men in power such as John Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst. Their influences on Jane were more negative as they tore Jane down instead of putting her up. These figures allowed the arrival of a seemingly encouraging, kind, and adoring man such as Rochester to be a shock to Jane when she was first employed at Thornfeild. This stems Janes biggest growth from Rochester, the bettering of her self-esteem. Due to Rochester’s exaggerative language he constantly teaches her the value of her self-worth and her beauty.
“I dreamt another dream, sir: that Thornfield Hall was a dreary ruin, the retreat of bats and owls..” (Brontë 329) This description foreshadows the fire that occurs after Jane leaves and the house is left in ruins. It also symbolizes the falling apart of Jane and Mr. Rochester after she finds out that he already has a wife and that Jane, being a mistress, is essentially a “homewrecker”. These details enhance the story by adding interesting parts that keep the reader entranced in the book.
Jane states that she doesn 't love her aunt or even acknowledge their familial bond when she doesn 't address her aunt by the title of "aunt." Even as a child, Jane has a strong moral standard. After Jane gratefully leaves her aunt for Lowood, Jane conflicts with Mr. Brocklehurst. Mr Brocklehurst publicly accuses Jane of being a liar. Jane later approaches a teacher of Lowood, calling in evidence from a doctor from her aunt 's
She comes to know that Bertha set the house on fire, and Rochester saved his servants, and attempted to save Bertha, however, he lost his hand and got blinded. Chapter 37- Jane travels to Ferndean to find Rochester, and promises she will never leave. While walking around in the woods, they discuss the past year, and Jane finally accepts Rochester’s proposal. Chapter 38- Jane and Rochester are finally happily married,
Janes upbringing is what lead her to become the person she is towards the end of the book. Jane becomes an educated and rational thinker who has lived a life without a true feeling of love or belonging. Without seeking love, itself, Jane finds herself falling in love with a man, Rochester, who is dishonest and secretive towards Jane. Yet despite being suspicious of Rochester's lies Jane continues to trust and believe the false narrative he is feeding her. After catching his lies during their wedding ceremony Jane takes off and runs away.
- Edward is an economically independent man with a favorable status and influential connections still looking for a profitable match. Jane will be the one in charge to unmask him to the audience: “I saw he was going to marry her [Blanche Ingram] for family, perhaps political reasons, because her rank and connections suited him” (Brontë 205) This manner of conduct converts Mr. Rochester from a hero into a villain, a perpetrator and “his project of