Violence In Jane Eyre

Taking into consideration Foster's views on violence in literature and applying it to the violence we see in Jane Eyre, one thing makes itself known: it always meant something. The violence that takes place in Jane Eyre is carefully added to give the reader a deeper understanding of not only what is happening inside Jane's mind, but of dark times set to roll in. The abuse directed at Jane during her time at Gateshead brings dramatic attention to the fact that she is alone, isolated, and orphaned. This supports Foster's idea that violence can be used as a tool to set a theme, and in our case, the theme we open up to is Jane's orphan misery. Despite the fact that Jane lives with relatives, the Reeds choose to treat her as if she is but a pimple on the otherwise perfect complexion of their family, not just by ignoring her and leaving her in the nursery at all times, but by physically and psychologically abusing her. Cousins are often thought to be one of the closest familial bonds, nearly hitting par with siblinghood, yet Jane's cousins scorn her, mock her, and even beat her with no consequence from their mother. In fact, Jane's aunt simply piles onto the mass of mental

From Rochester's bed being set on fire whilst he was sleeping, a houseguest being ferociously bitten in the middle of the night with marks left by human teeth, to Jane's bridal veil being torn in front of her on the eve of her wedding, these vile acts bear a tale much darker than what is initally shown to the reader and the residents of Thornton. We eventually discover that Bertha Mason, Rochester's mentally incapacitated wife, has been committing these acts of violence in response to his affections towards Jane. After reading Foster's chapter on violence, one would know to search for the deeper meaning in her attacks; what is uncovered by doing so is that Bertha's aggression is more than just a cry for