Jane Eyre3, English, College Term Papers.com


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Jane Eyre3

Jane Eyre3 Throughout history in literature achievements of widening popularity always seem to create tension. In Charlotte Bronte's novel, "Jane Eyre," the pursuit of dependence and self-fulfillment is confronted by her romantic characteristics in a Victorian age. "What makes Victorians Victorian is their sense of social responsibility, a basic attitude that obviously differentiates them from their immediate predecessors, the Romantics"(Landow 1) who are more open-minded, much like Jane. Although her romantic qualities simply identify herself , they create tension between the Victorian idea's of gender, status, realness, passion and emotion. The uniqueness of Jane's personal and artistic identity is confronted by the containment of feminism and stature. The tension between Jane and those who are under Victorian beliefs, such as Mr.Brocklehurst, and Mrs.Reed is created directly by their indifference's towards women and the poor. The feminisitic views that are abundant in Jane's life creates tension to the point where "she has trouble settling into society, not just because of her over-jealous passions, but also because of her gender.(Jackson 1)" Early in her life Jane encounters feminism not only on herself but many others. At Gateshead Jane is unaware of the purpose of Lowood School and "indeed would like to go to school"(Bronte 30) despite not knowing its reputation. At Lowood School Jane encounters the gender problem which puts herself and the others into a position which isn't favoured. The "black pillar"(Bronte 63) upholding the conditions of feminism at Lowood is Mr.Brocklehurst who has a superior effect. The authoritarianism of Brocklehurst is exemplified by the intention to "teach them to clothe themselves with shame-facedness and sobriety"(Bronte 75). The reason behind his cruelty to the students is of intentions not to "mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh" but to render them hardy, patient, and self-denying. Although feminism is evident for the reasoning of Brocklehurst, Maggie Berg states that " Lowood deprived its pupils of their female individuality because of their corporate identity as orphans."(48) This prudence towards the originality of Jane and the other students creates a level of stature that isn't respected by the higher authority of Lowood. The "custom" of feminism in the Victorian age is riddled by this status which Jane encounters while growing up as an orphan. "It is abundantly evident that women continued to rank as second-class citizens"(Norton 903) to men and Jane realizes this through her work as a governess. At Thornfield Jane realizes that there is a gender problem while subdued to her status underneath that of Rochester: "women feel that just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a constraint, two absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn then, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more then custom has pronounced necessary for their sex."(Bronte 129) Jane's sudden outburst is partially fueled by troubles with Rochester but mostly caused by her past of constant feminism. The time spent at Gateshead and Lowood gave her the experience of feminism and its qualities in status to which she couldn't relate to the Victorian attitude. Her understanding of the problem much associated with the Victorian age at Thornfield helps develop her self-fulfillment and homogeneity. Jane's strong authenticity is rivaled by relationships with those who express a Victorian aspect of mind rather than heart. This tension between Jane's purity and the humility of society is expressed by her interactions with Helen Burns and St John Rivers. Jane's genuineness is created by her strong virtues and courage towards reaching self-fulfillment even though the influence of Helen or St John Rivers' humble opinions try to change her course. Helen's central motivation of humility is matured in Jane and gives her emotional control. To Jane the tension created between each others views is beneficial in understanding more about the world. In their discussions of "good for evil"(Bronte 65) there is anxiety in Jane to understand the reasoning behind Helen's pensive actions, yet a moral sympathy not to question her. Jane asks Helen," you say you have faults: what are they?"(Bronte 66) in a pressing manner but dismisses from asking deeper about her humility: "I would not ponder the matter deeply."(Bronte 66) This need for conversation and information expresses Jane's genuineness towards respect for others that she feels sympathy for and can relate to. "Jane cannot accept such a lofty view at this time, but her acknowledgment, later, that she loves Rochester to the point of idolatry and her subsequent rejection of him, show that she eventually learned the lesson Helen tried to teach."(Cole 82) As well as Helen, St John River has an identity of humility which creates tension between himself and Jane but not of beliefs. His rather bland, humble attitude and religious feelings is very reminiscent of Helen, but his effect on the aged Jane is of realization. Jane realizes that "no happy reconciliation was to be had with him"(Bronte 456) and the "recesses in her mind"(Bronte 453) are only opened to her true love Rochester. St John represents the religious figure in the Victorian age and during Jane's time spent with him, comes to realize that Rochester is much like her, based on romantic qualities. With the genuiness perception of friendship among Helen Burns and St John Rivers, Jane withdraws from a longing relationship due to the "conveyed connotations of prudish, repressed and old fashioned"(Landow 1) thoughts of the Victorian age. Her realization of differences among her purity and those of humble qualities coincides her journey for self-fulfillment and passion. The direction of passion that Jane takes is constrained by the Victorian perception that love is to be derived from service to the husband and your own self-truth. With the worker-boss relationship of Rochester and the involvement religion has in her decisions of love, the tension created in Jane's romantic choices shapes her desire for self-fulfillment. The desire for love is necessary in Jane's life and her role as a governess and a lover to Rochester goes against Victorian consistency. The workers role is anything but a close relation to their master and Jane upholds this custom for her independent romantic views. Rochester gives her love but upholds it under Victorian views of righteousness. "The marriage cannot go on… due to the existence of impediment"(Bronte 323) which might not of stopped Rochester and Jane's romantic idea's although the tension of Victorian customs and laws oversee their passion. Jane's search of complete happiness may of ended because of her "inexperience"(Oates 7). Jane had not been in any previous relationship, not even with significant parents. "Her past history of exclusion to love developed uncertainty in the appeal to marriage with Rochester."{Symkowski 2) Although Jane's inexperience becomes a factor, "the issue was not Jane's sexual timidity but her shrewd understanding that, should she become his mistress, she would lose Rochester's respect."(Oates 7). The choices made by Jane in deciding her path for passion are partially scripted by religion. In finding happiness with Rochester Jane is delayed by the sudden appearance of his mysterious wife which personifies the loyalty Jane has in religion to her choices of love. Jane "says God led her to resist Rochester and flee temptation"(Cole 135). Although Jane gives up what she has previously desired in religion her temptations for Rochester are strictly ignored for a newer religious aspect. In her quest for self-fulfillment in love she believes "the hand of God" will lead the way yet Elizabeth Rigby states otherwise in Jane's religious beliefs: "It pleased God to make her an orphan, friendless, and penniless-yet she thanks nobody, and least of all Him, for food and raiment, the friends, companions, and instructors of her helpless youth…on the contrary, she looks upon all that has been done for her not only as an undoubted right, but as falling far short of it"(124) Even though Jane hasn't mentioned thanks for Gods doing in past times, she chooses religion after understanding its importance. Religion is constant through both Victorian and Romantic era's making Jane's choices understandable even though Rigby gives a nonprofessional view of what she should decide in her life. The dependence Jane has of love in her life is beneficial in finding happiness. Although the tension between Rochester and honesty has an effect on their relationship, Jane's search for self-fulfillment is still met in other ways. The natural aspects of Jane's romantic characteristics conflicts with her Victorian surroundings and relationships. Her need for a relationship not only of love but with nature itself, Jane depends on for direction. The usage and reference to nature and its beauty shapes her uniqueness and how at a time when conventional ideas are implied towards "standard conformity" there is little interest in a natural outlook. Jane's interest and reference to her natural surroundings and those which she thinks about are created because of their usage to block out her troubles with the conventional Victorian views of the lower class. Jane reflected her emotions to her natural surroundings from her first setting at Gateshead Hall to the manor-house of Ferndean. At times when Jane is depressed or emotionally down she expresses it through the natural environment such as the "penetrating rain"(Bronte 39) or the "raw twilight"(Bronte 39) of Gateshead. "But, more often she paints nature in her more kindly moods, and endows a sensitivity to beauty in birds and flowers, hills and brooks."(Cole 107) These reflective changes in mood help express her tension of the very inanimate and repressed Victorian age. Although Maggie Berg states that "Jane clings to the conventions of Victorian realism and only symbolizes previous settings to explore the possibilities of realism."(Berg 93) This is understandable since much of Jane's encounters with the natural world are marked by "sad sky, cold gale"(bronte 39) which is the realism of the Victorian age's emotional effect on her. As well as the natural feelings towards her surroundings, Jane expresses a childlike attitude which is rivaled by the conventional stature of Blanche Ingram. Her relationship with Rochester and how Blanche interferes is exemplified by their dislike for each other. Blanche represents the conventional woman and Jane represents the natural woman. Although Jane's romantic qualities are more subceptable she believes that Blanches high status and beauty are of interest to him. With the "probability of a union between Rochester and the beautiful Blanche"(Bronte 182) a feeling of remorse is of Jane for ever thinking of being some "importance to him in any way."(Bronte 183) The Victorian qualities of the "very type of majesty: she was accomplished, sprightly"(Bronte 196) created to offset Jane's romantic attractiveness to Rochester. This tension between Jane and Blanche is more one-sided towards Jane since Blanche has no real idea of her affection for Rochester. With Blanche unaware and possibly in favor of Rochester to marry, "Jane feels as though the new foundations on which she had begun to build a sense of herself are being torn down."(Berg 72) Jane exemplifies her natural self-confidence by recognizing that "although she does not have Blanche Ingram's external attributes, she has something of much greater value 'beneath the surface,' the passion that 'throbs full and fast.'" (Berg 73) Even though the personal attributes of Blanche Ingram are not concise, her physical attributes are highly favored among the Victorian men and this creates what tension is derived from Jane's passion for Rochester. Jane's natural qualities are important to Rochester and although she doesn't have the appearance of Blanche Ingram, it still causes interference in her search for love. These natural attributes of relation to nature in a bland environment and an impulsive attitude, shapes her independence. The tension that is created only motivates her romantic desire. The tension between Jane's Romantic qualities and that of the Victorian associations can be interpreted by "passion blowing in the opposite direction of the 'counteracting breeze' of judgment and sense."(Sorenson 1) Jane's search of self-fulfillment isn't easy with the confrontations of feminism, status and religion. Although her dependence on happiness and good fortune overcomes the tension between her Romantic views and those of the Victorian age. Bibliography:

Word Count: 2050

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