Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - English Jane Eyre5 Jane Eyre5 Brontė challenges the view that men are emotionally, socially and intellectually superior to women. "Just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal - as we are!" The 19th century was a period of oppression for women. The patriarchal system that dominated the Victorian period in England's history, was one during which Charlotte Brontė wrote and set the novel, Jane Eyre. Brontė denounces the persecution that women suffered at the hands of a society that placed faith in a belief that men were emotionally, socially and intellectually superior to Victorian women. The belief that men were intellectually superior to women soiled the Victorian era. This period of time led to women being denied education, on account of their sex. Jane Eyre seems to be much more intellectually advanced than her male counterparts, even though she was schooled at such a substandard school, Lowood. A school where not only the food was "disgusting" but the facilities were too. She is able to converse confidently and at a level that is equal to, if not higher than, males. It is evident that Brontė strongly believes that women are equivalent to men in this respect. The fact that Jane was capable of creating "as fine a picture as any of Miss Reed's drawing-master could," also showed that Brontė endorsed the view that women are as intellectually capable as men. The skill that was involved in Jane's paintings led to some criticism from the males who saw her work; "I perceive these pictures were done by one hand: was that hand yours?" Jane's move against the constants of society display Brontė's disdain for society's limitations. The Victorian era was a time when women's emotions were repressed. This gave expression to the belief that men were emotionally superior to women. Brontė challenged this view by instilling "a picture of passion" in Jane Eyre. This emotion and passion would have not been tolerated by others in Victorian society. Jane was often "roused to something like passion" when she was younger. This was evident in her confrontation with John Reed; "You are like a murderer - you are like a slave-driver". Women, let-alone young girls, in Victorian society, did not usually exhibit such anger. Brontė believed that the expression of women's emotions was crucial. Brontė's belief that women have as much right as men to explore their emotions and not repress them, was evident in the binary opposition between the characters, Blanche and Jane. Jane refused to suppress her emotions and had an innate desire to show those who oppressed her how she felt. Brontė instilled a belief in Jane that defied society which stated that "it is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself," as expressed by Helen Burns. Brontė adhered to the notion that women, like men, should not "suffer from too rigid a restraint," in regard to their emotions. Blanche was passionless, "truth and tenderness were not in her" - she was the opposite of Jane. She acted like Adelč; superficial, and much like a porcelain doll, pretty to look at but empty inside. Brontė endorsed the view that a woman was not "a machine without feelings". A woman in Victorian society, who was not "as brilliant as her jewels", experienced life "without one bit of love or kindness". This was a factor which Brontė believed might have led to the "silent revolt" of women against Victorian society. The Chartist movement of the time was one when middle class people fought for political representation and the ability to move up the social ladder. This desire for liberty also impacted on women, due to their status as an oppressed social class. Brontė also seems to believe that women need "to do more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex," a belief which meant that she wanted women to defy the customs that they had been enduring and do what they believed was best for them. Brontė makes reference to activities which would be "exercise (for) their faculties". Brontė is trying to change society's perception of how women should act in regards to their emotions. The actions of women were restricted to "making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags," and Brontė condemns society for having such a narrow-minded belief. She endorses women challenging their society's customs and acting as equals to their male counterparts, because they "feel just as men feel". They are equal. Victorian society endorsed the belief that men were more moral than women, which Brontė disputed. However, Brontė argues that women and men are both morally equal. Jane loved Rochester and "refused to marry (St. John)" when he proposed to her because of her love for another man. The Victorian readers would have condemned Brontė and Jane, because, St. John who had "Athenian" good looks, was rejected for the "stern features" of Rochester. This would be seen as an immoral act on behalf of Jane. Marriages in that era were usually about movement up the social ladder or because of the fact that the woman was "worthy of the work, and competent to accomplish it." Love was a factor, which many people negated. Brontė condemned this negation. The patriarchal religious system, Calvinism, instilled a view in its members that men were far superior to women in many respects, including morality. In Victorian society the most 'moral' people seemed to be figures like Brocklehurst, who were in reality hypocrites. They were seen as pious and likely to be the chosen few to enter the gates of Heaven. Brontė conveys Brocklehurst's character as being shallow and he eventually loses his business because of lack of humanity. Victorian society's had gaps between classes, men and women, which discriminated. Thus creating lines of inequality between both sexes. Brontė believed that women were equal to men in regards to their intellect, emotion, morality and equal in relationships. The contemporary reader can relate to these beliefs, even though they were made in the mid 1800's. "Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion." Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 1994, Penguin books Bibliography: Word Count: 1034
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