and desire very different traits concerning members of the opposite sex. In House of Mirth, Lily is busy enjoying the privileges of her social status and trusting in its ‘protection’. During this time, she secretly goes on with her gambling life and secretly associates with a man who is unacceptable to those in her status. He is considered unsuitable for Lily because he is not as wealthy as them and the relationship isfrowned upon. In those years, women were seen as a status symbol that a man were to “possess”, however, he was not already of their status, therefore Lily should not have acknowledged him the way that she had. In Jane Eyre, Jane is torn between marriage to Rochester and maintaining her independence. Lily is torn between something different, something more shallow and insignificant; she is torn between 2 men, Lawrence Selden and Simon Rosedale. Jane knows that women are viewed as completely dependent upon their husbands and dependence is a notion that she has not been familiar with for some time. Throughout the course of Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane is used as a representation of a modern woman. While she enjoys what independence she has, the fact remains that she is in love with Rochester but cherishes for equality. She struggles in that Rochester, as a man, is naturally “above” her and she is “below” him, as a woman. As Rochester reacts to Jane refusing his proposal for marriage, saying, “Oh, Jane, this is bitter! This – this is wicked. It would not be wicked to love me,” Jane responds, “It would to obey you.” (p.473). She yearns to combine her love for Rochester with her desire for independence and equality. This fact makes up a big conflict that exists through much of the book. To Jane, love and equality are like oil and water, and therefore, cannot mix. Eventually, Jane is able to end this conflict and marries Rocheste...
