Social Classes In Jane Eyre Essay

Jane Eyre

Social class distinction is very evident in Victorian England. This distinction is found not only in society, but also within the Anglican Church and its clergy. In Jane Eyre we are introduced to three Anglican ministers who represent different social classes. They are Jane Eyre’s father; the Reverend Brocklehurst, the administrator of Lowood Institution; and Reverend St. John Rivers, the curate of a small country parish at Morton and owner of Moor House. Comparing the way these clergyman are viewed by society establishes the adherence to the same social class structure within the church as is evident outside the church. Contrasting clergy from the same religious sect shows that class status was also reflected in some methods

We learn of him as Jane does, through a third person. Jane hears a servant, Miss Abbott, discussing Jane’s lineage with another servant, Bessie. Jane hears Miss Abbott say about her father: " My father had been a poor clergyman, my mother had married him against the wishes of her friends, who considered the match beneath her; my grandfather Reed was so irritated at her disobedience he cut her off without a shilling" (37; ch. 3). Young girls, especially of the upper class, were supposed to follow their parent’s wishes in regards to whom they should marry. In choosing a clergyman from a lower social class, Mrs. Eyre sacrifices her social standing as well as her family’s care and support. The fact that Jane’s mother was banished for her marriage reflects the disdain felt by the upper class for marrying beneath their

John Rivers is a blend of the two previously discussed clergyman. His social standing is of the upper class. We learn of his pedigree from Mr. Oliver, the wealthy father of the lovely Rosamond. According to Mr. Oliver, Rivers "was a very old name in the neighborhood, the ancestors of the house were wealthy; he considered that the representative of the house, if he liked, could make an alliance with the best" (362; ch. 32). Mr. Oliver believes that St. John is worthy of his daughter Rosamond. Jane observes that "Mr. Oliver evidently regarded the young clergyman’s good birth, old name, and sacred profession, as sufficient compensation for the want of fortune" (362; ch. 32). This acceptance of St. John as a husband to Rosamond is in contrast to the disinheritance of Jane's mother by the Reed family when she married Jane's father. One upper-class family sees the marriage as a step down in class and the other accepts it as a marriage of equals. This is true even though both men are of the same profession and neither one of them is wealthy. The difference is the class the clergyman comes from. It is a direct reflection of the priority given to social status over