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Representation of woman characters in Jane Eyre
Charlotte bronte critiques victorian culture in jane eyre essay
Representation of woman characters in Jane Eyre
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“Prejudices… are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.” (Bronte 434)
The rights and responsibilities women hold in modern society significantly differ from those held in the Victorian time period. Although the transition was a long and slow fought battle it was heroines, such as Jane Eyre in Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, Jane Eyre that paved the way. Through Jane’s individuality, Bronte critiqued the inclinations of the time, creating an alternative meaning to what beauty is by relating it to an internal depth. This criticism is not only suggested through the absence of internal beauty in narcissistic characters such as Georgiana, Blanch and Bertha, but also by its presence in well-rounded characters like Jane. Jane’s individuality contrasted that of a common domestic wife in her determination to earn her way and be seen as an equal in her marriage to Rochester. Through Bronte’s characterization in the given social context Jane’s unique qualities make her an admirable advocate for women’s rights, demonstrating a just response to sexual and class prejudices.
External appearances were of huge value in the nineteenth century, often interpreted as not only a sign of class but of character. Bronte’s writing disproves this outlook, arguing that it is an internal resonating beauty that determines moral nature and that intellect should be respected as a far more desirable trait than physical attraction. As agreed by critics such as Jen Cadwallader, “Charlotte used plainness and beauty to condemn an upper-class system of values which, by emphasizing the importance of a woman’s appearance, limited her ability to...
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...ponse to these circumstances, make her an admirable advocate for the fight against injustice.
Work Cited
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Richard Nemesvari. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1999. (c. 1847). Print.
Cadwallader, Jen. "Formed For Labour, Not For Love: Plain Jane And The Limits Of Female Beauty." Bronte Studies, 34.3 (2009): 234-246. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2014
Godfrey, Esther. “‘Jane Eyre’, from Governess to Girl Bride.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 45.4 (2005): 853-871. Print
Owsley, Lauren. "Charlotte Brontë's Circumvention Of Patriarchy: Gender, Labour And Financial Agency In Jane Eyre." Bronte Studies, 38.1 (2013): 54-65. Humanities International Complete. Web. 22 Mar. 2014
Shapiro, Arnold. “In Defense of Jane.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 8.4 (1968): 681-698. JSTOR. Web. 22 March. 2014.
Jane Eyre is about a girl named Jane who struggles to find who she really is and with it what she really wants. “As a model for women readers in the Victorian period and throughout the twentieth century to follow, Jane Eyre encouraged them to make their own choices in living their lives, to develop respect for themselves, and to become individuals” (Markley). One of the reasons why this book gained merit was because of its striking presence within its time period. During the “Victorian Age” woman did not have much say in society, so this novel broke boundaries to societal norms that restricted woman from things they have today. “Brontë is able to enact this tension through her characters and thus show dramatically the journey of a woman striving for balance within her nature.
Jane, unlike Mr. Rochester, is completely fixed in her position; her sex and her occupation as a governess limits her, and what she could obtain. For Bronte, Jane was innately given the motivation and drive to desire more than what she has; as the author, Bronte, must have been absolutely influenced by the social order of her time, and the challenge of increasing one’s station.
This novel was one of the most radical books of the Victorian Era. It portrayed women as equals to men. It showed that it was possible that men could even be worse than women, through John and Jane. It taught the Victorians never to judge a book by its cover. The novel would not be as successful were it not for Charlotte Brontë’s talent in writing, and were it not for the literary devices employed.
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre chronicles the growth of her titular character from girlhood to maturity, focusing on her journey from dependence on negative authority figures to both monetary and psychological independence, from confusion to a clear understanding of self, and from inequality to equality with those to whom she was formerly subject. Originally dependent on her Aunt Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Mr. Rochester, she gains independence through her inheritance and teaching positions. Over the course of the novel, she awakens towards self-understanding, resulting in contentment and eventual happiness. She also achieves equality with the important masculine figures in her life, such as St. John Rivers and Mr. Rochester, gaining self-fulfillment as an independent, fully developed equal.
Sourced in Eagleton, M. (1996) Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader. Electronic Information Edwards-Capes, Kirsty (2012) Gender and Sexism in Charlotte Bront’s Jane Eyre, available from http://www.cbc.org/e http://kirstycapes.co.uk/post/19688269684/gender-and-sexism-in-charlotte-brontes-jane-eyre 18 th December 2013
Brennan, Zoe. "Reader's Guide: Bronte's Jane Eyre." Ebrary. Continuum International Publishing 2 2010. Print. April 28, 2014
The issue of lack of opportunity for women to engage in intellectual preparation and continuation is prevalent within the character of Jane. Expectation of women’s role was a social norm, with a lack of diversity or individuality. Bronte challenges this issue through the character of Jane, whom experiences a tug-of-war sensation between being herself, who she wants to be and should be, and what society wants her to be, and pushes her to be. Bronte was trying to explain that women have the same capability as men to be productive individuals in society, but they are held back from establishing their potential.
Immediately from the start Bronte’s character Jane is different. She is an orphan, mis-treated and despised by her family. She has no clear social position, is described as “less than a servant” and treated like one. A protagonist who one would assume had no characteristics worth aspiring too. Jane is displayed perfectly in her hiding behind the curtain. She is placed by a window, which beyond is icy and cold, contrasting immensely from the inside of the fire and warmth. A clear statement of the icy coldness of the family she has been put to live with, and her fiery and passionate nature which we discover th...
Bronte’s Jane Eyre is brimming with feminist ideology rebuking Victorian-Era gender-roll ethics and ideals. As a creative, independent woman with a strong personality and will growing up during this period of female repression, Bronte wrote Jane Eyre as a feminist message to society. She criticizes the average, servile, ignorant Victorian woman, and praises a more assertive, independent, and strong one. She does this through her protagonist Jane, who embodies all of Bronte’s ideal feminine characteristics. She is a strong woman, both mentally and physically, who seeks independence and is in search of individuality, honesty, and above all equality both in marriage and in society in a world that does not acknowledge women as individuals.
Similar to many of the great feministic novels of its time, Jane Eyre purely emerges as a story focused on the quest for love. The novel’s protagonist, Jane, searches not only for the romantic side of love, but ultimately for a sense of self-worth and independence. Set in the overlapping times of the Victorian and Gothic periods, the novel touches upon both women’s supposed rights, and their inner struggle for liberty. Orphaned at an early age, Jane was born into a modest lifestyle, without any major parent roles to guide her through life’s obstacles. Instead, she spent much of her adolescent years locked in imaginary chains, serving those around her but never enjoying the many decadences life has to offer. It is not until Jane becomes a governess that many minute privileges become available to her and offer Jane a glance at what life could have been. It is on her quest for redemption and discovery that she truly is liberated. Throughout Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel Jane Eyre, the story’s protagonist Jane, struggles to achieve the balance of both autonomy and love, without sacrificing herself in the process.
Charlotte Brontë composed her novel Jane Eyre during the Victorian era; a period of history where Patriarchy set the expectations of men and women. The effect of this social system resulted in women suffering discrimination simply because of their gender. Sigmund Freud, in his essay entitled, “The Relation of the Poet to Day-Dreaming,” articulated that women were only capable of having erotic wishes dominate their “phantasies,” and even their ambitious “phantasies” were rooted in erotic wishes (177). The predominating thought concerning women during this era was that, due to their nature, longed to marry—tending to the needs of her household. Those who were not fortunate enough to marry (due to appearance or social status) were to become governesses. Ms. Brontë, through her protagonist Jane Eyre, clearly depicts the struggles of an indigent young woman who is forced into near slavery. This tale is articulated well by Adrienne Rich in her essay entitled, “Jane Eyre: The Temptations of a Motherless Woman,” when she states that Jane wants to “choose her life with dignity, integrity, and pride” (471). Even though Charlotte Brontë depicts a woman who will not be bound by the mores of her society, she is not so exuberant as to have her protagonist proclaim “I am woman, hear me roar.” The toning down of Jane’s demeanor can be attributed to satisfaction of the critics, but Brontë also expresses that the societal expectations, or the patriarchal rights of men, produced a similar negative effect on men. From John Reed and his self-righteous attitude, to Rochester’s internal battle in regards to the treatment of women, Charlotte Brontë demonstrates that sexism—inherent in a patriarchal society—has an adverse affect on both men and women.
Women, in all classes, were still living in a world which was misogynistic and male-dominated. Their purpose in life was to produce male heirs and maintain the home by hiring and overseeing servants. It was also taboo for one to marry significantly below one’s social class. This is one reason that Jane is not a conventional heroine for the society of her time. Although, as a governess, she is not considered to be as low as a housemaid, she is still part of the hired help in the house. This is why it is unconventional for her and Mr Rochester to be in a relationship. Yet this is not as peculiar as how Jane Eyre ends their relationship due to her sense of betrayal. It would have been considered extremely foolish for a working-woman’s sense of betrayal to end and turn down a man of great wealth.
The development of Charlotte Bronte's character, Jane Eyre, becomes vital to her novel Jane Eyre, and the other characters in which she is involved. She is an intelligent, plain featured, honest young girl whose reaction to her situations brings more depth to her personality. She is forced to deal with oppression, discrimination, and at times poverty, which disrupt her strong will, dignity, and desire for freedom. At the beginning, Jane possesses a passion for pride and the idea of freedom and these characteristics, along with her integrity, are tested continuously throughout the novel by the many personalities with whom she encounters. Living in a male dominant world Jane is expected to remain obedient and docile and her passion sometimes keeps her from being able to do this. She is a rarity among obeying female characters and we see this throughout the book.
The gothic romance novel ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte features many different ideas, themes and plot points that teach us how to understand the novel and the characters involved deeply and as a whole. An important turning point in the storyline which also helps us comprehend the novel’s overall idea takes place midway through the novel, when Jane discovers her love interest Mr. Rochester has not been fully honest with her, and she decides to leave him and his home. One reason that the main character Jane’s decision to leave Mr. Rochester, his home and her job there at Thornfield Hall, is such an important turning point in the text, is that it provides an excellent example to the reader of Jane being a strong female protagonist, greatly building upon her
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is set in the mid nineteenth century, during the Victorian era where class and gender roles are clearly defined in the patriarchal society. The general ideology of the era expresses the idea that if gender categories were not maintained as binary oppositions, catastrophic chaos would likely ensue (Gill, 109). Throughout the novel, Jane is faced with the issue of oppression. The typical characteristics of an ideal female in Victorian society would include submissiveness, simple dress, low ambition, longing for a male love interest and passiveness. Bronte clearly shows her stance on this Victorian ideology as Jane often challenges those social institutions and changes her place in society, although she often settles for the status quo for certain periods of time. Jane plays the typical role of a Victorian woman through much of her life, but through subtle shifts in power Bronte challenges these Victorian norms by way of Jane’s education, unlikely rise in social status from teacher to governess and her relationship with a seemingly unattainable man.