Jane Eyre - Challenging Victorian Beliefs
Charlotte Brontë 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 Brontë wrote and set the novel, Jane Eyre. Brontë 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 Brontë 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 Brontë 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 Brontë'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. Brontë 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. Brontë believed that the expression of women's emotions was crucial.
Brontë's be...
... middle of paper ...
... 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. Brontë 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. Brontë 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. Brontë 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."
Works Cited
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 1994, Penguin books
This research focuses on Gambierdiscus toxicus which is an armored, marine, benthic species in the phylum Dinoflagellata. It has an epitheca and a hypotheca, that is very similar in size, compressed anterio-posteriorly. The theca is covered with numerous deep and dense pores which are very thick. This species is autotrophic creating energy via several golden-brown chloroplasts (Hackett et al 2004), but is also heterotrophic and hence is referred to as mixotrophic. It has a ventrally – oriented crescent shaped nucleus. (Adachi & Fukuyo 1979). It usually inhabits warmer waters such as bay, mediterranian, tropical/sub – tropical in North/Central America (Shiumuzu et al 1982; Loeblich & Indelicato 1986), Asia/Pacific (Holmes & Tao 2002; Lu & Hodgkiss 2004) and has recently been identified in the Mediterranean (Aligizaki & Nikolaidis 2008). These authors identified the organisms to genus level, at best of their effort, so may have been one of the less common members of its genus although it is unlikely.
91-106). They were refused such legal, social and political rights including the right to vote, to testify in court and had very little jurisdiction over personal property after marriage, including the custody of their children. Men controlled women and, unless they belonged to higher-classed families, often had very little freedom. In Britain during the 19th century, women like Miss Ingram were expected to seek fortitude through marriage. This is described within the novel when Jane states her beliefs to St. John, saying; “ I scorn your idea of love, I scorn the counterfeit sentiment you offer: yes, St. John, and I scorn you when you offer it,” (Jane Eyre 1999, p. 361). In her novel Jane Eyre, Jane expresses her self-possessive right to free will quoting “ I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will,” (Jane Eyre 1999. p. 223), thus giving light to her personal attitudes that she believed to be morally correct. If we consider the relationship in characterization between Bronte and Jane Eyre, we can better understand why Charlotte Bronte was seen to be iconic in the ‘eyes’ of feminist groups as attributes of emotional strength, determination and the idea of free will, were greatly relatable to feminists of this
Tremendous spirit. The enviable trait that Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre possesses is what stimulates her to achieve self-actualization despite the fact that she is a woman. True feminism isn’t as violent as a handful of vicious extremists claim it to be. The accurate definition of feminism is “the doctrine advocating women’s social, political, civil, educational and all other rights as equal to those of men.” Women of Charlotte Bronte’s era did not have basic rights such as the aforementioned. The feminist movement in the Victorian Era had only just begun and Jane Eyre was far ahead of her peers. Published in 1847, the bildungsroman novel of Jane Eyre was an intricate one, with subtle feminism carefully woven in it, particularly through the actions and thoughts of Jane Eyre, the protagonist. Her quest for self-worth and identity lead her to overcome the various stigmas that women in that era were faced with. These ambiguities reflect the tensions real Victorian women of faith experienced in trying to meet multiple often conflicting demands in their lives. Such challenges were complicated further by the fact that 19th century Evangelical Christianity- attentive to the realities of sin, sorrow, sacrifice, and loss- was no easy creed for women and men. (Lamonaca) Jane Eyre’s battles for authentic love, good reputation and indifferent attitude towards social classes dominated English women’s lives. The heroine tackles gender roles and breaks all the mannerisms of the time to inject an early dose of feminism in the English audience. Jane’s transformation from naïve child to independent woman stunned the public and gave women the inspiration to make their own decisions and defy the norms of their era.
Bronte is known as one of the first revolutionary and challenging authoress’ with her text Jane Eyre. The society of her time was male dominated, women were marginally cast aside and treated as trophies for their male counterparts. Their main role in life was to be a mother and a wife, “ Literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life……the more she is engaged in her proper duties, the less leisure she will have for it.” A quote from a letter Robert Southey wrote to Bronte. A clear sign of the mentality and opposition Bronte was up against. A woman’s “proper duties” of course being to tend and wait on her “master’s” every whim and need. Women during Bronte’s time had no clear voice, none that was of any merit, they were a silent category of society, silenced by their male oppressors. Bronte’s book was in fact written before the first women’s rights movement had happened, yet it puts forward an image of an independent strong character, of a passionate and almost rebellious nature. A character “refusing subservience, disagreeing with her superiors, standing up for her right’s, and venturing creative thoughts.” I put forward that Bronte throughout her text not only revises the themes of male power and oppression, but reconstructs them also. The text is a female bildungsroman of it’s time, sometimes subtly and sometimes overtly tackling the patriarchal view of women.
In Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, the characters of Jane and Mr. Rochester can easily be considered a dichotomy of each other; they are dissimilar and separate, almost like polar opposites, not only because of the obvious gender differences, but also in terms of station; Mr. Rochester, is an well-educated man of privilege, and Jane’s employer, while Jane, herself, whose only education stems from an all girls boarding school, is his employee, and Mr. Rochester’s subordinate. Mr. Rochester has ‘more’ compared to Jane; he is more educated, is more well-versed, more well-traveled, and is more prosperous. With Bronte’s novel, it is understood that this abundance Rochester lives in is not solely based on his status, but also based on his sex; he also has the ability, should he choose to, to improve his standing even further because he is a man.
To finalize my point about Charlotte Bronte's intent in describing Jane Eyre, the parallels between Bronte's life and her character Jane need to be examined. Bronte herself experienced "a period of depression and ill health" (Rollyson 5) Bronte was known to feel "keenly the solitude of her existence." (25) "The most basic facts of Bronte's life reveal a history of loss of guile similar to Jane's" (26) The name that Jane Eyre was originally published under was "An Autobiography". From this one can deduce that Bronte cared to make more than a surface feministic point in her book.
Despite the fact the countries continue to increase the production of nuclear energy, my position is that new nuclear power plants should not continue to be built. The current use of nuclear power should be carefully evaluated with a plan to slowly decrease production throughout the world. The negative implications to the environment and economy support my position.
Nuclear power plants go through a heat generated process of fission to create its electricity. This means that the neutrons split into uranium atoms to produce large amounts of energy (EPA, n.d. para.2). The process coverts water into steam which then drives a turbine to create electricity. The steam is formed when the uranium atoms split (fission). It goes through this process in a closed contained environment. In the United States there are two types of nuclear reactors, the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWRs) and the Boiling Water Reactor (BWRs). In the Pressurized water reactors the water does not boil, the water is circulated through tubes in the steam generators (Duke energy, n.d.para.2). In the Boiling Water Reactor the water will be heated by fission and it boils and uses the steam to turn the turbine generator. In both of the reactors the water can be used over and over again in the process (Duke energy, n.d.para.3). Danger that can come from a nuclear power plant is exposure to radiation. The plant can release radioactive material to the environment by a plume of radioactive gases and ...
Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Brontë, was published in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Company, in London. This year is exactly ten years into Queen Victoria’s sixty-four year reign of the British Empire. The Victorian Era was renowned for its patriarchal Society and definition by class. These two things provide vital background to the novel, as Jane suffers from both. Jane Eyre relates in some ways to Brontë’s own life, as its original title suggest, “Jane Eyre: An Autobiography”. Charlotte Brontë would have suffered from too, as a relatively poor woman. She would have been treated lowly within the community. In fact, the book itself was published under a pseudonym of Currer Bell, the initials taken from Brontë’s own name, due to the fact that a book published by a woman was seen as inferior, as they were deemed intellectually substandard to men. Emily Brontë, Charlotte’s sister, was also forced to publish her most famous novel, Wuthering Heights, under the nom de plume of Ellis Bell, again taking the initials of her name to form her own alias. The novel is a political touchstone to illustrate the period in which it was written, and also acts as a critique of the Victorian patriarchal society.
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.
Bronte wrote Jane Eyre to emphasize her beliefs behind the purpose of women, and how society lacked to understand them as who they were created to be. 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 of society, but they are held back from establishing their potential. The most unique understanding of Bronte’s challenge to society is the understanding that the characteristics and personality of Jane as a female is shamed and criticized, however these features are identical to those of a successful and representable man in
The literary titles by Frances Power Cobbe, Sarah Stickney Ellis, Charlotte Bronte, Anne Bronte, John Henry Cardinal Newman, Sir Henry Newbolt, and Caroline Norton reveal society's view on women and men during the Victorian era. Throughout the Victorian era, women were treated as inferior and typically reduced to roles as mothers and wives. Some women, however, were fortunate to become governesses or schoolteachers. Nevertheless, these educated women were still at the mercy of men. Males dominated the opinions of women, and limited their influence in society. From an early age, young men were trained to be dominant figures and protectors over their home and country. Not until after World War I would women have some of these same opportunities as men.
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.
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre represents the role of women in the Victorian era by giving the reader an insight into the lives of women from all social classes. Jane Eyre therefore represents figures of the Victorian time yet the character of Jane Eyre, herself, can be seen as very unconventional for the Victorian society.
Nuclear energy is generated by a process called fission. Fission occurs within the reactor of a nuclear power plant when a neutron is fired at an atom of uranium causing it to split and release subsequent neutrons.1 These are able to crash into other uranium atoms causing a chain reaction and releasing a great deal of heat energy.