Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

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Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

In Jane Eyre, religion is embraced through a series of spiritual

explorations. Bronte portrays Jane's character and zest for religion

by revealing Jane's transitions from Gateshead to Lowood, Lowood to

Thornfield, and Thornfield to Moor House. Jane ultimately rejects

everyone of these organized styles of worship. However, that does not

mean that she rejects all their beliefs. She is forever changed by

each experience and they have helped mold her view on religion and her

relationship with God. Each location plays a significant role in the

development of Jane's perspective on religion. Jane struggles to

acquire true faith in God, which will help her overcome the obstacles

of her nomadic life.

Within Jane Eyre, Bronte shows a feeling of anti-Catholicism through

the character of Jane?s cousin, Eliza Reed. The novel portrays Eliza

as a picture of rigidity:

Two young ladies appeared before me; one very tall, almost as tall as

Miss Ingram,--very thin too, with a sallow face and severe mien. There

was something ascetic in her look, which was augmented by the extreme

plainness of a straight-skirted, black, stuff dress, a starched linen

collar, hair combed away from the temples, and the nun-like ornament

of a string of ebony beads and a crucifix. (Bronte 228)

Eliza had certainly taken on the ritualistic side of Catholicism.

(Rife) She is described as a busy person, but "it was difficult to say

what she did: or rather, to discover any result of her diligence"

(Bronte 234). Bronte had the same feelings toward the Catholic faith.

Charlotte and many other English Protestants viewed Catholics as

people who worshipped idols diligently, yet d...

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...r himself. (Cashwell)

As we can see, Jane is obviously affected by her experiences at each

of these different stages in her life. At Lowood she learned the

strict adherence to the religious and moral values that were taught

there. Even though she may not have agreed with all of them, they

molded her views on morality, shown in her experiences with Rochester.

She also learned of sacrifice through St. John, who sacrificed true

love for the greater good of his religious calling. Bronte deals with

quite a few religious topics and pretty much finds something wrong

with each form of Christianity. Jane finally finds a personal

relationship with God, and even though she may not agree with one of

the forms of organized Christianity, she finally fells a spiritual

inner peace.

Works Cited:

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996.

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