Analysis of Chapter 18 of Jane Austen by Charlotte Bronte

In Chapter 18 of the novel Jane Eyre, Jane attends an engagement party for the soon to be wed Edward Rochester and Blanche Ingram. She feels that their arrangement is too rash and highly inappropriate. Jane has come to her own conclusion that two are only getting married to each other because Mr. Rochester is in love with Blanche's beauty and she with his wealth. Despite her feelings on their engagement she keeps to herself and goes to the party. Before she is able to blend in with the crowd, she becomes a topic of discussion amongst the guests.

While at the party Jane is half concealed by the window curtains, a place that is all but unfamiliar to her. This flashes the reader back to the beginning of the novel where Jane hides herself in the house library, wraps in the curtain with the book of birds and dreamed of freedom. Now that she finally thinks she has found it, she is brought back to the same position. When she returns to the party, she has to escape again from the reticule of Blanche and her mother. They treat her as if she is inferior to them and Jane is basically there for the "help". Mr. Rochester never comes to her rescue and does nothing but worsen her pain when she has to watch the two play charades together, causing her to run out.

It seems that the only person at the party that cares about Jane is the gypsy who tells the guest's fortune. She basically plays a role in pushing Jane to her goal in her love for Edward, which is dark and mysterious. The only one that comes out of the room disappointed is Blanche, however no one seems to know why. When Jane goes in, contrary to her belief, Jane is brought in by the gypsy's voice. She is told that she close to happiness and not to give up because all she had to do was...

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...r - those are the sounds of the bottomless pit! I have a right to declare myself from it if I can.'" (Page 327). He had exclaimed that if another were to hear his story, it would be "noxious and insulting sort of tribute".

The introduction of Bertha Mason in the novel had a peak significance of the flow of events. With Mr. Briggs uncovering Mr. Rochester's secret marriage, it spread light on the situation and at the same time gave Jane more information on her so-called fiancè. The uncovering of the matter was not only Bertha, but the non-existent wedding that would not happen so-long as Bertha is alive. Even if Mr. Rochester was tricked - occasionally - into marrying "the maniac", he had still taken a woman as his bride and without divorcing her, simply left her alone in his attic where he fell in love with Jane and decided to marry her - well, almost marry her.