Comparing the Role of Women in Emma and Jane Eyre

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Throughout history women have played important roles in society.

Women have gone through much adversity to get where they are today. Jane

Austen and Charlotte Brontë are some the pioneers of women's literature.

Each shows their different aspects of a women's role in society in their

books Emma by Austen and Jane Eyre by Brontë. In both of these books the

author shows how a woman deals with societies' norms, values, and manners.

Jane Eyre is an orphaned daughter of a poor family. She is brought

up by her aunt Sarah Reed. Where she is teased and tortured by the aunt

and the family. She is not very pretty and is barely on the social

structure. On the other hand Emma Woodhouse is a beautiful girl and is

financially sound. She is raised by her maternal father.

In Emma, Emma Woodhouse is in search of finding the appropriate man

for herself is the main theme. As the reader goes deeper into the text

Emma slowly progresses into a self-deception. Having since childhood been

obliged to manage her father, she still likes to manage things, and

particularly people. She manages to manipulate everyone except Mr. George

Knightley.

In Jane Eyre, Jane demonstrates a strong need to be herself, to

take responsibility for her action. She is put to the test by her daily

teasing and abuse from her cousins. When she is brought to a boarding

school she soon distinguishes herself through her classes. Eventually ends

up in Thorn...

... middle of paper ...

... finds out the Bertha Mason Rochester set it on fire and jumped off the

roof. Austen in a way showed this as a rebirth for Rochester and Jane Eyre.

Jane returns to Rochester even though he suffered an amputated hand and is

blinded by the fire. Eventually they marry and Rochester regains his

sight in one eye and produces a son.

In both of these books the author shows how a woman deals with

societies' norms, values, and manners. Jane and Emma endure harsh

realities in life. Jane had to be a strong character to go through what

she did. Emma not as strong but the determination in find a spouse. Even

though Jane and Emma had different hardships the had similar

characteristics. They both had wisdom, imagination, and character.

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