Fire and Heat Imagery in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre
The essence of any true magnificent piece of literature is not what one can see in words. It is what one can see behind the words. It is through the symbolism and imagery found in works of literature that a reader can truly connect with the writer. Charlotte Bronte epitomizes the spirit of the "unread but understood" in her Victorian work Jane Eyre. There have been numerous essays and theories presented examining the complex symbolism and imagery used by Bronte in Jane Eyre. Much of the imagery she uses concentrates on passion, fantasy, and the supernatural. In this essay I will examine Bronte’s use of fire and heat imagery pertaining to Mr. Rochester and Jane’s love relationship.
To begin, fire imagery permeates Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre’s relationship from beginning to end. Since the passionate love that Rochester and Jane first held was sinful, it was accompanied by images of fire and burning. This can possibly be an image of hell. For example, when Rochester was trying to convince Jane to stay with him despite the fact that he was married, he described what he expected her reaction to be, "I was prepared for the hot rain of tears…but I err…your heart has been weeping blood." This image of hot rain and weeping blood lends itself to an image of punishment. Similarly, when Jane showed signs of fatigue, he carried her in his arms up to her room, holding her tightly. As a result of his "sinful" touching, Jane’s senses were dulled, "all was cloudy to my glazed sight." Yet when he placed her in front of the fireplace to warm up, she felt revived, "I felt the reviving warmth of a fire" Here the fire cleansed Jane of her stupor. It awoke her conscience to what Rochester ...
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...ns, "it was a just judgment on him for keeping his first marriage secret, and wanting to take another wife while he had one living." Thus, Jane and Rochester reunited and each proved to be reborn, Jane after undergoing her own final period of personal and spiritual growth, and Rochester after facing his vices and rescinding his sinful nature.
In conclusion, the concept of fire used by Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre cleanses, foreshadows, strengthens, and reawakens both Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Bronte tempered the passionate nature of her novel by continuously revealing that heated sinful emotions only lead to ruin. Both Jane and Rochester were subjected to emotional and spiritual purgatory for their immorality. They were allowed solace only after achieving spiritual rebirth.
Work Cited
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1991
In Stephen Dunn’s 2003 poem, “Charlotte Bronte in Leeds Point”, the famous author of Jane Eyre is placed into a modern setting of New Jersey. Although Charlotte Bronte lived in the early middle 1800’s, we find her alive and well in the present day in this poem. The poem connects itself to Bronte’s most popular novel, Jane Eyre in characters analysis and setting while speaking of common themes in the novel. Dunn also uses his poem to give Bronte’s writing purpose in modern day.
King can be considered influential in his preaching of nonviolent protest during the civil rights movement. King quickly realized that there were two alternatives in the struggle against “the forces of injustice'; (Ansbro, 233): violence or nonviolence. He decided against violence for
Bronte uses symbolism through the use of colour to portray emotions and describe the setting. ' Burning with the light of a red jewel', this reflects the passion Jane and Rochester are constantly feeling. This is very effective because people have already associated different colours with different thoughts and meanings. Another example of this is, 'spread a solemn purple', this is used to describe the sunset
The novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is an early 19th-century English literature; a literary work that is evocative and riveting. It depicts acts of betrayal between family members, loved ones and self-inflicted betrayal. The acts of betrayals are done by Mrs. Reed, Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre herself.
"Each picture told a story; mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings, yet ever profoundly interesting." --Jane Eyre (9)
Martin Luther King Jr. was definitely an influential speaker and writer. He was able to move people with his ideas and words. In his letter from the Birmingham jail he was trying to inform people of the injustices that African Americans were experiencing at this time. His audience was mainly the clergymen of the church. Since most Americans at this time believed that African Americans were uneducated and not on the same level as white Americans, MLK had to prove otherwise. MLK did this by using strong rhetoric in his speeches and letters. Two of the rhetoric styles that I feel was most effective were his use of logic and pathos. MLK knew that if he was going to make an impression on his audience he was going to have to bring his A game.
Dr.King was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. Dr.King is the son of Michael King Sr.and Alberta Williams King. Dr.King is the middle child, Dr.King had an older sister, Willie Christine King and a younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King. At age 5 Dr.King attended a public school. In May, 1936 he was baptized, but the event made little impression on him. In May, 1941, Dr.King was 12 years old when his grandmother Jennie, died of a heart attack. Dr.King (young) jumped from a second story window at the family home, attempting suicide. Dr. King took over the small struggling Ebenezer Baptist church with around 13 members and made it into a forceful congregation. Martin Luther King Jr. was never his birth name, his birth name was Michael King Jr.
Martin Luther King is recognized by millions of people as a great leader and he is an inspiring man in our history. Still in this day Martin Luther King is one of the most influential heroes in society. He helped African Americans obtain their rights and liberties. Martin Luther King Jr, was one of the greatest encouraging leaders in the history of our nation. Sometimes a death threat on the phone would limit his strength but he encourage his dreams to bring segregation to an end. He had courage and was determined to dedicate his life into bringing equality rights to blacks through peaceful marches. He brought an end to segregation by creating events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, March of Washington which he delivered his famous speech “I have a dream” and the Selma March which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Analyse the methods Charlotte Brontë uses to make the reader empathise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters. Reflect on how the novel portrays Victorian ideology and relate your analysis to the novel’s literary content.
In his speech, King uses different types of rhetorical guidelines. He uses them to show his points in a better and easier way to understand .At the beginning he successfully uses a mythos. A mythos has a deep explanatory or symbolic resonance for the audience. In mentioning the Emancipation Proclamation he shows that our ancestors signed a contract, in which all human beings are created equal, and therefore should be treated in the same way as others. He also visualizes his ideas with visual examples, which everybody can understand. “America has given the black population a bad check, which has come back marked insufficient funds”( I Have a Dream)
Lodge, Scott. "Fire and Eyre: Charlotte Bronte's War of Earthly Elements." The Brontes: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Gregor. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1970. 110-36.
The main image that Charlotte Bronte uses is the relationship between "fire and ice." This is also in accordance with images of "red and white," and "hot and cold." Jane, herself, relates to "fire," representing her passion, anger, and spirit. This metaphor of Jane associates her with fire, brightness, and warmth. In chapter four she describes her mind as "a ridge of lighted heath, alive, glancing, devouring" (Sparknotes). Jane also explains Edward Rochester as "fire." He is described as having "flaming and flashing" eyes (Sparknotes). Rochester, like Jane, is also consumed by his passions and anger. Although both Jane and Rochester are described as "fire," their relationship is described as "ice,"
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a very important leader of the American Civil Rights movement as well as a Nobel Prize winner. He proved that Civil Disobedience was an effective weapon against depression. King’s challenges to segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950’s and 1960’s helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of Civil Rights in the United States.
Michael Luther King Jr. was born in the city of Atlanta, Georgia on January 15th, 1929. The second child of Michael Luther King Sr. and Alberta Christine Williams King, Michael was to become one of the most widely respected civil rights leaders in our country's history (#1).
In the well-praised novel Jane Eyre, the balance of passion (early 19th Century romanticism) and reason (Victorian realism) is represented as a major theme throughout. Bronte successfully displays the balance of passion and reason between Jane's relationship with Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers as an obligatory aspect of marriage as well as a necessary ideology of life. Jane struggles with the balance of passion and reason initially with her relationship with Mr. Rochester at Thornfield. Her internal conflict soon continues when she meets St. John Rivers at Marsh End. Although Jane does not properly balance the novel's theme of passion and reason instantly, she achieves the balance at the end of the novel with Mr. Rochester.