How much more is Jane Eyre than just a piece of romantic fiction?

How much more is Jane Eyre than just a piece of romantic fiction?

All the qualities of a typical romantic fiction are certainly found in

‘Jane Eyre’. The usual qualities found in romances are a Hero and

Heroine. They can have some tension between them before finally

falling in love but something gets in their way, eventually they over

come all odds and get to be together in the end. Obviously Jane is the

Heroine and Mr. Rochester is the Hero, and as in most romances, the

story is told through the eyes of the Heroine.

‘Jane Eyre’ starts off with Jane’s childhood to allow the reader to

get to know Jane and sympathize with all her views and feelings. When

Jane first moves to Thornfield Hall the romance starts. To build up

the tension for the reader Jane is at first denying her feeling.

“it was rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr.

Rochester’s presence”

It is obvious to the reader what is going to happen and frustrating

that Jane will not admit that she likes him this is very typical of a

romance.

It follows on conforming to the romance stereotype when Jane admits

her feelings but something gets in the way. At first this is Blanche

Ingram, Jane is convinced by things people have said that she is going

to

Marry Mr. Rochester.

“And did I now think Miss Ingram such a choice as Mr. Rochester would

be likely to make?”

This is providing a barrier against them getting together in the

straight forward way of just Blanche Ingram but she also stands to

represent looks and class. She is a lot prettier than Jane and this

tests Mr. Rochester to see if he is the deep thinking man Jane thinks

he is. Also Jane is of a lot lower class than Blanche Ingram and it

would have seemed strange at the time ‘Jane Eyre’ was written for Mr.

Rochester to chose Jane.

This is pushed aside and it seems like everything has started to go

right for Jane. Then follows the clichéd romantic twist. Jane

discovers Mr. Rochester’s wife.

“this gentleman’s wife is still living”

Everything falls apart for Jane. She runs away and begins to start a

new life till the end of the novel when Jane finds out Mr. Rochester’s

wife has died and they get married.

“My Edward and I then are happy”

As in all romances it comes to the happy ending to make the reader

feel happy and satisfied.

These were the ways in which ‘Jane Eyre’ followed the typical romance

patterns for general romances. But there is much more to this novel.