Impure Women In Jane Eyre

In Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre both examine the thematic element of the role of women in society. In the Victorian Era, women were held to very narrow gender roles. While the era was in midst of a drastic change regarding gender equality, towards a 'modern' concept of equality, the process was not achieved (Marsh). A women's place during the Victorian Era was meant to be in the home as a wife and a mother (Abrams). Like today, a women could either be considered pure or impure. A pure women would be considered quiet, passive and loyal whereas an impure woman would be considered a disgrace and expendable (Appell). Both Jane Eyre and Dracula have many of these elements in the characters. In Bronte's novel Jane Eyre, Jane is considered the ultimate image of a Victorian Era women where Bertha is the impure woman. In Dracula, Mina is the image of a Victorian Era women, much like Jane. Lucy, on the other hand, is considered an impure character. Through the main characters in Jane Eyre and Dracula, the ideas of what a Victorian women should be, and the idea of what a women should not be are shown.

With the lead character in Bronte's novel Jane Eyre, there is the ultimate image of a Victorian Era women. Jane is considered to be a plain, quiet, passive, and simple minded woman; yet she is intelligent and sophisticated. "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that" (Bronte 22). The novel begins with Jane as a rebellious young girl reading a book, and being punished. "You have no business to take our books; you are a dependant, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here ...

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...torian Era.

Bram Stoker uses Mina and Lucy, like Charlotte Bronte uses Jane and Bertha, to show the Victorian Era belief about the roles of women in society. The social construct of the time involved women to be inferior to men in all areas of life, with the exception of being a mother. Through Mina and Jane, Bram Stoker and Charlotte Bronte show the ideal Victorian woman. Whereas Lucy and Bertha are shown as the opposite of ideal, and in the end die to show the restore of order. Both, Jane Eyre and Dracula, have the same aspects of what defines a Victorian Era woman. It is shown, through Dracula, women can fall from their place in society and unless there is a man to put them back there is no hope for return. Through the main characters in Jane Eyre and Dracula, the ideas of what a Victorian women should be, and the idea of what a women should not be are shown.