Jane Eyre And Rochester Comparison Essay

1190 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Charlotte brontes life in relation to jane eyre

Both male protagonists under examination bear various similarities; their characteristics link to the central concern of each novel - obsessive love. Charlotte Bronte created her main male character – Mr Rochester, as a man who is forceful, independent and determined to have Jane at all costs. In the end up he loses his sight and has to depend fully on Jane, this was foreshadowed by their first meeting where Rochester needed to lean on Jane in order to get home after falling off his horse. Our first impression of Rochester is one of selfishness and greed; he is viewed as rude and has a strange relationship with Jane. As they begin to develop a relationship with one another, Rochester flirts with Jane –

“How did you know?-you never tried it. I scarcely think the notion that flittered across my brain was an error. I believe it was an inspiration rather than a temptation: it was very genial, very soothing-I know that.’’

Here readers learn Rochester assume …show more content…

There is a superstitious idea surrounding Heathcliff throughout Bronte's novel, giving off the first impression of powerfulness, he is handsome yet comes across as melancholy. Described as the ‘imp of Satan’ by Hindley, Bronte uses his cruelty as merely an expression of his frustrated love for Catherine, or that his sinister behaviours serve to conceal the heart of a romantic hero. Critic Joyce Carol Oates argues that Emily Bronte does the same thing to the reader that Heathcliff does to Isabella, testing to see how many times the reader can be shocked by Heathcliff's gratuitous violence and still, masochistically, insist on seeing him as a romantic hero.

"Heathcliff seized, and thrust Isabella from the room; and returned muttering - "I have no pity! I have no pity! The more the worms writhe the more I yearn to crush out their entrails! It is a moral teething; and I grind with greater energy in proportion to the increase of

Show More
Related

  • St. John and Jane Eyre

    2080 Words  | 5 Pages

    Because Jane is the narrator, the reader is given a biased point of view that St. John’s character is unfavorable. Throughout Jane’s life she has had oppressive male figures dominate her life, such as John Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst; thus, Jane can conditioned herself to be apprehensive when confronting men. After gaining her physical and emotional strength back, Jane studies St. John’s character. Jane’s first impression of St. John is pessimistic, she states “Had he been a statue instead of a man, he could not have been easier”(Bronte 329). By comparing St. John to a statue the reader is forced to see St. John as someone who is cold and rigid. Jane sets up the perception that St.John is disconnected from human feelings. Jane also presents a biased view of men when she first meets Rochester, who later becomes her husband. Furthermore, Jane’s first impressions of Rochester are also negative. Upon first being introduced to Rochester, after he asked to see her, Jane comments, “But it appeared he was not in the mood to notice us, for he never lifted his head as we approached. . . There was something in the forced stiffed bow, in the impatient yet formal tone, which he seemed to further expresses”(Bronte 111). Upon meeting Rochester for the fir...

    Read More

  • Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre chronicles the growth of her titular character from girlhood to maturity, focusing on her journey from dependence on negative authority figures to both monetary and psychological independence, from confusion to a clear understanding of self, and from inequality to equality with those to whom she was formerly subject. Originally dependent on her Aunt Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Mr. Rochester, she gains independence through her inheritance and teaching positions. Over the course of the novel, she awakens towards self-understanding, resulting in contentment and eventual happiness. She also achieves equality with the important masculine figures in her life, such as St. John Rivers and Mr. Rochester, gaining self-fulfillment as an independent, fully developed equal.

    Read More

  • Jane Eyre Belonging Essay

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, Jane Eyre’s painstaking journey to find a sense of acceptance, affection, and family was finally completed, attaining the things she yearned. She eventually discovered everything she was searching for through Mr. Rochester, forgetting her agonizing past and looking to what was ahead. As Jane looked for many different alternatives to make her feel as if she was complete, she found that Mr. Rochester was the only one who could make her feel

    Read More

  • Edward Rochester: The Byronic Hero

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    Charlotte Bronte presents Rochester in many different ways. He comes from a rich family, and has a sophisticated personality. His attitude and behavior from the start of the book and the end of it has a dramatic change. Rochester corresponds to the mould of a Byronic Hero however, with his brave and humble actions, he starts to become less attractive as a hero. Moreover, one could argue although he is an unconventional hero he is appealing in both physical and mental ways. However, another could argue against this and find no attractive views of Rochester.

    Read More

  • Brocklehurst Vs. John Rivers In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

    1463 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Jane Eyre author Charlotte Bronte illustrates two comparisons and one main contrast among Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Rochester, and St. John Rivers. Bronte aims to present Brocklehurst, Rochester, and Rivers as men with similar traits that cause conflict with women, especially Jane. In response to the similarities, Bronte also depicts contrasts among the three men. These comparisons and contrasts ultimately decide their relationship with Jane throughout the novel. Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Rochester, and St. John Rivers have two similarities including: their secrecy and their alpha dog mentality; while their difference is how they react to being challenged.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Wuthering Heights

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    The complicated nature surrounding Heathcliff’s motives again adds an additional degree of ambiguity to his character. This motivation is primarily driven by Catherine’s marriage to Edgar and past rejection of Heathcliff, since he was a servant whom Hindley disapproved of. Prior to storming out of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff overhears Catherine say, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now…” (Brontë 87). The obstacles that ultimately prevent Heathcliff from marrying Catherine provide insight into Heathcliff’s desire to bring harm to Edgar and Hindley. The two men play prominent roles in the debacle, Edgar as the new husband and Hindley as the head figure who refused Heathcliff access to Catherine. Following this incident, Catherine says, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…” (Brontë 87). Catherine’s sentiment indicates she truly would rather be with Heathcliff, but the actions of others have influenced her monumental decision to marry Edgar. Furthermore, Heathcliff is motivated to not only ruin Edgar’s livelihood, but also gain ownership of his estate, Thrushcross Grange. This becomes clear when Heathcliff attempts to use Isabella

    Read More

  • Selfishness in "Wuthering Heights"

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    Heathcliff is a character who was abused in his childhood by Catherine’s brother, Hindley, because of his heritage as a “gypsy”, and Hindley was jealous of the love that Heathcliff got from Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley’s father. This is also selfishness upon Hindley’s part since he only wanted his father’s love for his sister and himself. So to reprimand Heathcl...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Rochester And Jane

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Religion is a very diverse subject, with everyone having a different opinion on it. Jane is no exception to this. She is very curious and questions religion and its practices. Helen, her friend who is now deceased, is one of her victims. Before Helen dies, Jane asks her about God, and why she is so sure that there is a heaven and such. Jane doesn’t really seem to be concerned with being a very good Christian, unlike Helen. Helen is forgiving and loving of all, and is very much tied to her religious beliefs. An advantage of this is really knowing who you are and what you want to do. You know that your religion is always there for you, and you try to treat everyone nicely. A disadvantage is the fact that you will be the resident doormat. Anyone

    Read More

  • Theme Of Independence In Jane Eyre

    962 Words  | 2 Pages

    This brought into question Jane’s grand need for independence. Jane’s equality in a relationship is derived from her desire for independence. Jane reveals her need for independence in her relationship with Mr. Rochester when she told him she would always call him master but she would not be inferior to him. Haiyan Gao asserts in her article “Reflection On feminism in Jane Eyre,” “Jane loves Rochester with all her heart and Rochester’s status and wealth make him so high above for Jane to approach, yet she never feels herself inferior to Rochester though she is a humble family teacher.” It is also notable that Jane does not pursue a relationship with Mr. Rochester with the intention of gaining money.

    Read More

  • Reason and Passion in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses various characters to represent aspects of reason and passion, thereby establishing a tension between the two. In fact, it could be argued that these various characters are really aspects of her central character, Jane. From this it could be argued that the tension between these two aspects really takes place only within her mind. Bronte is able to enact this tension through her characters and thus show dramatically the journey of a woman striving for balance within her character. As a prerequisite for marriage, Jane uses this determination in her relationships with Mr. Rochester and St. John.

    Read More

  • How does St John Rivers compare to Rochester?

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    Despite Rochester’s stern manner and unhandsome appearance, Jane still finds herself falling in love with him. During her first encounter with Rochester Jane describes him

    Read More

  • The Power of Love in Wuthering Heights

    1397 Words  | 3 Pages

    Heathcliff and Catherine have loved each other since their childhood. Initially, Catherine scorned the little gypsy boy; she showed her distaste by “spitting” at him (Brontë 27). However, it was not long before Heathcliff and Catherine became “very think” (Brontë 27). They became very close friends; they were practically brother and sister (Mitchell 122). Heathcliff is intent upon pleasing Catherine. He would “do her bidding in anything” (Brontë 30). He is afraid of “grieving” her (Brontë 40). Heathcliff finds solace and comfort in Catherine’s company. When Catherine is compelled to stay at Thrushcross Grange to recover from her injury, she returns as “a very dignified person” (Brontë 37). Her association with the gente...

    Read More

  • Realism In Jane Eyre

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    The realistic novel places greater emphasis on its characters, rather than its plot, and explores the relationships between these characters. The selected passage shows both the servant-master aspect of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s relationship, as well as its romantic nature. At the beginning of the selected passage, Jane affectionately describes Mr. Rochester as a “kind master,” which is indicative that even after his proposal, she is unable to separate herself from her position as a servant. This is further emphasized when Jane states that “he would send for [her] in the morning,” whic...

    Read More

  • Love as a Theme in Jane Eyre

    483 Words  | 1 Pages

    Love is an important theme in the famous novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Jane's love for Rochester is clearly noticible throughout the novel. But Jane's true love for Rochster becomes appearent in only a few of her actions and emotions. Although it may seem Rochester manipulated her heart's desire, this can be disproven in her actions towards him. Jane followed her heart in the end, by returning to Rochester.

    Read More

  • Revenge and Love in Wuthering Heights

    1529 Words  | 4 Pages

    A multitude of feelings and sentiments can move a man to action, but in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, love and revenge are the only two passions powerful enough to compel the primary actors. There is consensus, in the academic community,1 that the primary antagonist in the novel, Heathcliff is largely motivated by a wanton lust for vengeance, and it is obvious from even a cursory reading that Edgar Linton, one of the protagonists, is mostly compelled by a his seemingly endless love for his wife, and it even seems as if this is reflected in the very nature of the characters themselves. For example, Heathcliff is described as “Black-eye[d]” [Brontë,1], “Dark skinned” [Brontë, 3] and a “dirty boy” [Brontë, 32]; obviously, black has sinister connotations, and darkness or uncleanliness in relation to the soul is a common metaphor for evil. On the converse, Edgar Linton is described as blue eyed with a perfect forehead [Brontë, 34] and “soft featured… [with] a figure almost too graceful” [Brontë, 40], which has almost angelic connotations. When these features and the actions of their possessors are taken into account, it becomes clear that Edgar and Heathcliff are not merely motivated by love and revenge as most academics suggest, but rather these two men were intended by Brontë to be love and hate incarnate.

    Read More

More about Jane Eyre And Rochester Comparison Essay

Open Document