Jane Eyre Mystery Essay

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From the very moment of his introduction to the narrative of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë surrounds Mr. Rochester in a cloud of mystery. It takes months for Jane to break through Rochester’s surface, and even when she thinks she understands the man behind the mystery, Rochester’s shocking secret plunges Jane even deeper into his hidden life. Mr. Rochester’s secret, his insane wife Bertha, keeps him in the shadows, as her existence threatens his status among his peers and the reputation of his whole family. Mr. Rochester’s secrets control his entire life and control every action he takes, from the way he interacts with Jane, to the show he puts on for the other elites; Rochester’s mystery is not a choice, but rather a means of survival in his world. Rochester is a man of many secrets, and although he keeps them for his own good, they often become very harmful to all involved with him.
The only reason Mr. Rochester keeps any of his secrets he is because of his arranged marriage to Bertha Mason, a marriage coordinated by both his greedy father and older brother in order to secure the family fortune for themselves. Rochester’s family knew of Bertha’s condition and the condition of the other members of her …show more content…

Jane finds much of her strength in Rochester, and both “faith” and “confidence” are destroyed. Jane also refuses to “ascribe to vice” and live as Mr. Rochester’s mistress because she knows it is ultimately not the right thing to do. Among all of the turmoil, Jane is able to asses that “[she] must go”. The only way for Jane to be happy while Bertha is alive is for her to leave Mr. Rochester and find herself again. However, once Bertha dies Jane is able to return to Mr. Rochester and marry him, as the only way she exists with Mr. Rochester is as his wife, something impossible with the existence of

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