Jane Eyre as a Feminist Novel

Bronte’s Jane Eyre is brimming with feminist ideology rebuking Victorian-Era gender-roll ethics and ideals. As a creative, independent woman with a strong personality and will growing up during this period of female repression, Bronte wrote Jane Eyre as a feminist message to society. She criticizes the average, servile, ignorant Victorian woman, and praises a more assertive, independent, and strong one. She does this through her protagonist Jane, who embodies all of Bronte’s ideal feminine characteristics. She is a strong woman, both mentally and physically, who seeks independence and is in search of individuality, honesty, and above all equality both in marriage and in society in a world that does not acknowledge women as individuals.

Markandaya deconstructs the gender ideologies that propagate the dominance of male over female. The Paper is an attempt at scrutinizing the different female characters of the novel through feministic perspective. Body of the Article Women repr... ... middle of paper ... ...Kamala Markandaya in the form of a recurrent female ‘quest for autonomy’. It is Rukmani’s faith and belief in her own Self that makes her a unique woman protagonist. Thrity Umrigar in her “Afterword” to the novel regards Rukmani as a true “everywoman”.

The reader is able to identify with Jane Eyre as a character through the complex sentence structure that is filled with emotion and imagery. I do agree with you Bella as the 19th century saw woman like Charlotte and Jane being inferior to men in every way possible. It was considered woman who made their own living as ‘un respectable ladies’ with no marriage prospects. This was the lifestyle of both Jane and Charlotte who found ‘acceptable’ work within the eyes of society in roles as ... ... middle of paper ... ...t through Janes quote, “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do”. P125 I believe it is evident that this is a novel of Jane's independence.

Though many of the leading female characters in Jane Austen’s novels seem to emphasize the gender stereotype of the 18th century woman, Northanger Abbey’s Catherine Moreland displays strong feminist tones. Several critics might agree that Catherine Moreland is most often described as a submissive young lady confined to society. However, coming from a society that desired their women to be mostly docile, Catherine openly expresses her opinions and moods. The dominance of her views and her ability to be able to share her thoughts straightforwardly, makes Catherine a feminist character. In an even more drastic effort, Catherine imparts onto Henry Tilney how to divert himself from societal limitations and voice his own opinions.

Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well Lewis 2 as mine!” To Hester, there is no reasons to put both shame on her and her partner when she can take all the shame. She proves herself to be selfless, another strong characteristic that exemplifies feminist attributes in the book. At first, when Hester is confronted by her ex-husband Chillingworth, she is portrayed as weak and feeble. This trait does not go on to prove Hester as a huge feminist character for the Scarlet Letter, but as the book continues, Hester receives the strength to stand up to him and realizes there is no need ... ... middle of paper ... ... him feeble.

This ideal is an unrealistic and unhealthy ambition for young women. They should be encouraged by their role models to think logically, save themselves and others, think “outside the box,” and to just be more. Bruno Bettelheim, author of The U... ... middle of paper ... ...r your daughter? Because of, and yet, despite her imperfections, Hermione Granger IS a solid feminist role model. According to Kniesler, [t]here is no one ideal woman, just as there is no ideal feminist…Hermione is a feminist role model because she grasps the foundations of feminism – sexual equality – and remains true to herself, overcoming the pressure of society and tradition.

We first see Jane's efforts to defend herself crushed by Mrs. Reed who says, "There is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner" (pg. 3). One would think that the life at Gateshead would have subdued Jane's fiery temper, but it only rooted it deeper within her spirit. Had Jane been treated kindly she might have grown up a sweet-tempered girl, always giving in to the demands of society and holding back from developing her hungry mind. Jane also stands up to the bully, John Reed: "Wicked and cruel boy!...You are like a murderer, you are like a slave driver&emdash;You are like the Roman emperors!"

Both decisions, though opposing, are sympathetically portrayed and seem appropriate to each character. The Christian model of behavior Stowe endorses is made clear by Uncle Tom's martyrdom and simple faith in the literal word of the bible. However the maternal model is less clear, since at times it seems to parallel the Christian model, and at other times , as in this case, it differs radically. Eliza runs away to protect her child's safety. Although Eliza's behavior, and the actions of the other strong female characters of the novel, could easily be understood by saying, "a mother of course would do anything for her child", this statement immediately puts the female characters' actions on a physical, real-life level, opposing them to the higher, spiritual choices of their male counter-parts.

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath’s Tale holds the unique position of being the only tale told by a lay female in the group. The Wife of Bath is a complex character in this, she isn't what she seems to be, and maybe not even what she herself thinks she is. One may at first believe that she represents a feminist character in this, defending the rights and power of women over men in both her prologue and tale. Though The Wife of Bath seems to see herself as a feminist (more or less as a strong independent female of her time), defending the rights and power of women over men in both her prologue the tales actual perspective is formed from the point of view of a man of the time in this, her entire image seems to shift. Notably, it is valid to state that it is highly unlikely that any man of the time period saw her in this same light; rather she seems to illustrate all of the wrongs that men found in women.

In olden days a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking But now, God knows, Anything goes! F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, a socio-historical commentary, introspectively explores the self-struggle of Daisy Buchanan, an avant-garde feminist, who has been imposed by societal obligations and expectations, ironically she enforces the same "unacceptable" conditions upon her impressionable infant daughter. Effectively, Fitzgerald portrays Daisy as a symbol and catalyst of moral degradation of the societal norm. Fitzgerald essentially misleads the audience as he presents Daisy Buchanan with a series of positive associations, all of which ultimately collapse under the brunt of the revelation of her true character. From the outset, this charismatic Southern belle is portrayed to be pure and innocent, clad in white with her “dress...rippling and fluttering as if [it] had just been blown back after a short flight around the house” (Fitzgerald, 11).