Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

The Victorian Era encompassed a time of great discrepancy between the sexes, especially for women. The polarization of gender roles reflected on a basis of gender sexuality where men and women were granted certain advantages and disadvantages. Women were expected to realize a specific position in society based on morals of submission, passivity, and a complete lack of selfishness and independence. Constrictive notions such as these prevent individual expression and expansion. Therefore, while struggling to fill the pre-conceived expectancies of society, one forces true desires and happiness to pass as a scant priority. Charlotte Brontë's Victorian novel, Jane Eyre, explores the significance of individual fulfillment in an oppressive society through the main character, Jane Eyre, as she evolves during her journey with the effect of her relationships as well. In her first home at Gateshead, Jane Eyre encounters her first glimpse of social infrastructure beginning with Mrs. Reed and her children, primarily John Reed. John is the first person to cement her place in the household with physical taunting and verbal derision. He relies on translucent masculinity to constantly assert power over the young girl. “He bullied and punished me—not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually” (Brontë 4). Jane is forced to succumb to his abuse for a momentary lapse of time which leads to emotional buildup. Both her cousin and her aunt remind Jane that she is sustained in their household only by the kindness of their hearts. John states, “…You are a dependent, mamma says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen's children like us” (Brontë 5). Through the... ... middle of paper ... ...hester’s adversities. She realizes that personal liberties will be present in mutually emotional and physically dependent pairing. This final stage It is a monumental step for Charlotte Brontë during the Victorian Era, revolving around a female protagonist with a penchant for self-preservation despite societal opposition. Initially, Jane finds herself in situations where she feels excluded by those around her so she forms a mindset in which her truest desires come before all else while she ignores the judgements of her peers. Jane’s withdrawal from suppression and limitations transform her as a reflection of her strength as a woman and as a human being. It is a combination of moral clauses with the effects of societal pressures that creates her mission of individual fulfillment and allows Jane Eyre to flourish as a strong, independent woman of the Victorian Era.