The period of their engagement is thus represented by Brontë as wrought with the perils of sexual temptation as implied by Jane’s idolatry of Rochester and willingness to yield to him. Still, Jane’s religious agency and morality allows her to resist, thus ensuring her a continued connection with God. Nevertheless, Jane retains her spiritual love that includes Christianity and allows her to accommodate her mortal desires. Jane is again tried when she learns of Bertha’s existence and is begged by Rochester to be his mistress, to which she denies by saying she “will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man” (313). In the midst of this catastrophe she says, “One idea only still throbbed life-like within me—a remembrance of God” (293) and with a firm resolution she leaves Thornfield and Rochester, exulting “him who thus loved me I absolutely worshipped: and I must renounce love and idol” (312). Jane’s actions clearly demonstrate that she submits her will to God even when her whole being is at odds with her decision; and this is not simply indicative of a religious duty but also a morality that grounds her existence.
Hitherto, Jane is again put to the test when St. John asks her to marry him and yield to his will, God’s will, while she endeavors to remain spiritually and mortally autonomous. St. John Rivers is another Christian model; he is self-important and though ambitious he believes he is doing God’s work. His desire for Jane to marry and accompany him to India as a missionary is what he believes is God’s will for both of them, and he urges her to sacrifice her emotions for her moral duty to God—an act that would make her unfaithful to herself. Jane cannot imagine herself as his wife and equates their would-be marriage to su...
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...ay world as Helen’s and St. John’s Christianity demands. Jane’s faith is enduring but does not consume her individual personality as she exercises her right to be human. Mrs. Moore’s spiritual development leads to impurity and she subsequently becomes ambivalent towards spirituality and God. Yet, she attains a sort of repose at the end of A Passage to India when the passing imagery and landscapes on her way to England seem to question the legitimacy of the Marabar caves and its echo as a true representation of life. Perhaps, such a thought allows her to see that there is still potential in spirituality and thus in life as a whole. Mrs. Moore’s and Jane’s spiritual development mirrors one’s own struggle to attain balance in our lives as the key to a tranquility of mind, body, and spirit, and it can be ascertained that both characters achieve a certain level of this.
...to expand, to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, of triumph, I ever felt. It seemed as if an invisible bond had burst, and that I had struggled out into unhoped- for liberty.” Never knowing what was going to happen next, like St. John wasn’t first portrayed as a cousin but at the end he was being portrayed as a husband rather than even a cousin all because of Jane. She puts the twist and turn into the story, which causes the reader to being pushed or perceived into liking Jane.
The concern of this paper is the “happy ending,” typical in Women’s Fiction according to Harris (46), present in A New England Tale, in which Jane Elton sacrifices her autonomous self through marrying Mr. Lloyd. I will critique this ending by applying several of the points Harris makes, including the conflict between theme and structure, the “extended quest for autonomy” (50), and the issue of the self-willing and “socially determined self” (54); also, I will discuss the sexual and religious politics Jane faces, as well as the importance of her role as educator. Readers can understand the autonomous self to which I refer in a nineteenth-century context: this do...
While she was there, she was presented with a proposition that would fulfill her spiritual journey in life. “Jane come with me to India: come as my helpmeet and fellow-labourer...God and nature intended you for a missionary’s wife.” (Bronte, 404 & 405). St. John offered to marry Jane so that she could go with him to preach the word of God and help convert India’s inhabitants. St. John was very influential on Jane, as a result of his strong religious beliefs and compelling rhetoric. Even his cold attitude was transmitted to her. Consequently, Jane greatly contemplated the decision. Ultimately, she decided that she would be willing to go on the trip with him, but as a sister rather than a wife. She did not feel any adoration between her and St. John, only a sense of servitude. Thus, forming the ultimate bond of love would be treacherous and empty. She would not only be without independence, but also the possibility of finding love. When St. John is confronted with this idea, he harshly rejects it, insisting on the necessity of the marriage. After a week of frigidity
...conflicts generated by the characters’ moral ambiguity. In Jane Eyre, as St. John Rivers’s passion for spiritually superior life, abiding by the principles of God, ultimately encourages him to coerce Jane into marriage, Jane finds the love without desire equally appalling as the love without principles. Nevertheless, at the same time, Jane acknowledges that her self-respect can be accomplished when she avoids neglecting her inner desires and accept herself in her entirety. St. John Rivers, the morally ambiguous character, plays a pivotal role in the novel as he reveals the meaning of the text through the conflict with the protagonist and develops the overall theme of the novel: the self-respect arises from appreciating oneself as a whole, not from concealing the inner Feeling from others.
Jane Eyre was published in 1847. Originally titled Jane Eyre: an autobiography, the novel is about title character, Jane Eyre, and her journey from girlhood to wife of Rochester. The book contains many elements of the gothic, including the supernatural, the horrific, and other gothic forms and elements. The excess contained in the book includes that of sexual excess, as Jane is attracted to Rochester by sexual passion, as well as that of the romantic, there is also what Rochester considers Bertha's sexual excess. This essay will aim to discuss how these are contained by the Christian framework of the novel.
Jane in her younger years was practically shunned by everyone and was shown very little love and compassion, from this throughout her life she searches for these qualities through those around her. Due to Jane’s mother’s disinheritance she was disowned by Mrs. Reed and her children, and was treated like a servant consistently reminded that she lacked position and wealth.
In fact, I am glad the book ended with the focus on the character of St. John instead of with Jane or Rochester, as it hints to us that the importance of the book is not about finding the right person, falling in love, and living happily ever after. The theme of this book is about following your conscience. In this regard, Jane and St. John both did the same thing in this story: They both had strong, driving consciences; they both were tempted but pursued their course; and they both found a satisfying life in the end. This book is not about developing a relationship with a romantic partner, but about developing a relationship and learning to follow and live in tune with your own moral conscience.
Whether it is because of the obligation, out of love, pity or kindness, Jane believes she visit Mrs. Reed and fulfill her last wishes. “Forgive me for my passionate language; I was a child then; eight, nine years have passed since that day.” (253) Putting the hardships behind her Jane gives her full apologies to Mrs.
...would have to sacrifice her passion for the sake of religious duty. On the other hand with Rochester, Jane would be forced to sacrifice her morality for the sake of her passion whilst Bertha was alive. When she heard of Bertha’s death she realised that with Rochester she could live a happy life full of love. Rochester and St John Rivers both have passion, Rochester’s is a passion for his love of Jane whereas St John Rivers is a passion for his work as a missionary, and he allows this passion to quell his love for Miss Oliver. St John Rivers is prepared to come to love Jane over time; however this is a sign of his lack of passion while Rochester truly loves Jane despite their differences, and his love for her is true love. For Jane it is a choice between a marriage of passion and a marriage of practicality, for Jane it is her passion and heart that eventually wins.
“What do I sacrifice? Famine for food, expectation for content. To be privileged to put my arms round what I value-to press my lips to what I love-to repose on what I trust: is that to make a sacrifice? If so, then certainly I delight in sacrifice”(About.com Classic Literature). Jane has lived a hard life and because of that she just wants to be independent and respected. But to have those things she has to sacrifice her happiness and the chance of not being with the man she loves. She wants to be happy and to have the feeling of being loved, but she knows that she would not be able to be happy if she does not respect herself. And if she was with Mr. Rochester, the man she loves, then she would lose her self respect because Mr. Rochester is still married, so she would not be his wife she will just be the other women.
her off to school. She tells him that he should "keep a strict eye on her,
Jane’s perspective of love is based upon a mutual understanding and equality. Jane’s equality in a relationship is derived from her desire of independence. Jane reveals her need of 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. Her love is solely based on equality and independence and not status, power, or property. As Heidi Kelchner proclaims in her article “Jane Eyre,” “Although she ranks far below Rochester in social rank and wealth, she feels equal to him in soul, understanding his true nature.” Jane has pure intentions in her marriage with Mr. Rochester as she believes he is her equal and true love. Jane proves that she seeks true love once more when she rejects St. John Rivers marriage proposal. St. John had offered Jane an invitation to become his missionary wife in India. Jane acknowledges that he does not seek marriage for love but instead for religious purposes. Therefore, Jane proposes an alternate plan that allows her to serve as a single, independent missionary and co-worker of John. As Heidi Kelchner affirms Jane’s thoughts in her article “Jane Eyre,” “As St. John’s wife, she fears she would be restrained, and always checked forced to keep the fire of her nature continually low.” She would not be degraded to an object but rather wanted to stand as a strong independent woman. Jane would not accept the humiliated marriage to please St. John’s wishes. She would continue to look for true love based upon
A Critical Evaluation of Jane Eyre Although Jane Eyre grows and matures, Margaret McFadden-Gerber views her as a relatively emotionally stable young feminist. Through the duration of the novel, Jane demonstrates her "self-love" that is often an influential emotion leading to drastic and hasty reactions. In the very opening few chapters, Jane takes a stand for herself and presents her bruised ego, pride and maturity. Sara Reed, her aunt, dismisses her place in the family as Jane is physically and emotionally removed from her "family's" activities.
In the beginning of Jane Eyre, Jane struggles against Bessie, the nurse at Gateshead Hall, and says, I resisted all the way: a new thing for me…"(Chapter 2). This sentence foreshadows what will be an important theme of the rest of the book, that of female independence or rebelliousness. Jane is here resisting her unfair punishment, but throughout the novel she expresses her opinions on the state of women. Tied to this theme is another of class and the resistance of the terms of one's class. Spiritual and supernatural themes can also be traced throughout the novel.
The opposite is true when Jane is tempted to marry St John. Jane longs "to rush down the torrent of his will into the gulf of his e...