Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre
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In Charlotte Bronte’s, Jane Eyre, Jane goes through numerous self-discoveries, herself-realization and discipline leads her to a life she chooses to make her happy. Jane Eyre has a rough life from the start. Forced to stay with people who despise her, Jane can only help herself. Jane must overcome the odds against her, which add to many. Jane is a woman with no voice, until she changes her destiny. The novel Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte consists of continuous journeys through Jane’s life towards her final happiness and freedom. From the beginning, Jane possesses a sense of her self-confidence and
contentment. Her integrity is continually tested over the course of the novel, and
Jane must learn to balance the frequently conflicting aspects of her so as to find
contentment. There are many ways in which Bronte shows Jane’s tribulations, through irony, honor, and tone.
Charlotte Bronte includes many different aspects to this novel. “ One of the keys to power of Jane Eyre is Bronte’s deployment of multiple genres” (Clarke 2). Clarke says that there are many levels to the book; the book can have a greater depth than a love story, but as a tale of strength and endurance.
Jane Eyre has a rough start to her foundation, to begin she is orphaned at a young age. This sets up many problems for the young girl and her fragile identity. The people around worsen the situation as Jane grows. They challenge her patience, integrity, and intelligence. As a female Jane must deal with the caste system of her time as a threat, and as an orphaned child she must deal with the cast system as an obstacle. The family of Reeds that she lives with reminds her everyday of her low position. “She suffers precisely because she knows the value of caste; She may be poor, but she does not want to belong to the poor” (Bell 2). This makes Jane want to thrive more because she realizes the odds against her. Originally, Jane comes from a middle-class family but when her father dies she is left to the pity of the Reeds. The Reeds mistreat Jane and she grows to long the outside world. Jane clearly shows her position when she says, “ It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, as submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved”. (54) Jane says much in this statement, such as how Jane longs for a family or a close loving relationship- that reflects later on to Jane’s love interests, or how she disapproves of her punishments because they are unjustified. Jane cares for the Reeds as people because of Jane’s loving natural way but won’t show affection to those who mistreat her.
Jane’s childhood can be looked at as severe in many instances. Jane grows up with no family to love or no family to love her. She is looked down upon at by society because she is an orphan and a woman. Jane has to counter-
Balance her family and society at the same time, she says, “ Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you” (Bronte 54). Although, people are insensitive to Jane she ‘turns the other cheek’ and dreams of a time when she can get away and better her life. “ Jane Eyre’s family is essentially like Cinderella’s but as this is a novel and not a fairytale, Bronte is able to use the novels realism to explore the social an psychological forces that destroy women’s integrity” (Clarke 7) By drawing a parallelism from both stories Bronte can use the seriousness of the real story to make it more dramatic. Bronte also uses the realism to bring up other aspects of how Jane’s character is tried to be destroyed through temptation and deceit. “She suffers not only from the weakness of female-hood but from the further insecurity of the poor person always threatened with a pauper’s helplessness” (Bell 2). Jane must ascend to help herself and make her life better. Because of Jane’s upbringing she longs an escape, Jane reflects back to this time. “ I desired liberty, for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing” (Bronte 83). Jane desires this freedom but she fears it will never come. Then one day her wish is granted and she will be sent
to school. Jane is exhilarated, this her only chance of becoming more that a poor woman, all alone with no family and no money. The theme of Jane Eyre is self-discovery and dependence. Jane’s first chance to become closer to herself and farther from the Reeds happens when she goes off to school. The Reeds see this as them getting rid of Jane, but for Jane’s future it is a stepping stone. Jane also sees