Each film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre has upsides and downsides. Each film attempted to capture the essence of the book as well as it possibly could. Each actor in each film tried their best to portray the personality of their character and get their motives across. Some of the actors were able to better portray their characters and get their points across.
Zefferelli's film starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt was very accurate to the plot of the book. Charlotte Gainsbourg's portrayal of Jane was very accurate to the descriptions of her in the book. Her physical features matched those described in the book and she behaved like her. William Hurt is a very talented actor, but I thought he was a little older and not quite as attractive as I had pictured him. The scenery was lovely and despite a few minor plot changes, the story line was very faithful to the novel.
White's film, which starred Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens, was fairly faithful to the plot of the novel. I liked the way this film went into more depth to show how she was excluded by her her Aunt and the rest of her family. I thought Ruth Wilson had potential, but ultimately, I don't believe she really captured Jane's essence. Toby Stephens made an excellent Rochester and the proposal scene from this movie was arguably the best of the three. However, some of the other scenes from White's film were fairly cheesy. For example, the Red room in this film was very cheesy, as it was just a red light shining on her face. They could have made some different decisions for setting in this adaptation, but it wasn't a bad movie.
Cary Fukunaga's film starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender had a gorgeous setting and very attractive actors. My main quarrel with this film was that I found the actors to be more attractive than I thought the characters should be. Michael Fassbender is a very attractive man and Mia Wasikowska is a beautiful woman. Not to mention, St. John looked like he could have been a male model. This may sound silly, but I did not like the fact that Jane was blonde in this version. I think that at this time fair hair was a sign of beauty and Jane was specifically supposed to be plain. However, I really enjoyed the interpretation of Bertha in this version.
Ultimately, I have to say that I think Zefferelli's film is probably the best in my opinion because of how accurate it is to the novel. However, it would have been even better if they had Charlotte Gainsbourg's Jane paired with Toby Stephens's Rochester in the setting from Fukunaga's film. Don't get me wrong, Michael Fassbender is a beautiful man, I just felt that he was perhaps a little too beautiful to play Mr. Rochester.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Value in Sticking to the Script
The novel Jane Eyre is vastly intriguing, standing the test of
centuries. What is most astounding is how relevant the story remains
after all these years. There is so much demand for the story that it
has been adapted into three movies in just the last twenty years. Each film differs in representing the characters, setting, and storyline. Each piece takes creative license on many aspects of the plot, but some choices make more sense than others.
The Franco Zeffirelli film has by far the best Jane. Charlotte Gainsbourg looks the most like Jane would, and has the passion ate and logical mind needed. She interacts with the other characters in the most authentically Janian of the three versions. However, the Rochester is a tad too stiff and harsh to completely embody the character. The aspect I like most about this film is it's accuracy to the novel; out of the three, it stays closest to the original plot and wording. The scene that best exemplifies this is Rochester's proposal; it takes place at night and in the orchard, just as per the book.
Susanna White does a decent job of staying with the overall story line and creating interest in the piece. On a side note, I enjoy that the girl who plays young Jane is Georgie Henley, the same actress that played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia. However, Rochester's proposal takes place in the daytime, which is contradictory to the book. During the day, Jane was usually with Adele, so it makes little sense that the two would have the time to have the discussion during the day.
Last but not least, Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre has the highest production value. Clearly a lot of time and energy (not to mention money) was put into this film. However, this version least akin to the book, creating its own plot from bits and pieces of the novel. While this is not necessarily a poor decision, it simply tells a different story. And viewing this as a person who views that book plotlines as sacred, I cannot appreciate this film as well as the others. Both the Jane and the Rochester are well-cast, but it's hard to get past the shifts in the story.
My favorite film, which much deliberation, is the Zefferelli. Aside from Fukunaga's production value and White's Adele, I appreciate how closely Zefferelli's stays to the novel but still finds new life in the story. THe Jane is a bit more well-cast than the Rochester, but I appreciate the pairing. Also, who can forget the way Rochester's horse fell in the scene where Jane and Rochester meet- it is quite hilarious.
The Franco Zeffirelli film has by far the best Jane. Charlotte Gainsbourg looks the most like Jane would, and has the passion ate and logical mind needed. She interacts with the other characters in the most authentically Janian of the three versions. However, the Rochester is a tad too stiff and harsh to completely embody the character. The aspect I like most about this film is it's accuracy to the novel; out of the three, it stays closest to the original plot and wording. The scene that best exemplifies this is Rochester's proposal; it takes place at night and in the orchard, just as per the book.
Susanna White does a decent job of staying with the overall story line and creating interest in the piece. On a side note, I enjoy that the girl who plays young Jane is Georgie Henley, the same actress that played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia. However, Rochester's proposal takes place in the daytime, which is contradictory to the book. During the day, Jane was usually with Adele, so it makes little sense that the two would have the time to have the discussion during the day.
Last but not least, Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre has the highest production value. Clearly a lot of time and energy (not to mention money) was put into this film. However, this version least akin to the book, creating its own plot from bits and pieces of the novel. While this is not necessarily a poor decision, it simply tells a different story. And viewing this as a person who views that book plotlines as sacred, I cannot appreciate this film as well as the others. Both the Jane and the Rochester are well-cast, but it's hard to get past the shifts in the story.
My favorite film, which much deliberation, is the Zefferelli. Aside from Fukunaga's production value and White's Adele, I appreciate how closely Zefferelli's stays to the novel but still finds new life in the story. THe Jane is a bit more well-cast than the Rochester, but I appreciate the pairing. Also, who can forget the way Rochester's horse fell in the scene where Jane and Rochester meet- it is quite hilarious.
Jane Eyre Through Film
Interpreting a novel into a cinematic production is often difficult and easily judged. However, it is clear that all three films had workers that wanted to portray the novel as best as they could in their production. Since Jane Eyre can be interpreted in a variety of ways and make connections for some that it doesn't for others, the depiction of this novel in film can be vastly different. Although the three films were created during different time frames and had their own unique and creative twist, they all have redeeming qualities that make them stand out and be successful.
In the 1996 production by Zeffirelli, the scene in which Jane walks outside to take a break from teaching Adele is exactly how I pictured it. There is an emphasis on the beauty and elegance of nature which was also present in the book. The film creators did a good job portraying this importance of nature. However, other aspects of the movie were not carried out as well as the other films and did not follow the book. For example, Jane woke up next to Helen when she was dead in her bed, however, in the book she was removed from the bed before she woke up. This was not accurate or aligned with the novel. In addition, when Jane met Rochester in the movie, it was a overcast day. In the novel, it was nighttime when they met and it was cold, dark, and icy. Lastly, the marriage proposal scene was very awkward in this film and seemed forced and uncomfortable. This film was my least favorite because most of the scenes, characters, and settings did not look or seem like they did while I was reading the novel.
In the 2006 production by White, Lowood is exactly how I pictured the school to look and the relationships that Jane has with the people there and with the Reed's are portrayed very well and are in line with the novel. This film does a very good job at portraying Jane and how she feels regarding different experiences in her life. One thing that happens incorrectly in this film is Jane waking up next to Helen after she has died; in the novel, Jane is removed from the bed before waking up. Aside from this, this version of the film portrays characters and scenes just as I pictured them from the novel. The proposal scene seemed quite accurate and natural unlike the previous film. This version was definitely my favorite out of the three.
The 2011 production by Fukunaga was quite different than the other two versions. This film had flashbacks taking place which added a new element to telling the story of Jane and her life. In addition, this film seemed to have more accuracy when comparing it to the book. For example, the scene in which Jane wakes up from sleeping next to Helen is portrayed correctly in that Jane is removed from the bed before she wakes up so she doesn't see Helen dead. One inaccuracy, however, was that the proposal scene took place during the day and not at night like it did in the novel. Despite this, the proposal scene in this film seemed the most realistic and had the best acting. Overall, this movie rated somewhere in between the other two for me personally.
Watching all three of these films and seeing both the subtle and obvious differences was very interesting and beneficial to further my interpretations and understandings of the novel itself. It was good to be shown other people's interpretations of the text and understand how others may relate to the story. My favorite film version would be the 2006 BBC production by Susanna White, however, I would not mind watching any one of the films in their entirety.
In the 1996 production by Zeffirelli, the scene in which Jane walks outside to take a break from teaching Adele is exactly how I pictured it. There is an emphasis on the beauty and elegance of nature which was also present in the book. The film creators did a good job portraying this importance of nature. However, other aspects of the movie were not carried out as well as the other films and did not follow the book. For example, Jane woke up next to Helen when she was dead in her bed, however, in the book she was removed from the bed before she woke up. This was not accurate or aligned with the novel. In addition, when Jane met Rochester in the movie, it was a overcast day. In the novel, it was nighttime when they met and it was cold, dark, and icy. Lastly, the marriage proposal scene was very awkward in this film and seemed forced and uncomfortable. This film was my least favorite because most of the scenes, characters, and settings did not look or seem like they did while I was reading the novel.
In the 2006 production by White, Lowood is exactly how I pictured the school to look and the relationships that Jane has with the people there and with the Reed's are portrayed very well and are in line with the novel. This film does a very good job at portraying Jane and how she feels regarding different experiences in her life. One thing that happens incorrectly in this film is Jane waking up next to Helen after she has died; in the novel, Jane is removed from the bed before waking up. Aside from this, this version of the film portrays characters and scenes just as I pictured them from the novel. The proposal scene seemed quite accurate and natural unlike the previous film. This version was definitely my favorite out of the three.
The 2011 production by Fukunaga was quite different than the other two versions. This film had flashbacks taking place which added a new element to telling the story of Jane and her life. In addition, this film seemed to have more accuracy when comparing it to the book. For example, the scene in which Jane wakes up from sleeping next to Helen is portrayed correctly in that Jane is removed from the bed before she wakes up so she doesn't see Helen dead. One inaccuracy, however, was that the proposal scene took place during the day and not at night like it did in the novel. Despite this, the proposal scene in this film seemed the most realistic and had the best acting. Overall, this movie rated somewhere in between the other two for me personally.
Watching all three of these films and seeing both the subtle and obvious differences was very interesting and beneficial to further my interpretations and understandings of the novel itself. It was good to be shown other people's interpretations of the text and understand how others may relate to the story. My favorite film version would be the 2006 BBC production by Susanna White, however, I would not mind watching any one of the films in their entirety.
1+1+1=1
Many books are adapted into different versions, the most popular of which being a film. Most likely the films are created to let a book be enjoyed by those who might not be inclined to read it. They are also created when a book is written to be descriptive and full of such intense imagery as to make the reader want to be able to see the plot and not just imagine it. However, in the process of turning a book into a film, the writers and directors have to adapt and modify the plot as to make it fit a film’s format. Because of this, even film adaptations of the same book can be different and portray ideas differently than presented in the book. Of the three Jane Eyre adaptations we watched in class each has its own faults and strengths in accurately portraying the novel.
The first film we watched was directed by Franco Zeffirelli, famous for his modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Though the film recognized the importance of Jane’s childhood, it added a few scenes to make it pass faster than it did in the book. Rather than a gradual building of a friendship with Helen and Jane, it forms almost instantly when Helen shares her music with Jane, something that was not present in the book. Also, this adaptation doesn’t have Jane as a teacher at Lowood, and Helen is the only girl who we see become ill, so the film suggests that the entirety of Jane’s time at Lowood was just suffering.
Like the first film, the BBC adaptation also begins in Jane’s childhood. However, rather than have the scene in the red room be a hallucination brought from child-like fear as it is presented in the book, this film shows it as possibly real. They have red light illuminating the entire room, and they have an actor for Mr Reed appear on the bed. During the proposal scene this film has Jane and Rochester talking during the day rather than at night as they were in the book, but it does include the ominous storm following their discussion. It even includes the foreshadowing of the lightning bolt striking the tree where Rochester had just proposed to her.
Unlike the other films, the Universal version does not follow the exact plot of the novel, instead starting at the moment when Jane is running from Rochester’s house. This has the viewer’s first impression of Jane to be different from the book. Instead of a rebellious girl fighting against unfair circumstances, Jane is first viewed as a weak, ill, and in fear of something from her past. This adds an element of mystery to the plot, as well as intrigue into Jane’s past rather than the book’s anticipation of the future.
Though the each film as approached the novel differently, they all display the key themes and events from the novel. Each has the heart wrenching moment of Jane’s only friend dying and the teachers at Lowood being unsympathetic towards it besides Miss Temple. They all also show Mrs Reed's favoritism for her children and Jane’s constant seclusion during childhood. Some create new scenes or have different approaches in their portrayals, but through these differences they show the same main ideas of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
What Makes a Good Book-to-Movie Adaptation
There have been many book-to-movie adaptations that have made me excessively and unnervingly happy, just as there have been many that have made me excessively and unnervingly disappointed. There is really no room for anything in between. This is true for many literary nerds like myself, and everyone likely has a different standard for what makes a good book-to-movie adaptation. Mine involves two things: accuracy to the original book’s plot and descriptions, and translating the words to the screen in a way that is just as exciting as the book was.
The first Jane Eyre movie had a lot going for it. I think it did very well in conveying the mood of the book on screen. Jane was plain and passionate, her life and love just as so. Lowood was cold and unforgiving, and Gateshead and Thornfield were both the perfect amount of spooky. However, many things about the plot were changed for the sake of making the movie interesting. Helen’s characterization, for me, was the most drastic change, turning her from a methodical and introverted girl to a warm and immediate friend. I believe that accuracy should never be sacrificed for ratings, so this does not rise to the top of my favorites list.
The second movie was much more accurate. John Reed hitting Jane with the book was kept, Jane’s head wound was kept, the ghost in the red room was kept, and that’s all just in the first few minutes of the movie. Despite all that, it wasn’t a very good movie. There was no connection from one event to the next, and though I’m not certain, I think that someone who has never read the book would have an extremely difficult time understanding what was going on. In the same vein as the above paragraph, I also believe that ratings should never be satisfied for accuracy. Therefore, this is not my favorite, either.
Good Films Show the Novel in Other Ways
Re-creating novels into movies is a tough feat. It's nearly impossible to get the film to match the book word for word. That is why sounds and images are important to tell the story. It's imperative that the way the film is recorded embodies the images and sounds a reader would have in mind. The 2006 BBC Jane Eyre, directed by Susanna White, does just that; the noises and footage put into the film make up for not being able to read the novel exactly how it is written.
This film opens artistically with the books Jane liked to read as a child, and show how the book is pictured in Jane's young mind. The other films forgo this. The first scene is more closely done to the novel than the other two, which is important. The Red Room in this novel is a little dramatic, but it really drives home the point of how this room may have looked in a young child's mind. Another important detail that this film orchestrated better than the other two is the effect of disease among the school at Lowood. The impact and severity, as well as number of girls, is shown clearly. Even though the transition from little Lowood Jane to grown up Lowood Jane was just as choppy as the first film, this one shows Jane being an adored teacher at Lowood and the other one does not. Finally as far as plot goes, the proposal scene is quite verbally accurate because Blanche is mentioned as well as all the doubts Jane has, and just like in the novel, it rains in the movie during Rochester and Jane's run back to Thornfield.
When reading Jane Eyre, there is plenty of outside imagery and descriptions of nature. This film captures that best. There were plenty of nature and outside shots shown. During the proposal scene the sound of chirping birds can be heard. The weather and darkness are also created well in this movie. Nature, an important part of the novel, becomes an equally important factor in the movie.
This take on Charlotte Bronte's novel speaks the most. It represents the novel the best by really portraying images and how they would look to not only a viewer, but characters inside the film/book. The movie focuses on nature, which corresponds with what the book highlights as well. Obviously a film cannot be exactly like a novel, but this movie makes up for it with other artistic ideas of showing plot and moods.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Who Has More Passion ?
The three different interpretations of the novel Jane Eyre differ immensely. From the actors to the setting all of them depict the same scenes, events, and relationships in different ways. Each film evokes a different emotional response from viewers thus leading viewers to different opinions of each. Of the three interpretations I did not enjoy Franco Zeffirelli's 1996 interpretation very much at all, but enjoyed aspects of both Susanna White's 2006 interpretation and Cary Fukunaga.
Overall, I did not enjoy Zeffirelli's interpretation. There were many aspects of the film that broke away from what actually happened in the novel. For example, Jane wakes up next to Helen Burns' dead body instead of being carried away before waking. This bothered me because I feel as though waking up next to the body of your best friend would have some serious psychological effects on a young girl. Due to the fact that this did not actually happen in the book, I do not think that the director should have made it a part of the movie. Additionally, in this version I did not get the sense that Jane and Rochester passionately loved each other. They seemed a bit more cold to each other and the way they kissed was very strange and lacked passion.
There were different aspects that I enjoyed about both White and Fukunaga's interpretations of the film. White's version included many physical details that really enhanced the viewing experience. For example, the depiction of Adele in this version is very accurate and detailed. The done up curly hair and ostentatious dress is exactly what I would have expected from the book's description of Adele. I liked that in this interpretation Adele sang and danced in the exact way in which I pictured in the book. Additionally, the proposal scene includes much more emotion and passion than the first film. I appreciated this because it feels more accurate. I got the feeling that Jane and Rochester genuinely loved each other and actually wanted to be together. There were many aspects of Fukunaga's interpretation that I also enjoyed.
Fukunaga's interpretation included my favorite Jane. Although she had strawberry blonde hair, I thought she did the best job at conveying Jane's passionate personality that is evident in the novel. Another aspect I liked about this version was the fact that it flashed back and forth between Jane at St. John's and Jane at different points in the book. I thought that this was a nice cinematic touch as it builds suspense and keeps viewers engaged. The proposal scene in this version was by far the most passionate. I felt the raw emotions of both Jane and Rochester through the words they said to each other and I really enjoyed that feeling. Overall, I thought that this version was the most unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Each interpretation of the original novel was unique. Each made me think about the book differently and made me appreciate the story even more. It was interesting to see the different interpretations pinned up against one another.
Overall, I did not enjoy Zeffirelli's interpretation. There were many aspects of the film that broke away from what actually happened in the novel. For example, Jane wakes up next to Helen Burns' dead body instead of being carried away before waking. This bothered me because I feel as though waking up next to the body of your best friend would have some serious psychological effects on a young girl. Due to the fact that this did not actually happen in the book, I do not think that the director should have made it a part of the movie. Additionally, in this version I did not get the sense that Jane and Rochester passionately loved each other. They seemed a bit more cold to each other and the way they kissed was very strange and lacked passion.
There were different aspects that I enjoyed about both White and Fukunaga's interpretations of the film. White's version included many physical details that really enhanced the viewing experience. For example, the depiction of Adele in this version is very accurate and detailed. The done up curly hair and ostentatious dress is exactly what I would have expected from the book's description of Adele. I liked that in this interpretation Adele sang and danced in the exact way in which I pictured in the book. Additionally, the proposal scene includes much more emotion and passion than the first film. I appreciated this because it feels more accurate. I got the feeling that Jane and Rochester genuinely loved each other and actually wanted to be together. There were many aspects of Fukunaga's interpretation that I also enjoyed.
Fukunaga's interpretation included my favorite Jane. Although she had strawberry blonde hair, I thought she did the best job at conveying Jane's passionate personality that is evident in the novel. Another aspect I liked about this version was the fact that it flashed back and forth between Jane at St. John's and Jane at different points in the book. I thought that this was a nice cinematic touch as it builds suspense and keeps viewers engaged. The proposal scene in this version was by far the most passionate. I felt the raw emotions of both Jane and Rochester through the words they said to each other and I really enjoyed that feeling. Overall, I thought that this version was the most unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Each interpretation of the original novel was unique. Each made me think about the book differently and made me appreciate the story even more. It was interesting to see the different interpretations pinned up against one another.
Interpretations of Ideas
The three cinematic interpretations of Jane Eyre are vastly different. From the casting of Jane and Rochester to the way the film is shot, each movie has unique aspects that reflect the primary themes of the book. Personally, I prefer White's and Fukunaga's interpretations over Zeffirelli's. White and Fukunaga create artistic interpretations of Bronte's classic that expand on the original story to make effective and moving films.
Susanna White's 2006 version of Jane Eyre uses the book's symbolism and description of characters in the on-screen interpretation. In what is shown of Jane's time at Lowood, the presence of God in the school is apparent through (slightly heavy-handed) visual representations. When Jane is standing on the stool with the word "Liar" around her neck, a painting of God pointing angrily is directly behind Jane, so that it appears the God is pointing at her. This implies that the fear of God was heavily instilled in Jane at Lowood, setting a precedent for the rest of Jane's arc in the movie. Details like this, and the dark themes before Jane meets Rochester, are nice visual reminders of themes. In the proposal scene that we saw, it is clearly shown that Jane is passionate and emotional, which is not demonstrated in Zeffirelli's version. The weather matches description in the book as well, and overall the movie is very true to Bronte's text.
Cary Fukunaga's 2011 interpretation is not as true to the book, but it is artistically fascinating and takes many interesting liberties with the original story. The movie flashes back and forth between Jane's past and the present, which is the time she's spending at Moor's House. This shows the similarities and differences between portions of her life and, though we didn't get to this part in the movie, I suspect that it compares and contrasts the two proposals of Rochester and St John. This expands past the traditional and expected cinematic-interpretation-of-a-classic-book and pushes the audience to analyze Jane's life more closely.
All three movies are cleverly designed to expand upon the original text in entertaining and interesting ways. The progression of the three movies shows the progression of film and the need to constantly be innovating in order to stay ahead, and it shows how a classic can always be reimagined to take on new meaning.
Susanna White's 2006 version of Jane Eyre uses the book's symbolism and description of characters in the on-screen interpretation. In what is shown of Jane's time at Lowood, the presence of God in the school is apparent through (slightly heavy-handed) visual representations. When Jane is standing on the stool with the word "Liar" around her neck, a painting of God pointing angrily is directly behind Jane, so that it appears the God is pointing at her. This implies that the fear of God was heavily instilled in Jane at Lowood, setting a precedent for the rest of Jane's arc in the movie. Details like this, and the dark themes before Jane meets Rochester, are nice visual reminders of themes. In the proposal scene that we saw, it is clearly shown that Jane is passionate and emotional, which is not demonstrated in Zeffirelli's version. The weather matches description in the book as well, and overall the movie is very true to Bronte's text.
Cary Fukunaga's 2011 interpretation is not as true to the book, but it is artistically fascinating and takes many interesting liberties with the original story. The movie flashes back and forth between Jane's past and the present, which is the time she's spending at Moor's House. This shows the similarities and differences between portions of her life and, though we didn't get to this part in the movie, I suspect that it compares and contrasts the two proposals of Rochester and St John. This expands past the traditional and expected cinematic-interpretation-of-a-classic-book and pushes the audience to analyze Jane's life more closely.
All three movies are cleverly designed to expand upon the original text in entertaining and interesting ways. The progression of the three movies shows the progression of film and the need to constantly be innovating in order to stay ahead, and it shows how a classic can always be reimagined to take on new meaning.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The New Jane
Passage:
"As I rose and dressed, I thought over what had happened, and wondered if it were a dream. I could not be certain of the reality til I had seen Mr Rochester again and heard his renew his words of love and promise.
While arranging my hair, I looked at my face in the glass, and felt it was no longer plain: there was hope in its aspect and life in its colour; and my eyes seemed as if they had beheld the fount of fruition, and borrowed beams from the lustrous ripple. I had often been unwilling to look at my master, because I feared he could not be pleased at my look; but I was sure I might lift my face to his now, and not cool his affection by its expression. I took a plain but clean and light summer dress from my drawer and put it on: it seemed no attire had ever so well become me, because none had I ever worn in so blissful a mood." (Page 242)
Jane is happiest with Rochester. She feels as though he can complete her life and bring her more joy than she could ever dream of. Of course, this changes later in the book. This passage takes place before she finds out that Rochester had been previously married to Bertha and that their marriage will not take place. At this point, Jane is still naive and optimistic about her perfect future with Rochester. This passage is important in understanding how connected Jane feels to Rochester during this time before their first attempt at marriage and throughout the book as a whole. It helps the reader to understand why Jane is and always will be so drawn to Rochester.
Jane starts off this passage by stating that she "wondered if it were a dream." She couldn't believe that Rochester actually proposed to her and wanted to spend his life with her. Life with Rochester, something that she could have only dreamed of, was now a reality that she never thought she deserved or could have. This highlights that idea that Jane has of herself in regards to Rochester; to simply put it, he is her master and she his servant. Jane strives to please him and do whatever he desires of her. As the passage continues, Jane states that she was only certain of Rochester's love for her and the reality of their future marriage when he professed his love once again. Jane needed Rochester's reassurance and acknowledgement of his love for her to accept reality.
Afterward, Jane begins speaking about her physical appearance and how she sees a different person in the mirror now. She "felt [her face] was no longer plain: there was hope in its aspect and life in its colour," implying that Rochester has made her brighter and happier. However, this statement also implies that Jane was miserable and dull while without Rochester's love. Rochester seems to have brought Jane back to life, both physically and emotionally. She then mentions how her eyes sparkle now with Rochester around her.
The next statement of Jane's regards her previous fear of looking up at Rochester, her master. Since they have finally expressed their love for one another, she no longer feels afraid to look up at him and show her face. Jane states that she "feared he could not be pleased at [her] look," and Jane must do everything that pleases Rochester, nothing else. Jane then acknowledges how her clothing feels different and better since her newfound romance was announced. Her "plain but clean and light summer dress" felt completely new to her. She describes the sensation as: "it seemed no attire had ever so well become me, because none had I ever worn in so blissful a mood." Jane felt so happy and content with her life and future marriage that everything about herself seemed to be improved and brighter.
This passage shows how devoted to and content with Rochester that Jane was. As a result of this deep connection, it is easy to view the development of their relationship and makes sense of their re connection at the end of the novel. Their relationship dynamic is better understood through this passage as well. The characterization of Jane and how she feels about relationships is quite strong in this passage and certainly necessary to understand her character in a stronger manner.
Jane is happiest with Rochester. She feels as though he can complete her life and bring her more joy than she could ever dream of. Of course, this changes later in the book. This passage takes place before she finds out that Rochester had been previously married to Bertha and that their marriage will not take place. At this point, Jane is still naive and optimistic about her perfect future with Rochester. This passage is important in understanding how connected Jane feels to Rochester during this time before their first attempt at marriage and throughout the book as a whole. It helps the reader to understand why Jane is and always will be so drawn to Rochester.
Jane starts off this passage by stating that she "wondered if it were a dream." She couldn't believe that Rochester actually proposed to her and wanted to spend his life with her. Life with Rochester, something that she could have only dreamed of, was now a reality that she never thought she deserved or could have. This highlights that idea that Jane has of herself in regards to Rochester; to simply put it, he is her master and she his servant. Jane strives to please him and do whatever he desires of her. As the passage continues, Jane states that she was only certain of Rochester's love for her and the reality of their future marriage when he professed his love once again. Jane needed Rochester's reassurance and acknowledgement of his love for her to accept reality.
Afterward, Jane begins speaking about her physical appearance and how she sees a different person in the mirror now. She "felt [her face] was no longer plain: there was hope in its aspect and life in its colour," implying that Rochester has made her brighter and happier. However, this statement also implies that Jane was miserable and dull while without Rochester's love. Rochester seems to have brought Jane back to life, both physically and emotionally. She then mentions how her eyes sparkle now with Rochester around her.
The next statement of Jane's regards her previous fear of looking up at Rochester, her master. Since they have finally expressed their love for one another, she no longer feels afraid to look up at him and show her face. Jane states that she "feared he could not be pleased at [her] look," and Jane must do everything that pleases Rochester, nothing else. Jane then acknowledges how her clothing feels different and better since her newfound romance was announced. Her "plain but clean and light summer dress" felt completely new to her. She describes the sensation as: "it seemed no attire had ever so well become me, because none had I ever worn in so blissful a mood." Jane felt so happy and content with her life and future marriage that everything about herself seemed to be improved and brighter.
This passage shows how devoted to and content with Rochester that Jane was. As a result of this deep connection, it is easy to view the development of their relationship and makes sense of their re connection at the end of the novel. Their relationship dynamic is better understood through this passage as well. The characterization of Jane and how she feels about relationships is quite strong in this passage and certainly necessary to understand her character in a stronger manner.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Family Ties
Passage: (p. 360)
"'Your mother was my father's sister?'
'Yes.'
'My aunt, consequently?'
He bowed.
'My uncle John was your uncle John? You, Diana, and Mary are his sister's children, as I am his brother's child?'
'Undeniably.'
'You three, then, are my cousins; half our blood on each side flows from the same source?'
'We are cousins, yes.'
I surveyed him. It seemed I had found a brother: one I could be proud of,- one I could love; and two sisters, whose qualities were such, that, when I knew them but as mere strangers, they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration. The two girls, on whom, kneeling down on the wet ground, and looking through the low, latticed window of Moor House kitchen, I had gazed with so bitter a mixture of interest and despair, were my near kinswomen; and the young and stately gentleman who had found me almost dying at his threshold was my blood relation. Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch! This was wealth indeed!- wealth to the heart!-a mine of pure, genial affections. This was a blessing, bright, vivid, and exhilarating;- not like the ponderous gift of gold: rich and welcome enough in its way, but sobering from its weight. I now clapped my hands in sudden joy- my pulse bounded, my veins thrilled."
St. John is never one to jest, so Jane's repetition of the same type of question in similar fashions is quite redundant. Asking again and again to be sure of their relationship- "'Your mother was my father's sister?'" (line 1), and "'My uncle John was your uncle John?'" (line 5), Jane goes over every way they may be connected. Jane is one who tends to be completely thorough in everything she does, and inquiring after their true relationship is no exception.
It is no secret that Jane is also a passionate character. She throws herself into all aspects of her life, whether in telling Mrs. Reed her mind, standing by Helen or teaching Adele. This conversation is no exception. Jane is deeply passionate about her newfound family and the life they will live in harmony from the point of realization on. In her exclamation "glorious discovery to a lonely wretch!" (line 15) she conveys her surprise at having such good relations. Jane makes having a family seem as if the mere news of their connection is enough to bring the messiah.
Jane can not quite believe that she has such good family when she first heard the news. The three brethren are too good and too pure to be truly Jane's relations in her eyes. She had "found a brother: one I could be proud of" (line 9), which is far more than she could say moments before. The only brotherly figure she had in her life beforehand was John, who teased her incessantly and later lost his family's fortune in his gambling and alcohol addictions- not behavior to be proud of. Then comes St. John, who is a devout Christian, well educated, and semi-agreeable. The introduction of a new brotherly figure is a breath of fresh air for Jane. Then add Diana and Mary as well, and sound the church bells, we have a family for Jane. The two girls are Jane's equals in wit and knowledge, and are incredibly nice as well. Without knowing of Jane's relation, "they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration"(line 10), bestowing kindness upon an unfortunate stranger. This showed the truly sincere and kind characters of Diana and Mary, just the sister figures Jane always wanted. While St. John was often standoffish, Diana and Mary balanced out his nature with their vivacity. All together, they created a family of Jane's dreams.
"'Your mother was my father's sister?'
'Yes.'
'My aunt, consequently?'
He bowed.
'My uncle John was your uncle John? You, Diana, and Mary are his sister's children, as I am his brother's child?'
'Undeniably.'
'You three, then, are my cousins; half our blood on each side flows from the same source?'
'We are cousins, yes.'
I surveyed him. It seemed I had found a brother: one I could be proud of,- one I could love; and two sisters, whose qualities were such, that, when I knew them but as mere strangers, they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration. The two girls, on whom, kneeling down on the wet ground, and looking through the low, latticed window of Moor House kitchen, I had gazed with so bitter a mixture of interest and despair, were my near kinswomen; and the young and stately gentleman who had found me almost dying at his threshold was my blood relation. Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch! This was wealth indeed!- wealth to the heart!-a mine of pure, genial affections. This was a blessing, bright, vivid, and exhilarating;- not like the ponderous gift of gold: rich and welcome enough in its way, but sobering from its weight. I now clapped my hands in sudden joy- my pulse bounded, my veins thrilled."
St. John is never one to jest, so Jane's repetition of the same type of question in similar fashions is quite redundant. Asking again and again to be sure of their relationship- "'Your mother was my father's sister?'" (line 1), and "'My uncle John was your uncle John?'" (line 5), Jane goes over every way they may be connected. Jane is one who tends to be completely thorough in everything she does, and inquiring after their true relationship is no exception.
It is no secret that Jane is also a passionate character. She throws herself into all aspects of her life, whether in telling Mrs. Reed her mind, standing by Helen or teaching Adele. This conversation is no exception. Jane is deeply passionate about her newfound family and the life they will live in harmony from the point of realization on. In her exclamation "glorious discovery to a lonely wretch!" (line 15) she conveys her surprise at having such good relations. Jane makes having a family seem as if the mere news of their connection is enough to bring the messiah.
Jane can not quite believe that she has such good family when she first heard the news. The three brethren are too good and too pure to be truly Jane's relations in her eyes. She had "found a brother: one I could be proud of" (line 9), which is far more than she could say moments before. The only brotherly figure she had in her life beforehand was John, who teased her incessantly and later lost his family's fortune in his gambling and alcohol addictions- not behavior to be proud of. Then comes St. John, who is a devout Christian, well educated, and semi-agreeable. The introduction of a new brotherly figure is a breath of fresh air for Jane. Then add Diana and Mary as well, and sound the church bells, we have a family for Jane. The two girls are Jane's equals in wit and knowledge, and are incredibly nice as well. Without knowing of Jane's relation, "they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration"(line 10), bestowing kindness upon an unfortunate stranger. This showed the truly sincere and kind characters of Diana and Mary, just the sister figures Jane always wanted. While St. John was often standoffish, Diana and Mary balanced out his nature with their vivacity. All together, they created a family of Jane's dreams.
Unnecessary Symbiosis
She stared at me. "Mother!" she exclaimed, "there is a woman wants me to give her these porridge."
"Well lass," replied a voice within, "give it her if she's a beggar. T' pig doesn't want it."
The girl emptied the stiffened mould into my hand, and I devoured it ravenously.
As the wet twilight deepened, I stopped in a solitary bridle-path, which I had been pursuing an hour or more.
"My strength is quite failing me," I said in a soliloquy. "I feel I cannot go much farther. Shall I be an outcast again this night? While the rain descends so, must I lay my head on the cold, drenched ground? I fear I cannot do otherwise: for who will receive me? But it will be very dreadful, with this feeling of hunger, faintness, chill, and this sense of desolation--this total prostration of hope. In all likelihood, though, I should die before morning. And why cannot I reconcile myself to the prospect of death? Why do I struggle to retain a valueless life? Because I know, or believe, Mr. Rochester is living: and then, to die of want and cold is a fate to which nature cannot submit passively. Oh, Providence! sustain me a little longer! Aid!--direct me!"
(Page 308)
Throughout Jane’s life she had never experienced hardship such as she did now. When younger, when asked if she would have rather lived in poverty with her other possible relations or stay with the Reeds, she said she would choose to suffer the Reed’s torture than that of poverty. Even when Jane is suffering through starvation and the humiliation of begging and helplessness, she still thinks of Mr. Rochester and how he is fairing. Though Jane has not lived a luxurious life, it has been a privileged one where she has always had someone else to rely on, Bessie at the Reeds, Miss Temple at Lowood, and Mr. Rochester at Thornfield. This passage is indicative of how Jane’s life thus far has left her unprepared to be on her own, and how she relies on others for her survival.
In her worry to flee Thornfield, Jane brought very few possessions with her, and those she brought, she left in the carriage she had spent the last of her money on. She goes around looking for work or food, but ends up starving for three days. It is on the third day that she goes to the girl begging for the scraps of food. What she is given isn’t very edible, as “T’ pig doesn’t want it” and it is described as a “stiffened mould.” When she was at Lowood, the porridge was described similarly and she barely ate it though she hadn’t eaten anything prior. However, now that she has experienced true suffering, she “devoured [the porridge] ravenously.” The word devoured also brings the imagery of frantic movement, distancing Jane from the previous image of her where she is quite reserved and proper from her years at Lowood.
As Jane is considering her life when she is near-death, she is not satisfied with it, nor has she gained her independence yet. Jane is so helpless in finding how to keep herself alive she even wonders“ Why do I struggle to retain a valueless life?” She has never had to care for herself to such an extent that when she does, she wonders whether it is worth it. Also, even as she is contemplating her own death, she wonders about Mr. Rochester and keeps him as her will to continue trying to live. She still need someone else as support, even if it just the idea of them, for her to survive.
Jane is only able to have a successful relationship once she has become able to support herself without relying on another. When she returns to Rochester after her falling out with St John and receiving the money from her uncle’s will, she tells Rochester that she is an independant woman, surprising him. When they do get married, Rochester is reminding her that she will have to be taking care of him now that he is injured rather than him caring for her, but she is now capable to do so. Because Jane can care for herself, she can form healthier relationships with those around her where she isn’t fully dependent on them for survival.
Jane's Definition of Love
"'Shall I?' I said briefly; and I looked at his features, beautiful in their harmony, but strangely formidable in their still severity; at his brow, commanding but not open; at his eyes, bright and deep and searching, but never soft; at his tall, imposing figure; and fancied myself in idea his wife. Oh! it would never do! As his curate, his comrade, all would be right: I would cross oceans with him in that capacity; toil under eastern suns, in Asian deserts with him in that office; admire and emulate his courage, and devotion and vigour; accommodate quietly to his masterhood; smile undisturbed at his ineradicable ambition; discriminate the Christian from the man: profoundly esteem the one, and freely forgive the other. I should suffer often, no doubt, attached to him only in this capacity: my body would be under rather a stringent yoke, but my heart and mind would be free. I should have still my unblighted self to turn to: my natural unenslaved feelings with which to communicate in moments of loneliness. There would be recesses in my mind which would be only mine, to which he never came, and sentiments growing there fresh and sheltered which his austerity could never blight, nor his measured warrior-march trample down: but as his wife--at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked--forced to keep the fire of my nature continually low, to compel it to burn inwardly and never utter a cry, though the imprisoned flame consumed vital after vital--this would be unendurable." (p. 380)
This passage shows Jane's true view on love. With purposeful diction, Bronte pinpoints Jane's feelings towards marriage and let's Jane's loyalty shine. This passage is incredibly important to the rest of the novel because it is about Jane's view on marriage as well as service. Jane's opinions are different from other people at the time; she does not believe one can marry without passionate love and thinks that marriage is not an obligation.
Jane takes love from a somewhat practical approach and somewhat passionate. This is proved when she examines St.John and his "features beautiful in their harmony". She acknowledges his handsomeness and yet is not enough to do something as cliche as giving her butterflies. In fact Jane can look past the original attractiveness and see that he is "strangely formidable" with a "still severity". She tries to "fanc[y]" herself as his wife, meaning picturing herself, and cannot. She only wants to be his friend. Even as a friend she shows the utmost loyalty claiming she would "cross oceans" and "toil under eastern suns", but only as "his comrade". The "oceans" and "suns" that Jane would "cross" and "toil" symbolize more than a journey, but the plethora of problems she would have to "cross" and "toil" under to marry and try to love St. John.
Jane sees being married to someone one does not love is torture. Unmarried, Jane's "hear and mind would be free". She says "there would be recesses in [her] mind which would be only [hers]". This shows that Jane sees being married as showing and giving all of oneself up to the other. Nothing is private, all of her thoughts would need to be shared. Since she believes that is what marriage is and cannot live with sharing everything with St. John she cannot marry him.
The most important part is the end. Jane thinks marriage means being "at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked". Jane feeling this way further proves she and St. John are not a good match. In healthy relationships women beings "at [their husband's] side always" is considered her never getting tired of being around her significant other. In a healthy relationship neither person feels they are "always restrained" such as Jane feels. "Always checked" is how happy couples show they care about another, checking to make sure the other is alright wherever he/she is. Jane sees St. John "checking" on her, not as sweet, but as someone trying to "force [her] to keep the fire of [her] nature continually low". Couples help each other burn brighter. Instead of thinking she can use St. John as a shoulder to cry on, she feels she can "never utter a cry". Intelligent, sensible Jane sees that entering a marriage with St. John would not only be "unendurable", but also an unhealthy choice because the two of them do not feel or do anything a madly in love or remotely affectionate couple do.
This passage shows Jane's true view on love. With purposeful diction, Bronte pinpoints Jane's feelings towards marriage and let's Jane's loyalty shine. This passage is incredibly important to the rest of the novel because it is about Jane's view on marriage as well as service. Jane's opinions are different from other people at the time; she does not believe one can marry without passionate love and thinks that marriage is not an obligation.
Jane takes love from a somewhat practical approach and somewhat passionate. This is proved when she examines St.John and his "features beautiful in their harmony". She acknowledges his handsomeness and yet is not enough to do something as cliche as giving her butterflies. In fact Jane can look past the original attractiveness and see that he is "strangely formidable" with a "still severity". She tries to "fanc[y]" herself as his wife, meaning picturing herself, and cannot. She only wants to be his friend. Even as a friend she shows the utmost loyalty claiming she would "cross oceans" and "toil under eastern suns", but only as "his comrade". The "oceans" and "suns" that Jane would "cross" and "toil" symbolize more than a journey, but the plethora of problems she would have to "cross" and "toil" under to marry and try to love St. John.
Jane sees being married to someone one does not love is torture. Unmarried, Jane's "hear and mind would be free". She says "there would be recesses in [her] mind which would be only [hers]". This shows that Jane sees being married as showing and giving all of oneself up to the other. Nothing is private, all of her thoughts would need to be shared. Since she believes that is what marriage is and cannot live with sharing everything with St. John she cannot marry him.
The most important part is the end. Jane thinks marriage means being "at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked". Jane feeling this way further proves she and St. John are not a good match. In healthy relationships women beings "at [their husband's] side always" is considered her never getting tired of being around her significant other. In a healthy relationship neither person feels they are "always restrained" such as Jane feels. "Always checked" is how happy couples show they care about another, checking to make sure the other is alright wherever he/she is. Jane sees St. John "checking" on her, not as sweet, but as someone trying to "force [her] to keep the fire of [her] nature continually low". Couples help each other burn brighter. Instead of thinking she can use St. John as a shoulder to cry on, she feels she can "never utter a cry". Intelligent, sensible Jane sees that entering a marriage with St. John would not only be "unendurable", but also an unhealthy choice because the two of them do not feel or do anything a madly in love or remotely affectionate couple do.
Elves and Fairies
“It was a fairy, and come from Elf-land, it said; and its errand was to make me happy; I must go with it out of the common world to a lonely place--such as the moon, for instance--and it nodded its head towards her horn, rising over Hay Hill; it told me of the alabaster cave and silver vale where we might live.”
Jane’s engagement to Mr. Rochester comes as a complete surprise to everyone at Thornfield Hall, including Adele. When the child asks questions of the relationship, this is a portion of the answer she gets. This answer, of course, is purely nonsensical, and it says quite a bit about the way Mr. Rochester sees Jane. Obviously, he sees her as a fairy, less of a person and more of a beautiful thing to make him happy, even going so far as to use “it” to describe her. However, it goes even deeper than that.
The first section, while infused with fantastical terminology, is pretty much what happened. Jane arrives from a very long distance away from Thornfield Hall, and her purpose is to serve the master of the house by teaching his ward. Therefore, she has come from Elf Land to make him happy. The rest, to an extent, has some thread of accuracy. After all, Jane did say that her home is wherever Mr. Rochester is, which means that Thornfield has become a lonely place, out of the common world. In addition, because of Jane’s evident excitement at traveling through Europe with him, the places they will visit can be seen as the moon as well. They are so far for Jane, and so uncharted and mysterious, that there is little difference between them anyway.
Mr. Rochester, then, really isn’t lying--just putting a mythological spin on what truly happened. He does something else interesting, though, and that is putting the fairy in the dominant role of the situation. Throughout their relationship, and especially during their proposal, Mr. Rochester has assumed a large air of dominance over Jane, as her boss and as her intellectual superior. In his version of the story, though, he switches their usual roles. Is he trying to make Jane look more powerful than she is? Is he trying to make himself look worse? Is this actually how he views what happened? In any case, the male/female power balance is being shifted in an usual way, and Mr. Rochester is definitely doing it on purpose.
Jane's Love for Rochester
"Most true is that 'beauty is in the eye of the gazer.' My master's colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth,-all energy, decision, will,-were not beautiful, according to rule; but they were more than beautiful to me; they were full of an interest, an influence that quite mastered me,-that took my feelings of my own power and fettered them in his. I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, green and strong! He made me love him without looking at me" (166).
From the moment Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester meet, their relationship is complicated, confusing, and leaves the reader guessing about how the two really feel about each other. The pair has a clear attraction to each other from the start. Jane gets jealous and angry when Mr. Rochester shows an apparent interest in Miss Ingram. She becomes distraught when he leaves Thornfield for too long. However, she does not directly express her love for Mr. Rochester until this scene with this passage. Through this passage, the reason for and nature of Jane's love for Mr. Rochester is characterized through Jane's description and first person point of view.
Through Jane's description of Rochester, it is evident that she is not attracted to him based on conventional notions about beauty. At the start of the passage, Jane write that 'beauty is in the eye of the gazer'. This immediately sets up the feeling that Jane is attracted to Rochester because of her own personal opinion and definition of beauty. She then goes on to describe Rochester's physical appearance with the words 'colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth'. Although each of these words can be interpreted differently depending on who looks at them, the words 'colourless' and 'grim' do not generally reflect a positive feeling. In Jane's case, these are included in why she is attracted to him which contributes to the confusing nature of their love. Due to the fact that the story is told from a first person perspective, readers are able to get a complete view of what Jane sees in Rochester. If it had been told in the third person point of view, this insight would not be available. All one would get from the third person point of view is Jane watching Rochester.
This passage reveals the confusing nature of Jane's love for Rochester. She goes out and blatantly says 'I had not intended to love him'. This shows that she did not think that she would love Rochester and that it is a surprise to herself that she is falling for him. She then goes on to say 'I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected'. This is indicative of her feelings about love. This shows that she is hesitant about and cynical of the idea of love. Her resistance to her attraction to Rochester shows that he is not just a silly crush. It is indicative of the deep, passionate, complicated nature of their love.
Jane and Rochester's love is complicated and this passage is indicative of its nature. The manner in which Jane describes her attraction to Rochester is foreshadowing of their future relationship. Their strong, undying love is why they end up with each other in the end despite the problems and tragedies that pulled them apart.
From the moment Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester meet, their relationship is complicated, confusing, and leaves the reader guessing about how the two really feel about each other. The pair has a clear attraction to each other from the start. Jane gets jealous and angry when Mr. Rochester shows an apparent interest in Miss Ingram. She becomes distraught when he leaves Thornfield for too long. However, she does not directly express her love for Mr. Rochester until this scene with this passage. Through this passage, the reason for and nature of Jane's love for Mr. Rochester is characterized through Jane's description and first person point of view.
Through Jane's description of Rochester, it is evident that she is not attracted to him based on conventional notions about beauty. At the start of the passage, Jane write that 'beauty is in the eye of the gazer'. This immediately sets up the feeling that Jane is attracted to Rochester because of her own personal opinion and definition of beauty. She then goes on to describe Rochester's physical appearance with the words 'colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth'. Although each of these words can be interpreted differently depending on who looks at them, the words 'colourless' and 'grim' do not generally reflect a positive feeling. In Jane's case, these are included in why she is attracted to him which contributes to the confusing nature of their love. Due to the fact that the story is told from a first person perspective, readers are able to get a complete view of what Jane sees in Rochester. If it had been told in the third person point of view, this insight would not be available. All one would get from the third person point of view is Jane watching Rochester.
This passage reveals the confusing nature of Jane's love for Rochester. She goes out and blatantly says 'I had not intended to love him'. This shows that she did not think that she would love Rochester and that it is a surprise to herself that she is falling for him. She then goes on to say 'I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected'. This is indicative of her feelings about love. This shows that she is hesitant about and cynical of the idea of love. Her resistance to her attraction to Rochester shows that he is not just a silly crush. It is indicative of the deep, passionate, complicated nature of their love.
Jane and Rochester's love is complicated and this passage is indicative of its nature. The manner in which Jane describes her attraction to Rochester is foreshadowing of their future relationship. Their strong, undying love is why they end up with each other in the end despite the problems and tragedies that pulled them apart.
Stubbornness and Morals
"'I repeat: I freely consent to go with you as your fellow-missionary, but not as your wife; I cannot marry you and become part of you.'
'A part of me you must become,' he answered steadily; 'otherwise the whole bargain is void. How can I, a man not yet of thirty, take out with me to India a girl of nineteen, unless she be married to me? How can we forever be together -- sometimes in solitudes, sometimes amidst savage tribes -- and unwed?'
'Very well,' I said shortly; 'under the circumstances, quite as well as if I were either your real sister, or a man and a clergyman like yourself.'
'It is known that you are not my sister; I cannot introduce you as such: to attempt it would be to fasten injurious suspicions on us both. And for the rest, though you have a man's vigorous brain, you have a woman's heart and -- it would not do.'
'It would do,' I affirmed with some disdain, 'perfectly well. I have a woman's heart, but not where you are concerned; for you I have only a comrade's constancy; a fellow-soldier's frankness, fidelity, fraternity, if you like; a neophyte's respect and submission to his hierophant: nothing more -- don't fear.'
'It is what I want,' he said, speaking to himself; 'it is just what I want. And there are obstacles in the way: they must be hewn down. Jane, you would not repent marrying me -- be certain of that; we must be married. I repeat it: there is no other way; and undoubtedly enough of love would follow upon marriage to render the union right even in your eyes.'
'I scorn your idea of love,' I could not help saying, as I rose up and stood before him, leaning my back against the rock. 'I scorn the counterfeit sentiment you offer: yes, St John, and I scorn you when you offer it.'" (380-381)
This passage shows quite a lot about Jane, St John, and about the values of the time period in which they live. The two characters are shown through their dialogue, which characterizes them deeply, and the time period is shown in the ideas that both hold. We see Jane and St John as adamantly moral, Jane with her belief that she is equal to any man and St John with his belief that religious principles should dictate norms; these clashing views show Jane Eyre in perspective of the time period.
For Jane, this battle with St John is about her personal freedom and justice: she does not want to "become a part of" St John, for she believes in her worth as an individual. She will not work behind him, preferring to work alongside him, and she resents the implication that she cannot live sinlessly with a man. Jane knows that her "woman's heart" will not cloud her judgement any more than a man's heart would, and she asserts as much to St John. That idea of love, as an irresistible truth between men and women, disgusts her -- Jane prefers the idea of natural attraction, rather than affection born of custom. This all demonstrates her personality in full: the refusal to submit to any person, the feminist tendencies, and the romantic nature.
For St John, the battle is all about his own religious morals. He does not believe that men and women can or should live together without being married. Despite the fact that Jane is nearly his sister, he does not accept the nature of their relationship as being nonsexual or nonromantic. This is rooted in Christian ideas of marriage and human nature, and perhaps in St John's views that women are inherently tempting and sinful. St John is so unromantic in his world views, however: he believes that love can be forged from nothing more than habitual togetherness. He obviously respects Jane, not as a person, but simply as an intellect that can be used to further the wishes of God. This is shown in the demand that he is making of her and his refusal to accept her compromise.
These opposing opinions are representative of the time period. On the one hand, we have a woman fighting for her right to independence, and on the other we have a man being unreceptive to deviation from custom. This is shown all throughout the novel, where Jane represents the winds of change and the spirit of spontaneity, and the other characters represent stolid opposition to discrepancy. This passage shows all of this through that characterization of Jane and St John, and carries a key aspect of the novel through to the audience.
'A part of me you must become,' he answered steadily; 'otherwise the whole bargain is void. How can I, a man not yet of thirty, take out with me to India a girl of nineteen, unless she be married to me? How can we forever be together -- sometimes in solitudes, sometimes amidst savage tribes -- and unwed?'
'Very well,' I said shortly; 'under the circumstances, quite as well as if I were either your real sister, or a man and a clergyman like yourself.'
'It is known that you are not my sister; I cannot introduce you as such: to attempt it would be to fasten injurious suspicions on us both. And for the rest, though you have a man's vigorous brain, you have a woman's heart and -- it would not do.'
'It would do,' I affirmed with some disdain, 'perfectly well. I have a woman's heart, but not where you are concerned; for you I have only a comrade's constancy; a fellow-soldier's frankness, fidelity, fraternity, if you like; a neophyte's respect and submission to his hierophant: nothing more -- don't fear.'
'It is what I want,' he said, speaking to himself; 'it is just what I want. And there are obstacles in the way: they must be hewn down. Jane, you would not repent marrying me -- be certain of that; we must be married. I repeat it: there is no other way; and undoubtedly enough of love would follow upon marriage to render the union right even in your eyes.'
'I scorn your idea of love,' I could not help saying, as I rose up and stood before him, leaning my back against the rock. 'I scorn the counterfeit sentiment you offer: yes, St John, and I scorn you when you offer it.'" (380-381)
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This passage shows quite a lot about Jane, St John, and about the values of the time period in which they live. The two characters are shown through their dialogue, which characterizes them deeply, and the time period is shown in the ideas that both hold. We see Jane and St John as adamantly moral, Jane with her belief that she is equal to any man and St John with his belief that religious principles should dictate norms; these clashing views show Jane Eyre in perspective of the time period.
For Jane, this battle with St John is about her personal freedom and justice: she does not want to "become a part of" St John, for she believes in her worth as an individual. She will not work behind him, preferring to work alongside him, and she resents the implication that she cannot live sinlessly with a man. Jane knows that her "woman's heart" will not cloud her judgement any more than a man's heart would, and she asserts as much to St John. That idea of love, as an irresistible truth between men and women, disgusts her -- Jane prefers the idea of natural attraction, rather than affection born of custom. This all demonstrates her personality in full: the refusal to submit to any person, the feminist tendencies, and the romantic nature.
For St John, the battle is all about his own religious morals. He does not believe that men and women can or should live together without being married. Despite the fact that Jane is nearly his sister, he does not accept the nature of their relationship as being nonsexual or nonromantic. This is rooted in Christian ideas of marriage and human nature, and perhaps in St John's views that women are inherently tempting and sinful. St John is so unromantic in his world views, however: he believes that love can be forged from nothing more than habitual togetherness. He obviously respects Jane, not as a person, but simply as an intellect that can be used to further the wishes of God. This is shown in the demand that he is making of her and his refusal to accept her compromise.
These opposing opinions are representative of the time period. On the one hand, we have a woman fighting for her right to independence, and on the other we have a man being unreceptive to deviation from custom. This is shown all throughout the novel, where Jane represents the winds of change and the spirit of spontaneity, and the other characters represent stolid opposition to discrepancy. This passage shows all of this through that characterization of Jane and St John, and carries a key aspect of the novel through to the audience.
Feeling and Reason in Tandem
Passage:
"‘It was with me; and I did not like it. It was a grovelling fashion of existence: I should never like to return to it. Hiring a mistress is the next worse thing to buying a slave: both are often by nature, and always by position, inferior: and to live familiarly with inferiors is degrading. I now hate the recollection of the time I passed with Celine, Giacinta, and Clara.’
I felt the truth of these words; and I drew from them the certain inference, that if I were so far to forget myself and all the teaching that had ever been instilled into me, as—under any pretext—with any justification—through any temptation—to become the successor of these poor girls, he would one day regard me with the same feeling which now in his mind desecrated their memory. I did not give utterance to this conviction: it was enough to feel it. I impressed it on my heart, that it might remain there to serve me as aid in the time of trial."
From the start of the novel, the reader understands Jane as a passionate person. She feels strong emotions, and she has a difficult time resisting the urge to act upon them. As Jane goes through life and Lowood, this changes significantly, and reason governs her fiercely. Jane allows emotion to overcome reason for the first time in a while when she decides to marry Rochester, and subsequently when she becomes determined to leave him. In this passage, Brontë creates an image of Jane using her feelings as leverage, with reason as an aid, to leave Rochester.
Despite the constant battle between feeling and judgement, this scenario seems to focus more on which feelings Jane will choose to follow, aided by reason. Jane is emotionally invested in Rochester and her life at Thornfield. She didn't know, however, that Rochester was already technically married. When she finds this out, things go south for her pretty quickly. As Rochester begins to describe his past love affairs, Jane draws an "inference" about them. While inferences tend to be based on reason, Jane doesn't describe the logic of her new discovery having a profound effect on her. Instead, she claims "it was enough to feel it." Jane as a character places value in reason and judgement, so this is an interesting move for her. Claiming that a feeling alone is enough to dictate one of the largest decisions of her life so far, leaving her life at Thornfield, is something that she would not usually do.
Reason aids this process in that Jane analyzes various actions and their outcomes to verify her feelings. Her diction in using "under any pretext—with any justification—through any temptation" indicates that Jane had thought over any alternatives to leaving before the realization. Feeling and judgement almost work in tandem in this passage, a strange occurrence, as in the novel as a whole they are so frequently at war.
This passage marks a transformation in the way Jane uses her feelings. Rarely in this novel do emotion and reason work together, and that makes this excerpt important. In this situation, she chooses one part of what she feels and uses reason to bolster her emotions, thereby enabling her to act clearly upon them.
"‘It was with me; and I did not like it. It was a grovelling fashion of existence: I should never like to return to it. Hiring a mistress is the next worse thing to buying a slave: both are often by nature, and always by position, inferior: and to live familiarly with inferiors is degrading. I now hate the recollection of the time I passed with Celine, Giacinta, and Clara.’
I felt the truth of these words; and I drew from them the certain inference, that if I were so far to forget myself and all the teaching that had ever been instilled into me, as—under any pretext—with any justification—through any temptation—to become the successor of these poor girls, he would one day regard me with the same feeling which now in his mind desecrated their memory. I did not give utterance to this conviction: it was enough to feel it. I impressed it on my heart, that it might remain there to serve me as aid in the time of trial."
From the start of the novel, the reader understands Jane as a passionate person. She feels strong emotions, and she has a difficult time resisting the urge to act upon them. As Jane goes through life and Lowood, this changes significantly, and reason governs her fiercely. Jane allows emotion to overcome reason for the first time in a while when she decides to marry Rochester, and subsequently when she becomes determined to leave him. In this passage, Brontë creates an image of Jane using her feelings as leverage, with reason as an aid, to leave Rochester.
Despite the constant battle between feeling and judgement, this scenario seems to focus more on which feelings Jane will choose to follow, aided by reason. Jane is emotionally invested in Rochester and her life at Thornfield. She didn't know, however, that Rochester was already technically married. When she finds this out, things go south for her pretty quickly. As Rochester begins to describe his past love affairs, Jane draws an "inference" about them. While inferences tend to be based on reason, Jane doesn't describe the logic of her new discovery having a profound effect on her. Instead, she claims "it was enough to feel it." Jane as a character places value in reason and judgement, so this is an interesting move for her. Claiming that a feeling alone is enough to dictate one of the largest decisions of her life so far, leaving her life at Thornfield, is something that she would not usually do.
Reason aids this process in that Jane analyzes various actions and their outcomes to verify her feelings. Her diction in using "under any pretext—with any justification—through any temptation" indicates that Jane had thought over any alternatives to leaving before the realization. Feeling and judgement almost work in tandem in this passage, a strange occurrence, as in the novel as a whole they are so frequently at war.
This passage marks a transformation in the way Jane uses her feelings. Rarely in this novel do emotion and reason work together, and that makes this excerpt important. In this situation, she chooses one part of what she feels and uses reason to bolster her emotions, thereby enabling her to act clearly upon them.
Bertha Mason: A Dark Doppelganger
Passage:
"Mr. Rochester flung me behind him: the lunatic sprang and grappled his throat viciously, and laid her teeth to his cheek: they struggled. She was a big woman, in stature almost equalling her husband, and corpulent besides: she showed virile force in the contest—more than once she almost throttled him, athletic as he was. He could have settled her with a well-planted blow; but he would not strike: he would only wrestle. At last he mastered her arms; Grace Poole gave him a cord, and he pinioned them behind her: with more rope, which was at hand, he bound her to a chair. The operation was performed amidst the fiercest yells and the most convulsive plunges. Mr. Rochester then turned to the spectators: he looked at them with a smile both acrid and desolate. 'That is my wife,' said he. 'Such is the sole conjugal embrace I am ever to know—such are the endearments which are to solace my leisure hours! And this is what I wished to have”'(laying his hand on my shoulder): 'this young girl, who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell, looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon, I wanted her just as a change after that fierce ragout. Wood and Briggs, look at the difference! Compare these clear eyes with the red balls yonder—this face with that mask—this form with that bulk; then judge me, priest of the gospel and man of the law, and remember with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged! Off with you now. I must shut up my prize.'" (Bronte 275)
This passage really characterizes Rochester and Bertha as well as Jane. The descriptions of Bertha show the vast differences between her and Jane and also show how Mr. Rochester views her. Neither Jane nor Rochester refer to Bertha by name and their descriptions of her suggest that neither of them view her as being fully human.
Mr. Rochester throws Jane behind him, protecting her from Bertha, symbolizing the way he has tried to protect Jane from her the entire novel. Bertha attacks him and almost overtakes him, the way she almost succeeded in ruining Jane and Rochester's relationship. Bertha is wild and untamed. She is unlike Jane in every possible way, but she is almost like a part of Jane. Bertha is the wild part of Jane's temper that has to die in order for her to marry Mr. Rochester.
It also says a lot about Rochester's character that even while she is attacking him "he would not strike". This shows that even though Rochester has locked her up and hidden her away, he would not stoop to her level and attack her. This reflects the way that he would not hurt Jane for leaving him. He ties Bertha down to a chair, literally confining her the way he always has.
Rochester views Jane and Bertha as complete opposites, but in reality, they do have some striking similarities. Bertha is literally trapped in Thornfield Hall and Jane feels figuratively trapped there. They both live as women in a clearly male dominated culture where they don't have a lot of options. Both women are oppressed by the people around them. When Jane is living with Mrs. Reed and at Lowood, she is severely oppressed. Jane rebels against this oppression because she believes she is being mistreated. Bertha also rebels against her oppression. She is described as a wild, savage animal, which relates to the way Jane was described before she was taken to the Red Room in chapter one.
Bertha acts as a dark doppelganger for Jane. She is a manifestation of Jane's inner feelings and her rage against her oppressive culture. Bertha expresses the feelings Jane must hide. Whenever Jane is upset, she never manifests her fear or anger, Bertha does. Bertha attacks Rochester after Jane is upset about Rochester's many mistresses. Bertha rips Jane's bridal veil when Jane is nervous about her wedding. Bertha literally stops Jane and Rochester from being married and it is only her death that allows them to be together. This symbolizes how the fiery, passionate part of Jane must die in order for her to marry Mr. Rochester.
This passage characterizes Rochester, Jane, and Bertha. It shows how Rochester wants to protect Jane and how he would never actually strike Bertha despite everything that has happened. The passage contrasts Jane and Bertha in every possible way, but it becomes apparent that Bertha is a dark doppelganger for Jane.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
A Natural Inclination to be Reasonable
Passage: ‘I see no enemy to a fortunate issue but in the brow;
and that brow professes to say,—"I can live alone, if self-respect,
and circumstances require me so to do. I need not
sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born
with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous
delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I
cannot afford to give." The forehead declares, "Reason sits
firm and holds the reins, and she will not let the feelings
burst away and hurry her to wild chasms. The passions
may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the
desires may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgment
shall still have the last word in every argument, and the
casting vote in every decision. Strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire may pass by: but I shall follow the guiding
of that still small voice which interprets the dictates of
conscience."' (p. 191)
Jane is a passionate person, and her emotions are often intense, but she gains control of them as she grows older. In her childhood, she has less control over her urges, and often commits rash acts because of them. As she ages, encounters more people, and becomes more educated, reason starts to take control of these emotions. By the time she meets Rochester, she has gained almost complete control over her feelings. Though reason has a firm grip on Jane's emotions, she is still heavily influenced by them. In this passage, Rochester hints as to how Jane's emotions influence her experience of religion and nature.
Rochester's referral to Jane's passions as "true heathens" indicates that they either have no connection with God or somehow block her connection with God. Religion has played a strange role in Jane's life. As a child, she criticized it, yet still considered herself Christian and prayed morning and night. When Jane falls in love with Rochester, she idolizes him, and this moves religion to the back of her mind. Her decision to marry Rochester was an example of her emotions overcoming reason; and this decision is what caused her to lose touch with the religious aspect of her life. When she leaves him, she immediately regains this connection to God, and she finds this connection in nature.
Nature plays a significant role in Jane's feelings: nature influences her emotions, and the way she connects to nature is influenced by how she feels. At Gateshead, Jane finds comfort in imagery of lone rocks among turbulent waves. This continues throughout the novel, and Jane relates to nature in both positive and negative ways. Rochester asserts that "strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire" will excite her, yet reason will still hold the reigns. This is true in that Jane often removes herself from nature in favor of a more practical pursuit.
Rochester's analysis of the inner-workings of Jane's mind alludes to themes that are constant through the novel; these being her efforts to control her emotions, nature's influence, and the role of religion in her life. While her emotions connect her with nature, they often remove her from religion. Though Rochester discusses these as holding influence on her, he states that, ultimately, reason will emerge victorious.
Jane is a passionate person, and her emotions are often intense, but she gains control of them as she grows older. In her childhood, she has less control over her urges, and often commits rash acts because of them. As she ages, encounters more people, and becomes more educated, reason starts to take control of these emotions. By the time she meets Rochester, she has gained almost complete control over her feelings. Though reason has a firm grip on Jane's emotions, she is still heavily influenced by them. In this passage, Rochester hints as to how Jane's emotions influence her experience of religion and nature.
Rochester's referral to Jane's passions as "true heathens" indicates that they either have no connection with God or somehow block her connection with God. Religion has played a strange role in Jane's life. As a child, she criticized it, yet still considered herself Christian and prayed morning and night. When Jane falls in love with Rochester, she idolizes him, and this moves religion to the back of her mind. Her decision to marry Rochester was an example of her emotions overcoming reason; and this decision is what caused her to lose touch with the religious aspect of her life. When she leaves him, she immediately regains this connection to God, and she finds this connection in nature.
Nature plays a significant role in Jane's feelings: nature influences her emotions, and the way she connects to nature is influenced by how she feels. At Gateshead, Jane finds comfort in imagery of lone rocks among turbulent waves. This continues throughout the novel, and Jane relates to nature in both positive and negative ways. Rochester asserts that "strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire" will excite her, yet reason will still hold the reigns. This is true in that Jane often removes herself from nature in favor of a more practical pursuit.
Rochester's analysis of the inner-workings of Jane's mind alludes to themes that are constant through the novel; these being her efforts to control her emotions, nature's influence, and the role of religion in her life. While her emotions connect her with nature, they often remove her from religion. Though Rochester discusses these as holding influence on her, he states that, ultimately, reason will emerge victorious.
The Passage Of Jane's Comfortable Commitment to Rochester
Passage: page 150
"When dusk actually closed, and when Adele left me to go and play in the nursery with Sophie, I did most keenly desire it. I listened for the bell to ring below; I listened for Leah coming up with a message; I fancied sometimes I heard Mr. Rochester's own tread, and I turned to the door, expecting it to open and admit him. The door remained shut: darkness only came through the window. Still it was not late; he often sent for me at seven and eight o'clock, and it was yet but six. Surely I should not be wholly disappointed to-nigh, when I had so many things to say to him! I wanted to introduce the subject of Grace Poole, and to hear what he would answer; I wanted to ask him plainly if he really believed it was she who had made last night's hideous attempt; and if so, why he kept her wickedness a secret. It little mattered whether my curiosity irritated him.; I knew the pleasure of vexing and soothing him by turns; it was one I chiefly delighted in, and a sure instinct always prevented me from going to far; beyond the verge of provocation I never ventured; on the extreme brink I liked well to try my skill. Retaining every minute form of respect, every propriety of my station, I could meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint; this suited both me and him."
This passage is very important in context with the rest of the novel. It's in this passage that Jane's need for interaction with Mr. Rochester is displayed unabashedly. She "fancied" the "tread" of "Mr.Rochester". She very much liked when she heard him coming to her. She wants the door to "admit him", which is a unique word choice because admit is to allow entrance so she is expecting the door to allow him in. However, in much disappointment, the door "remained shut". Because this has such a sad tone surrounding it, it is only appropriate that the next line says "darkness only came through the window". The darkness can symbolize her disappointment, because a the only thing coming through was ominous, and she really wanted it to be Rochester. She counts the hours, and is fixated on the schedule she has with him.
Jane also imagines her meeting with him and sort of practices what she would talk about. She has to "introduce" topics to him, such as Grace Poole, indicating that it is being brought up for the first time even though Grace has been a prominent presence before. In Jane's usual no-beating-around-the-bush fashion she plans to "plainly" ask Rochester about the mysterious incident. This passage also shows Jane's conscious and protectiveness over Rochester when she calls the act of burning him in bed "hideous". Jane is finally comfortable around Rochester, but this passage hints how it was not always that way in the past. Though "it little mattered whether [Jane's] curiosity irritated him", the fact that she assumes her questions about strange events would annoy him show how she was once very aware of keeping her curiosity at bay so as not to cause affliction.
Jane soon turns the passage to more positive words. She finds "pleasure of vexing and soothing" and is "chiefly delighted" that she possesses "a sure instinct" to "prevent [her] from going too far". She "liked" her "skill". Jane is happy to have found a "skill" and more the better that it is one that involves Rochester. Her "skill" gets her "respect" from Rochester and she "retains every minute". This demonstrates Jane's obvious affection for him because she remembers and soaks up all the time of mutual respect he is willing to give. Finally, this passage ends with a feeling of content and hope for Jane and Rochester as a pair because Jane can "meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint". For Jane to not be afraid or hold back is a major accomplishment that requires trust of the other person. Jane implies that her feelings are matched by Rochester because that "suited both [her] and him". Both people are receiving comfortable signals from the other.
"When dusk actually closed, and when Adele left me to go and play in the nursery with Sophie, I did most keenly desire it. I listened for the bell to ring below; I listened for Leah coming up with a message; I fancied sometimes I heard Mr. Rochester's own tread, and I turned to the door, expecting it to open and admit him. The door remained shut: darkness only came through the window. Still it was not late; he often sent for me at seven and eight o'clock, and it was yet but six. Surely I should not be wholly disappointed to-nigh, when I had so many things to say to him! I wanted to introduce the subject of Grace Poole, and to hear what he would answer; I wanted to ask him plainly if he really believed it was she who had made last night's hideous attempt; and if so, why he kept her wickedness a secret. It little mattered whether my curiosity irritated him.; I knew the pleasure of vexing and soothing him by turns; it was one I chiefly delighted in, and a sure instinct always prevented me from going to far; beyond the verge of provocation I never ventured; on the extreme brink I liked well to try my skill. Retaining every minute form of respect, every propriety of my station, I could meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint; this suited both me and him."
This passage is very important in context with the rest of the novel. It's in this passage that Jane's need for interaction with Mr. Rochester is displayed unabashedly. She "fancied" the "tread" of "Mr.Rochester". She very much liked when she heard him coming to her. She wants the door to "admit him", which is a unique word choice because admit is to allow entrance so she is expecting the door to allow him in. However, in much disappointment, the door "remained shut". Because this has such a sad tone surrounding it, it is only appropriate that the next line says "darkness only came through the window". The darkness can symbolize her disappointment, because a the only thing coming through was ominous, and she really wanted it to be Rochester. She counts the hours, and is fixated on the schedule she has with him.
Jane also imagines her meeting with him and sort of practices what she would talk about. She has to "introduce" topics to him, such as Grace Poole, indicating that it is being brought up for the first time even though Grace has been a prominent presence before. In Jane's usual no-beating-around-the-bush fashion she plans to "plainly" ask Rochester about the mysterious incident. This passage also shows Jane's conscious and protectiveness over Rochester when she calls the act of burning him in bed "hideous". Jane is finally comfortable around Rochester, but this passage hints how it was not always that way in the past. Though "it little mattered whether [Jane's] curiosity irritated him", the fact that she assumes her questions about strange events would annoy him show how she was once very aware of keeping her curiosity at bay so as not to cause affliction.
Jane soon turns the passage to more positive words. She finds "pleasure of vexing and soothing" and is "chiefly delighted" that she possesses "a sure instinct" to "prevent [her] from going too far". She "liked" her "skill". Jane is happy to have found a "skill" and more the better that it is one that involves Rochester. Her "skill" gets her "respect" from Rochester and she "retains every minute". This demonstrates Jane's obvious affection for him because she remembers and soaks up all the time of mutual respect he is willing to give. Finally, this passage ends with a feeling of content and hope for Jane and Rochester as a pair because Jane can "meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint". For Jane to not be afraid or hold back is a major accomplishment that requires trust of the other person. Jane implies that her feelings are matched by Rochester because that "suited both [her] and him". Both people are receiving comfortable signals from the other.
Rochester and Jane and Truthfulness
Passage (p. 239):
"'Come, Jane- come hither.'
'Your bride stands between us.'
He rose, and with a stride reached me.
'My bride is here,' he said, again drawing me to him, 'because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?'
Still I did not answer, and still I writhed myself from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.
'Do you doubt me, Jane?'
'Entirely.'
'You have no faith in me?'
'Not a whit.'
'Am I a liar in your eyes?' he asked passionately. 'Little sceptic, you shall be convinced. What love have I for Miss Ingram? None: as I have taken pains to prove: I caused a rumour to reach her that my fortune was not a third of what was supposed, and after that I presented myself to see the result; it was coldness both from her and her mother. I would not- I could not- marry Miss Ingram. You- you strange, you almost unearthly thing!- I love as my own flesh. You- poor and obscure, and small and plain as you are- I entreat to accept me as a husband.'"
This passage speaks to the characters of both Jane and Mr. Rochester, with a little of Miss Ingram as well. Jane always speaks her mind, and calls out falsehoods when she catches them. Rochester plays the people around him, testing them and gauging their reactions. Miss Ingram is, of course, has incredibly high standards and shuns those she perceives as below her. These three characters make for an interesting love triangle, as each is vastly different morally from the other two. While there are some similarities between all three characters, they prove to be of different worlds.
Rochester feels as if he and Jane are intellectual and emotional equals, and so does Jane. The two can talk about both deep and frivolous matters and feel at ease in doing so. Jane, who always speaks plainly and clearly, answers his questions as straightforwardly as possible. When asked if she distrusts Rochester after his declaration of love, she responds that she has "'not a whit'" (line 10) of faith in him. Even though this statement may come as shocking to Rochester, its phrasing is completely in line with Jane's character. She always speaks her truth, a trait that is completely consistent in her adult life.
Rochester is true to himself, rather than toying with Jane as he has been for pretty much the entire time she's been at Thornfield. He soon learns that she can see through some of his farces; Jane is far too quick-witted to fall completely for all his fronts. This is evidenced when Rochester assumes the role of a gypsy to see if Jane likes him and Jane eventually figures out that it is him beneath the veil.
Jane uneasy because she has been so convinced that Mr. Rochester intends to marry Miss Ingram, who Jane feels inferior to. While Rochester rebuts such a theory, asserting that "'I would not- I could not- marry Miss Ingram'" (line 14), Jane still feels that he and Miss Ingram are supposed to marry. Although she is the intellectual superior, Jane values Miss Ingram's wealth and beauty more highly when it comes to a suitor for Mr. Rochester.
Jane never becomes fully convinced that she is destined to marry Rochester. She does not allow herself to change her name to Jane Rochester, telling herself that the title will belong to her only when she is married. Up until the big Bertha reveal, she
"'Come, Jane- come hither.'
'Your bride stands between us.'
He rose, and with a stride reached me.
'My bride is here,' he said, again drawing me to him, 'because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?'
Still I did not answer, and still I writhed myself from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.
'Do you doubt me, Jane?'
'Entirely.'
'You have no faith in me?'
'Not a whit.'
'Am I a liar in your eyes?' he asked passionately. 'Little sceptic, you shall be convinced. What love have I for Miss Ingram? None: as I have taken pains to prove: I caused a rumour to reach her that my fortune was not a third of what was supposed, and after that I presented myself to see the result; it was coldness both from her and her mother. I would not- I could not- marry Miss Ingram. You- you strange, you almost unearthly thing!- I love as my own flesh. You- poor and obscure, and small and plain as you are- I entreat to accept me as a husband.'"
This passage speaks to the characters of both Jane and Mr. Rochester, with a little of Miss Ingram as well. Jane always speaks her mind, and calls out falsehoods when she catches them. Rochester plays the people around him, testing them and gauging their reactions. Miss Ingram is, of course, has incredibly high standards and shuns those she perceives as below her. These three characters make for an interesting love triangle, as each is vastly different morally from the other two. While there are some similarities between all three characters, they prove to be of different worlds.
Rochester feels as if he and Jane are intellectual and emotional equals, and so does Jane. The two can talk about both deep and frivolous matters and feel at ease in doing so. Jane, who always speaks plainly and clearly, answers his questions as straightforwardly as possible. When asked if she distrusts Rochester after his declaration of love, she responds that she has "'not a whit'" (line 10) of faith in him. Even though this statement may come as shocking to Rochester, its phrasing is completely in line with Jane's character. She always speaks her truth, a trait that is completely consistent in her adult life.
Rochester is true to himself, rather than toying with Jane as he has been for pretty much the entire time she's been at Thornfield. He soon learns that she can see through some of his farces; Jane is far too quick-witted to fall completely for all his fronts. This is evidenced when Rochester assumes the role of a gypsy to see if Jane likes him and Jane eventually figures out that it is him beneath the veil.
Jane uneasy because she has been so convinced that Mr. Rochester intends to marry Miss Ingram, who Jane feels inferior to. While Rochester rebuts such a theory, asserting that "'I would not- I could not- marry Miss Ingram'" (line 14), Jane still feels that he and Miss Ingram are supposed to marry. Although she is the intellectual superior, Jane values Miss Ingram's wealth and beauty more highly when it comes to a suitor for Mr. Rochester.
Jane never becomes fully convinced that she is destined to marry Rochester. She does not allow herself to change her name to Jane Rochester, telling herself that the title will belong to her only when she is married. Up until the big Bertha reveal, she
Rochester's Confusion with Women
"'To women who please me only by their faces, I am the very devil when I find out they have neither souls nor hearts-when they are open to me a perspective of flatness, triviality, and and perhaps imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper: but to the clear eye and eloquent tongue, to the soul made of fire, and the character that bends but does not break-at once supple and stable, tractable and consistent-I am even tender and true'" (245).
Strange, plain looking, and mysterious, Mr. Rochester plays an integral role in the development of Jane as a character and the development of the plot as a whole. From the moment Jane and Rochester meet in the woods on the icy night it is evident that Rochester is deceiving and tricky. He pretends to not be himself and leaves Jane in the dark about his identity. An area of his life in which Rochester is incredibly mysterious and tricky is his with women and his love life. In the passage above, Rochester reveals his tricky and mysterious nature as he first describes the woman he was supposed to marry and then describes the woman he loves.
Miss Ingram, the woman Rochester was supposed to marry, embodies the characteristics listed in the first part of the passage. What is tricky about this is that Rochester leads Jane to believe that he did not care about the personality of a woman and that he was fully ready to marry Miss Ingram. The negative diction, which includes the words 'flatness, triviality...imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper', perfectly characterizes Miss Ingram. She is not a woman of substance and is very superficial. Due to this fact, it is confusing why Mr. Rochester would even consider marrying him. The passage above characterizes Mr. Rochester as being tricky. He leads Jane to believe that he admired and respected Miss Ingram in all her superficial glory and then went and contradicted himself by saying that to women like that he is 'the very devil'. Miss Ingram is the woman that people expected him to marry, but she is not the woman that he loves.
Jane Eyre, the woman that Rochester loves, embodies the characteristics listed in the second part of the passage. In the second part of the passage positive diction is used to describe Jane. Rochester characterizes her as 'the clear eye and eloquent tongue' and 'the soul made of fire' and 'supple and stable, tractable and consistent'. The descriptions 'clear eye and eloquent tongue' are important because they show how Jane is smart, thoughtful, observant, and able to express herself in words. The description 'the soul made of fire' relates to warmth and comfort which is what Rochester feels when he is with Jane. The words 'supple, stable, tractable, and consistent' speak to Jane's loyalty and dependability. Rochester describes himself as being 'tender and true' to women of the likeness of the characteristics listed above. This passage makes it evident that Jane is exactly the type of woman to whom Rochester is attracted.
Prior to this passage, Rochester did not make it clear about what kind of woman he wanted. He left Jane guessing about his feelings towards her and led her to believe he wanted to marry Miss Ingram. The irony of this passage is that Rochester was supposed to marry a woman whom he describes the exact kind of woman who repulses him and makes him angry. This speaks to Rochester's tricky and mysterious nature especially when it comes to love.
Strange, plain looking, and mysterious, Mr. Rochester plays an integral role in the development of Jane as a character and the development of the plot as a whole. From the moment Jane and Rochester meet in the woods on the icy night it is evident that Rochester is deceiving and tricky. He pretends to not be himself and leaves Jane in the dark about his identity. An area of his life in which Rochester is incredibly mysterious and tricky is his with women and his love life. In the passage above, Rochester reveals his tricky and mysterious nature as he first describes the woman he was supposed to marry and then describes the woman he loves.
Miss Ingram, the woman Rochester was supposed to marry, embodies the characteristics listed in the first part of the passage. What is tricky about this is that Rochester leads Jane to believe that he did not care about the personality of a woman and that he was fully ready to marry Miss Ingram. The negative diction, which includes the words 'flatness, triviality...imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper', perfectly characterizes Miss Ingram. She is not a woman of substance and is very superficial. Due to this fact, it is confusing why Mr. Rochester would even consider marrying him. The passage above characterizes Mr. Rochester as being tricky. He leads Jane to believe that he admired and respected Miss Ingram in all her superficial glory and then went and contradicted himself by saying that to women like that he is 'the very devil'. Miss Ingram is the woman that people expected him to marry, but she is not the woman that he loves.
Jane Eyre, the woman that Rochester loves, embodies the characteristics listed in the second part of the passage. In the second part of the passage positive diction is used to describe Jane. Rochester characterizes her as 'the clear eye and eloquent tongue' and 'the soul made of fire' and 'supple and stable, tractable and consistent'. The descriptions 'clear eye and eloquent tongue' are important because they show how Jane is smart, thoughtful, observant, and able to express herself in words. The description 'the soul made of fire' relates to warmth and comfort which is what Rochester feels when he is with Jane. The words 'supple, stable, tractable, and consistent' speak to Jane's loyalty and dependability. Rochester describes himself as being 'tender and true' to women of the likeness of the characteristics listed above. This passage makes it evident that Jane is exactly the type of woman to whom Rochester is attracted.
Prior to this passage, Rochester did not make it clear about what kind of woman he wanted. He left Jane guessing about his feelings towards her and led her to believe he wanted to marry Miss Ingram. The irony of this passage is that Rochester was supposed to marry a woman whom he describes the exact kind of woman who repulses him and makes him angry. This speaks to Rochester's tricky and mysterious nature especially when it comes to love.
Beauty or Intelligence
“He deliberately scrutinised each sketch and painting. Three he laid aside; the others, when he had examined them, he swept from him.
‘Take them off to the other table, Mrs. Fairfax,’ said he, and look at them with Adele;—you’ (glancing at me) ‘resume your seat, and answer my questions. I perceive those pictures were done by one hand: was that hand yours?’
‘Yes.’
‘And when did you find time to do them? They have taken much time, and some thought.’
‘I did them in the last two vacations I spent at Lowood, when I had no other occupation.’
‘Where did you get your copies?’
‘Out of my head.’
‘That head I see now on your shoulders?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Has it other furniture of the same kind within?’
‘I should think it may have: I should hope—better.’
He spread the pictures before him, and again surveyed them alternately.” (page 118)
Though for only a brief time, there was an instance in which Jane and Mr. Rochester were in a relationship together. For Jane to stand out to Mr. Rochester there was some unique characteristic or attribute that gave her priority above others he had met. He knew beautiful girls like Blanche Ingram or Celine Varens, so her youthful niceness was not the defining factor. Instead, it seems, it is her smartness and abilities that initially attracted him. Following the theme of a woman being able to achieve status based on character rather than looks, this passage shows how Jane was able to become friendly with Mr. Rochester through her skill and intelligence.
Initially Mr. Rochester does not expect much from Jane. He is rather incredulous to the fact that she could have done them. Up until now, he does not think to highly of her. He was previously scrutinizing her for her want of a gift in the way childish Adele was begging for one, and once he sees she has artistic talent he is wary that she is the one who created it. He is constantly asking her somewhat demeaning questions such as “I perceive those pictures were done by one hand: was that hand yours?” or “Where did you get your copies...That head I see now on your shoulders?” All of these questions show that he does not think she is capable of such fine work. It also shows that he was predisposed to assume a person like Jane, a young girl without much money or defining beauty who has only lived in school until now, would not have a talent such as she does. The fact that her artwork is so beautiful adds uniqueness to her that makes Jane stand out from the other people Mr. Rochester knows.
Jane knows that her work is quite good, and is willing to put up with Mr. Rochester’s interrogation to be able to prove to him her excellence. Unlike when she was younger, Jane does not get irritated when someone questions her abilities. When asked about her work, she will answer exactly what she must, not elaborating on her work and instead letting it speak for itself. Also, when asked if she is still capable of such work, she answered “I should hope—better.” Her attitude is not of a person grateful for the recognition of her good work, but expectant. She also does not feign modesty in her abilities, but instead says that she could probably be very good. Jane’s approach to her skill helps develop on the theme that she can progress through her talent and intelligence.
Jane's View of Herself
Passage: “You,” I said, “a favourite with Mr.
Rochester? You gifted with the power of pleasing
him? You of importance to him in any way? Go!
your folly sickens me. And you have derived pleasure from
occasional tokens of preference—equivocal tokens shown by a
gentleman of family and a man of the world to a dependent and a
novice. How dared you? Poor stupid dupe!—Could
not even self-interest make you wiser? You repeated to yourself
this morning the brief scene of last night?—Cover your face
and be ashamed! He said something in praise of your eyes,
did he? Blind puppy! Open their bleared lids and look
on your own accursed senselessness! It does good to no
woman to be flattered by her superior, who cannot possibly intend
to marry her; and it is madness in all women to let a secret love
kindle within them, which, if unreturned and unknown, must devour
the life that feeds it; and, if discovered and responded to, must
lead, ignis-fatus-like, into miry wilds whence there is no
extrication.
This passage gives the audience insight into the way Jane views herself in relation to others. She insults herself and puts herself down in order to show the ways she believes she is insignificant and inferior to the people around her. Jane is angry with herself and jealous of Blanche who she hasn't even met yet. She violently berates herself, showing how she truly views herself in comparison to the wealth and beauty she is surrounded by.
Jane puts Mr. Rochester on a pedestal and views him as "her superior". She describes Rochester as "a man of the world," and herself as "a dependent and a novice." She puts him on this pedestal above her because he is wealthy and she is not. That is why they do not stand on equal footing. This speech contradicts what Jane had previously said about women feeling just as men do. She believes he could never love her because she is poor and a dependent. When Mrs. Reed would insult Jane, she called her a "dependent". This is symbolic because it shows that Jane's difficult upbringing has had a great impact on her self confidence and how she views herself as inferior to wealthy people.
Jane prides herself on her intelligence, presumably because she believes she is not physically attractive, but in this passage, Jane repeatedly insults her own intelligence. She says she has folly and also calls herself stupid and senseless. Since the power of her mind is generally what Jane views as her best quality, this is significant because it shows how truly upset with herself Jane is.
The language Jane uses in this passage shows how she has no confidence in herself and believes she is worthless because she is not rich. Most of the time, Jane doesn't get this angry or jealous, but her passionate emotions let her true feelings about herself show through.
This passage gives the audience insight into the way Jane views herself in relation to others. She insults herself and puts herself down in order to show the ways she believes she is insignificant and inferior to the people around her. Jane is angry with herself and jealous of Blanche who she hasn't even met yet. She violently berates herself, showing how she truly views herself in comparison to the wealth and beauty she is surrounded by.
Jane puts Mr. Rochester on a pedestal and views him as "her superior". She describes Rochester as "a man of the world," and herself as "a dependent and a novice." She puts him on this pedestal above her because he is wealthy and she is not. That is why they do not stand on equal footing. This speech contradicts what Jane had previously said about women feeling just as men do. She believes he could never love her because she is poor and a dependent. When Mrs. Reed would insult Jane, she called her a "dependent". This is symbolic because it shows that Jane's difficult upbringing has had a great impact on her self confidence and how she views herself as inferior to wealthy people.
Jane prides herself on her intelligence, presumably because she believes she is not physically attractive, but in this passage, Jane repeatedly insults her own intelligence. She says she has folly and also calls herself stupid and senseless. Since the power of her mind is generally what Jane views as her best quality, this is significant because it shows how truly upset with herself Jane is.
The language Jane uses in this passage shows how she has no confidence in herself and believes she is worthless because she is not rich. Most of the time, Jane doesn't get this angry or jealous, but her passionate emotions let her true feelings about herself show through.
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