Jane Eyer

Feier Mo

British Lit.

Period 2

5-15-16

An Isolated Road

    As one of the most influential British literature novels in the Victorian age, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre gives us an illusion of women's life in status. Jane Eyre is the model of how women should behave in the Victorian era and the other female characters in the novel also gives an insight of how women in the upper class should behave. In the eighteenth century, women were still living in a male dominant world. Their main purpose in life was to procreate children and to care for the household. This is supported throughout the novel of Jane Eyre, were women accept their role in society. However, Jane can be seen as an exception because she demonstrates that women can live on equal terms with men and that women can have their own critical thinking. Therefore, Jane Eyre can be seen as extremely unconventional in the Victorian society.

    Women in the Victorian Era were treated as dolls and had few rights and little control over their lives. They were expected to marry, have children and take care of the family. They were also expected to be weak and dependent on men as their characteristic, which can be seen throughout the whole novel that women should be in accompany of men for all times. This is why Jane Eyre displays almost everything that women in that era were not likely to do. She was strong, independent, and passionate. She does not look to just marry a man to support her finically, she goes out and finds a job to make her money and provide for herself. From the very beginning of the book, Jane leaves a strong impression. We find out that Jane was an adamant girl when she fought with her older cousin John. Upon the fight between Jane and John, the maid Betha said,

“What shocking conduct, Miss Eyre, to strike a young gentleman, your benefactress's son! Your young master.” (Bronte, pg.5)

    “Master! How is he my master? Am I a servant?” (Bronte, pg.5)

From the dialogue between Jane and the maid, we can see that Jane is an extremely straightforward girl. She refused to endure and accepted the fate that she is given to and she believed that she had to fight for her rights.

    After being sent to Lowood, Jane is not considered a good student. She often fights with Mr. Brocklehurst because of the harsh and unfair treatment while other girls in Lowood accept meekly. And when Helen, her best friend shares her doctrine of Christian endurance which asks her to tolerant on whatever unfairness, Jane disagrees strongly and argues with such meek tolerance of injustice. Jane argues that she would not give into her morals or self-respect for any man or under any circumstances.

During the Industrial Revolution, more jobs were granted to women and they were able to get job in different area. However, it did not help the middle class that much. Women in the middle class had only one choice of gaining economic stability: working as a governess. Teaching was the only job a single, middle-class women like Jane Eyre could strive for. Jane was aware of this, and thus she he advertises for herself to find a position as a governess and accepts the job at Thornfield.

    Later in the novel, Jane has to face more impediments as she falls in love with the master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Jane is doubtful that love is mutual. In the Victorian Age, women was thought to be merely man's companion and a political tool for the sake of the family. Therefore, in that period, marriage is an essential commitment. That explains why the Victorian Women such as Miss Ingram put their focus on looks and appearance. They did not have a care about anything else. And she was aware that her ordinary appearance and low social class makes her chances of engagement to a noble man low, even though Jane is an unconventionally intelligent and smart woman. This is why Rochester’s confession of love was such a shocking, even to Jane who thought Rochester mocking her of her lower social class. She claims: “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!” (Bronte, pg.252) Ultimately, Rochester and Jane understood each other and come to a consensus that Jane will only marry for love, but not for any profit derive.