Curious, eh?
In reading some of your blog posts, I discovered that while many of you feel, and I think appropriately, that JE is a bildungsroman, you also feel it deals with other issues relevant to the time. In your opinion, what social/political/economic issue most impact the narrative. Support it!
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I think that most important social conflict that influences the novel is the debate of the role of the woman. Is she equal to man? Should she be independent? How much power should she have in society?
The most obvious commentary that Bronte makes about the Victorian woman is shown through Bertha Mason, Mr. Rochester's wife, who has been locked in the attic. I have wondered whether she was truly crazy before she was imprisoned or if she went mad as a result of being shut away. She is the manifestation of Jane's repressed anger and feelings of entrapment as a result of the society around her.
Throughout the novel, Jane meets many different women who show independent spirit. Miss Temple is kind and just towards the students of Lowood, Helen Burns practices her own form of piety, Diana and Mary Rivers are both highly intellectual. Jane, too, shows an independent spirit throughout the novel, refusing to submit herself to anyone else's will. Bronte depicts women as strong characters.
At the same time, however, the thing that bothered me was that these women eventually found happy endings in marriage. Although they are supposed to be independent, they ultimately must get married to and become dependent on a man.
The most important issue dealt with in "Jane Eyre" is the role of women inside a primarily patriarchal society. During the Victorian Era, women resided almost completely in the domestic sphere and were still inferior to men. It was believed that a woman should stay home, have children, cook, and take care of the household chores. The only professional positions women were allowed to hold included teachers, governesses, and domestic servants. Women were not supposed to possess their own fortunes or property. The church also made strict regulations on marriage during this time period.
Jane Eyre falls directly into the mold of the typical Victorian woman and spends the entirety of the narrative trying to overturn the norms of her society. Jane holds the position of governess for Adele Varens, daughter of Mr. Rochester. Though passionate from the beginning, Jane does not truly release her emotions until she meets Rochester. They continuously have disucussions that both challenge Jane and allow to demonstrate that she is Rochester's equal. Encounters like this would have almost been considered taboo in Victorian society. She continues this bantering with Rochester until they fall deeply in love. Rochester attempts to marry her but keeps the secret of a pre-existing wife, violating the harsh marriage laws of the time. Later on, Jane acquires her own fortune which is also not appropriate according to the parameters of society. Throughout the novel, Jane is challenging woman's inferiority to men.
In accordance with the idea of Jane being a bildungsroman, Charlotte Bronte is using Jane to convey her emotions and thoughts on society; she uses Jane to criticize the typical role of women during this time period.
Throughout her novel, Jane Eyre, Bronte considers the role of women in society. In particular, the comparisons between Jane and Rochester display some of the social turmoil of the time. Before Jane could marry Rochester, she had to miraculously rise to his level in society. Bronte makes this point clear by postponing the wedding until after Jane inherits 20,000 pounds, a vast fortune.
Beyond Jane, many other characters provide evidence of the wide gender gap in English society, an issue that Bronte aimed to address. Bertha, in particular, displays the unfair treatment that women in cases had to endure. Although the reader is meant to feel sympathy for Rochester and to justify his treatment of his wife as the result of a loveless, economically-based marriage, it seems quite likely that Bertha's madness originated in her removal from her home and implantation in England. Bronte describes Bertha as a Creole woman, thus one of West Indian and French descent. Bertha's upbringing most likely left her unprepared for the daily English lifestyle, and this may be a major reason why she went mad. This novel features many examples of women treated with relative disrespect.
Even the Lowood teacher, Miss Temple, endures harsh language from the male headmaster Mr. Brocklehurst. Despite her high position in the school and respect amongst it's staff, Mr. Brocklehurst addresses her in a very condescending manner, revealing the conventions of the time. Bronte may have been expressing her point by marrying Bessie Lee, Miss Temple and Jane Eyre before the close of the novel, indicting that marriage is necessary for a woman's happiness in the minds of people during her time.
woah new word: bildungsroman!!
I think Jane's social/economic position truly defined the narrative in Jane Eyre. As a governess, she suffered socially because of her position. Her relationships with others of similar social class were strained because of her financial state. Relevant to the time, the relationship between a governess and a gentleman was not common because a governess was not financially his equal.
There is this sense of ambiguity in regard to where Jane is on the social ladder as a Victorian governess. She is neither a servant nor a member of her Rochester's class. Jane's confusion can be seen in an encounter with Rochester:
"Will you play? he [Rochester] asked. I shook my head. He did not insist, which I rather feared he would have done: he allowed me to return quietly to my usual seat. He and his aids now withdrew behind the curtain: the other party which was headed by Colonel Dent, sat down on the crescent of chairs. One of the gentlemen, Mr. Eshton, observing me, seemed to propose that I should be asked to join them; but Lady Ingram instantly negatived the notion. "NO" I heard her say: "she looks too stupid for any game of the sort." (p. 185).
Rochester does not wish to exclude Jane from the games, however, does not push her to play even after she said no. Jane is not comfortable in the situation. In fact, both parties would have felt uncomfortable if Jane had decided to play. Jane does not want to feel unwelcome.
Mr. Eshton does not like the idea that Jane is not playing the game and asks if Lady Ingram believes Jane should play. Miss Ingram quickly rejects the notion by telling everyone that Jane is beneath them.
I definitely believe this idea of social position played a key role in this novel. It truly defined some of the relationships within the novel.
I believe that the most important issue that is illustrated in the narrative is the socio-economic standings of the characters and the limitations they are presented with. When Jane was a child at Gateshead, it was her social standings that made her "in-debt" to her aunt. Therefore, her aunt believed herself to be better than Jane. Also, Jane was treated poorly as was her social status as an infant.
Later as a governess, she is considered lower than characters such as Mr. Rochester and Mrs. Fairfax. This is proven in the scene in which Mr. Rochester's friends exclaim their hatred and impatience with governesses. She is excluded from the activities of the party. Also, when she and Mr. Rochester become engaged, their relationship is looked down upon by his friends and his staff due to the obvious difference in social standings.
In the end, Bronte depicts Jane as a wealthy, high-class woman. Only then can she and Mr. Rochester have the relationship they dreamed of. Because they share equal social standings and are on the same level as one another in the eyes of those around them, they are acceptable to both society and themselves. This is yet another remark on the socio-economic statuses of her characters.
While I really believe that the most important social/economic/political issue presented in the novel is women’s place in society, I’m sure a lot of other people will thoroughly comment on that issue, so I decided to focus on something else. Stepping back, Bronte’s economic commentary goes deeper than just stating the fact that in the Victorian era, money meant social status and social status meant everything. While this may be a bit of a stretch, I also think Bronte implicitly proves that wealth is the only thing that allows women to be independent, and it causes happiness.
Many people say that money does not make people happy, and, in fact, it often causes them a lot of trouble; in Victorian England, Charlotte Bronte thought differently. In the beginning of the novel, Jane is worth nothing. She has no money, and she has no choice but to live with her cruel aunt and cousins; she is miserable at the mere age of 10. When she attends Lowood, things get a little bit better, but her life really takes off when she begins to earn an income. She receives 15 pounds per year teaching at Lowood, and when she advertises to be a governess, she finds out she can live independently for double the salary. At Thornfield, where she receives 30 pounds a year and has her own room, she finds happiness in Mr. Rochester. However, she is still by no means wealthy, and her life begins to deteriorate until she is forced to leave Thornfield, penniless and once again miserable. When she lives under the care of St. John, Mary, and Diana, Jane isn’t unhappy, but she has no independence. She has no choice but to take the first job St. John offers her, and though she misses Mr. Rochester, because she has no money, she cannot do anything about that.
In the end, she just so happens to receive an inheritance from her deceased uncle, and like magic, she is independent, happy, and in love again, all obstacles taken care of. From such an obvious change in status and emotion, there are many things to extract, one of which is the fact that with money comes independence and happiness. Interestingly, there are several men in the story who do not fit this criterion of money with independence and happiness, like John Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John.
One of the prominent issues in "Jane Eyre" is the role of women in society. While we spend time discussing this theme, we should not overlook the other characters of the novel that contain a y-chromosome. Besides women, the author comments on the roles of men.
The two major camps that the male characters fall under in the novel are religion and "society". The religious men in "Jane Eyre" are Mr. Brocklehurst and St. John. Both men are motivated by their religious convictions; Brocklehurst possesses of firm, unsympathetic view of God. This extreme is a viewpoint that doesn't entice Jane. St. John uses his religion as the springboard for marriage; he wants Jane to marry him and become missionary's wife. This doesn't bode well for St. John.
The "society" men are Mr. Rochester and John Reed. Both men socialize with the upper-crust of society. This becomes John Reed's tragic flaw, as his decadent taste leads to gambling and suicide. Mr. Rochester, while seemingly social, doesn't enjoy the company he carries. He respects and wants Jane "on a deserted island" with no distractions.
By having these two clusters in describing men, the author is showing her view on these two areas. As a side-note, "Jane Eyre" was published in 1847, in the midst of the industrial revolution. On whole, England was modernizing and preparing for the future. That's what Jane does through the novel; modernizes by becoming self-reliant and independent. She goes against the norm in society and works to benefit herself.
With "religion" and "society", the author does not look favorably on both of these areas. She most likely has disdain for these two areas and wants to see them modernize. In order to grow, one can't be held down the constraints of old customs and the "old guard". Charlotte Bronte effectively critiques these areas while seemingly defining her characters by these areas. In the end, the author succeeds in implementing the parallel.
Okay. I think that one of most important social conflicts is the fight for equality and in addition to that, the concept of marriage in the Victorian society. Jane is struggling throughout the novel to find equality not only as a woman but as someone of a lower stature. Early on, Jane suffers through a battle to be treated as an independent person when she is not given the same respect from Mrs. Reed as Mrs. Reed's children receive. Later on, Jane cannot find equality in marriage with Mr. Rochester because she is not financially independent and is still a governess working beneath him. She is not his equal, and the sense of being trapped is one of her reasons for fleeing. Jane only finds equality through the inheritance that makes her wealthy at the end of the novel. Equality drives Jane's relationships forward with Mrs. Reed and Mr. Rochester specifically.
The concept of marriage is so crucial because in the Victorian period, many girls were marrying off at a common age. It was considered to be a business deal, and often it occurred within two people of a similar class.
When Jane and Mr. Rochester were engaged and about to get married, they were clearly in different social classes. It was apparent in the way they addressed one another; Mr. Rochester was often arrogant towards Jane. It was also clear in their positions at Thornfield. Jane was a governess. Mr. Rochester was the master of Thornfield Hall. Because this marriage is clearly defying Victorian rules, it makes sense that it does not work out as according to plan. So, after Jane goes away and becomes wealthy and meets family, she can go back to her beloved Mr. Rochester and marry him as an economic equal.
... well I guess I'll refrain from discussing woman's role in society or economic standing.
Let's play devil's advocate:
Jane Eyre is the perfect bildungsroman, focusing on Jane's growth from childhood to adulthood, her journeys in life, and the path she takes toward maturation. It shows Jane's struggle to stay true to herself while living with the virtues and expectations society forces upon her, and then her accomodation into society and her embracement of her new place in society. However, while one may look to say that the book is more than that, perhaps it isn't. The social/political/economis issues of the time are secondary to the novel at best. The only mention of them comes when it is necessary to the development of Jane.
Throughout her life Jane finds herself at odds with others. Her aunt Mrs. Reed, and her cousins especially in her younger life. Yet the disdain they show her is not a direct result of her social status, polotics, or economic standing. They resent having her presence forced upon them, and the fact that she does not show the level of gratitude that they expect to have poured upon them. It is Jane's independence, her self-righteousness, and the fact that she feels beholden to no one that leads them to dislike. Not to mention the fact that her plain apprearance made them less willing to sympathize with her struggles.
The politics of the time hardly ever come into question. Maybe they appear in some instances, but I cannot recall any, and if they did exist they were undoubtably secondary in importance, and only included the further the plot, not as a means of providing specific commentary.
As per the issue of Jane's economic standing, it seems of little importance except that Jane wishes to have money before her marriage to Rochester so that she will not feel beholden to him in the way she was to the Reeds. She does not desire much, but she does cherish her pride above all else. Bertah Mason had wealth when she married Rochester, and look how that turned out for her. It seems that the question of economic disparities between characters in this novel merely serve to further illustrate Jane's strong personality. Just as she will not yeild to Rochester in conversation, she refuses to be doted upon and constantly given gifts. She wishes to have the ability to be and express herself, be it through verbal sparing, or maintaining her plain, unextravagent lifestyle.
Thus it seems that one could say Jane Eyre does not go much beyond being a very well written bildungsroman. There seems to be a lack of true social, political, or economic commentary. These issues are only addressed when they can be used to highlight aspects of Jane's personality or inner feelings.
The social issue that most influences the tale of Jane Eyre is England’s class system. Even in the nineteenth century, much of Europe was dominated by a rigid class system. The nobles and aristocracy dominated, both socially and economically, the lower classes, and the possibility of class mobility was low. Jane feels the results of this system throughout her life. In the Lowood Academy, Jane and all of the other charity students are forced to suffer hardships because of their less than ideal class. When they are served an inedible meal, they are told to endure, and the lack of concern for their well being is passed off as a lesson in Christian fortitude. It is clear that Bronte disapproves of these elitist practices. She proceeds to glorify Rochester, a man who shows little concern for social norms and class differences. This quickly becomes apparent in his first few conversations with Jane, in which he demands she stop being polite to him because of his position and speak to him without inhibition. Readers are made to feel that this disregard for tradition is heroic and almost a mandatory quality for a truly enlightened individual. Jane, unsurprisingly, follows suit. She does not seem concerned with preserving her class and instead acts according to her emotions. When the situation regarding Rochester’s wife is revealed, Jane departs because she would much rather live in poverty than remain in a comfortable lifestyle that sacrifices her dignity. Truly, the issue of class is apparent at many points in the novel.
I think the most important conflict in the novel is Jane's economic status. Jane's main issue in her relationship with Rochester when she is deciding whether to marry him is the fact that she would be subordinate to him. The reason that she would be subordinate was because she had no money of her own and would be completely reliant on Rochester for her economic well-being. This concern is one of the primary reasons that Jane decides to leave Thornfield, a major event in the plot.
The issue of the role of women in society is important in the novel but in my opinion it is not quite as important as Jane's economic concerns. Jane is worried about not being Rochester's equal if she marries him, but as soon as she becomes financially independent, all of the roadblocks to her marriage are removed. To reinforce further the importance of the economic issue, Bronte chooses to make Rochester poor when he and Jane finally get married. In Jane and Rochester's marriage Jane is clearly the stronger spouse because she is economically independent. The concerns about women are important but they sort themselves out once the economic problem is solved.
I agree that Jane and Mr. Rochester’s conversational feuds and St. John’s overbearing nature with her show clashing gender roles. So, let’s change the subject. I think that Bronte explores another pivotal social issue: the significance of the words ‘til death do us part.
When Mr. Rochester ties the knot with Bertha, it is a rash decision that he quickly comes to regret when he discovers her lineage of batty blood relatives. Soon she’s a mass of dark hair and mottled purple skin, committing arson in her husband’s bedroom. Today, if a man’s wife chomped into her brother’s arm or set fire to her husband’s bed sheets, she might be sent to a chair other than the one at the breakfast table. But, in Jane Eyre’s time period, Bertha is accommodated for and her marriage to Mr. Rochester still deemed legitimate. Also, Jane acknowledges this union, even after hearing Mr. Rochester’s tragic account of the marriage, and flees from Thornfield. She does this to escape sin, but also to keep her dignity intact. Reading this novel from a modern perspective, when 49% of marriages allegedly end in divorce, Mr. Rochester’s eternal obligation to a mad woman may seem bizarre.
Another example of this kind of responsibility is Adele Varens. Mr. Rochester is scarred from his mistresses’ deceit, and he doesn’t believe her child is his own, but when she disappears, he takes Adele into his home. He shows her kindness, treats her to gifts, and provides her with a governess.
Mr. Rochester’s moral conduct is a reflection of the age that affects the advancement of the plot and Jane’s internal strife.
I think Jane's social/economic status was the most significant part of this novel. While Jane's lower social status caused many obstacles, the wealthy characters of the novel didn't lead problem-free lives either. Jane's wealthy cousin John commits suicide after struggling with a gambling problem. Mr. Rochester's wealth attracts shallow acquaintances. The beautiful Miss. Ingram isn't subtle about showing attention for him, is after his wallet instead of him as a person. When Mr. Rochester sent out a rumor that his rumor was a fraction of its true amount, Miss. Ingram immediately lost interest. This was probably not the first or only person to befriend Mr. Rochester for his fortune: for Mr. Rochester wealth complicates relations and makes them more superficial. While Jane is treated inferior for her lower social status, Mr. Rochester must be wary of those who like him merely for his status.
Money doesn't cause problems for all characters of the novel. When Jane "happens" to receive an incredible sum of money, she is finally granted independence from the kindness of her cousins, and the financial freedom to finish working when she pleases. But Jane does not become greedy or changed by her sudden fortune. She retains the same principles with a new sense of comfort. Without flaunting her new social status, her fortune is portrayed in a more positive light than Mr. Rochester's or John Reed's.
I feel that the social issue that impacts the narrative to the greatest degree is that of dominance. This issue of dominance is seen in multiple forms. One form of dominance that is important to the narrative is that of the wealthy over the rich. These dominances determine the ways that characters act throughout society regardless of who they are with. This means that they shape the way that the narrative flows and the way each character lives.
This form of wealth dominance is first revealed at the very beginning of the novel with the interactions of Jane with her family. First, there is the abuse that Jane takes from her cousins and the lack of punishment that the cousins receive. When John (from the wealthy Reed family) beats Jane (the cousin who has been taken in but has nothing), John does not even receive punishment, but rather Jane is sent to a room to be alone and “think about what she has done.” The fact that the wealthy get away with such abuse clearly demonstrates the superiority complex that they have formed. However, this domination over classes is not just within the Reed household. When Jane goes to Lowood, the wealthy Reed’s tell Mr. Brocklehurst that she is a liar. Brocklehurst simply believes what the wealthy family says and refuses to let the poor girl prove herself. Thus, the influence that the wealthy have helps to spread the dominance that they have over the less fortunate people, even those in their family.
Dominance of the classes is later demonstrated once again through Mr. Rochester. When Rochester and Jane first meet, it is clear that Rochester thinks much more highly of himself that the governess. He does not act too kindly to her at first and does not really support her even though she is teaching his daughter. Furthermore, Rochester and Jane cannot get married until Jane receives her inheritance from her uncle, which demonstrates how much the concept of wealth dominates the lives and the social systems of the people of the times.
This idea of dominance helps to strengthen the narrative because it helps to build up and resolve the main conflicts of the novel. The dominance of the wealthy leads Jane to Lowood, where she overcomes the struggles of the dominance of the “upper-class” of the school system. Later on in the novel, the conflict of Jane not being able to find her love is created by these ideas of class dominance as Jane cannot marry the man that she loves because of her class-status. However, when Jane finally obtains the means to switch to a higher status and avoid any more domination, it opens up the door for the conflict to be resolved.
Social conflict is the most conspicous of the issues iterated in the novel. It governs how Jane views herself and interacts with other characters. As a plain girl without social status or money, Jane feels she, compared to Ms. Ingram, is an inferior match for Mr. Rochester. She thinks Mr. Rochester prefers Ms. Ingram over her and tries to diminish hopes of becoming his wife.
Ms. Ingram and her mother also mistreats her, considering the profession of a governess base.
In another incident, she struggles with the social issue. When she informs Mrs. Fairfax of her marriage with Mr. Rochester, Mrs. Fairfax almost disproves of their marriage, saying a governess marrying her employee is a rare case.
At Lowood, Mr. Blocklehurst treats his benefactors with reverence but maltreats the orphans.
And most obviously, Jane has a terrible childhood because of her low status and poverty. The Reeds harm her both emotionally and physically, knowing she is below them in the social and economic hierarchy.
Jane is discriminated and intimidated because of her struggle with social and economic conflicts. However, this aspect of Jane's life is what makes the novel a fairy tale. She succeeds at the end, overcoming all her difficulties. Low social status and economic standing help her transform from being a builled child to a strong heroine.
So, considering i chose to post an hour before this is due, many significant points have already been made. I don't want to reiterate, so I'm going to present a social issue relevant to the time that impacted the novel, but that didn't necessarily have the MOST impact (i think it was Jane's social status also!). I wanted to point out that at the time, as portrayed very clearly in the novel, faith played a large role, especially when Jane ventures to Millcote to meet, unbeknownst to her, her cousins. First of all, I think that for the time, St. John's position as a missionary and man of god absolutely do not permit him to have stray feelings of love, of any sort, let alone marriage. His infatuation with Rosamond, although they did not seem to phase Jane very much, seemed to me to be unheard of at the time; he took his vows and pledged his devotion to god, and therefore, he should not be tempted by women. In this case, he most certainly is. I think this also plays into the question we came across today in class: who is the byronic hero? I think that St. John's furtive love for Rosamond could prove that he was the byronic hero of the novel because this would be conveyed as his "unnamed sexual crime." Although to most falling in love is not a crime, to the church, and for St. John, it is. I think this presents an enormous social issue in the novel.
In order to judge the social, economic, and political issues that impact Jane Eyre the most, it’s important to see which played a large role in governing the Victorian era. Since it seems that many have focused on Jane’s economic status and gender, I’m going to focus on something different. Even though I definitely would not have picked this as the most significant issue of the time, religion still plays a large role in the novel. During the Victorian era, people began to doubt their beliefs. Many, even those with a longheld Christian faith, saw confusion and doubt as a result of the ideas of Charles Darwin. By attributing the origin and evolution of man to natural selection, rather than God, Darwin confused many. In Jane Eyre, Brontë almost undermines Helen Burns’ religious beleifs to convey some doubt. Helen is so secure in her belief in God and her place in heaven after she dies: she says, “I believe; I have faith; I am going to God […] My Maker and yours, who will never destroy what he created. I rely implicitly on his power, and confide wholly in his goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to him, reveal him to me”(82). Jane, on the other hand, represents the doubt. She asks Helen questions like “You are sure, then, Helen that there is such a place as heaven; and that our souls can get to it when we die?”(83) and “where is that region? Does it exist”(83). Jane encounters Helen, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John Rivers, and all three cause her to examine the role of religion in her life. Even though she doesn’t reject it, she doesn’t blindly accept it but instead forms her own opinions. And although I believe that Jane’s socio-economic status was probably the most significant issue, religion plays a large role as well.
Two social issues impact Jane Eyre more than any other: class bias and gender roles. These have both been discussed already almost ad nauseum, so I’m going to pick the issue that I can add my own unique view to.
Through Jane’s dialogue to Mr. Rochester, Bronte translates her opinion about class bias, saying, “do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!—I have as much soul as you—and full as much heart!” The class system that existed in the Victorian Era was extremely strict: no one could marry outside of his or her class, no one could even associate with those in another class. Bronte criticized this broken system, but did not follow through with her opinion. In order for Jane to break through the firm rules of class, she had to rise up in class, and so she received an inheritance from an uncle, and Mr. Rochester had to fall in level, and so he became disabled. No class boundaries were crossed, and so Bronte did not go far enough.
It is interesting to note that this class system is almost fully intact in England today. I lived in London from when I was six to eight years old, and went to an English girl’s school, pinafores, straw boaters and all. I wasn’t aware of the severe class structure then, but since living there I have heard stories from my mom. I have many stories, but I’ll share the best one. On the first day of school, my mom was standing outside the building in jeans and a t-shirt. She turned to another mother next to her and said, “best time of the year, right?” The woman ignored my mom and walked away. When telling this story, my mom says that the woman must have thought she was a nanny because of her clothes. A few weeks later, at a parents meet-and-greet, my mom sees this woman and introduces herself. The woman recognizes my mom and exclaims, “Oh! You’re the one who talked as if you knew me on the first day!” The woman never thought that my mom was a nanny; she simply would not talk to someone she didn’t know, someone whose standing she didn’t know. As it turns out, this woman was Lady Forte, the wife of Lord Forte who owned Hotels all over London, including one that I could see from my bedroom window. And these parents were far from the only ones in our school with the titles Lord and Lady.
Maybe the marriage boundaries are less strict, but it became clearer and clearer through our few years in London that class played a major role in who people would associate with. If critics of the system from the Victorian Era actually followed through with their opinions, maybe things would be slightly different.
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