Jay SheldonFeminism has been a prominent and controversial topic in writings forthe past two centuries.
With novels such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice,or even William Shakespeare’s Macbeth the fascination over this subject byauthors is evident. In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre the main character, JaneEyre, explores the depth at which women may act in society and finds her ownboundaries in Victorian England. As well, along with the notions of feminismoften follow the subjects of class distinctions and boundaries. There is an ample amount of evidence to suggest that the tone of JaneEyre is in fact a very feminist one and may well be thought as relevant to thewomen of today who feel they have been discriminated against because of theregender.
At the beginning of the 19th century, little opportunity existed forwomen, and thus many of them felt uncomfortable when attempting to enter manyparts of society. The absence of advanced educational opportunities for womenand their alienation from almost all fields of work gave them little option inlife: either become a house wife or a governess. Although today a tutor may beconsidered a fairly high class and intellectual job, in the Victorian era agoverness was little more than a servant who was paid to share her scarce amountof knowledge in limited fields to a child. With little respect, security, orclass one may certainly feel that an intelligent, passionate and opinionatedyoung woman such as Jane Eyre should deserve and be capable of so much more. The insecurity of this position, being tossed around with complete disregard forher feelings or preferences, is only one of many grueling characteristics ofthis occupation. However for Jane to even emerge into society, becoming agoverness seemed the only reasonable path for her.
The women of the Victorian Era can be regarded as the first group to dobattle for the equality of the sexes. They lead all women to follow after them,and though their progression may not have been as vivid as the women of the 70’s,they did have an effect. Feminism was not outright spoken of in this time,rather passed through literature, such as this very novel. Stories and novelswere the primary means in which to communicate information and ideas in thattime.
Without mass communication systems books were the few informationcarrying devices to cross borders, and encompass lands whenever people traveled. Though many agree that Jane Eyre is a feminist novel, there are some who arguethat Charlotte Bronte’s only intention was to argue the social structure of thetime. They argue that the use of a women was simply so Bronte could relate tothe main character, not to prove any point in regards to equality of men and ofwomen. However, those who do see the feminist tendency in this novel may backtheir point by citing Jane’s response to Rochester’s proposal in chapter 23 asone of the earlier breakthroughs towards feminism.
“Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am anautomation?-a machine without feelings? and can you bear to have my morsel ofbread snatched from my lips and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Doyou think because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soul andheartless? You think wrong! – I have as much soul as you, – and full as muchheart I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom,conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh; — it is my spirit that addressesyour spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’sfeet, equal, — as we are!”This quotation explicitly portray Bronte’s attempt to raise the issue of sexualequality. Jane is fighting for her individuality in this quote, and refuses tobe reduced to some mere “machine”. She will not act in the manner that “custom”or “conventionalities” would deem her to act, but through her own free will. This is vividly a female’s attempt to break free of the mold that society hasattempted to set her in. This is very comparable to William Shakespeare’s TheMerchant of Venice in which a man of Jewish descent, Shylock, is trying to showto others how he is no different from them. He asks them whether or not a Jewwill bleed when pricked, or whether or not they experience emotion, or havedimensions.
Just as his famous speech is one for the equality of the races,this quote is one for the equality of the sexes. Jane proclaims to Rochesterthat she has “as much soul as him” and just “full as heart”. Showing that asa women she is no different from him, and thus should be treated no differentlyis evidently attempting the same effect as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. The end of this quotation explicitly states that when they both die they willstand at God’s feet “equal – as we are”.
Jane Eyre lived a hard life, filled with hatred and anger. However, herability to overcome all of this shows her strength, a power that women such asBlanche Ingram or the other superficial women would not posses. Her ability tocomfort the aunt who had once treated her terribly is more power than somepeople could ever hope to obtain. Though the death of her good friend Helen dideffect Jane deeply, her maturation throughout the novel gives her the ability tocope with disaster more readily. When she found out that the man she loved wasalready married, she was able to control herself better than many men would everbe able to. When leaving Rochester the feelings of sadness, betrayal, andremorse were overwhelming and “the floods overflowed her”.
However, she wasstill able to break free. Though her leaving could be interpreted in many ways:as an attempt to follow the moral pathways for once; perhaps as a religiousenlightenment; or as a display of the power she has accumulated as a women andher ability to resist to power of others (something another women may not havebeen able to do). Female power is still limited by emotion, as with all other aspects of humanability. Though it took strength to leave Rochester, it was not simply throughthis strength that she acted. We are able to see that in fact she felt terribly.
She was thinking that “her hopes were all dead – struck with a subtle doom,such as, in one night, fell on all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. Shelooked on her cherished wishes, yesterday so blooming and glowing; They laystark, chill, livid, corpses, they could never revive. She looked at herlove: that feeling which was my master’s – which he had created; it shivered inmy heart, like a suffering child in a cold cradle. ” It is evident that Jane isleft with a bitter feeling after this shocking incident. This may have beenused to express that though the two sexes should be treated equally, theirdifferences do exist.
The emotional side of females is thoroughly shown in thisquotation. Jane appears to have been almost completely taken away by thesefeelings, whereas Rochester not so much. Though this is left up to the readerto decide, as with many other aspects of this novel, it appears to me thatBronte is attempting to express the feminine side of Jane. This is one of thefew times in the novel when we get such a close look at the female side of Jane,and thus allows us to reevaluate our gender specific thinking.
The novel Jane Eyre is one that can be interpreted in many differentways. No definite resolution is ever seen upon whether Bronte meant to judge tosexual placement of that time, however as in many other novels the analysis isleft up to the reader and thus will vary from person to person. Though I maysee this novel as one full of passages criticizing the gender specific fiber ofthat time, others may see it as simply an every day experiences of a governesswho falls in love with a man who is already married. Category: English
