1. Introduction
1.1 Preface
„Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre has often been described as a gothic novel, but the type of fantasy which is more obviously responsible for its plot structure and character development is the fairy tale.“1
When I read Jane Eyre I just couldn’t help myself but feeling that some aspects of the story seemed strangely familiar. A poor orphan girl that has to live with two unpleasant sisters and a wealthy but cruel aunt and suffers from domestic violence. This very beginning of Jane Eyre of course resembles the universally known fairy tale Cinderella and it seems that this is not the only reference to a fairy tale within Charlotte Brontë’s novel. Traces of Beauty and the Beast can be found as well as other significant fairy tale elements.
The purpose of this term paper is to reveal some of the fairy tale elements to be found in Jane Eyre and to discuss if the novel as a whole can be understood as some sort of modern fairy tale.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Preface
1.2 The story of Jane Eyre
2. Fairy tale references in Jane Eyre
2.1 Cinderella
2.2 Beauty and the Beast
2.3 Other fairy tale references
3. Significant fairy tale elements in Jane Eyre
3.1 The Prince Charming aspect
3.2 Friends and antagonists
3.3 Jane as a fairy tale heroine
4. Conclusion
4.1 Can Jane Eyre be seen as a modern fairy tale?
5. Appendix
5.1 Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the presence of fairy tale motifs and structural elements within Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre. It aims to investigate how the author incorporates themes from classic stories such as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast to shape character development and plot, ultimately discussing whether the novel functions as a modern adaptation of the fairy tale genre.
- Identification of specific fairy tale allusions within the narrative structure.
- Comparative analysis of character roles, focusing on the "wicked" antagonist and the "fairy godmother" archetype.
- The portrayal of Jane Eyre as a traditional fairy tale heroine undergoing a quest.
- Examination of the transformation motif and the representation of love.
- Evaluation of Jane Eyre as a modernized fairy tale without traditional magic.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Cinderella
Cinderella is a popular and classic fairy tale embodying a story of oppression which is followed by triuphant reward. Allegedly the earliest version of that story can be originated in China around A.D. 860 but it first came to global success by Charles Perrault’s version Cendrillon ou La petite pantoufle de verre published in 1697 and of course the Brothers Grimm’s Aschenputtel.
As I have mentioned before there are certain allusions to the story of Cinderella, especially in the beginning of Jane Eyre. The first would be the similar domestic situation of the two heroines. Both Jane and Cinderella have lost their parents and have to live with unkind relatives. Cinderella lives with her stepmother and her two evil stepsisters („[...] two daughters who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart.“) while young Jane Eyre has to stay with her cruel aunt Mrs. Reed and her wicked kids. Jane’s stepsisters Georginia and Eliza Reed are like those of Cinderella supposed to be very fair in appearance but unpleasant in behaviour.
A further similarity of both heroines is that they are both somehow inferior to their relatives. Jane, as well as Cinderella, is poor and without any fortune while Aunt Reed and her kids are very prosperous („They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none [...]“) . Jane’s poverty and her dependence are constantly stressed. Both women are inferior to their stepsisters in terms of beauty, Jane because she is small, fragile and plain („[...] my physical inferiority to Eliza, John and Georgina Reed.“) and Cinderella because she is always dirty and dressed in miserable clothes („[...] she always looked dusty and dirty [...]“).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the novel's gothic context and states the paper's primary objective to identify fairy tale elements in Jane Eyre.
2. Fairy tale references in Jane Eyre: The author analyzes specific allusions to the classic tales of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, as well as broader supernatural and fairy motifs.
3. Significant fairy tale elements in Jane Eyre: This section explores archetypal roles like the "Prince Charming" figure, identifies friends and antagonists as moral polarities, and defines Jane’s growth as a heroine’s quest.
4. Conclusion: The paper synthesizes the findings, arguing that while Jane Eyre lacks traditional magic, it mirrors the fundamental moral structure and narrative trajectory of a fairy tale.
5. Appendix: This section provides a comprehensive list of all cited literature and sources used in the paper.
Keywords
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Fairy Tale, Gothic Novel, Prince Charming, Heroine, Archetypes, Literary Analysis, Victorian Literature, Narrative Structure, Folklore, Antagonists, Moral Transformation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the structural and thematic connections between Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre and classic fairy tales.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key areas include the analysis of specific fairy tale motifs, character archetypes, the "quest" narrative, and the moral victory of the protagonist.
What is the central research question?
The main goal is to reveal how fairy tale elements are used in Jane Eyre and to discuss if the book can be classified as a modern fairy tale.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, contrasting characters and plot events in Jane Eyre with those in established fairy tales like Cinderella.
What is the focus of the main body of the text?
The main body examines explicit allusions to classic tales, character parallels (e.g., the wicked stepmother, the fairy godmother), and the development of the protagonist through a traditional fairy tale structure.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The most relevant keywords are Fairy Tale, Jane Eyre, Archetypes, Narrative Structure, and Literary Analysis.
How is Mr. Rochester interpreted in this paper?
The paper discusses Rochester as a complex figure who represents the "Beast" archetype—initially seen as rough or "ugly" but transformed through his relationship with Jane and her unconditional love.
How does the author view the "wicked stepmother" trope in the novel?
The author suggests that Brontë spreads this concept across several characters, most notably Mrs. Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst, who represent oppression and hypocrisy.
Why does the author conclude that the book is a "modernized" fairy tale?
The author concludes that while the novel lacks the literal magic found in traditional fairy tales, it successfully adheres to the classic moral foundation where virtue is rewarded and vice is punished.
- Citation du texte
- Florian Rübener (Auteur), 2006, Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/163920
