The Bildungsroman genre is typically concerned with the formation of a character, that character's coming-of-age, and progress through life. The conditions present in the Victorian era, and specifically the condition of contemporary gender relations, allowed this genre to produce almost exclusively male protagonists. Because masculinity was believed to possess the highest of virtues, such as honour, loyalty, and enterprise, only male character's had the possibility for self-realization, as can be seen in the Bildungsroman of Dickens (David Copperfield, Great Expectations), and in the genre's precursor, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship by Goethe. This essay aims to illustrate, on the example of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, that self-realization and enterprise were in fact achievable for the contemporary woman. Contemporary social and literary theory, on the basis of the author's biography and the life story of her protagonist, Jane Eyre, demonstrate how the Victorian woman's life, though domestic in nature, proves to be more 'internalised', but equally productive, and at times even exceeds many of the endeavours of self development that men undertook.
Table of Contents
1. The Bildungsroman and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
Objectives & Topics
This essay explores the literary genre of the Bildungsroman, traditionally defined as a masculine narrative of maturation, and argues that Charlotte Brontë’s "Jane Eyre" successfully adapts this form to depict female development despite the social constraints of Victorian England.
- The historical definition and masculine origins of the Bildungsroman genre.
- Feminist perspectives on psychological development and the "female self."
- The influence of Brontë’s religious and patriarchal upbringing on her work.
- The use of fairy tale motifs and symbolic imagery in "Jane Eyre."
- The subversion of traditional gender roles in Victorian literature.
Excerpt from the Book
The Bildungsroman and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
It is widely recognized that one of the most accomplished versions of the Bildungsroman genre can be found in the works of Charles Dickens. Novels such as David Copperfield or Great Expectations are well recognized by readers and scholars alike, for their captivating stories concerned with human development. However, the novel which began the genre, and laid the foundations for many novels of later writers, is Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1795-1796). A novel concerning a young man’s adventures and maturation process and his attempt to find meaning in life; it is a complex story which was enormously popular and successful at the time of it’s publication, and it continues to be read with pleasure by many today. Although there is much argument as to the exact definition of the Bildungsroman form, it is generally regarded as a novel that is concerned with the formation of a character, and the character’s progress, or “growth from childhood to maturity” (Lynch).
The protagonist of Goethe’s novel, Wilhelm, utters words which become the formula for the entire genre: “to develop myself, just as I am” (347), which can be understood, in other words, as an attempt, to take all that is potential inside his “self”, and to bring it to full maturation; to actualize and fulfill a potential. Wilhelm’s statement is what later becomes the idealist model of the Bildungsroman, and a pattern which many future writers come to use when composing their own works. As Martin Swales puts it, the Bildungsroman, as in Goethe’s model, is a story of “a man unfolding organically in all his complexity and richness” (14) – an approach, where bildung is the formation of a character, that is by definition conceivable only as a male. From its very inception, the Bildungsroman form has therefore been primarily concerned with the life stories of male characters. This essay attempts to present the Bildungsroman as a traditionally male construct, that can however, through the application of certain, less conventional devices, successfully present the development of female characters, such as Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, in a different, but equally respectable and valued form.
Summary of Chapters
1. The Bildungsroman and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre: The paper introduces the traditional male-centric definition of the Bildungsroman and proposes that Jane Eyre serves as a notable female iteration of the genre.
Keywords
Bildungsroman, Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Victorian literature, character development, gender roles, patriarchal society, female identity, fairy tale, symbolism, maturation, psychological development, autonomy, literary analysis, nineteenth century
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this essay?
The essay examines whether Charlotte Brontë’s novel "Jane Eyre" qualifies as a Bildungsroman, challenging the traditional view that this literary genre is exclusively designed for the development of male characters.
What are the central themes explored?
The core themes include the formation of the self, the influence of Victorian patriarchal society on female growth, the use of fairy tale motifs, and the psychological maturation of the protagonist.
What is the research goal of this paper?
The goal is to demonstrate that, through unconventional literary devices, Brontë successfully portrays a female character's journey toward maturity, effectively broadening the scope of the Bildungsroman genre.
Which scientific methodologies are utilized?
The author uses literary analysis combined with feminist theory—specifically referencing thinkers like Nancy Chadorow and Carol Gilligan—to interpret psychological and societal influences on character development.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body analyzes the traditional masculine structure of Goethe’s model, compares it to the constraints placed on Victorian women, and examines how Jane Eyre employs internal experience and fairy tale symbolism to achieve maturity.
Which keywords define this academic work?
Key terms include Bildungsroman, Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Victorian literature, gender roles, and psychological maturation.
How does the author characterize the "female self" in the text?
The author argues that the female self, influenced by feminist theory, is often more relational, ecological, and interconnected compared to the discrete and independent masculine self found in traditional models.
What role does the "fairy tale" play in the novel’s structure?
Fairy tale elements serve as a mechanism to articulate the complex internal growth of a governess, allowing Brontë to convey psychological information that traditional realistic narrative devices might struggle to capture.
How does Jane Eyre interact with the male power figures in the novel?
Jane must navigate and eventually refuse to comply with patriarchal figures like Brocklehurst and her suitors, eventually domesticating male power through her own unique moral and personal decisions.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2010, The Bildungsroman and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/183095
