In the novel Jane Eyre, which was first published in 1847, Charlotte Brontë discusses various problems concerning marriage, which especially affect the woman and she unfolds her idealistic picture of marriage. This work will concentrate on Jane Eyre´s conflicting relationships with the two male protagonists, which raise important issues of the marriage debate such as the double standard of morality, divorce and the rights of the married woman. The solution to the conflicts and the basis of a harmonious male-female relationship which are offered in the novel will be examined and subsequently evaluated.
But before I can embark on the study of concepts of love and marriage in Jane Eyre, it is useful to have some background information about the author and her time, which will make it easier to understand the problems discussed in the novel. Therefore, I am going to begin with a very brief outline of the situation women were in in the Victorian era and of Brontë´s attitude towards marriage.
Table of Contents
I Introduction
I.1. The female role in the Victorian era
I.2. Brontë´s scepticism about Victorian marriage
II Concepts of love and marriage in Jane Eyre
II.1. The unconventional position of Mr Rochester
II.2. The divine mission of St John Rivers
II.3. The conflict between passion and duty
II.3.1. Jane Eyre´s search for identity
II.3.2. Jane´s difficulties with Rochester
II.3.3. Jane´s power struggle with St John
II.4. The solution to Jane´s inner conflict
III Evaluation
III.1. Brontë´s new definition of male-female relationships
III.2. The incompleteness of Brontë´s concepts
Objectives and Topics
This academic work explores the portrayal of love and marriage in Charlotte Brontë's novel "Jane Eyre," specifically examining how the protagonist navigates societal constraints and personal desires. The research investigates the tension between patriarchal Victorian standards and the heroine’s pursuit of independence, equality, and emotional fulfillment.
- The socio-historical context of the Victorian female role and marriage.
- The conflict between personal passion and societal duty.
- The contrasting relationships between Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester, and St. John Rivers.
- Brontë’s subversion of traditional Victorian marriage ideals.
- The evolution of the protagonist's identity and autonomy.
Excerpt from the Book
II.3.2. Jane´s difficulties with Rochester
Jane finds in Rochester a man whom she can really love. Her feelings towards him are so intense that he becomes her idol and she therefore loses sight of God: “He stood between me and every thought of religion”, Jane recalls later, “I could not, in those days, see God for His creature: of whom I had made an idol” (272).
However, it takes some time for Jane to accept her passionate side. Fearing that she could not possibly please Rochester, she tries at first to banish all thoughts of love. She is convinced that “[i]t does good to no woman to be flattered by her superior, who cannot possibly intend to marry her; and [that] it is madness in all women to let a secret love kindle within them” (160). For this reason, Jane is determined to “endure only sense and resolution” (161). The comparative portraits she draws of herself and Blanche Ingram are indicative of how hard she tries to relinquish her hopes. But eventually, she comes to accept her feelings: “I had learnt to love Mr Rochester” (184). She realises that passion cannot be removed by “discipline” or “self-control” (161).
Summary of Chapters
I Introduction: Outlines the research focus on marriage in "Jane Eyre" and provides necessary historical background on the status of women in the Victorian era.
II Concepts of love and marriage in Jane Eyre: Analyzes the relationships with Rochester and St. John, representing the struggle between passion and duty.
III Evaluation: Critically reviews Brontë's idealistic view of marriage and addresses potential limitations in the novel’s conclusion.
Keywords
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, Victorian marriage, female autonomy, passion versus duty, Edward Rochester, St. John Rivers, identity search, gender roles, literary analysis, nineteenth-century literature, patriarchal society, marital equality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this paper?
The paper examines how Charlotte Brontë uses the character of Jane Eyre to critique Victorian marriage and proposes an alternative model based on equality and mutual respect.
Which key characters are analyzed in terms of their relationship to Jane?
The analysis focuses on Edward Rochester, representing passion, and St. John Rivers, representing religious and moral duty.
How does the author define the central conflict of the novel?
The conflict is defined as the internal and external struggle between "passion" and "duty" within the context of a male-dominated society.
What methodology is applied in this research?
The work utilizes a literary analysis approach, contextualized by historical observations on Victorian legal and social conditions regarding women.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It explores the ideological tensions within the protagonist's development, including her search for identity, her resistance to social constraints, and her eventual achievement of internal balance.
What are the essential characteristics of the marriage model proposed by Brontë?
Brontë advocates for a union where both partners possess autonomy, share interests, and view each other as equals rather than as a possessor and a possession.
How does Bertha Rochester serve as a thematic warning for Jane?
Bertha represents the danger of unchecked passion leading to madness and serves as a cautionary figure regarding the consequences of losing one's reason to extreme emotions.
Why does the paper consider Brontë's concept of a "happy marriage" incomplete?
The paper argues that the resolution relies on convenient external factors, such as Jane's inheritance and the convenient death of Bertha, rather than addressing the inherent systemic issues of the era.
- Quote paper
- Barbara Groß-Langenhoff (Author), 2000, Concepts of love and marriage in 'Jane Eyre', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/30494
