The Gothic is a major theme and story structure in Jane Eyre and most
literature at the time. Jane herself is associated with the
supernatural/gothic. Bronte does this to make Jane stand out from the
other characters as well as add drama and suspense to the novel.
Features of The Gothic in literature include:
• The Supernatural: ghosts, ghouls and the unexplained
• Architecture: Structures that are large, seem abandoned or are
decayed, have a sense of mystery or ominous tone associated with
them.
• Medieval elements: Castles, monasteries, etc.
• Female suffering: Imprisonment, abuse or murder at the hands of an
authoritative figure (usually male).
The Red Room
• “…at this moment a light gleamed on the wall…it glided up to
the ceiling and quivered over my head” (16).
• Red imagery – red walls, red damask curtains, red carpet, Bed
and tables are mahogany, the table is covered with a crimson
cloth, Jane is bleeding from a wound on her head when she is
placed in the room.
• Jane’s uncle, Mr. Reed, died in the room.
• The Red Room symbolizes Jane’s fear as
well as how society traps her by limiting
her freedom due to her class, gender and
desire for independence.
Thornfield
• There is mystery surrounding Thornfield and Rochester as the
reader is only provided with small details regarding this setting
and its master leaving them to use their imagination to fill in the
rest.
• Thornfield is presented as a gothic mansion with wild roses
growing up the side showing signs of neglect. It is also a
reflection of Rochester’s character.
• Through Jane’s comparison of Thornfield to the story of Blue
Beard Bronte hints at violence and imprisonment both of which
are features of female suffering.
• At the end of the chapter with the introduction to Thornfield
Jane hears a mysterious and chilling laugh. This will be the first
time of many but it is not revealed until later to whom this
demonic laugh belongs.
Jane’s initial encounter with Rochester
• Jane meets Rochester for the first time as she travels alone on a
desolate road during a wintery evening.
• Jane described the scene as
• “The ground was hard, the air was
still, my road was lonely”
• “Dimness” “Low-gliding and pale
beaming sun”
• “Wild roses”
• “Utter solitude and leafless repose”
• When Jane meets Rochester he does not reveal who he is
further adding to the mystery of the inhabitants at Thornfield
and revealing an element of Rochester’s character – he is a
private man who keeps secrets.
The Mysterious Bertha
• On several occasions Jane hears a mysterious laughter throughout
the house. She believes it is from Grace Poole but is never
certain.
• One night Jane hears the mysterious laugh and goes in search of
its source. While looking she comes upon Rochester’s room and
discovers that his bed has been set on fire.
• The evening of Mr. Mason’s arrival Jane is awaken by a
commotion. Rochester asks Jane to tend to Mr. Mason, who has
been attacked and left wounded, while he fetches a surgeon.
• While tending to Mr. Mason, Jane comments on his “…corpse-like face”
• Jane overhears Mason tell Rochester “She sucked the blood: she said she’s
drain my heart”
• Jane comments that on the night of the attack there is a full moon which is
usually associated with supernatural creatures (werewolves, vampires, etc.)
The Mysterious Bertha continued
• On the night before her wedding Jane has a “vision” of a
mysterious figure coming into her room, wearing her wedding
veil and then ripping it in half.
• When Rochester finally reveals his wife Bertha, to Jane she is
described as “…a figure ran backwards and forwards. What it
was, whether beast or human being, one could not, at first sight
tell: it groveled, seemingly on all fours: it snatched and
growled like some strange wild animal…” (297).
• Ultimately Bertha is depicted as a malicious, dangerous and
almost supernatural figure, however, it can be argued that her
current state is a result of her mistreatment by the male figures
in her life.
• Jane is constantly in search of love and a connection with those
around her. Her motivation is largely due to her lack of
experience with love and relationships as a child due to her orphan
status and the mistreat she suffered at the hands of the Reed
family.
• Jane seeks out and explores three types of love
• Motherly love through Miss Temple and Mrs. Fairfax
• Friendship/familial love through Helen Burns and the Rivers siblings
• Romantic love through her relationship with Rochester
• Jane struggles with romantic love because it suffocates and
challenges her will to be independent. Over the course of the
novel Jane struggles to find a balance between her freedom to
think and feel while developing an emotional and psychological
bond with another that does not threaten this desire.
• Jane’s quest for this balance is the cause for her initial reservations
regarding her marriage to Rochester. He is a dominant figure but
more importantly she would have to rely on his generosity in order to
live with him in his world since she does not have a fortune of her
own.
• Additionally, after learning about Bertha, Jane would have to live
with Rochester as his mistress, making her even more of a stigma in
society and thus further reliant on Rochester.
• In order for Jane to find the balance she desires between love and
independence she must leave Rochester and only return to him when
she feels she is and is treated as his equal. This is possible at the end
of the novel as Jane has inherited her own fortune, making her
financially independent; Bertha has died so Jane can legally become
Rochester’s wife; and after the fire destroys Thornfield causing
Rochester to lose his sight, this makes them equally dependent on
each other for navigating through their new life together.
• Jane Eyre’s character challenged the role of the hero in Victorian
novels
• Typically this role was reserved for males. As a result the small, plain and poor
heroine had never been seen before.
• Jane was the first main female character to claim the right to feel strongly about
her emotions and act on her convictions.
• In 19th century England gender roles
strongly influenced people’s behavior
and identities
• Women were not viewed as men’s equals.
• As a result Jane faces off with a series of men due to their
condescending attitudes towards her.
• Mr. Brocklehurst and Jane
• Mr. Brocklehurst attempts to control Jane and the other girls at Lowood through
his enforcement of strict rules and an ascetic lifestyle. He also focuses their
education on attaining skills that will make them a “good housewife”. As Jane
quickly learns fighting these oppressive ways is futile and only results in public
punishment as a means for further reinforcement of the importance of following
what one is told to do rather than thinking on one’s own.
• Mr. Rochester and Jane
• Rochester is strong in his speech towards Jane and attempts to control her
through his lavish gifts after his proposal. Additionally, on numerous occasions
he decides to not be completely honest with Jane, suggesting that he feels he
knows what is best for her and what is not. He is also forceful in nature as he
grabs Jane by the hand leading her to Bertha’s room and threatens to use
violence in order to make Jane stay after she discovers the truth about his
current wife. It is not until Rochester treats Jane with respect and as his equal
that she willingly and happily decides to be with him.
• St. John and Jane
• St. John begins to assert his influence over Jane through his stern
sermons, arrangements for Jane’s employment and areas of study
(suggests she study Hindostanee rather than German). St. John proposes
to Jane, telling her that she should come to India with him as his wife.
Although Jane comments that St. John was not an easy man to refuse she
does turn down his proposal. In response St. John tries to control her
decision by stating that in refusing his proposal Jane is going against her
religion. In a discussion with Diana, however, Jane realizes that St. John
only wants her to travel with him to India so he can use her as a tool in
his missionary work. Although conscious of this St. John’s influence is so
strong that Jane contemplates bending to his will and becoming his wife
and traveling to India even though she knows this will be an unhappy
and tremendous sacrifice on her part. The only thing that prevents Jane
from making this decision is when she hears Rochester’s voice calling for
her. Thus, it is only another man’s need for her that changes Jane’s mind.
• Bertha is symbolic of the traditional view of the treatment of women
during the Victorian age. Similar to Jane’s experiences she is
repressed and controlled by a dominant male figure. The extremity
of her circumstances however – being locked away in a room, her
insanity which has caused her to behave animal-like – is Bronte’s
comment on the detrimental effects this type of relationship can have
on an individual. It is not coincidental that Bertha, a married woman,
suffers this horrible fate while Jane, a character who refuses two
marriage proposals, is able to eventually find happiness. What
Bronte was trying to show was that the current state of marriages
squashed a woman’s identity and only in striving for equality in her
relationship could a woman find happiness and be her true self.
Ultimately this notion of gender equality was a radical idea during
Bronte’s time.
Jane often feels and is made to feel inadequate to many of the other
characters in the novel due to her social standing.
• At Gateshead she is constantly reminded of her orphan status and
is often left out of common privileges or mistreated as a result.
• At Lowood students are provided with barely the basic necessities
due to the fact that they must rely on the charity of others.
• Jane eventually finds some social mobility once she becomes a
governess at Thornfield, however, she is often reminded of her
place. For example:
• Mrs. Fairfax comments that she will be happy to have Jane’s
company as her status as the head housekeeper of Thornfield
means that she should not interact with the workers on friendly
terms as means for maintaining her authority.
• Blanche Ingram and her mother willingly speak negatively
about governesses (that they must be controlled, their
amusement over their abuse of them, etc.) in the known
presence of Jane.
• Jane feels that her love for Rochester is wrong because she isn’t
of the same class.
• Blanche Ingram is Jane’s class foil. Blanche is portrayed as an
unsavory character who is selfish, only cares about money and
appearances, and lacks any valuable talents or ideas.
Although in virtues and character she is inferior to Jane due to
her social status she commands more respects.
• Through Bronte’s creation of the protagonist as governess who is
able to navigate the social landscape of her time she examines
the sources and consequences of class boundaries. Ultimately,
through Jane she is trying to make her readers break down
class prejudices and instead recognize and respect people for
their personal qualities.
• Although the novel does endorse breaking many social
constructs it also supports the maintenance of some
social rules. For example, Jane refuses to become
Rochester’s mistress although he was tricked into an
unfortunate marriage. Jane recognizes that how she
sees herself arises at least partly from how she is
viewed by society, and is unwilling to make herself a
powerless outcast for love. Thus, Bronte is also
commenting that particular social constructs do have a
place in our lives in order to maintain civil and moral
boundaries.
Religion was an important foundation in Victorian society. Charlotte
Bronte herself was deeply connected to this world as both her father
and brother were pastors and she eventually married the pastor who
took over her father’s church. The presence of religion in the novel,
however, was used to critique and revaluate its status in Victorian
society.
Hypocritical religious figures: Mr. Brocklehurst & St. John
Mr. Brocklehurst
• Though Mr. Brocklehurst is charitable as he gives money to Lowood
in order to support and provide for orphaned girls he seems to be
selfish in his giving as he barely provides them with the basic
necessities while lavishing his family with fine clothing. Additionally
he often seems to be seeking praise from others for all that he is
doing for the girls through Lowood thus going against what the
purpose of charity is.
• When the reader first meets Mr. Brocklehurst he is described as “a
black pillar” with a “grim face at the top was like a carved mask”
25).
• Again he is described as being “black marble” when he punishes
Jane at Lowood (56).
• The actions and descriptions of Mr. Brocklehurst make him seem cold,
evil, two-faced and emotionless.
St. John
• He is described as being cold and emotionless; an ivory statue with
marble or ices kisses (304, 352)
• He reveals his manipulative tendencies prior to his second proposal
to Jane as he reads a passage from the bible about hell.
Ultimately, he tries to use the fear of God in order to influence Jane
to make the decision he wants.
• St. John never intends to marry Jane for love; he wants to marry her
for his own purposes – so that she will serve and assist him in his
missionary work.
Mr. Brocklehurst and St. John were used to demonstrate the hypocrisy
of some religious individuals. Bronte uses them to illustrate that
sometimes people of faith use their religion as a means to serve their
own needs thus defying its intended purpose. Through these characters
the author teaches the reader that individuals should not be idolized
due to their status in a religious structure but rather through their
morality which is demonstrated through their own words and actions.
The characters of Helen Burn and Jane Eyre help to further reinforce
this notion.
• Helen Burn, Jane’s first friend and companion at Lowood, is properly
the best representative of what it truly means to be religious even
though she is a quiet and powerless young orphan who dies at an
early age.
• Helen can be seen as a martyr or Christ-like figure as she endures
her unjust punishments at Lowood quietly and willingly. She does not
hold resentment towards those who treat her unfair nor does she
search for any recognition for her virtuous ways.
• Helen saves Jane during one of her darkest hours. When she arrives
at Lowood Jane feels completely alone and does not know how to
handle the strict and relentless environment she now finds herself in.
Helen teachers her the importance of enduring hardships, even those
that are unfairly administered, thus providing Jane with the
important tool of perseverance which allows her to not only make it
through her days at Lowood but to overcome obstacles in her future.
• Helen’s Christ-like status is further enforced through her teachings of
heaven and the emphasis on this mortal life not being as important
as the one to come after death.
• Helen’s gravestone marking ‘Resurgam’ meaning ‘I will rise again’
also connects to her faith in life after death.
Jane
• Jane develops her morality throughout the course of the novel and in
the end acts as a model of how an individual should build the
guiding principles of their life.
• At first Jane initially has religion pushed upon her through her
experience with Mr. Brocklehurst and his Evangelical practices at
Lowood. She is able to recognize the hypocrisy of his ways but takes
from her experience with Helen the importance of perseverance and
enduring hardships with humility.
• St. John River provides another religious model for Jane, however, he
practices a Christianity of ambition, glory, and extreme selfimportance. St. John tries to convince Jane to sacrifice her emotional
deeds for the fulfillment of her moral duty, offering her a way of
life that would require her to be disloyal to her own self.
• Ultimately Jane finds her spirituality by rejecting both of these
models and instead finding a middle ground. She recognizes the
importance of staying true to one’s self and developing self
knowledge while having complete faith in God. She demonstrates
this faith when she turns to God for support (after her wedding is
interrupted she prays to God for solace) and trusts that He will
ensure she survives as she wonders the heath poor, homeless and
starving.