Jane Eyre Chapter 3 Analysis

“Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, or creed.

Her subsequent years at the Lowood Institution, although glossed over by Brontë, are when Jane emerges as an artist. Her first sketch is landscape with a crooked cottage whose graphic limitations bring about a daydream that evening in which she envisions a feast of “more accomplished imagery”(72).

This is suggested by Rochester himself as he offers a comparison of the two females, contrasting his ‘wife’, whom he refers to as a ‘fierce ragout’, with what he ‘wished to have … as a change’ (361) in Jane’s somewhat tempered manner. However, Gilbert and Gubar raise similarities between the two women, arguing that Bertha ‘also acts like Jane’ (361); particularly Bertha’s ’incendiary tendencies’ (362) which echo young Jane’s ‘early flaming rages… emblematic of her mind in its rebellion against society’ (362). Furthering the manifestation of such passion is the portrayal of Bertha as ‘a big woman, in stature equalling her husband’ (359); ultimately a physical metaphor for what Jane aspires to be – an equal to Rochester, and an equal in society.

Hence, Bronte used bird imagery to imitate human behaviour and feelings, allowing a connection between emotions and nature; she also used Birds to describe Jane’s progression over time. However, in contrast the images Jane looks at are not of pretty birds, but bleak shorelines. Jane is like a bird, she longs to fly away, but she is not beautiful she is plain and bleak, and feels trapped like a caged bird.

We first encounter this relationship between Jane and Rochester during their first dramatic meeting. She encounters him when he falls off his horse and she is required to give him assistance. Jane’s first impression of his face is that ‘He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow’. This may portray the dimness in his face awaiting to be enlightened by a woman which, in this case Jane. Further on in this chapter, unaware of who he is, on her return home, Jane is amazed to discover that the gentleman she assisted in the road was her employer, Mr. Edward Rochester. Jane’s future relationship with Rochester is most clearly set out in their first meeting. Although without any money, reserved and socially dependent, Jane is not

One of the most famous passages from the novel comes from Jane’s very clearly feminist inner monologue. She states that “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel…they suffer from too rigid a restraint…” (130). Jane, as a forward-thinking and progressive protagonist, exemplifies in every sense the essence of gender equality of her time. Bronte reveals the limitations experienced by the female sex and the effects of those limitations on her protagonist. By doing this, the author uses Jane to fulfill her feminist and pro-equality agenda. Another example of Jane’s inner monologue comes from her irritation with Rochester. When Rochester showers Jane with gifts soon after their engagement, Jane’s “…cheek[s] burned with a sense of annoyance and degradation” (309). She becomes increasingly irritated with Rochester because of the complete lack of respect Rochester has for her feelings due to his joy of becoming engaged. Because Jane is already considered inferior to Rochester because of her lack of wealth and her status as an unmarried woman, being pelted with lavish tokens of affection is less than an ideal situation for her. This imbalance between the two highlights the already sexist society of the Victorian era. After Jane’s engagement to Rochester, she recounts the fact that she “…could not, in those days, see God for His creature: of whom I had made an idol” (316). She becomes blinded by the overpowering love she held for Rochester, to the extent that she put him on a pedestal, seeing him as an “idol”, and not a human being capable of fallacies. Bronte uses this dangerous mental circumstance Jane is in to illuminate the clear disparity between men and women of the time. Jane’s infatuation with Rochester serves as an important device implemented by Bronte to further her argument against sexist Victorian

253). The opening of chapter 26, Brontë (p. 253) introduces the morning of the matrimony between Jane and Mr Rochester, to concluding the chapter in a tone of solitary helplessness, disillusionment and a loss of purpose, as Jane professed, “the whole consciousness of my life lorn, my love lost, my hope quenched, my faith death-struck, swayed full and mighty above me in one sullen mass” (p. 262). Mr Rochester exercises the Victorian female dichotomy through his use of angelic imagery in his representation of Jane. Mr Rochester associates Jane’s innocence and inexperience to her youth by continually addressing her youth, being a “young girl”, with untainted “clear eyes”, whereas Bertha is described in such a manner as to take the form of a red eyed “demon” (p. 259). Bertha’s physical representations, by Mr Rochester, is synonymous with her mental

On page 83, Mr. Rochester has a “massive head”, “granite-hewn features” , “great dark eyes” and fine eyes too”. The reader is supposed to think of him as someone who is a predator towards Jane because of his mean looking and dark features and because of Jane’s past experience with men in power. Readers are supposed to be wary of Mister Rochester.

Response: I feel that Jane needs to live up to her own words of being equal to others even in beauty. She shouldn’t think so little of who she is or what she looks like.

The ladies swoon over Adele while Jane sits on the side inspecting and criticizing each lady as she passes by. No one is unpleasant to her and no one seems to grab Mr. Rochester’s attention; which puts Jane at ease. Jane is content and almost enjoying herself while she participates in some activities and becomes amiable toward the party. This is an extreme fairytale-like revision without Blanche. There is no hostility, no conflict, no pain, but also no motivation. There is nothing to instigate Jane into taking any step toward Mr. Rochester. Nothing is threatening her or giving her a feeling of urgency or duty to “save” Mr. Rochester from some disastrous fate as well as herself and Adele. Originally, Jane confessed her love for Rochester because of her fear of being separated from him. Without Blanche, there is no threat or quandary in which Jane would feel the need to confess and affirm her place with Mr. Rochester. Jane is passive and feels outclassed, unworthy, and too young for him and is comfortable with just gazing at Rochester; so the likelihood of Jane accosting Rochester with her confession is extremely small when the situation is not unpleasant.

Rochester takes a turn for the worst, she finds refuge with St. John and his family. However, in the end she returns to Thornfield to continue her life with Mr. Rochester after feeling as if something has gone wrong in his life. This is convenient for Jane because St. John would do anything for her to marry him right now, even when she explicitly denies his request. In one of these instances, white is used to highlight the effects of each of their choices, “‘Formerly,’ I answered, ‘because you did not love me; now, I reply, because you almost hate me. If I were to marry you, you would kill me. You are killing me now.’ His lips and cheeks turned white quite white, (Bronte 791).” The fact that Jane will not accept his wedding proposal has taken him back so much that he looks ill. Bronte specifically uses white to describe his appearance to show that because Jane has denied his request, both of them will still maintain their innocence. Jane stays true to herself throughout this ordeal by not marrying someone she does not love, which displays maturity. This is not the first time that St. John appears this way. Earlier in this portion of the novel, Bronte describes him as, “...his tall figure all white as a glacier, (Bronte 721).” This is an introduction to this particular innocent portrayal of St. John. Although he is masculine, he is still pure and unaware of the worst the world can offer. Jane can see him in this way because she can

The romance in the novel Jane Eyer conflicts and as twisted as the “noughts in silk” as the love between Jane and Mr Rochester is conflicted by Mr Rochester’s intense feelings for Jane and his station but also Jane’s independent nature and her discord in marriage which is evident in the foreshadowing of their relationship but also the actions of Mr Rochester’s first wife Bertha. Jane admits her love for Mr Rochester through his manipulates her feelings of jealousy towards his rumoured engagement to the beautiful Blanche Ingram, he uses Blanche as a decoy for Jane to admit her feelings even though she has come to terms with the fact that Blanche is a “noble and beautiful bride” and has an equal social status with Mr Rochester. Jane passionately laments that if she had been wealthier “made it as hard to leave me ,as it is now for me to leave you” showing that Jane is still doubting his affections for her as he changes his mind mid discussion from being indifferent to “it is only you I intend to marry”. Jane’s confession of love is full of questions of “ Do you truely love me?” and doubt showing the

In Chpater 19 of Jane Eyre, Jane meets with the mysterious gypsy, who insisted to give her insights to the young, single ladies of the Thornfield Hall. Jane is very skeptical towards the idea of having her fate told by a Sibyl. It turns out that the gypsy told Blanche that Rochester is not as wealthy as he seems. This revelation explains Blanche’s behavior when she got out of the library. The gypsy tells Jane that she is cold, sick, and silly— however, not literally.

This truly exemplifies the inner conflict Jane faces between pursuing a more intimate relationship with Rochester, or going along with what she know of her status and how she was raised to devalue herself. The cloud of poverty that hangs over her head is a means of reminding her how socioeconomically unworthy she is of someone like Mr. Rochester. Rochester later becomes involved in a relationship involving Miss Blanche Ingram, only furthering Jane’s insecurities about herself and her life. She comments on how she saw that “he was going to marry her, for family, perhaps political reasons, or because her ranks and connections suited him.” (pg. 220)

Furthermore, Jane says “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself” (Chapter 27, Bronte.) This statement greatly represents the growth that Jane has undergone. She no longer dreads the solitude that once haunted her because she respects herself enough to realize that she did not deserve to experience such great dismay. Through independence and self-recognition, Jane has discovered the importance of loving oneself. Without the reliance on the thoughts of others, the once extremely troubled girl found bliss through a lack of outside control. In regards to her relationship with Mr. Rochester, Jane understands that she must leave him behind to maintain her own well-being. She does not allow the wealth or proclaimed love from Rochester to skew her decisions and she does not linger to dominate the life of her lover. Instead, she moves forward to continue her endless pursuit of happiness and independence.