In Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre spends her childhood, along with part of her adulthood, trying to find a true family. The Victorian novel is narrated by Jane, past and present, and lets the reader in on what Jane is thinking and how she reacts internally. Jane begins narrating her life at Gateshead and ends the novel at the manor house of Ferndean. Jane visits several places in between and encounters many people, good and bad. As Jane meets new people, she assesses them, checking to see if they are worthy of being the family she has been searching for. Bronte conveys that Jane’s pursuit of family is impacted by her self respect by utilizing the symbol of fire and ice. Jane’s quest begins at Gateshead with her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and her cousins. Gateshead is a cruel place with cruel people. John Reed, one of Jane’s cousins, taunts her and engages in physical attacks on Jane. The day on which the novel opens is described as having a “cold winter wind [that] had brought with it [sombre clouds] and [penetrating rain]” (Bronte 9). Through the use of the fire and ice symbol, Bronte foreshadows a “cold” unloving situation for Jane. The coldness of the weather corresponds with the cold heartedness of the Reed family. One day, Jane gets into a fight initiated by John, Mrs. Reed fails to see what her child has done wrong. Jane knows that she is worthy of a better family than this but is unable to leave due to the fact that she cannot survive on her own. Luckily Jane is
Jane begins her life in isolation at Gateshead, abused and misunderstood by her Aunt Reed and cousins. She is constantly reminded of her worthlessness to them and the fact that they view her as a burden, and is literally
The Great War was a tragedy: modern weaponry and Gentleman’s war collided, causing millions of lives lost in what was considered to be the war to end all wars. The war was ignited by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The chain of events that followed were, however motivated by the imperialistic, militaristic, and paranoid characteristics of the governments of Europe, caused by Germany, whose characteristic ambitions burned out hot and fast in the late 19th and early 20th century. Germany is largely to blame for the start of the Great War due to their imperialist and militarist pursuits as well as their alliance system. Germany’s imperial ambitions
The essence of any true magnificent piece of literature is not what one can see in words. It is what one can see behind the words. It is through the symbolism and imagery found in works of literature that a reader can truly connect with the writer. Charlotte Bronte epitomizes the spirit of the "unread but understood" in her Victorian work Jane Eyre. There have been numerous essays and theories presented examining the complex symbolism and imagery used by Bronte in Jane Eyre. Much of the imagery she uses concentrates on passion, fantasy, and the supernatural. In this essay I will examine Bronte’s use of fire and heat imagery pertaining to Mr. Rochester and Jane’s love relationship.
one of the story's main motifs is that of fire and ice which can be seen greatly throughout the story especially in the characters as in jane she is a calm young lady yet when she is wronged she is not afraid to talk back as she did to her aunt and with mr rochester about becoming a mistress as well as with saint john when she refuses to marry him. the conflictions of fire and ice not only surround jane in her life but in her internal pychlogical thinking as well. in total this story of jane eyre is fire as it contradicts womens roles during this time period as she is the main character and thinks for herself rather than allowing herself to be controlled by a
Violence is the most recurrent gothic convention used in Jane Eyre, which is prominent in Charlotte Brontë's effective development of the novel and the character of Jane Eyre, who, throughout this novel, is searching for a home in which she would have a sense of belonging and love which would ultimately resolve this exact unfulfilled need she had as a child. The neglect she experienced in her childhood is manifested in the way she is treated by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, as in the first page of the novel Jane Eyre admits: ‘Me, she had dispensed from joining the group, saying, 'She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance’’. This opening shows how there is a clear line of separation drawn between Jane and her relatives due to her complicated family background which consequently results in their reluctance to accept her into their environment. These complications lead to her maltreatment, which also adds on to the violence she experiences acting as a catalyst for the development of the character and her subconscious quest.
Upon initially examining Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre, there appears to be a predominance of imagery that the author utilizes to represent both the title character and the various forms of adversity she comes into contact with. The vast majority of this imagery depicts the dichotomy of fire and ice. The author utilizes the former to represent the indomitable spirit and passion of the title character, whereas she employs the latter to symbolize the antagonizing elements that seek to damper Eyre's flaming ardor. Interestingly enough, this dichotomy is existent throughout the duration of Eyre's life and is evident in her early days as an orphan, in her years receiving her formal education as a school girl, and in her adulthood years when she considers candidates for a husband. Although the symbolism behind the imagery of fire and ice change slightly throughout Eyre's various stages of development, this dichotomy nonetheless represents the central theme of the novel: Eyre's triumph over the forces of poverty, forlornness, and despair into a successful life of her choosing.
In the critical responses provided in the Penguin Books edition of Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, it is stated that “the only difference between [Jane and Antoinette] is their positons, one is on the edge of the empire, the other at its center” (162). The unnamed author of the response undermines the importance of this difference and fails to see how it affects both the representations. Without acknowledging that Jane narrates from the center, characterised by Walker (1999) as white male and heterosexual, it is easy to read her narrative as a chronicle of a marginalised orphan who overcomes the odds forced upon her by society and fate to become a self-sufficient, Byronic woman who defies societal expectations of woman and asserts herself
Characters in literature oftentimes experience hardships in life. In Vladimir Nabokov’s short story, “Signs and Symbols,” an elderly couple encounters grievances concerning their deranged son, with whom they never find resolution. In contrast, in Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre, Edward Rochester endures life’s trials and tribulations and prospers in the end. Both stories depict characters who incessantly encounter life’s inauspicious impediments. While the elderly couple never find resolution, Edward Rochester life changes for the better.
British artist Jenny Saville (b.1970) is known for her large scale confronting nude paintings and self-portraits. She has “expanded the self-portrait tradition, to raise questions about accepted ideals of beauty in fine art and life” (Borzello 179), through deviating from traditional passive reclining nudes. In doing this Saville is exploring and celebrating the female form with all its bodily imperfections. Her compositions are unconventional in scale and perspective. Her models appear in obscure and often distorted body positions, which are enlarged to fill the entire canvas. They are painted on a massive scale (Figure 8), some being more than two metres tall and requiring her to paint from a ladder to reach the entire canvas. It is important
Even as a child, Jane Eyre is self-assured and bold: proven by her responses to the Reed’s continuous physical and verbal torment. Jane’s struggle to contain her fiery nature manifests itself in several situations throughout the novel, appearing in nature, objects, and people. A similar manifestation of ice reappears. This symbolism of hot and cold deepens in meaning toward Jane’s young adult life, and in meeting Mr. Rochester, she recognizes a flame of her likeness in him. However, it takes a literal fire and a newer, colder existence with Mr. Rivers for Jane to accept Mr. Rochester’s love.
The first poem we read was “If Suddenly You Come For Me” by N. Nor. Night and this poem connect through many different ways. For example in the second line of the poem it says “To throw me in an iron cage.” It relates well to “Night” because they got deported against there own will as does the person in the story who got thrown into to jail or “an iron cage.” The statement in the poem, “And I shall not repent or rage.” Associates to night in the form that Elie doesn’t have a fit or a rage during this period of time when he was in the Concentration Camp. The second poem we chose was “Three Poems” by Hannah Senesh. In the second line of the second line of the second paragraph says “To the suffering of winter, to frost in the night.” This statement
While Jane’s time at Gateshead demonstrated her immense sadness, Jane’s time at Thornfield reveals her sadness through depression, as it begins to evolve into anger and an internal struggle. Her correlation with madness and anger begins to appear when she goes into the attic. She states “I climbed the three staircases, raised the trapdoor of the attic, and having reached the leads looked out afar over sequestered field and hill, and along the dim skyline- that then I longed” (Bronte 114). Jane is trapped inside herself. She longs to escape from her emotions and internal struggles, yet cannot. The attic, the abode of Mr. Rochester’s insane wife, houses Jane’s emotions. She climbs up to the attic and views the world beyond it. She
Charlotte Bronte created one of the first feminist novels--Jane Eyre--of her time period when she created the unique and feminist female heroine, Jane Eyre. Throughout the novel, Jane becomes stronger as she speaks out against antagonists. She presses to find happiness whether she is single or married and disregards society’s rules. The novel begins as Jane is a small, orphan child living with her aunt and cousins due to the death of her parents and her uncle. Jane 's aunt--Mrs. Reed--degrades her as she favors her biological children. Jane 's aunt--Mrs. Reed--degrades her as she favors her biological children. Her cousin--John Reed--hits her and then Mrs. Reed chooses to punish her instead and sends her to the room in which her uncle
Through the Victorian Age, male dominance deprived women from a certain freedom. In Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre repeatedly struggles to become an independent young lady due to the troublesome men in the story. John Reed controls Jane, Mr. Brocklehurst humiliates Jane, and Mr. Rochester sees women, in general, as objects. The author manages to depict patriarchal dominance through the characterization of John Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Mr. Rochester.
Charlotte Bronte's, Jane Eyre takes place during the Victorian period of England. This gothic romance novel tells the story of an abused orphan, Jane, who later matures into a strong independent woman. The societal standards Bronte portrays in the novel consist of oppression, gender inequality, and social class. Throughout the novel, Jane overcomes each of these social norms and defies what every other person in the society believes.