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abijohnson218
, May 04, 2010
Jane Eyre appears simple and monotone, however her moral elegance and inspiring manner impresses the reader without a doubt. This novel is the fictional biography of a woman maturing in the nineteenth century, a time not kind to women’s rights. Her childhood and adolescence were unjust, yet educational. She moves onto another part of her life as a governess and falls for her employer, Mr. Rochester. However, her moral standards do not allow her to fall into complete bliss. Her struggles continue onto another chapter of her life; however, the time at Thornfield Hall with Mr. Rochester consistently haunts her. Jane’s morality throughout this piece adds sophistication to the novel, and develops the struggle between societal norms and individual pleasure. Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, is a beautiful piece of literature and continues to have importance in this day.
Jane’s life never was meant to be anything important or to have any elegance, but her character changed the path that her life was heading down. The moral standards that she set for herself create an exciting plot. Early on, she knows that she will not just let her life slide by without an impact. After eight years at the boarding school she was sent to, she decided that she needed to branch out. Jane was not about to let her life be defined by the walls of this school. “I had had no communication by letter or message with the outer world; school rules, school duties, school habits, and notions, and voices, and faces, and phrases, and costumes, and preferences, and antipathies; such was what I knew of existence. And now I felt that it was not enough. I tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon. I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seem scattered on the wind then faintly blowing” (101). The abandonment of her only family left her at this school and Jane desires curiosity enough to abandon the only connections she has. Jane soon sets off for a new life, solely because that seems right to her. Society looks at her and sees nothing, however that is not what is going to stop her. At first, Jane’s independence is because of her desire to see more in the world, and it continues to form into an activism for women.
Jane Eyre accomplishes the feeling of empowerment for women. Later on, she discusses the effects society has on the perceptions of women.
“Women are supposed to be very calm generally; but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them; if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex” (130-131).
Jane refuses to accept the idea that women are not at the same level as men. She attempts with her life to narrow the gap between men and women. An example of this is when she accepts poverty over the love of her life, solely because it is not moral for her to marry this man. She does not degrade herself just because he desires for her to do so. This example that she sets for other women inspires, and answers the question that gender should not be a sole factor in any decision.
I recommend this novel for any woman in need of inspiration. After the novel, there is a feeling of empowerment because of the character of Jane Eyre. Besides this character, the language depicts exquisite scenes and the novel flows incredibly. “A bright, serene May it was; days of blue sky, placid sunshine, and soft western or southern gales, filled up its duration. And now vegetation matured with vigor; Lowood shook looses its tresses; it became all green, all flowery; its great elm, ash, and oak skeletons were restored to majestic life…” (91). The novel flows easily, therefore the lifetime of Jane seems so sudden. The length of this novel may be shocking at first, but the amount of life in Jane eases the threat of such a long novel. Although parts may become dull as they continue, vivacity later on eases the boredom. As a reader, I was impressed with the entire novel, however, the ending did not leave me feeling completed and the character of Jane seems to disintegrate towards the end. She appears to lose her independence that she held so dearly throughout the rest of the novel. The ending is enjoyable, however based on Jane’s character, not expected.
I do recommend this novel to any reader with the notion that gender and independence create a large overriding theme. This novel inspires others to step forward for their ideas, and not let society depict their life. The intensity of Jane’s morals set the type of life she has. Her character refuses to be ordinary, and she will not die in the mind of any reader.
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