A Comparison of Mr. Rochester’s and St. John Rivers’ relationships towards Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre provides two masculine characters who show an interest in taking Jane to wife. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers are the two men in Jane Eyre’s life when it comes to courtship and marriage. Both are interesting and different in their approach. In the process of meeting and getting to know the both men, Jane goes through a mental process of getting to know herself and her wishes and needs, when it comes to an equal partner. In the following I compare the both men by taking a closer look at the passages where Rochester and St John first appear in the novel and their representation. In addition, it is important to look at the passages in which the men propose to Jane, in order to contrast the differences between each relationship towards Jane. The scenes in which Jane meets Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers show her in different positions towards each man, which lead to different relationship dynamics. Edward Rochester, who happens to be the owner of Thornfield Hall, is Jane’s employer since she is the governess of Adele Varens, while John Rivers is a distant relative of hers.
Jane’s first encounter with Mr. …show more content…
St. John does not ask Jane to marry him in the first place but asks her to go with him to India. This seems for him to be more important since it is his mission. If it was possible to go with Jane without being sealed by a marriage, he would do so. The fact that he wants to take Jane instead of Rosamond Oliver, whom he has feelings for, demonstrates his rational and practical thinking. Furthermore, John wants to control Jane and possess her: “I, too, do not want a sister: a sister might any day be taken from me. I want a wife: the sole helpmeet I can influence efficiently in life, and retain absolutely till death.”
Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre provides two masculine characters who show an interest in taking Jane to wife. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers are the two men in Jane Eyre’s life when it comes to courtship and marriage. Both are interesting and different in their approach. In the process of meeting and getting to know the both men, Jane goes through a mental process of getting to know herself and her wishes and needs, when it comes to an equal partner. In the following I compare the both men by taking a closer look at the passages where Rochester and St John first appear in the novel and their representation. In addition, it is important to look at the passages in which the men propose to Jane, in order to contrast the differences between each relationship towards Jane. The scenes in which Jane meets Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers show her in different positions towards each man, which lead to different relationship dynamics. Edward Rochester, who happens to be the owner of Thornfield Hall, is Jane’s employer since she is the governess of Adele Varens, while John Rivers is a distant relative of hers.
Jane’s first encounter with Mr. …show more content…
St. John does not ask Jane to marry him in the first place but asks her to go with him to India. This seems for him to be more important since it is his mission. If it was possible to go with Jane without being sealed by a marriage, he would do so. The fact that he wants to take Jane instead of Rosamond Oliver, whom he has feelings for, demonstrates his rational and practical thinking. Furthermore, John wants to control Jane and possess her: “I, too, do not want a sister: a sister might any day be taken from me. I want a wife: the sole helpmeet I can influence efficiently in life, and retain absolutely till death.”