An Examination of Feminism in Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is often lauded as a novel of great importance in the world of feminist literature. Of course, the titular character is relatively independent, she wants things for herself, and her idea of a good life does not begin and end with marriage. There is much more to Jane than that. Jane Eyre was surely very feminist for the time, and does have a solid handful of human values, but to put it on a pedestal as some sort of Great Feminist Novel or anything other than a good novel of literary merit that is protofeminist at best is ridiculous.
Jane is her own person. She wholeheartedly believes that and refuses to acknowledge otherwise. In a time where women were essentially seen as little more than property, there is little reservation to be held that Jane Eyre was the epitome of feminist literature. She has her own set of morals and viewpoints on the differences and similarities of the sexes that she adheres to those beliefs …show more content…
For one, he locks his wife up, never to see the light of day. Bertha Mason is Rochester’s best kept secret, at least for quite some time. While Bertha is stuck in the attic of Thornfield Manor for ten years or so, Rochester conducts affairs with women across Europe. Moreover, he makes attempts more than once to justify his behavior. Rochester argues that “since happiness is irrevocably denied [him], [he has] a right to get pleasure out of life; and [he] will get it, cost what it may,” and continues on, asking why he should repent, “if he can get sweet fresh pleasure” and “get it as sweet and fresh as the wild honey the bee gathers” (Brontë 163). He seems to adopt this hedonistic stance that what he was doing could not possibly be wrong if it felt so right. True, Rochester could repent to cure the remorse he feels for things he had done in his life, but no one would, should the alternate option be pleasure of any sorts to partake
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is often lauded as a novel of great importance in the world of feminist literature. Of course, the titular character is relatively independent, she wants things for herself, and her idea of a good life does not begin and end with marriage. There is much more to Jane than that. Jane Eyre was surely very feminist for the time, and does have a solid handful of human values, but to put it on a pedestal as some sort of Great Feminist Novel or anything other than a good novel of literary merit that is protofeminist at best is ridiculous.
Jane is her own person. She wholeheartedly believes that and refuses to acknowledge otherwise. In a time where women were essentially seen as little more than property, there is little reservation to be held that Jane Eyre was the epitome of feminist literature. She has her own set of morals and viewpoints on the differences and similarities of the sexes that she adheres to those beliefs …show more content…
For one, he locks his wife up, never to see the light of day. Bertha Mason is Rochester’s best kept secret, at least for quite some time. While Bertha is stuck in the attic of Thornfield Manor for ten years or so, Rochester conducts affairs with women across Europe. Moreover, he makes attempts more than once to justify his behavior. Rochester argues that “since happiness is irrevocably denied [him], [he has] a right to get pleasure out of life; and [he] will get it, cost what it may,” and continues on, asking why he should repent, “if he can get sweet fresh pleasure” and “get it as sweet and fresh as the wild honey the bee gathers” (Brontë 163). He seems to adopt this hedonistic stance that what he was doing could not possibly be wrong if it felt so right. True, Rochester could repent to cure the remorse he feels for things he had done in his life, but no one would, should the alternate option be pleasure of any sorts to partake