Biographical Criticism Of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

In writing Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte sought to oppose her sisters’ beautiful heroines and prove she could make a heroine “interesting on any other terms”, stating, “I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself, who shall be as interesting as any of yours”. Bronte created a character that strayed far from the conventions of the beautiful but weak heroine. She was able to create such a character because Bronte herself didn't fall into the standard definition of the women of her time; she was not beautiful, nor was she docile or resigned. In viewing Jane Eyre through a biographical lens, the reader is given a better understanding of the character’s emotions and motives through the multiple connections between it and Charlotte Bronte’s life. …show more content…
Sources such as: autobiographies, correspondence, diaries, and other primary biographical materials give context and provide a historical lens in which to view literature. Biographical criticism allows the reader to better understand the context in which the work was written and give a new perspective on it. It also enables readers to approach a writer’s work with a deeper understanding of how the novel was crafted and the meaning or themes. As Bronte described Jane Eyre as an autobiography, there are many connections between her life and the life of Jane. Through biographical criticism of Jane Eyre, we can see how Charlotte Bronte’s early life and love life heavily influenced the events of the novel, and the personal writings of Bronte provide a deeper connection to the fictional character of Jane for the