4.1. Blanche Ingram
According to Heiniger Blanche can be seen as Jane’s foil, since she embodies the perfect “nineteenth-century Angel – an unrealistic male-created ideal” (24). She satis-fies Coventry Patmore’s expectations in regard to appearance: “Men must be pleased.” And her outstanding beauty, described by Mrs. Fairfax, obviously would make her the dream girl of many men: She is “tall”, has a “long graceful neck” and “noble features” “fine hair” and the “glossiest curls” (Brontë 185) Her name, Blanche, can be seen as a telling name: blanc is French for white, the colour of angels and innocence. Mrs Fairfax associates her with this colour as well when she tells Jane that last time she saw Lady Ingram “She was dressed in pure white” (185). Neverthe-less, her angel-like appearance does not make her a good person.
She willingly displays …show more content…
She was not good, not original: she used to repeat phrases from books; she never offered, nor had, an opinion of her own. […]. Tenderness and truth were not in her. (Brontë )
Jane’s description underlines the fact, that Blanche would never be the right match for Rochester, since he is looking for someone equal, who makes up his own mind to hold conversation. Miss Ingram does, as the quote above shows, in contrast to Jane, not fulfil these demands.
Moreover, Blanche is not just simpleminded but cruel as well. She treats Jane like she was worthless and does not want her to join a game of charades: “She looks too stupid for any game of the sort” (). Thereby, once again in the novel a conclusion about a state of mind is made by judging the appearance. Apparently this juxtaposes Jane and Blanche: Jane looks plain but has a fine state of mind and her own opinions, while Lady Ingram is a beauty, but below the surface, she is uglier than Jane’s outer appearance ever was.
4.2. Céline
According to Heiniger Blanche can be seen as Jane’s foil, since she embodies the perfect “nineteenth-century Angel – an unrealistic male-created ideal” (24). She satis-fies Coventry Patmore’s expectations in regard to appearance: “Men must be pleased.” And her outstanding beauty, described by Mrs. Fairfax, obviously would make her the dream girl of many men: She is “tall”, has a “long graceful neck” and “noble features” “fine hair” and the “glossiest curls” (Brontë 185) Her name, Blanche, can be seen as a telling name: blanc is French for white, the colour of angels and innocence. Mrs Fairfax associates her with this colour as well when she tells Jane that last time she saw Lady Ingram “She was dressed in pure white” (185). Neverthe-less, her angel-like appearance does not make her a good person.
She willingly displays …show more content…
She was not good, not original: she used to repeat phrases from books; she never offered, nor had, an opinion of her own. […]. Tenderness and truth were not in her. (Brontë )
Jane’s description underlines the fact, that Blanche would never be the right match for Rochester, since he is looking for someone equal, who makes up his own mind to hold conversation. Miss Ingram does, as the quote above shows, in contrast to Jane, not fulfil these demands.
Moreover, Blanche is not just simpleminded but cruel as well. She treats Jane like she was worthless and does not want her to join a game of charades: “She looks too stupid for any game of the sort” (). Thereby, once again in the novel a conclusion about a state of mind is made by judging the appearance. Apparently this juxtaposes Jane and Blanche: Jane looks plain but has a fine state of mind and her own opinions, while Lady Ingram is a beauty, but below the surface, she is uglier than Jane’s outer appearance ever was.
4.2. Céline