Prostitute. A loaded word, a taboo social construct—but what exactly is a prostitute? According to twenty-first century Merriam Webster—Urban Dictionary—a prostitute is “a woman who sells her body to a variety of creeps, low-lifes, and degenerates.” Another, perhaps more verbose and subjective definition is “someone who sells their own personal morals and/or values for the idea of money, not necessarily for sex.” Two things are sold in these two very different definitions: sex and morals. Which one is it? Or, rather, which one should it be? In the Victorian era, women who had sold their lives to seduction and sin were dubbed “fallen women.” Many were lower class women, as respectable, wealthy women did not consider sexual intercourse pleasurable.
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Because Rochester “continued to be blind the first two years of [their] union,” the two were “knit so very close” (Brontë 479). Jane is “his vision” (Brontë 479). In this synecdoche, Jane is, in essence, reduced to a part of Rochester. While it is almost universally believed that Jane and Rochester did in fact marry for love—a point that I have no reason nor proof to argue against—her marriage to Rochester does highlight a shift in her balance of reason and emotion. Martha C. Nussbaum, in an essay titled “Sex and Social Justice,” recognizes that individuals will make unique choices with regards to the pursuit of their goals. Some may identify personal fulfillment with the advancement of a group or community, while others may have individually defined objectives. Jane has always been one to use reason to fulfill her individually defined objectives—not emotion. For example, after learning that Mrs. Reed fell ill, she let go of her hatred towards her and sought to objectively remedy their differences. Additionally, after learning of Bertha, Jane leaves Rochester: “I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you” (Brontë 266). Jane returning to Rochester represents a heavy outpouring of emotion, rather than a thought-out, well-reasoned
Because Rochester “continued to be blind the first two years of [their] union,” the two were “knit so very close” (Brontë 479). Jane is “his vision” (Brontë 479). In this synecdoche, Jane is, in essence, reduced to a part of Rochester. While it is almost universally believed that Jane and Rochester did in fact marry for love—a point that I have no reason nor proof to argue against—her marriage to Rochester does highlight a shift in her balance of reason and emotion. Martha C. Nussbaum, in an essay titled “Sex and Social Justice,” recognizes that individuals will make unique choices with regards to the pursuit of their goals. Some may identify personal fulfillment with the advancement of a group or community, while others may have individually defined objectives. Jane has always been one to use reason to fulfill her individually defined objectives—not emotion. For example, after learning that Mrs. Reed fell ill, she let go of her hatred towards her and sought to objectively remedy their differences. Additionally, after learning of Bertha, Jane leaves Rochester: “I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you” (Brontë 266). Jane returning to Rochester represents a heavy outpouring of emotion, rather than a thought-out, well-reasoned