Fire plays an important role in Charlotte Bronte's “Jane Eyre”. Throughout the novel, the fire's presence creates fulfillment, its abundance creates demolition, and its absence creates dim seclusion. Although there are many instances throughout the novel that describe the physicality of fire, fire also metaphorically represents mostly Jane's passions and feelings that make Jane who she is and does not change.
Fire can also represent other things. In the first chapter, Mrs. Reed “reclined on a sofa by the fireside, and with her darlings about her (for the time neither quarreling nor crying) looked perfectly happy.” (Bronte, 9). The fire in the 'fireside' from the example given creates a 'familial' and relaxing atmosphere, which, ironically, …show more content…
Or so it seems. When she first meets Mr. Rochester, who had a “frown, the roughness of the traveller” (Bronte, 134) that “set me at my ease” (Bronte, 134), she was not aware that he was Mr. Rochester, but thought that he was a mere stranger who seemed to be down to her level, which led to her feel of easiness, seeing as she does not have to act, or is forced to be, polite to him, thus making her unafraid to challenge him. If Mr. Rochester had been “a handsome heroic-looking young gentleman,” (Bronte, 134), Jane's behavior would have caused Mr. Rochester to “not have sympathy with anything in me, and should have shunned them as one would fire, lightning, or anything else that is bright but antipathetic.” (Bronte, 134). It was Jane's fire that caught the attention of Mr. Rochester, and he, in fact, encouraged and loved Jane's fiery nature. After he proposes to Jane, he confesses that “to the soul made of fire (Jane), and the character that bends but does not break – at once supple and stable, tractable and consistent – I am ever tender and true.” (Bronte, 300). He truly enjoys Jane's maturity and strong passions, unlike those of “flatness, triviality, and perhaps imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper:” (Bronte, 300).
However, Jane is not the only one who has fire within her. Mr. Rochester's wife, Bertha Mason, is filled with fire in the form of insanity. This causes her to attempt to burn anything that surrounds her, starting with Mr. Rochester's bed (in which Jane manages to extinguish).
Overall, fire is a conspicuous symbol in Jane Eyre. The lack of it represents alienation and seclusion. A controlled fire can maintain a soothing force, but once it becomes unrestrained, it would cause harm and
Fire can also represent other things. In the first chapter, Mrs. Reed “reclined on a sofa by the fireside, and with her darlings about her (for the time neither quarreling nor crying) looked perfectly happy.” (Bronte, 9). The fire in the 'fireside' from the example given creates a 'familial' and relaxing atmosphere, which, ironically, …show more content…
Or so it seems. When she first meets Mr. Rochester, who had a “frown, the roughness of the traveller” (Bronte, 134) that “set me at my ease” (Bronte, 134), she was not aware that he was Mr. Rochester, but thought that he was a mere stranger who seemed to be down to her level, which led to her feel of easiness, seeing as she does not have to act, or is forced to be, polite to him, thus making her unafraid to challenge him. If Mr. Rochester had been “a handsome heroic-looking young gentleman,” (Bronte, 134), Jane's behavior would have caused Mr. Rochester to “not have sympathy with anything in me, and should have shunned them as one would fire, lightning, or anything else that is bright but antipathetic.” (Bronte, 134). It was Jane's fire that caught the attention of Mr. Rochester, and he, in fact, encouraged and loved Jane's fiery nature. After he proposes to Jane, he confesses that “to the soul made of fire (Jane), and the character that bends but does not break – at once supple and stable, tractable and consistent – I am ever tender and true.” (Bronte, 300). He truly enjoys Jane's maturity and strong passions, unlike those of “flatness, triviality, and perhaps imbecility, coarseness, and ill-temper:” (Bronte, 300).
However, Jane is not the only one who has fire within her. Mr. Rochester's wife, Bertha Mason, is filled with fire in the form of insanity. This causes her to attempt to burn anything that surrounds her, starting with Mr. Rochester's bed (in which Jane manages to extinguish).
Overall, fire is a conspicuous symbol in Jane Eyre. The lack of it represents alienation and seclusion. A controlled fire can maintain a soothing force, but once it becomes unrestrained, it would cause harm and