Ideal of Retaining Principles
We often run through several challenges in our lives, where we have to choose either to yield to other's values or to value our own principles. A Gothic novel Jane Eyre explores the epitome of a young yet prideful girl, Jane, who chooses to retain her principles. Since childhood, Jane has experienced a set of injustice and oppositions, and those hardships have influenced her to develop her own way to confront the inequitable world. Indeed, the principles that Jane valued ultimately lead her to be an independent woman. Through this Victorian novel and Jane’s actions, Charlotte Bronte exhibits an ideal of retaining one’s values in the face of adversity and injustice.
Loveless and lonely child Jane precociously …show more content…
Although Jane was inferior to Rochester, being the governess under the master of the manor, Jane remains prideful: “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart!” Although Jane at first felt insecure from Rochester’s love and decides to leave Thornfield as soon as she realized Rochester marrying Blanche Ingram, in the dialogue between Rochester and Jane, Jane expresses her pride despite of her inferiority. Several inequalities exist between Rochester and Jane--age difference, social status, and wealth. Jane’s principle of equality and independence inspired her to resist from marrying Rochester. Jane also proclaims her principles when Rochester kept a secret of his wife, Bertha Mason. Jane feels extremely disappointed by Rochester’s secret as she remarks, “Mr. Rochester was not to me what he had been; for he was not what I had thought him. I would not ascribe vice to him; I would not say he had betrayed me; but the attribute of stainless truth was gone from his idea; and from his presence I must go.” Jane rather follows her principles than merely following her instincts when she says, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by …show more content…
When St. John Rivers proposes Jane to marry him to go to India with him as a missionary, Jane refuses and sticks to her emotions and principles. Jane describes during her meditation, “but as his wife—at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked—forced to keep the fire of my nature continually low ... this would be unendurable.” Although marrying to St. John seems appealing for providing Jane an opportunity as a missionary to serve others and to alleviate her loneliness, Jane believes that marriage should be held by love, and she worries that she would feel entrapped by the ambition of St. John. As Jane describes, St. John’s Christianity is emotionless and conflicts Jane’s idealistic marriage and religion. Jane rather follows her principles and emotions than being oppressed by false religion of passionate St.
We often run through several challenges in our lives, where we have to choose either to yield to other's values or to value our own principles. A Gothic novel Jane Eyre explores the epitome of a young yet prideful girl, Jane, who chooses to retain her principles. Since childhood, Jane has experienced a set of injustice and oppositions, and those hardships have influenced her to develop her own way to confront the inequitable world. Indeed, the principles that Jane valued ultimately lead her to be an independent woman. Through this Victorian novel and Jane’s actions, Charlotte Bronte exhibits an ideal of retaining one’s values in the face of adversity and injustice.
Loveless and lonely child Jane precociously …show more content…
Although Jane was inferior to Rochester, being the governess under the master of the manor, Jane remains prideful: “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart!” Although Jane at first felt insecure from Rochester’s love and decides to leave Thornfield as soon as she realized Rochester marrying Blanche Ingram, in the dialogue between Rochester and Jane, Jane expresses her pride despite of her inferiority. Several inequalities exist between Rochester and Jane--age difference, social status, and wealth. Jane’s principle of equality and independence inspired her to resist from marrying Rochester. Jane also proclaims her principles when Rochester kept a secret of his wife, Bertha Mason. Jane feels extremely disappointed by Rochester’s secret as she remarks, “Mr. Rochester was not to me what he had been; for he was not what I had thought him. I would not ascribe vice to him; I would not say he had betrayed me; but the attribute of stainless truth was gone from his idea; and from his presence I must go.” Jane rather follows her principles than merely following her instincts when she says, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by …show more content…
When St. John Rivers proposes Jane to marry him to go to India with him as a missionary, Jane refuses and sticks to her emotions and principles. Jane describes during her meditation, “but as his wife—at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked—forced to keep the fire of my nature continually low ... this would be unendurable.” Although marrying to St. John seems appealing for providing Jane an opportunity as a missionary to serve others and to alleviate her loneliness, Jane believes that marriage should be held by love, and she worries that she would feel entrapped by the ambition of St. John. As Jane describes, St. John’s Christianity is emotionless and conflicts Jane’s idealistic marriage and religion. Jane rather follows her principles and emotions than being oppressed by false religion of passionate St.