In an era when man rules all, when he is in control, she is submissive. She cannot be free. She is under his demand. She is a bird in his snare. Jane Eyre, in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, is a Victorian era heroine. She does not let any man snare her and dictate her life. From her earlier days at Lowood Institution, to Thornfield, and the Manor House, she leads a life astray from the ways of the patriarchal society, because of her past experiences in the red room at Gateshead Hall. The red room is her snare and Jane is psychologically trapped for many years to come. Though as Jane progresses through life - escaping the snare - Bronte shows women that anyone, even Jane, a small and plain woman, can stand up to men and escape the cage the
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Reed, who is supposedly a ‘mother’ figure. Mrs. Reed favours her son, John Reed, over Jane because of class and gender. She does not see anything wrong with her son as “[she] [is] blind and deaf on the subject” (volume 1 page 5) of John abusing Jane. Hence, when John and Jane fight, Jane is to blame. Therefore, even though Jane is protecting herself from John’s initial strike, it is her whom Mrs. Reed locks up in the red room. The red room is the first-time Jane feels ridiculed and isolated from society due to her class, gender, and want for independence. While locked up in the red room Jane suffers from “fearful pangs of mental suffering […] [and] rending [of her] heart strings” (volume 1 page 19), as the room physically and psychologically imprisons her. Moreover, while she is trapped in the room Jane sees a “small little figure gazing at [her]” (volume 1 page 11) from a mirror in the room. Distraught, she does not realize that this figure is her. She sees a “half fairy, half imp” (page 11) figure rather than herself. She sees her inner fairy along with the imp that others have made her believe she is. Jane’s personality is split from her body because of the snare put around her. Therefore, from this day on she is determined to escape that snare and piece herself …show more content…
Initially, at Lowood Insitution Jane looks forward for “school [being] a complete change: […] an entire separation from Gateshead, an entrance into a new life” (volume 1 page 26); though Mr. Brocklehurst comes in her way. He imprisons her as she had been imprisoned by the Reeds by not allowing Jane to express her self and punishing her. Though this time Jane escapes the snare. Slowly, through the help of friends, Jane realizes that she needs “to pioneer [her] way through every difficulty” (volume 1 page 91) and become a star student. Jane becomes a student that does not need to be imprisoned for her actions, rather a student who escapes and uses her experiences to improve her life – by becoming a governess. Hence, as Jane escapes Lowood and becomes a governess at Thornfield she becomes a bit independent. However, she is still not able to escape the red room because she falls in love with Mr. Rochester. She begins to care more about love and pleasing Rochester than her will to become independent and have freedom. However, when it comes to her attention that Rochester is a married man Jane is reminded of the red room. Therefore, Jane leaves Mr. Rochester in search of a new chance at independence because “[she] cares for [herself]. […] [She] respect[s] [herself] [,] […] and [she] will hold to the principals received be [herself]” (volume 2 page
Reed, who is supposedly a ‘mother’ figure. Mrs. Reed favours her son, John Reed, over Jane because of class and gender. She does not see anything wrong with her son as “[she] [is] blind and deaf on the subject” (volume 1 page 5) of John abusing Jane. Hence, when John and Jane fight, Jane is to blame. Therefore, even though Jane is protecting herself from John’s initial strike, it is her whom Mrs. Reed locks up in the red room. The red room is the first-time Jane feels ridiculed and isolated from society due to her class, gender, and want for independence. While locked up in the red room Jane suffers from “fearful pangs of mental suffering […] [and] rending [of her] heart strings” (volume 1 page 19), as the room physically and psychologically imprisons her. Moreover, while she is trapped in the room Jane sees a “small little figure gazing at [her]” (volume 1 page 11) from a mirror in the room. Distraught, she does not realize that this figure is her. She sees a “half fairy, half imp” (page 11) figure rather than herself. She sees her inner fairy along with the imp that others have made her believe she is. Jane’s personality is split from her body because of the snare put around her. Therefore, from this day on she is determined to escape that snare and piece herself …show more content…
Initially, at Lowood Insitution Jane looks forward for “school [being] a complete change: […] an entire separation from Gateshead, an entrance into a new life” (volume 1 page 26); though Mr. Brocklehurst comes in her way. He imprisons her as she had been imprisoned by the Reeds by not allowing Jane to express her self and punishing her. Though this time Jane escapes the snare. Slowly, through the help of friends, Jane realizes that she needs “to pioneer [her] way through every difficulty” (volume 1 page 91) and become a star student. Jane becomes a student that does not need to be imprisoned for her actions, rather a student who escapes and uses her experiences to improve her life – by becoming a governess. Hence, as Jane escapes Lowood and becomes a governess at Thornfield she becomes a bit independent. However, she is still not able to escape the red room because she falls in love with Mr. Rochester. She begins to care more about love and pleasing Rochester than her will to become independent and have freedom. However, when it comes to her attention that Rochester is a married man Jane is reminded of the red room. Therefore, Jane leaves Mr. Rochester in search of a new chance at independence because “[she] cares for [herself]. […] [She] respect[s] [herself] [,] […] and [she] will hold to the principals received be [herself]” (volume 2 page