Gender Roles In Charlotte Bronte's Wuthering Heights

Jane too reflects gender roles. She is quiet and keeps to herself, whereas Mr. Rochester is social and outgoing. She often comments on how rash and candid she is. This is also noted by other characters in the novel. At all times it is seen as a flaw in her as a woman. Jane is unable to gain a good social and financial standing by herself. Her gender and class severely limit the number of jobs that she can do. She must inherit money from a relative, whereas the men can work and provide for themselves. Catherine and Jane both struggle in their relationships. Both women face mistreatment as children. Both are under class and are bullied. Jane grows and finds herself through her struggles, whereas Catherine loses herself. Their contrast is perhaps shown most clearly in some of …show more content…
Jane was trapped and abused as a child, much like Isabella Linton who was trapped and abused by her husband Heathcliff. Isabella eventually escapes from her entrapment and runs away as Jane escapes her aunt’s house by going to school. Jane’s young life parallels Hindley’s life in Wuthering Heights (Morris 162). Like Jane, Hindley is an orphan. Both are taken in by cruel people: Jane by her aunt and Hindley by his uncle. Both are abused relentlessly: Jane by her cousin and Hindley by his uncle. The difference between these two characters is that Jane grows from it and Hindley allows himself to suffer from …show more content…
The view of women is rare in Victorian literature. Both Charlotte and Emily Bronte addressed the patriarchy of Victorian England despite the social stigma attached to doing so. Jane Eyre shows a strong independent woman who was not frequently represented in the literature of the time. Wuthering Heights shows women who are at the other end of the spectrum. Both views are equally valid and