Independence is a state of solitude, self-determination, and freedom that everyone will crave at least once in their lifetime. During the 1840 's, feminism was beginning to spread, yet it was still a struggle for women to obtain independence, especially for those who truly wanted it. Charlotte Bronte 's romantic fiction novel, Jane Eyre, is named after the main character who encounters the same conflict as the majority of the women in her time period along with experiencing love. For some people, independence is not one of the greatest things he or she wants, but for Jane, it is something she has deeply wished for since childhood. Throughout the novel, readers are able to trace Jane 's life and watch her mature and achieve one of her greatest
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Jane has always been morally independent, but it is at its optimum and fully revealed once she makes some of hardest decisions she has ever encountered. Although Jane is deeply in love with Rochester, she still denies his proposal and her reason is, "If I lived with you as you desire, I should then be your mistress" (306). Because Rochester 's wife is still alive, Jane believes it is disgraceful and wrong to marry him, including the fact that this is already illegal. As much as she wants to be with Rochester, she sets aside her emotions and makes the decision with her morals as guidance. Jane does what she believes is right by leaving Thornfield, and despite suffering from starvation and exhaustion, "still [she] could not turn, nor retrace one step" (324). Jane shows great fortitude and determination by not going back to Thornfield in her unhealthy condition. She makes her own choices while dealing with the hardships or consequences which reveals how genuinely independent she has become. Jane overcomes one of the greatest problems she has had throughout her entire life, poverty, which augments her ability to do more things feely. After inheriting 20,000 shillings from her deceased uncle, Jane considers that she "could free [her cousins]...the independence, the affluence which was [hers], might be theirs too" (389). As stated, Jane thinks that money is the key to independence, and now that she has it, she feels liberated and freer to do what she pleases. In addition, the money she has inherited significantly boosted her up the social standings which also exposes her to more fortunes. Now that money is no longer an issue and has made her more socially relevant, Jane returns to Rochester and tells him, "I am independent, sir, as well as rich" (438). Before Jane has a sufficient amount of money, she thinks of herself as an unequal to Rochester
Jane has always been morally independent, but it is at its optimum and fully revealed once she makes some of hardest decisions she has ever encountered. Although Jane is deeply in love with Rochester, she still denies his proposal and her reason is, "If I lived with you as you desire, I should then be your mistress" (306). Because Rochester 's wife is still alive, Jane believes it is disgraceful and wrong to marry him, including the fact that this is already illegal. As much as she wants to be with Rochester, she sets aside her emotions and makes the decision with her morals as guidance. Jane does what she believes is right by leaving Thornfield, and despite suffering from starvation and exhaustion, "still [she] could not turn, nor retrace one step" (324). Jane shows great fortitude and determination by not going back to Thornfield in her unhealthy condition. She makes her own choices while dealing with the hardships or consequences which reveals how genuinely independent she has become. Jane overcomes one of the greatest problems she has had throughout her entire life, poverty, which augments her ability to do more things feely. After inheriting 20,000 shillings from her deceased uncle, Jane considers that she "could free [her cousins]...the independence, the affluence which was [hers], might be theirs too" (389). As stated, Jane thinks that money is the key to independence, and now that she has it, she feels liberated and freer to do what she pleases. In addition, the money she has inherited significantly boosted her up the social standings which also exposes her to more fortunes. Now that money is no longer an issue and has made her more socially relevant, Jane returns to Rochester and tells him, "I am independent, sir, as well as rich" (438). Before Jane has a sufficient amount of money, she thinks of herself as an unequal to Rochester