Christianity In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

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Within the Bible, the purpose of life is never outright specified. Yet, as a Christian, the Holy Text does provide clues to how a person should live his or her life. It is stated that mankind must “rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth". (Genesis 1:26-28) Also, within The Ten Commandments, which is basically the Christian rulebook, one must never steal, murder, commit adultery, etc. Even though some rules and suggestions of how to live exist, within the Holy Bible, the way one should live his or her life is remains vague and up to interpretation. As one matures, in order to live life as a proper Christian, it is necessary to discover how to interpret and integrate …show more content…
Religion is such an integral feature embedded within Helen’s life that on her deathbed, she isn’t frightened of the inevitable. As Helen slowly dies at the age of fourteen, she declares that she “[counts] the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore [her] to Him” (Eyre 84). Helen at a young age is confident in her religion, which is something Jane cannot relate to. Jane is so ignorant to the Christian ways that she asks Helen, “Where is God? What is God?”. (Eyre 84) Jane’s admiration for Helen is not only seen through Jane’s questions for Helen regarding religion, but also, through Jane’s descriptions of Helen. To Jane, Helen’s “soul sat on her lips, and language flowed” (Eyre 74), and “it was a privilege to be admitted to hear [her]”. (Eyre 74) Despite Jane’s respect for Helen, Jane feels as if she could never devote herself to religion as Helen does. Helen is passive and devout, while Jane is independent and seeks love. Helen lives her life waiting to die, as, according to her, “death is so certain an entrance to happiness”. (Eyre 70-71) Jane, on the other hand, is consumed by her earthly needs, with love at the core of her mortal wants. Jane, without affection, “would rather die than live…[and] cannot bear to be solitary and hated”. (Eyre 71) Jane has lived her whole life without affection; she has lived with her bitter aunt and within the

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