The revelation that Rochester has kept his psychotic wife locked away in the depths of Thornfield, unbeknownst to the others in the house, is one of the most startling moments of Jane Eyre. The mysterious, shocking image of Bertha Mason's character, driven by rage and animalistic instinct, is captivating compared to her relatively short time within the novel. Despite the fact that she is rarely visible within the story, Bertha's character plays an important role as a foil to Jane's character. Bertha is the physical manifestation of Jane's anxieties about marriage, her repressed anger towards Rochester, and her hidden desire to let out these ugly, primal emotions in order to experience release; Bertha's purpose is to act on these impulses which
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The greatest indicator of this is the incident in which Bertha appears to Jane, mistaken for a nightmarish vision, and rips her bridal veil in half. Jane is frightened by the inhuman appearance of the figure she sees, describing her face as "fearful" and "savage" with vampire-like features (280). The whole encounter thoroughly disturbs Jane, while Rochester dismisses her concerns about what she saw. This event is the most obvious instance of Bertha acting out Jane's repressed desires. Because Jane has apprehensions towards marrying Rochester that her consciousness cannot recognize, Bertha instead fulfills them. A destroyed veil will not stop Jane from getting married. However, repressed emotions are not always logical when they surface. The destruction of the veil is spiteful, personal, and symbolic. Also considering that a veil is meant to cover a woman's face, the destruction of the veil could signify Jane's feelings coming to light—her true face can no longer be adequately hidden. Jane also describes the apparition as wearing some sort of "white and straight" dress that she could not identify (280). The obvious interpretation is that Bertha is meant to be wearing a wedding gown. Through taking on the appearance of a bride, Bertha is likening herself to Jane. When she destroys the veil, it as if Jane is …show more content…
As both her employer and her romantic interest, Rochester holds an immense amount of power over Jane, who rarely expresses frustration towards him. Even when she leaves Thornfield, it is presented as a matter of principle rather than a reaction of anger. Instead, Bertha is once again the vessel for these negative emotions, acting out the desires Jane has but cannot release. When the wedding is interrupted and Rochester reveals Bertha, she lunges at him, "[grappling] at his throat viciously" and "[laying] her teeth to his cheek" (289). After a brief struggle, Bertha is eventually restrained by being tied to a chair. This demonstration of unbridled rage is not unexpected from a person of Bertha's mental state; however, the most significant aspect of her violent outburst is that she intentionally targets Rochester. Not only that, she goes directly for his throat and starts to choke him. From the fury of her movements and the way she attacks him, it is inferred that Bertha is attempting to kill him. This is yet another instance of Bertha acting out Jane's hidden desires and her frustration towards the fact that Rochester's male presence is so influential on the course of her
The greatest indicator of this is the incident in which Bertha appears to Jane, mistaken for a nightmarish vision, and rips her bridal veil in half. Jane is frightened by the inhuman appearance of the figure she sees, describing her face as "fearful" and "savage" with vampire-like features (280). The whole encounter thoroughly disturbs Jane, while Rochester dismisses her concerns about what she saw. This event is the most obvious instance of Bertha acting out Jane's repressed desires. Because Jane has apprehensions towards marrying Rochester that her consciousness cannot recognize, Bertha instead fulfills them. A destroyed veil will not stop Jane from getting married. However, repressed emotions are not always logical when they surface. The destruction of the veil is spiteful, personal, and symbolic. Also considering that a veil is meant to cover a woman's face, the destruction of the veil could signify Jane's feelings coming to light—her true face can no longer be adequately hidden. Jane also describes the apparition as wearing some sort of "white and straight" dress that she could not identify (280). The obvious interpretation is that Bertha is meant to be wearing a wedding gown. Through taking on the appearance of a bride, Bertha is likening herself to Jane. When she destroys the veil, it as if Jane is …show more content…
As both her employer and her romantic interest, Rochester holds an immense amount of power over Jane, who rarely expresses frustration towards him. Even when she leaves Thornfield, it is presented as a matter of principle rather than a reaction of anger. Instead, Bertha is once again the vessel for these negative emotions, acting out the desires Jane has but cannot release. When the wedding is interrupted and Rochester reveals Bertha, she lunges at him, "[grappling] at his throat viciously" and "[laying] her teeth to his cheek" (289). After a brief struggle, Bertha is eventually restrained by being tied to a chair. This demonstration of unbridled rage is not unexpected from a person of Bertha's mental state; however, the most significant aspect of her violent outburst is that she intentionally targets Rochester. Not only that, she goes directly for his throat and starts to choke him. From the fury of her movements and the way she attacks him, it is inferred that Bertha is attempting to kill him. This is yet another instance of Bertha acting out Jane's hidden desires and her frustration towards the fact that Rochester's male presence is so influential on the course of her