Jane Eyre: Defying the Times
By: Leah Smartt
"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will...” (Chap.23) says Jane Eyre. From the day Jane was put into the unwilling care of her Aunt Sarah Reed by the way of her good Uncle Reed, Jane was taught that women had their place in the world. She was taught that she was below men and that she especially was of no worth to the world. Throughout her life Jane proved that men and women can live equally. She also proved that women in her time period could rise above their station. Jane made Mr. Rochester see that she was his equal. Without Jane’s headstrong personality she would not be who she was. Jane Eyre is a classic example of a woman who was able to defy the laws of the time and set an example for women years later.
For the ten years that Jane Eyre lived at Gateshead she was constantly under fire from words by her cousins and Aunt. Aunt Sarah’s dislike for Jane had to do with prejudices. Later in the novel we learn that her Aunt was jealous of the attention her late husband gave Jane when Jane was a baby. In fact, when Mr. Reed was on his deathbed he called for baby Jane to be by his side instead of his own children. Mrs. Reed’s prejudice against Jane seeped into her children, thus leading to a cruel, unloving, and very class-oriented childhood for Jane.
Jane suffered especially under the hand of Mrs. Reed’s oldest child, John Reed. John frequently beat Jane. He beat her with words or physically. John Reed’s prejudices ran deep inside him. He said to Jane after he found her reading: “You have no business to take our book; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none, you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us, and eat the same meals that we do, and wear clothes at our mama’s expense.” (Chap. 1)
Anyone can see that class and monetary status were very important in the mid 1800’s. The rich were the richest and the poor were the poorest. Jane had been born into a poor family which automatically reduced her to the supposed status of a poor person. The expectations of Jane Eyre were low too. In no way was a poor person ever going to rise to the misconceived godlike status of a wealthy person; a poor person was to be the footstool of a rich person. Jane’s nurse, Miss Abbot said, “And you ought to not think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none: it is your place to be humble, and to try to make yourself agreeable with them.” (Chap. 2)
Humility is a great attribute to have, but to expect only the poor to be humble makes no sense. To be humble means to be meek and to not be proud or vain. And for many of the rich in the time of Jane Eyre, pride and vanity were a fashion statement.
Education and the arts were also a way for Jane to make an impression on the world and to fit into society. Jane was a skilled artist and also excelled in her school courses, mainly French. Even though Jane had been mistreated while living with her Aunt, she was lucky to attend school at Lowood. Many girls of her class could only read, write and sew a little, but Jane was very accomplished. Jane knew how to read, write, sew, speak French, paint and sketch, and also play the piano.
Jane was able to dissolve class lines with her art. Both Mr. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers became more aware of Jane after they had seen her beautiful artwork. After scrutinizing her artwork Mr. Rochester says in his ever present sarcastic tone: “…the drawings are, for a school-girl, peculiar…what meaning is that in their solemn depth?”(Chap. 13) Jane’s drawings greatly capture the attention of Mr. Rochester. Jane paints a picture of Miss Rosamond Oliver for St. John Rivers, who is in love with Miss Oliver. Jane succeeds in capturing St. John’s attention and breaking into St. John Rivers’ cold personality. Jane was also able to make herself more noticeable in a world where women were technically property.
After finishing her six years of schooling Jane stayed two extra years at Lowood to be a teacher. She stayed at Lowood because she had no other place to go but she also gained “…a fondness for some of [her] studies and a desire to excel in all…” (Chap. 10) Jane realized that she needed to take advantage of the opportunities that she had been given. It was through her education that Jane was able to make an outlet into the world. Her education led her through the way of a governess and into Mr. Rochester’s arms. Her education also served her well when she was living with her Rivers’ cousins.
When Jane Eyre was eighteen she left Lowood. She had advertised in the newspaper for a position as a governess. Mrs. Fairfax who lived at Thornfield Hall answered Jane’s letter. Jane was to be the governess of a little French girl, Adele Varens, who was the ward of a Mr. Edward Rochester. While she was the governess to little Adele, Jane and Mr. Rochester became very good friends. They spent every evening together and eventually they fell in love. This love was very controversial; Mr. Rochester was 20 years her senior; Jane was the governess of his ward and making thirty pounds a year. To both the differences in their classes was a significant an issue. Both had grown up in a world consumed with class and money. In fact Mr. Rochester’s father arranged a marriage between his son and a mentally insane woman; all for the money that came with her. Eventually the two overcame their class issues through a stronger friendship. Mr. Rochester came to realize that he loved Jane for what was inside of her. One can see that Mr. Rochester loved Jane by the way her treated her as opposed to other women, especially Miss Ingram.
Miss Ingram and Mr. Rochester were expected to be married. Jane heard of this rumor when a large party came to Thornfield. Though Mr. Rochester spent a lot of time with Miss Ingram while she was at Thornfield, he never gave much respect to her or treated her as an equal. This is evident because Mr. Rochester never shared any private jokes with Miss Ingram or protected her as he did Jane. Mr. Rochester told Jane that he had no love for Miss Ingram, nor she for him. He let a rumor reach Miss Ingram’s ears that he did not have much of a fortune, thus severing the ties he had to Miss Blanche Ingram. I honestly believe that Mr. Rochester did not have such a high regard for women until Jane came along. Jane was able to prove to Mr. Rochester that they were equal, and on the night Mr. Rochester proposed to Jane he said, “My bride is here, because my equal is here, and my likeness.”(Chap. 23) I believe that Jane was able to prove her equality to Mr. Rochester by her ability to befriend him.
Jane was always confident in her life. She spoke her mind and held fast and firm to her beliefs. A prominent example of this was her ability to leave Thornfield and her ability to turn down a marriage proposal from St John Rivers. After Jane found out that Mr. Rochester’s mentally insane wife was still living, she decided to leave Thornfield for good. Yet Jane still loved Mr. Rochester. Even though she loved him she would not stay and be his mistress. Jane could not live a life like that. Jane loved Mr. Rochester. It broke her heart to leave, but she had to stand up for herself and not let Mr. Rochester persuade her to stay. She broke Mr. Rochester’s heart in the process of leaving. This is her farewell to him, “‘Farewell’ was the cry of my heart as I left him. Despair added, ‘Farewell forever!’” (Chapter 27)
Leaving Mr. Rochester for a while led to new things and greater experiences for Jane. Jane found part of her family but learned to lead her own life. After she was wandering in the wilderness she dropped on the doorstep of her cousins. She did not know they were her relations at the time. Through finding her cousins Jane was able to experience a different kind of love than she felt with Mr. Rochester. Jane had a place in the world, an uncle’s inheritance, and a newfound respect for herself. Jane was able to befriend her cousin, St. John Rivers, just as she was able to befriend Mr. Rochester. St. John was wholly devoted to his religion which led Jane to be interested too. While staying with her cousins Jane was able to find out more about herself. At first Jane was treated on an equal level with St. John but eventually that tie was severed.
Jane had always wanted to travel and was given an opportunity to be a missionary but only if she would marry St. John. St. John would not treat her as an equal as they traveled or even as a sister. Jane loved St. John as a brother and could not marry him; she believed that he did not love her more than a sister. St. John was not cruel to Jane but felt he needed to make decisions for her. In asking her to marry him he says; “God and nature intended you for a missionary’s wife. It is not personal, but mental endowments they have given you: you are formed for labor, not for love. A missionary’s wife you must--shall be. You shall be mine: I claim you—not for my pleasure, but for my Sovereign’s service.”
Jane replied: “I am not fit for it: I have no vocation.” Jane had to turn down the opportunity to travel and to serve God. After careful deliberation and a hunch to return to Mr. Rochester, Jane turned down St. John’s offer of marriage. It took a woman of character to stand up for herself in a time when women were degraded. St. John’s claiming her as his “property” was not uncommon, merely protocol. It also takes a certain woman to know what she wants from life. Jane wanted to travel, but returning to Mr. Rochester benefited her life more and made her a better person. Jane had to care for Mr. Rochester after he was blinded in a fire at Thornfield. I believe that after Jane married Mr. Rochester she was treated even more as an equal to him. They depended on each other. At the end of the novel Mr. Rochester says; “Jane suits me: do I suit her?” and Jane replies: “To the finest fibre of my nature, sir.”
Jane would not be who she was without the trials that she had in her life. Her trials gave her character. If Jane had been an undetermined girl, the whole course of her life would have changed. Jane made her own path; she held fast to what she knew was right. She knew who she was and she didn’t let people bring her down and tell her she wasn’t worthy. Jane’s defiance of the rules sets an example for women everywhere. It is almost like Jane is trying to tell the women of the world: “Lead your own life and follow your heart; don’t let anyone tell you differently.”
