In this novel,
Jane holds fast to her principles, even when they counter the social and gender
norms of her time. From the very beginning, we can see that Jane is an
opinionated and outspoken young girl. At the age of ten she speaks against Mrs.
Reed’s treatment of her openly. At this time children were to be seen and not
heard, and women were not expected to be much more than that. Bronte juxtaposes
Jane’s perceived moral superiority with her low social status to counter social
norms.
Jane seeks love
and approval from others, even though she seeks to be independent and hold fast
to her values. She asks Helen Burns why she associates with her, when everyone
else thinks she is a liar. Helen says that only the people at Lowood think
this, not the whole world. Jane does not like this answer and insists that she
needs approval from others, : “No; I know I should think well of myself; but
that is not enough: if others don’t love me , I would rather die than live – I cannot
bear to be solitary and hated, Helen” (82). Jane desperately wants to be
appreciated by those around her. To this point, she has not encountered anyone
who treats her humanely, let alone with love or respect. Mrs. Reed torments her
and Brocklehurst looks down upon all the girls. Jane knows that she is
comfortable in herself and her principles, but she still wishes to have others
accept her as well.
Jane continues
to stick to her principles after meeting Rochester. She tells him multiple
times that she will obey and trust him, as long as he does not ask her to
betray her moral principles. She questions the social norms that a man has
unconditional power over a woman as well as a master having this power over his
workers: “‘I don’t think, sir, you have a right to command me, merely because
you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have;
your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience’”
(157). When she finds out about Bertha Mason, she cannot reconcile what
Rochester has done and the implications of her being a mistress with her
principles. She runs away to preserve her principles and self-respect, even
though Rochester is the person she loves. Jane ultimately returns to Rochester,
but only after she is able to reconsider and decide that their love is worth
adjusting her principles.
This post put Jane’s journey throughout the novel into perspective for me. Looking back, there are so many connections from the beginning of the novel that are of great significant at the end of the novel as well. I believe that one of the biggest attractions and pulls that Rochester has on Jane is that while he might not always treat her well, he does engage with her intellectually and treats her more like a human than most of the other people she has crossed paths with in life. Her quest for love is therefore influenced by every experience she has had prior to meeting Rochester himself. Throughout this quest, Jane remains firm in her principles and always stands up for herself when others are not treating her fairly or accordingly. This post touches on Jane standing up for herself against Mrs. Reed. “I am not deceitful; if I were, I should say I loved you; but I declare, I do not love you: I dislike you worst of anybody in the world” (36). Her journey and quest for love starts here: with knowing what love should not feel like. This feeling comes back towards the end of the novel when she finds out that Rochester did not tell her about his wife, Bertha, being locked up in the attic. She cannot push this act out of her mind – she recognizes that this is not love and she cannot accept it. Jane remains true to her principles through and through despite her love for Rochester by fleeing. “Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour: stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I break them, what would be their worth?” (317).
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that Jane has always held true to her morals, no matter what the consequences were for her. It is admirable that she is able to do what most people would not have the courage to do, and that is to leave the life she knows for the unknown because she can’t stand the though of being a mistress. This decision led to despair and sadness, yet she bared both because she believed it was morally right to leave Thornfield. Jane’s quest for love has been ongoing for the entirety of her life. When she was young she wished to find the love of a family in the Reeds, then at Lowood she desired companionship, and finally at Thornfield she wanted the love of a husband. Each of these situations where all she wanted to feel was love and human companionship, had something happen that ruined her chances of finding love and happiness. Through all of this Jane still stays true to herself and refuses to change because sticking to her morals and principles are what keep her going despite facing many trials. Helen Burns summed up Jane and her morals best saying, “If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends” (82). This quote in my opinion perfectly describes Jane’s situation and how she continues to find love and friends everywhere she goes.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Lauren that Jane is a woman who sticks to her guns, even when push comes to shove. Jane believes in autonomy, morality, and true love. She holds on to her autonomy, even while being a governess working under Mr. Rochester. A really powerful scene where Jane shoves it to the man is when Rochester asks her to be his and she responds simply and sternly, “Mr. Rochester, I will not be yours” (363). Jane’s moral integrity is best seen when she puts what is right over what she wants by choosing to leave the married Mr. Rochester. She declares, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man,” (365). Finally, and I believe most importantly, Jane believes in true love. She shows this by placing love above all else when she turns down a tempting proposal from St. John Rivers stating, “I should suffer often, no doubt, attached to him only in this capacity: my body would be under a rather stringent yoke, but my heart and mind would be free,” (470). St. John is a handsome man who would provide Jane with the opportunity to travel to India and help others, but Jane knows she would only truly be happy with Rochester.
ReplyDelete