In the previous class discussion we opened with a student-given plot summary. So, I will do the same. Jane, after finally admitting to herself the feelings she had for Mr. Rochester, made work of proving herself unworthy of his affection. She had created pictures comparing herself to Blanche Ingram, taking care to contrast the materials used to color them. Upon receiving news of Mr. Rochester's return and the company which he would bring, Jane suppressed her excitement to see him, assuring herself he would have no time and take no notice of her. The entire crowd, pretty as they may have been, were riddled with empty heads and gossip, raining insults on Jane and her household position both behind her back and with obvious scowls cast in her direction. Jane busies herself by closely monitoring Mr. Rochester and Blanche Ingram's relationship. One night a fortune-teller happens upon the house and gives the young single ladies a glimpse at their fate. When it came to be Jane's turn, she was guarded with the old woman, and listened only to her contradicting accounts of the lines and contours of Jane's face. Turns out, the fortune-teller was Mr. Rochester. Jane informs him of a visitor from the West Indies, Mr. Mason, whom Rochester is immediately frightened of. That night, a horrible scream wakes the house and Mr. Rochester takes Jane into his confidence concerning the matter. He locks her in a room with the bleeding and half-conscious Mr. Mason, instructing them both to remain silent and Jane to wash his wounds continually while he fetched the doctor. It is implied through the scenes that follow that Grace Poole attacked and bit Mr. Mason, and he is promptly set on his way. Shortly after, Jane learns that Mr. Rochester plans to marry Miss Ingram, and she must travel to Gateshead upon the request of a delirious Mrs. Reed. She takes her leave and Mrs. Reed informs her of an uncle she possesses. After Mrs. Reed's passing and a few weeks spent helping her cousins, Jane returns to Thornfield. Mr. Rochester informs her she must leave, she breaks down and reveals her feelings for him, which he seconds, and they resolve to get married. She pushes away his overzealous spoiling and spending, treating him as an employer until the night before their wedding. This night she tells him of a crazed figure who entered her room and tore her veil in two. In the morning, their marriage is halted by Mr. Mason, who, learning of the marriage from Jane's letter to her uncle, has returned to inform the clergyman of Mr. Rochester's living wife. The crazed figure who Jane had seen is his insane wife, who is kept under Grace Poole's care, and is Mr. Mason's sister and attacked. Jane confronts Mr. Rochester and in his mess of emotion, she informs him she will be leaving. She takes off before dawn, walking the road and paying a stranger to ride her away.
PART 2! Jane's discussion with "the fortune-teller" in chapter 19 had several very revealing passages. Firstly the depiction of Mr. Rochester as someone who reveals fate is an ironic position, as it is he who ultimately contributes to the person Jane will become and where the next step in her journey will be: marriage to him, or departure without direction. The section which he discusses her "brow" in pinpoints her stubborn independence and the passion she hides, and allows to be overruled, by reason. It shows the extent to which Mr. Rochester has been watching her, and also directs the reader to the change we have seen in Jane since she was a child. The passage clearly contrasts the impulsive emotional child who lived at Gateshead, and even the slightly more controlled though overly conforming young adult of Lowood. Thornfield has given her the freedom of no regulations or rules to follow besides those dictated by herself in regards to respect, self-appointed boundaries, and morals. Yet, Jane is still young and naive. A seemingly irrelevant selection from the fortune-teller portion uncovers the identity searching Jane is presently undertaking. "I knelt within half a yard of her. She stirred the fire, so that a ripple of light broke from the disturbed coal: the glare, however, as she sat, only threw her face into deeper shadow: mine it illumined." My interpretation of this says that Jane allows the actions of others to blind her to their motives, especially Mr. Rochester's. She grew progressively blind to his harshness and temper and eventually says she "saw no bad" after a certain point. In her ignorance of the hidden danger of his person, she lets her guard down on her own identity, consistently revealing more of her emotions to him, and succumbing to the mind games he plays with her and Miss Ingram very easily. The vulnerability that results from this yielding to the naivety society allows is what leaves us unsure of whether Jane will be able to maintain the person she is and hope to remain with the invasive characters surrounding her.
Jane at one point offers Rochester advice on the finding of oneself in others saying, "'a wanderer's repose or a sinner's reformation should never depend on a fellow-creature. Men and women die; philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness: if any one you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than his equals for strength to amend, and solace to heal.'" This is difficult to decipher. She says not to depend on others for an identity, yet she also says not to depend on yourself. Jane's eyes are on the supernatural, the ideas bigger than our own minds and larger even than the society we live in. Eleanor and I, had we been allowed to continue our discussion would probably have come to a similar conclusion. Though one cannot create for oneself a set of guidelines for life within simply one's own mind, it also may not be comprised simply of values shot at us from the people who surround us. Neither of those two things has a full perspective on the world and it's workings, only a supernatural being such as God can provide us with the unbiased and all-inclusive view of the universe.
PART 3! Jane's cousins, Eliza and Georgiana also have a brief argument pointing out the benefits and disadvantages of both a world built strictly around rules, regulations, reason, and routines and a universe grounded in the unpredictability yet honesty of passion and impulse. While Georgiana is very dependent on society and company, she finds joy in the values she has been given. Her existence is a happy one, and the struggles she faces help her to grow and learn. Eliza on the other hand, has a strict purpose in life and finds happiness in the fulfillment of tasks. However, to most she is cold and unfeeling, absorbed so much within herself that she will never look up to see the world's offer, let alone revise the situation she has placed herself in. Neither existence seems a pleasant one, but I suppose there is no reason to convince one of their incorrectness as both are content in their lives.
Much foreshadowing is evident throughout the chapters. The agreement and "vow" of union between Rochester and Jane is taken under a large tree, a hovering constant presence which has grown wild, invisible to those who have grown too accustomed to it, and to those who wish not to see it. The tree, the problem, is common to both Jane and Rochester. The tree in that sense represents Mrs. Rochester, the lunatic whose life will bring an abrupt end to Jane and Rochester's relationship. In another sense, the tree can stand for the longing in both Rochester and Jane; Jane for the affection she missed as a child, and Rochester for the companionship he has lacked his whole life. Each finds their need in the other, blind to the barriers of their marriage, including Rochester's wife, but also the naivety of Jane in combination with Rochester's danger and manipulation. The splitting of the tree, divides the problems, and the relationship. In addition to this, suitcases with "Mrs. Rochester" on the name-tag are described as Jane says this person is foreign to her, and is someone she has not met as of yet. This occurs shortly before her formal introduction to the actual Mrs. Rochester. Whether this also suggests the eventual morphing of Jane's sanity into the monstrosity of Mrs. Rochester is unclear.
Is forced independence beneficial, or will it lead to eventual collapse?
Chapters 17 through 27 were undoubtedly rich with action, love, and heartbreak. In class, we had discussed the new turn of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s relationship. We also compared and contrasted the personalities of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s first wife, Bertha. We also discussed the contrasts between Mr. Rochester’s feelings for Jane and his feelings for Bertha.
Mr. Rochester’s first marriage to Bertha was obviously a disaster. “He (Mr. Rochester’s father) told me Miss Mason was the boast of Spanish Town for her beauty: and this was no lie… They showed her to me in parties, splendidly dressed. I seldom saw her alone, and had very little private conversation with her… and being ignorant, raw, and inexperienced, I thought I loved her,” Mr. Rochester admitted to Jane. Mr. Rochester was swept away by Bertha’s beauty and wealth. He married a woman based on outward appearances. And because he did not know any better, Mr. Rochester thought he loved her. The consequences were an insane wife and a marriage of lies, deceit, and anger. Finally, Mr. Rochester shut Bertha up in the attic of Thornfield.
While Bertha wasted away in the attic of Thornfield, Mr. Rochester and Jane fell in love. Unlike Bertha, Jane was unattractive and poor. Because of Jane’s unattractiveness and lack of money, this gave Mr. Rochester the chance to fall in love with Jane’s soul, whereas Mr. Rochester fell in love with Bertha’s beauty and wealth and not Bertha’s soul.
There was some discussion about whether or not Mr. Rochester was trying to change Jane, because he insisted on buying her fancy new clothes and showing her off to society. I believe that Mr. Rochester was NOT trying to change Jane. Mr. Rochester is a wealthy man and with wealth comes power in society. Because Jane was to become his wife, Jane has to help Mr. Rochester with his social status by appearing to be society’s darling.
This was before Jane found out about Mr. Rochester’s secret, his first marriage to insane Bertha. I believe that if Mr. Rochester truly loved Jane, he should have had enough faith in her that she would not run away. It was only because he lied to Jane that she ran away.
Also, I wanted to discuss the last conversation between Jane and her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Her aunt revealed the love that Mr. Reed felt for his sister and his niece, Jane. She also said that when Jane’s parents died and Jane came to live with Mr. Reed, Mr. Reed paid more attention to Jane than to his own children. Mrs. Reed was jealous of her husband’s love for Jane and his sister. I believe this sparked the hatred that Mrs. Reed felt towards Jane and her deceased mother.
Even on Mrs. Reed’s deathbed, she could not say she love and forgave Jane, despite Jane’s assurances that she love and forgave Mrs. Reed. Jane’s aunt was a weak, shallow, and hateful person. Mrs. Reed knew this about herself and that’s why she was afraid of death. Her soul was tainted and she did not believe that death would offer redemption.
In our class discussion on chapters 17-27, we continued to discuss the use of occults. I think that the use of occults and the occasional use of religion are another use of contrast by Charlotte Bronte to exemplify the extremes of each. We argued as to whether Jane is religious or spiritual. In my opinion I think that Jane leans more toward the spiritual and almost unnatural side of the spectrum. Jane is very interested in the ‘gypsy’ and is very interested in dreams and what they mean. She refers to dreams almost as if they are omens and takes them very seriously. Jane has become more self-aware and so has the narrative of the entire story. Jane weighs every decision that she has to make; one student even described her as “self-regulating”. Jane tries to fit in with everyone around her but eventually comes to a point where her boundaries are crossed and Jane moves on to a new location. I think of a carefully operated machine when I think of how Jane carefully considers every aspect of a decision and assures herself that everything is in-check. We also looked at the effect of children in Jane Eyre. I think that children bring about chaos because Jane knew nothing as a child herself. Jane has a fear of children or having children because she was never able to experience youth fully. Being a child should mean being free to make mistakes and learn from them but Jane had everything forced upon her, unable to make her own choices until later in life when she decided to become a governess. I think Jane is so close to Adele because Adele has what she always wanted, even if it is not the most ideal situation.
During our class discussion it was brought up that Jane changed when Helen died. That is bound to happen because everyone changes when someone close to them who they cared deeply about passes. If you care about someone no matter what their death will change you. The way it changes you will vary depending on the person.
It was also brought up how religion is out of character for Jane. I do not believe that when she brings up something religious it is out of character for her, it is just something that does not happen very often. You can have an opinion about religion but you do not feel strongly about it, so you do not bring it up very often. It was also brought up in my class how there is a difference between being a person with a religion and someone who is religious. Someone who is religious devoutly follows everything that their religion says needs to be done. However, if you are a person with a religion you may believe in some of what your religion preaches but not all of it. You also will not devoutly follow it.
Another thing that was brought up was that Jane went back to Gateshead when she heard about Mrs. Reed’s heart attack for closure. The mere fact that she tried to reconcile with Mrs. Reed when she was there confirms this. If Jane had not wanted closure she would never have gone back to Gateshead or she would have felt like she had to go back to Gateshead. Jane went back to Gateshead for closure so she tried to reconcile with Mrs. Reed but she was shut down.
There were many ups and downs throughout chapters 17-27. One of the big problems occurred when there was an objection at the wedding of Jane and Rochester. It is stated that Rochester is already married but Rochester says his "wife" is not fit, so it is okay to be marrying Jane. The dispute continues and finally Rochester brings them all up to see Bertha. This scene had to be my favorite scene out of the chunk of chapters. Bronte does a great job at describing Bertha as an animal and lunatic. The complexity of Rochester and Bertha's relationship is almost twisted. It was obvious that at one point Bertha was beautiful and Rochester was blinded by her it. He never truly wanted to marry her because of her personality and he was pushed into the relationship. His relationship with Jane is quite the opposite; he was not supposed to fall for her. She is not very attractive and is hired as a governess. But they are able to open up to each other and have deep conversations, even from the beginning. Their relationship worries me as well, we saw foreshadowing that something was going to go wrong once the lightning hit the tree where Rochester proposed to Jane. Oh what will happen next?!
There were many points throughout the last section of reading that were striking and complex. We briefly touched upon the most absurd, and my favorite passage, in class: the gypsy scene. When I started reading this passage, I was unsure as to how Brontë would weave in relevancy and meaning. As Brontë always does, however, she surprised me: I did not at first comprehend when it was revealed that the "gypsy" was actually Rochester; the progression from an eery old woman to Rochester's intimate character was completely lost on me the first time I read the scene. I went back and reread the sentence, to make sure my brain had processed the information correctly, then reread the whole passage. Sure enough, Brontë made the transformation surprisingly obvious, once it was known what the outcome was. I am still pondering why exactly Brontë chose to use the gypsy passage at all, but I have developed a few points. One of the most easily recognized reason for using such a bizarre passage at this point in the novel was to keep the reader on his or her toes; otherwise, the abundance of drawing room scenes and surplus of typical, forlorn desire may make Jane Eyre seem like just another Victorian England book. Another, more important reason for adding in the passage was to develop material for the reader to delve deeper into the complexity of Rochester and Jane's relationship; the passage demonstrates Rochester's (poorly) concealed desire for Jane, and Jane's reserved yet yearning feelings for him. Additionally, the gypsy scene reinforced the supernatural elements of the book, and reconnected Rochester to foreign and unsettling characters (such as the Gytrash). I am still developing insight on this scene, and I think that its richness allows it to be continually interpreted.
One of my favorite parts of the second section was the most obvious foreshadowing that Bronte uses in the book. It was the scene were Rochester and Jane were talking under the tree, and Rochester proposes and Jane says yes, and almost immediately a storm brews. The new couple then rushes inside, and lighting strikes the tree they were talking under. Bronte uses this to show what is to come in the relationship, and it looks bleak. So that was my favorite thing Bronte did knowingly. The other thing is making Rochester so sneaky and devious. While we read wide Sargasso sea we sided with his narration, because we didn't know much of his past, so we trusted him. But seeing him trick Jane when he was the gypsy, and when he tricked her into telling him about her true feelings for him by faking that he was going to marry someone else. These sneaky tactics that Bronte had Rochester used made me rethink some of the narration he had in wide Sargasso sea, because knowing what we know now can we still trust this tricky man. Or does he just seem Innocent because of our ignorance of his previous life, and he uses that to manipulate how the reader Perceives him. Although technically wide Saragossa sea was before Jane Eyre on a time line we can use the Jane Eyre Rochester to see the wide Saragossa sea Rochester in a less trustworthy light. So even though Bronte couldn't perceive the book wide Sargasso sea being written, she creates a Rochester that doesn't complete have your trust an sympathy, so Wide Sargasso sea had some breathing room to be written.
There is a lot to be said about these chapters. There isn't as much immediate change in them as in the first sixteen (which includes three major turns in the novel.) But there is much in these as well, including (by the end of 27 at least) more internal change for Jane than the external change from the first portion. She seems much further on her to way to becoming defined than she was at the end of 16.
Since the blog post is inherently brief, I'm just going to touch on a few things:
The portrayal of class in this book is interesting, when one can look back at (for example) Lowood and the guests at Thornfield. Just about every upper class character is portrayed as pompous, arrogant, and empty headed despite the educational options open to them. If they aren't intellectually (like Georgina for example) they are emotionally empty (like her sister.) The male guests aren't portrayed too negatively (if memory serves) but neither are they described too positively, more focus is placed on the women. All the ones that mean well are rather frivolous, and the one's that don't (Blanche's family) are patently classist and malicious. Contrarily, all the low class servants and all the girls at Lowood are portrayed rather positively, if less intellectual than Jane (with the exception of Helen.) The major exceptions to the portrayed personalities of their class are Jane and Rochester, which I think even further underscores their independence
Bertha's first explained appearance bears a lot of importance (and we had a prompt on it. What a coincidence.) At the core of her character, I think she represents what Jane sees as a potential future (which is a rather obvious observation.) The wrestling and binding make the whole manner of the situation rather heavy-handed, which considering the subtlety of other scenes in the book, was likely a choice on Bronte's part, so it would be perfectly clear to any readers.
It's significant, I think, that Rochester redubbed Jane with a new name much the same way he did Antoinette. Following his proposal, her refers to her as Janet or Jane Rochester, or Mrs. Rochester, altogether giving the impression of the name Janet Rochester, which is as foreign a name as Bertha Rochester was to Antoinette Cosway née Mason. But unlike Bertha's reaction to the name, which involves voiced complaints, but an eventual shouldering of the title, Jane shakes it off. She is unwilling to accept the imposed label, lest it interfere with her still uncertain identity.
Like Olivia, I found it odd that Mr. Rochester should begin a relationship with Jane by showering her with the material goods which he should have inferred her to shun. However, while I don't believe he was necessarily trying to change her, I interpreted the action as more of a failed attempt to raise the element of beauty which he saw in her morals to her outward appearance. Though he adored her conversational skills and exploring the ideals within her mind, he longed for the physical allure of his previous love interests. This is the immaturity of his affection which I believe Jane left in hopes of extinguishing.
As far as Bertha is concerned, for all Bronte's efforts to make contrasts between her and Jane, Rochester's behavior with each shows the undeniable similarities which may or may not be rightly placed between the two of them, both in Rochester's mind and Bronte's. Rochester compares Jane frequently to a fairy, free and winged, and the word "pinioned" when referring to his restraint of Bertha alludes to her bird-like liberty and defying of society's gravity. Much in the same way, when he is trying to convince Jane to stay with him, he embraces her, which she refers to as a "restraint" shortly after. His constant attempts to pin down or lock up the mystery and mental stimulants Jane provided for him, drove her further away from him. Rochester was left with the mere shadow of an overly contained passion in Bertha. In leaving him to realize his suffocating grasp, Jane successfully preserved her sanity and her love for Rochester. Had she stayed, she may have lost both, and become a mirror image of his wife, getting near him only to attack, and thinking lucidly only to stealthily rummage for knives.
Concerning Jane's encounter with Mrs. Reed, as unrewarding as it may have been, the news of her uncle would determine the course of her journey. Were his existence to have gone unrealized, there would have been no one to put a halt to her marriage. It's ironic that a character who is never met in the story could have such a profound impact on Jane's life(both in 17-27 as well as the remainder of the novel). The abrupt halt brought to the union makes the change of environments in Jane's life consistent. The moving from Gateshead to Lowood, was anything but gradual, as was the change from Lowood to Thornfield. Once again she is thrown from the familiarity of one "home" into the foreignness of a new habitat. Without these sudden alterations, Jane would have clung to an environment before a set of values, grounding herself in surroundings as well as people, rather than developing within herself.
Chapters 17 through chapter 28 was a great section for character development in the story. One of the developments in character was Jane's love for Rochester. When he tells Jane that he wants to marry Blanche in the beginning of this section, Jane has to confess her love to him. This shows that Jane and Rochester are not independent people. They both need the other. Before in class, we discussed that Rochester needed to be needed, and that is demonstrated here. It is shown because he tested Jane's affection towards him by making her think that he wants to marry Blanche. Rochester also shows that he is not a risk taker. He shows this by testing both Blanche and in a way Jane too, by pretending to be a gypsy. He tested Blanche by telling her that he did not have a lot of money, to see if she was in it only for the money. He tested Jane by seeing how she would react to finding about Blanche and how would she would react to the “gypsy's” comments to her, about her personality and emotions. I do not think that Rochester is trying to control and change Jane. Rochester just has to keep up in his status as a wealthy person, he does not care about her style in non important events. Rochester did not try to change Jane before they got married. I believe that Rochester was not justified in trying to marry Jane, while he was still married to Bertha. Even if Bertha is crazy, it gives Rochester no right to marry someone else. He should have some sort of moral ground right?
Although our second class discussion on chapters 17-27 didn’t cover as much in terms of sheer volume as in our first, I think we talked about specific parts of the novel in depth and great detail. Like others have talked about above, it goes without question that there is a lot left open for discussion about these chapters that we didn’t quite get to.
The class talked in length about Rochester and Jane’s tumultuous relationship and what they become when separated, but more importantly, who they are while united. We spoke about their external and internal relations sparingly, and this I thought deserved a bit more speculation. During the affluent families extended stay at Thornfield, Rochester portrays himself in a very dominant light. He is at ease, visibly strong and controlled, while calculated and frank. A perfect host and gentlemen, he leaves little to speculation. Conversely, Jane is noticeably distant and meek towards Rochester and the guests during their visit. She prefers to sit in a quiet corner of the bustling drawing room, watching as the lively, prosperous people have a grand time. Jane is seemingly far from herself during this period which leaves a lot of speculation and questioning for the reader. This change of character is so startling because of how different Rochester and Jane behave towards one another amongst other circumstances. Their roles are reversed; Jane is powerful and eloquent, while Rochester is fumbling and emotional, such as when they speak about philosophy, higher ideals, and even their relationship. But, for me, the most gratifying part of their conversing and reciprocal roles is how well they click when they are united. Only together can the pair grasp and fully experience freedom. Perhaps it seems cliche, but they complete one another in the most satisfying way. This revelation makes me question Bronte’s decision to make Jane and Rochester so complimentary, and I would imagine it is to make us truly value who they are when unified.
Another point brought up in our class discussion, that seemed to stick with me far after, was Rochester’s attraction to Jane and what he does to express it. I found this so interesting because of the constant tension between control and passion that accompanies their relationship. Rochester often conveys his love for Jane in non-conventional ways, such as expressing his feelings for and intentions to marry Blanche Ingram, who Jane envies, just to test Jane’s love and passion for him. Although this seems manipulative and cruel, Rochester is actually genuine. Additionally, he wants to shower her in material goods and makes it a priority to keep her superficially happy, without any real regard for what Jane’s actual needs.
Lastly, I wish that we could have delved a bit deeper into Bronte’s capacity to create a scene chalk full of eerieness. This ability was clearly shown in the Gypsy scene, but I think it was also apparent in Jane’s dreams, when “Grace Poole” breaks into her room to shred her wedding veil, and the entirety of the uncovering of Bertha. Scenes like these will remain in the back of my mind for a long time to come, along with various other parts of this novel.
The only was that I can honestly describe the relationship between Jane and Rochester is a rollercoaster. Not only with Rochester, but with Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Fairfax as well, there were many ups and downs between Chapter 17 and Chapter 27. As the chapters go on the relationship between Jane and Rochester develops and Jane seems to fall for him more and more. Bronte develops the story in a way that portrays their love and 'forbidden.' Much like Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet, Jane and Rochester are from different social standings and lifestyles, both of which would naturally push one away from the other. I know that this theme is not the most prevalent, nor the most important, but I couldn't help but notice it while reading. The society in the time of Jane Eyre plays a role in the social standings that (theoretically should) keep Jane and Rochester apart. I wonder if anyone else noticed this 'forbidden love' theme and wish I had brought it up in class during the discussion for this section. Who is to say if people are meant for each other? Does society have that large an impact that it keeps people apart? What aspects of society might have actually brought them together (at least initially? Another theme we talked about in class was control. Rochester, due to society and his personality, is the natural dominant character. He owns the house and hires Jane while he dances with other women at his dinner parties. Looking at Jane quickly and without detail, she could be percieved as a typical women character in that time period. However, when our class dug deeper into the text, I saw Jane for something else. When her heart tells her to go to Rochester, and she wants to more than anything, she holds back because it is what she thinks is best for her. While Rochester almost craves control, Jane knows it is within her to choose her actions. I feel like control is almost a 'duty' to her, because she can't let herself down. Because of this, she has a tough time giving her 'identity/name' to Rochester through marriage. The scene with Bertha only intensifies these feelings that were already planted within the text.
It’s very difficult to come on at this point, when all of the above exceedingly articulate people have really eaten most of the pie. I’ll try to remember to get into this earlier next time. As it is, what I believe I can do is communicate and back up what my comrades have said about the chapters 17-27. This section was indeed one that saw the deepening of our understanding of many characters. The plot stagnates somewhat in the beginning to allow this. I can’t agree more with those who reveled in Bronte’s ability to paint an eerie scene. What makes them eerie? For me, this is largely the way in which they spring upon the reader. One minute, you’ve got a handle on things. The next, there’s a gypsy woman doing a reading for Jane all of the sudden. Okay, I think I’ve got a handle on this. Sort of. Oh, the gypsy is Rochester. No more handle. This is not to say that this flow is one that bucks the reader from the saddle of understanding. It deepens it, by not allowing the reader to settle into the rut that is reading for plot, becoming focused on a particular scene. Each scene plays its part, no doubt, and the intricacies that riddle them are all a part of the driving forces that my peers have so well discerned (bird imagery, details about Rochester’s treatment of Jane post-proposal and how this may relate to Bertha). But Bronte does not allow you to settle into a rut. Jane’s narration creates a view of the events and people that surround her that compels a look from above. The writing does not do this, the reader must. And much more meaning is gathered from stepping back (oftentimes, going back a few pages) and filling in the pieces with the new understanding that we gather on the run. I agree completely with Claire in that Bronte’s ability to create an entirely eerie scene has gone somewhat overlooked. There are many points were I cannot help but think to myself – what kind of person is Jane? How can she endure the scene in which Bertha infiltrates her room? Granted, I know she faints from terror and all, but the next day, she is calm and collected, rationally explaining the situation to a nervous Rochester. Is this just an English thing, a` la African explorers and their consistent understatements? I don’t think so. But somehow she manages to relate the full horror of the scene with composure the next day. That’s incredible self-control – the kind that it takes to walk away from the man you love, I suppose.
Many things happen from chapter 17 to 27 in Jane Eyre. Rochester's guests, his guise as a gypsy, his proposal to Jane, and, ultimately, his unveiling of Bertha's existence to Jane all impact the plot, and Jane's character, immensely. During this length of the book, the potential of Jane and Rochester's relationship becomes stressed. Jane feels she is being given her marriage to Rochester as a sort of pity gift. Jane looks at Rochester's love as shallow and unreal. She believes that in him marrying her, he is somehow conveying a message of sympathy and appeasement to her. It is this insecurity of herself that prompts Jane to rethink her independence and the lifestyle she wishes to lead. This stress that Jane places on herself results in her dreams of babies and the meaning that is associated with them. Jane’s dreams of babies are representative of an inner struggle over being tied down to one spot and being forced to fit herself into the mold that society has created for her. Rochester is the lodestone of this worry, being the one who begins attempting to change Jane into something she is not. Most notably, Rochester, tries to dress Jane up in attempts to project onto her his perfect woman. Jane sees this happening, but struggles whether to choose independence or the love and attention she has craved for so long. (Here it is important to take a look back at Jane’s visitation of Gateshead as Mrs. Reed faces her final days. Mrs. Reed, an important subject of the ruined childhood Jane had, and a root of where her problems began, sticks to her guns, rejecting Jane as being an outcast in her eyes and accusing Jane of taking Mr. Reed’s [before his death] attention away from her family.) Jane ultimately decides when Bertha is revealed as the “madwoman in the attic” Jane sees in Bertha herself, and a possible future if she chooses to stay at Thornfield. Rochester pleads with Jane to recognize his regret and promises to prevent Jane from ending up as Bertha has, but Jane has already made up her mind to leave at once. Taking only the money she has saved and the clothes on her back, she turns away from Thornfield. Jane sacrifices a part of herself as she leaves Rochester and the possibility of a loving life behind for freedom and independence.
This chunk of Jane Eyre in my opinion is a little more juicy with detail, suspense, and build-up. You begin to see to unravel how beautifully dysfunctional the relationship between Rochester and Jane is. I say the word "beautifully" because the relationship is beautiful. I find their romance quite entertaining to read about. I think you first see the chemistry bubbling when Jane reveals that the fortune teller had been Rochester in disguise. She found it quite strange that Rochester knew so much about her, and I think we all thought the same. What was his point of being the fortune teller? He was trying to get a feel of Jane as well as Blanche. Even though Rochester responds to Jane coldly, he finds her completely intriguing. And this was because Jane was not only resistant to him like other girls, but, as we have discussed in class, unattractive. Rochester supposedly feel in love with Bertha only because of her beauty and wealth. And even though Jane sees herself in Bertha, they are opposites. Jane is poor, educated, and plain, and it gives Rochester a chance to fall in love with something that Jane has that Bertha doesn't have, which is a soul. As we have read in Wide Sargasso Sea, Bertha had lost her soul when she became mad. Her body is what's left. And in way, Jane and Rochester need each other. Jane never really wanted to give in to love in general because it usually would fail her. She was taken away from Bessie, and Helen died. And she is expecting to get failed by Rochester if she gives into his love. That's why I think Jane sees herself in Bertha, both characters have only relied on things other than nurturing love. Anyways, Rochester's and Jane's relationship is dysfunctional for obvious reasons. Rochester has attempted to dress Jane up and help her blend in with the same people that have looked down upon her, and she not very fond of the idea. And she refuses to treat Rochester as nothing but the man she works for until the night before her wedding. You would think she would be getting cold feet, but she fears her identity will be lost once she becomes Mrs. Rochester.
In the previous class discussion we opened with a student-given plot summary. So, I will do the same.
ReplyDeleteJane, after finally admitting to herself the feelings she had for Mr. Rochester, made work of proving herself unworthy of his affection. She had created pictures comparing herself to Blanche Ingram, taking care to contrast the materials used to color them. Upon receiving news of Mr. Rochester's return and the company which he would bring, Jane suppressed her excitement to see him, assuring herself he would have no time and take no notice of her. The entire crowd, pretty as they may have been, were riddled with empty heads and gossip, raining insults on Jane and her household position both behind her back and with obvious scowls cast in her direction. Jane busies herself by closely monitoring Mr. Rochester and Blanche Ingram's relationship. One night a fortune-teller happens upon the house and gives the young single ladies a glimpse at their fate. When it came to be Jane's turn, she was guarded with the old woman, and listened only to her contradicting accounts of the lines and contours of Jane's face. Turns out, the fortune-teller was Mr. Rochester. Jane informs him of a visitor from the West Indies, Mr. Mason, whom Rochester is immediately frightened of. That night, a horrible scream wakes the house and Mr. Rochester takes Jane into his confidence concerning the matter. He locks her in a room with the bleeding and half-conscious Mr. Mason, instructing them both to remain silent and Jane to wash his wounds continually while he fetched the doctor. It is implied through the scenes that follow that Grace Poole attacked and bit Mr. Mason, and he is promptly set on his way. Shortly after, Jane learns that Mr. Rochester plans to marry Miss Ingram, and she must travel to Gateshead upon the request of a delirious Mrs. Reed. She takes her leave and Mrs. Reed informs her of an uncle she possesses. After Mrs. Reed's passing and a few weeks spent helping her cousins, Jane returns to Thornfield. Mr. Rochester informs her she must leave, she breaks down and reveals her feelings for him, which he seconds, and they resolve to get married. She pushes away his overzealous spoiling and spending, treating him as an employer until the night before their wedding. This night she tells him of a crazed figure who entered her room and tore her veil in two. In the morning, their marriage is halted by Mr. Mason, who, learning of the marriage from Jane's letter to her uncle, has returned to inform the clergyman of Mr. Rochester's living wife. The crazed figure who Jane had seen is his insane wife, who is kept under Grace Poole's care, and is Mr. Mason's sister and attacked. Jane confronts Mr. Rochester and in his mess of emotion, she informs him she will be leaving. She takes off before dawn, walking the road and paying a stranger to ride her away.
PART 2!
ReplyDeleteJane's discussion with "the fortune-teller" in chapter 19 had several very revealing passages. Firstly the depiction of Mr. Rochester as someone who reveals fate is an ironic position, as it is he who ultimately contributes to the person Jane will become and where the next step in her journey will be: marriage to him, or departure without direction. The section which he discusses her "brow" in pinpoints her stubborn independence and the passion she hides, and allows to be overruled, by reason. It shows the extent to which Mr. Rochester has been watching her, and also directs the reader to the change we have seen in Jane since she was a child. The passage clearly contrasts the impulsive emotional child who lived at Gateshead, and even the slightly more controlled though overly conforming young adult of Lowood. Thornfield has given her the freedom of no regulations or rules to follow besides those dictated by herself in regards to respect, self-appointed boundaries, and morals. Yet, Jane is still young and naive. A seemingly irrelevant selection from the fortune-teller portion uncovers the identity searching Jane is presently undertaking. "I knelt within half a yard of her. She stirred the fire, so that a ripple of light broke from the disturbed coal: the glare, however, as she sat, only threw her face into deeper shadow: mine it illumined." My interpretation of this says that Jane allows the actions of others to blind her to their motives, especially Mr. Rochester's. She grew progressively blind to his harshness and temper and eventually says she "saw no bad" after a certain point. In her ignorance of the hidden danger of his person, she lets her guard down on her own identity, consistently revealing more of her emotions to him, and succumbing to the mind games he plays with her and Miss Ingram very easily. The vulnerability that results from this yielding to the naivety society allows is what leaves us unsure of whether Jane will be able to maintain the person she is and hope to remain with the invasive characters surrounding her.
Jane at one point offers Rochester advice on the finding of oneself in others saying, "'a wanderer's repose or a sinner's reformation should never depend on a fellow-creature. Men and women die; philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness: if any one you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than his equals for strength to amend, and solace to heal.'" This is difficult to decipher. She says not to depend on others for an identity, yet she also says not to depend on yourself. Jane's eyes are on the supernatural, the ideas bigger than our own minds and larger even than the society we live in. Eleanor and I, had we been allowed to continue our discussion would probably have come to a similar conclusion. Though one cannot create for oneself a set of guidelines for life within simply one's own mind, it also may not be comprised simply of values shot at us from the people who surround us. Neither of those two things has a full perspective on the world and it's workings, only a supernatural being such as God can provide us with the unbiased and all-inclusive view of the universe.
PART 3!
ReplyDeleteJane's cousins, Eliza and Georgiana also have a brief argument pointing out the benefits and disadvantages of both a world built strictly around rules, regulations, reason, and routines and a universe grounded in the unpredictability yet honesty of passion and impulse. While Georgiana is very dependent on society and company, she finds joy in the values she has been given. Her existence is a happy one, and the struggles she faces help her to grow and learn. Eliza on the other hand, has a strict purpose in life and finds happiness in the fulfillment of tasks. However, to most she is cold and unfeeling, absorbed so much within herself that she will never look up to see the world's offer, let alone revise the situation she has placed herself in. Neither existence seems a pleasant one, but I suppose there is no reason to convince one of their incorrectness as both are content in their lives.
Much foreshadowing is evident throughout the chapters. The agreement and "vow" of union between Rochester and Jane is taken under a large tree, a hovering constant presence which has grown wild, invisible to those who have grown too accustomed to it, and to those who wish not to see it. The tree, the problem, is common to both Jane and Rochester. The tree in that sense represents Mrs. Rochester, the lunatic whose life will bring an abrupt end to Jane and Rochester's relationship. In another sense, the tree can stand for the longing in both Rochester and Jane; Jane for the affection she missed as a child, and Rochester for the companionship he has lacked his whole life. Each finds their need in the other, blind to the barriers of their marriage, including Rochester's wife, but also the naivety of Jane in combination with Rochester's danger and manipulation. The splitting of the tree, divides the problems, and the relationship.
In addition to this, suitcases with "Mrs. Rochester" on the name-tag are described as Jane says this person is foreign to her, and is someone she has not met as of yet. This occurs shortly before her formal introduction to the actual Mrs. Rochester. Whether this also suggests the eventual morphing of Jane's sanity into the monstrosity of Mrs. Rochester is unclear.
Is forced independence beneficial, or will it lead to eventual collapse?
Chapters 17 through 27 were undoubtedly rich with action, love, and heartbreak. In class, we had discussed the new turn of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s relationship. We also compared and contrasted the personalities of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s first wife, Bertha. We also discussed the contrasts between Mr. Rochester’s feelings for Jane and his feelings for Bertha.
ReplyDeleteMr. Rochester’s first marriage to Bertha was obviously a disaster. “He (Mr. Rochester’s father) told me Miss Mason was the boast of Spanish Town for her beauty: and this was no lie… They showed her to me in parties, splendidly dressed. I seldom saw her alone, and had very little private conversation with her… and being ignorant, raw, and inexperienced, I thought I loved her,” Mr. Rochester admitted to Jane. Mr. Rochester was swept away by Bertha’s beauty and wealth. He married a woman based on outward appearances. And because he did not know any better, Mr. Rochester thought he loved her. The consequences were an insane wife and a marriage of lies, deceit, and anger. Finally, Mr. Rochester shut Bertha up in the attic of Thornfield.
While Bertha wasted away in the attic of Thornfield, Mr. Rochester and Jane fell in love. Unlike Bertha, Jane was unattractive and poor. Because of Jane’s unattractiveness and lack of money, this gave Mr. Rochester the chance to fall in love with Jane’s soul, whereas Mr. Rochester fell in love with Bertha’s beauty and wealth and not Bertha’s soul.
There was some discussion about whether or not Mr. Rochester was trying to change Jane, because he insisted on buying her fancy new clothes and showing her off to society. I believe that Mr. Rochester was NOT trying to change Jane. Mr. Rochester is a wealthy man and with wealth comes power in society. Because Jane was to become his wife, Jane has to help Mr. Rochester with his social status by appearing to be society’s darling.
This was before Jane found out about Mr. Rochester’s secret, his first marriage to insane Bertha. I believe that if Mr. Rochester truly loved Jane, he should have had enough faith in her that she would not run away. It was only because he lied to Jane that she ran away.
Also, I wanted to discuss the last conversation between Jane and her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Her aunt revealed the love that Mr. Reed felt for his sister and his niece, Jane. She also said that when Jane’s parents died and Jane came to live with Mr. Reed, Mr. Reed paid more attention to Jane than to his own children. Mrs. Reed was jealous of her husband’s love for Jane and his sister. I believe this sparked the hatred that Mrs. Reed felt towards Jane and her deceased mother.
Even on Mrs. Reed’s deathbed, she could not say she love and forgave Jane, despite Jane’s assurances that she love and forgave Mrs. Reed. Jane’s aunt was a weak, shallow, and hateful person. Mrs. Reed knew this about herself and that’s why she was afraid of death. Her soul was tainted and she did not believe that death would offer redemption.
In our class discussion on chapters 17-27, we continued to discuss the use of occults. I think that the use of occults and the occasional use of religion are another use of contrast by Charlotte Bronte to exemplify the extremes of each. We argued as to whether Jane is religious or spiritual. In my opinion I think that Jane leans more toward the spiritual and almost unnatural side of the spectrum. Jane is very interested in the ‘gypsy’ and is very interested in dreams and what they mean. She refers to dreams almost as if they are omens and takes them very seriously. Jane has become more self-aware and so has the narrative of the entire story. Jane weighs every decision that she has to make; one student even described her as “self-regulating”. Jane tries to fit in with everyone around her but eventually comes to a point where her boundaries are crossed and Jane moves on to a new location. I think of a carefully operated machine when I think of how Jane carefully considers every aspect of a decision and assures herself that everything is in-check. We also looked at the effect of children in Jane Eyre. I think that children bring about chaos because Jane knew nothing as a child herself. Jane has a fear of children or having children because she was never able to experience youth fully. Being a child should mean being free to make mistakes and learn from them but Jane had everything forced upon her, unable to make her own choices until later in life when she decided to become a governess. I think Jane is so close to Adele because Adele has what she always wanted, even if it is not the most ideal situation.
ReplyDeleteDuring our class discussion it was brought up that Jane changed when Helen died. That is bound to happen because everyone changes when someone close to them who they cared deeply about passes. If you care about someone no matter what their death will change you. The way it changes you will vary depending on the person.
ReplyDeleteIt was also brought up how religion is out of character for Jane. I do not believe that when she brings up something religious it is out of character for her, it is just something that does not happen very often. You can have an opinion about religion but you do not feel strongly about it, so you do not bring it up very often. It was also brought up in my class how there is a difference between being a person with a religion and someone who is religious. Someone who is religious devoutly follows everything that their religion says needs to be done. However, if you are a person with a religion you may believe in some of what your religion preaches but not all of it. You also will not devoutly follow it.
Another thing that was brought up was that Jane went back to Gateshead when she heard about Mrs. Reed’s heart attack for closure. The mere fact that she tried to reconcile with Mrs. Reed when she was there confirms this. If Jane had not wanted closure she would never have gone back to Gateshead or she would have felt like she had to go back to Gateshead. Jane went back to Gateshead for closure so she tried to reconcile with Mrs. Reed but she was shut down.
There were many ups and downs throughout chapters 17-27. One of the big problems occurred when there was an objection at the wedding of Jane and Rochester. It is stated that Rochester is already married but Rochester says his "wife" is not fit, so it is okay to be marrying Jane. The dispute continues and finally Rochester brings them all up to see Bertha. This scene had to be my favorite scene out of the chunk of chapters. Bronte does a great job at describing Bertha as an animal and lunatic. The complexity of Rochester and Bertha's relationship is almost twisted. It was obvious that at one point Bertha was beautiful and Rochester was blinded by her it. He never truly wanted to marry her because of her personality and he was pushed into the relationship. His relationship with Jane is quite the opposite; he was not supposed to fall for her. She is not very attractive and is hired as a governess. But they are able to open up to each other and have deep conversations, even from the beginning. Their relationship worries me as well, we saw foreshadowing that something was going to go wrong once the lightning hit the tree where Rochester proposed to Jane. Oh what will happen next?!
ReplyDeleteThere were many points throughout the last section of reading that were striking and complex. We briefly touched upon the most absurd, and my favorite passage, in class: the gypsy scene. When I started reading this passage, I was unsure as to how Brontë would weave in relevancy and meaning. As Brontë always does, however, she surprised me: I did not at first comprehend when it was revealed that the "gypsy" was actually Rochester; the progression from an eery old woman to Rochester's intimate character was completely lost on me the first time I read the scene. I went back and reread the sentence, to make sure my brain had processed the information correctly, then reread the whole passage. Sure enough, Brontë made the transformation surprisingly obvious, once it was known what the outcome was. I am still pondering why exactly Brontë chose to use the gypsy passage at all, but I have developed a few points. One of the most easily recognized reason for using such a bizarre passage at this point in the novel was to keep the reader on his or her toes; otherwise, the abundance of drawing room scenes and surplus of typical, forlorn desire may make Jane Eyre seem like just another Victorian England book. Another, more important reason for adding in the passage was to develop material for the reader to delve deeper into the complexity of Rochester and Jane's relationship; the passage demonstrates Rochester's (poorly) concealed desire for Jane, and Jane's reserved yet yearning feelings for him. Additionally, the gypsy scene reinforced the supernatural elements of the book, and reconnected Rochester to foreign and unsettling characters (such as the Gytrash). I am still developing insight on this scene, and I think that its richness allows it to be continually interpreted.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts of the second section was the most obvious foreshadowing that Bronte uses in the book. It was the scene were Rochester and Jane were talking under the tree, and Rochester proposes and Jane says yes, and almost immediately a storm brews. The new couple then rushes inside, and lighting strikes the tree they were talking under. Bronte uses this to show what is to come in the relationship, and it looks bleak. So that was my favorite thing Bronte did knowingly. The other thing is making Rochester so sneaky and devious. While we read wide Sargasso sea we sided with his narration, because we didn't know much of his past, so we trusted him. But seeing him trick Jane when he was the gypsy, and when he tricked her into telling him about her true feelings for him by faking that he was going to marry someone else. These sneaky tactics that Bronte had Rochester used made me rethink some of the narration he had in wide Sargasso sea, because knowing what we know now can we still trust this tricky man. Or does he just seem Innocent because of our ignorance of his previous life, and he uses that to manipulate how the reader Perceives him. Although technically wide Saragossa sea was before Jane Eyre on a time line we can use the Jane Eyre Rochester to see the wide Saragossa sea Rochester in a less trustworthy light. So even though Bronte couldn't perceive the book wide Sargasso sea being written, she creates a Rochester that doesn't complete have your trust an sympathy, so Wide Sargasso sea had some breathing room to be written.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot to be said about these chapters. There isn't as much immediate change in them as in the first sixteen (which includes three major turns in the novel.) But there is much in these as well, including (by the end of 27 at least) more internal change for Jane than the external change from the first portion. She seems much further on her to way to becoming defined than she was at the end of 16.
ReplyDeleteSince the blog post is inherently brief, I'm just going to touch on a few things:
The portrayal of class in this book is interesting, when one can look back at (for example) Lowood and the guests at Thornfield. Just about every upper class character is portrayed as pompous, arrogant, and empty headed despite the educational options open to them. If they aren't intellectually (like Georgina for example) they are emotionally empty (like her sister.) The male guests aren't portrayed too negatively (if memory serves) but neither are they described too positively, more focus is placed on the women. All the ones that mean well are rather frivolous, and the one's that don't (Blanche's family) are patently classist and malicious. Contrarily, all the low class servants and all the girls at Lowood are portrayed rather positively, if less intellectual than Jane (with the exception of Helen.) The major exceptions to the portrayed personalities of their class are Jane and Rochester, which I think even further underscores their independence
Bertha's first explained appearance bears a lot of importance (and we had a prompt on it. What a coincidence.) At the core of her character, I think she represents what Jane sees as a potential future (which is a rather obvious observation.) The wrestling and binding make the whole manner of the situation rather heavy-handed, which considering the subtlety of other scenes in the book, was likely a choice on Bronte's part, so it would be perfectly clear to any readers.
It's significant, I think, that Rochester redubbed Jane with a new name much the same way he did Antoinette. Following his proposal, her refers to her as Janet or Jane Rochester, or Mrs. Rochester, altogether giving the impression of the name Janet Rochester, which is as foreign a name as Bertha Rochester was to Antoinette Cosway née Mason. But unlike Bertha's reaction to the name, which involves voiced complaints, but an eventual shouldering of the title, Jane shakes it off. She is unwilling to accept the imposed label, lest it interfere with her still uncertain identity.
Like Olivia, I found it odd that Mr. Rochester should begin a relationship with Jane by showering her with the material goods which he should have inferred her to shun. However, while I don't believe he was necessarily trying to change her, I interpreted the action as more of a failed attempt to raise the element of beauty which he saw in her morals to her outward appearance. Though he adored her conversational skills and exploring the ideals within her mind, he longed for the physical allure of his previous love interests. This is the immaturity of his affection which I believe Jane left in hopes of extinguishing.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Bertha is concerned, for all Bronte's efforts to make contrasts between her and Jane, Rochester's behavior with each shows the undeniable similarities which may or may not be rightly placed between the two of them, both in Rochester's mind and Bronte's. Rochester compares Jane frequently to a fairy, free and winged, and the word "pinioned" when referring to his restraint of Bertha alludes to her bird-like liberty and defying of society's gravity. Much in the same way, when he is trying to convince Jane to stay with him, he embraces her, which she refers to as a "restraint" shortly after. His constant attempts to pin down or lock up the mystery and mental stimulants Jane provided for him, drove her further away from him. Rochester was left with the mere shadow of an overly contained passion in Bertha. In leaving him to realize his suffocating grasp, Jane successfully preserved her sanity and her love for Rochester. Had she stayed, she may have lost both, and become a mirror image of his wife, getting near him only to attack, and thinking lucidly only to stealthily rummage for knives.
Concerning Jane's encounter with Mrs. Reed, as unrewarding as it may have been, the news of her uncle would determine the course of her journey. Were his existence to have gone unrealized, there would have been no one to put a halt to her marriage. It's ironic that a character who is never met in the story could have such a profound impact on Jane's life(both in 17-27 as well as the remainder of the novel). The abrupt halt brought to the union makes the change of environments in Jane's life consistent. The moving from Gateshead to Lowood, was anything but gradual, as was the change from Lowood to Thornfield. Once again she is thrown from the familiarity of one "home" into the foreignness of a new habitat. Without these sudden alterations, Jane would have clung to an environment before a set of values, grounding herself in surroundings as well as people, rather than developing within herself.
Chapters 17 through chapter 28 was a great section for character development in the story. One of the developments in character was Jane's love for Rochester. When he tells Jane that he wants to marry Blanche in the beginning of this section, Jane has to confess her love to him. This shows that Jane and Rochester are not independent people. They both need the other. Before in class, we discussed that Rochester needed to be needed, and that is demonstrated here. It is shown because he tested Jane's affection towards him by making her think that he wants to marry Blanche. Rochester also shows that he is not a risk taker. He shows this by testing both Blanche and in a way Jane too, by pretending to be a gypsy. He tested Blanche by telling her that he did not have a lot of money, to see if she was in it only for the money. He tested Jane by seeing how she would react to finding about Blanche and how would she would react to the “gypsy's” comments to her, about her personality and emotions. I do not think that Rochester is trying to control and change Jane. Rochester just has to keep up in his status as a wealthy person, he does not care about her style in non important events. Rochester did not try to change Jane before they got married. I believe that Rochester was not justified in trying to marry Jane, while he was still married to Bertha. Even if Bertha is crazy, it gives Rochester no right to marry someone else. He should have some sort of moral ground right?
ReplyDeleteAlthough our second class discussion on chapters 17-27 didn’t cover as much in terms of sheer volume as in our first, I think we talked about specific parts of the novel in depth and great detail. Like others have talked about above, it goes without question that there is a lot left open for discussion about these chapters that we didn’t quite get to.
ReplyDeleteThe class talked in length about Rochester and Jane’s tumultuous relationship and what they become when separated, but more importantly, who they are while united. We spoke about their external and internal relations sparingly, and this I thought deserved a bit more speculation. During the affluent families extended stay at Thornfield, Rochester portrays himself in a very dominant light. He is at ease, visibly strong and controlled, while calculated and frank. A perfect host and gentlemen, he leaves little to speculation. Conversely, Jane is noticeably distant and meek towards Rochester and the guests during their visit. She prefers to sit in a quiet corner of the bustling drawing room, watching as the lively, prosperous people have a grand time. Jane is seemingly far from herself during this period which leaves a lot of speculation and questioning for the reader. This change of character is so startling because of how different Rochester and Jane behave towards one another amongst other circumstances. Their roles are reversed; Jane is powerful and eloquent, while Rochester is fumbling and emotional, such as when they speak about philosophy, higher ideals, and even their relationship. But, for me, the most gratifying part of their conversing and reciprocal roles is how well they click when they are united. Only together can the pair grasp and fully experience freedom. Perhaps it seems cliche, but they complete one another in the most satisfying way. This revelation makes me question Bronte’s decision to make Jane and Rochester so complimentary, and I would imagine it is to make us truly value who they are when unified.
Another point brought up in our class discussion, that seemed to stick with me far after, was Rochester’s attraction to Jane and what he does to express it. I found this so interesting because of the constant tension between control and passion that accompanies their relationship. Rochester often conveys his love for Jane in non-conventional ways, such as expressing his feelings for and intentions to marry Blanche Ingram, who Jane envies, just to test Jane’s love and passion for him. Although this seems manipulative and cruel, Rochester is actually genuine. Additionally, he wants to shower her in material goods and makes it a priority to keep her superficially happy, without any real regard for what Jane’s actual needs.
Lastly, I wish that we could have delved a bit deeper into Bronte’s capacity to create a scene chalk full of eerieness. This ability was clearly shown in the Gypsy scene, but I think it was also apparent in Jane’s dreams, when “Grace Poole” breaks into her room to shred her wedding veil, and the entirety of the uncovering of Bertha. Scenes like these will remain in the back of my mind for a long time to come, along with various other parts of this novel.
Eleanor K
ReplyDeleteThe only was that I can honestly describe the relationship between Jane and Rochester is a rollercoaster. Not only with Rochester, but with Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Fairfax as well, there were many ups and downs between Chapter 17 and Chapter 27. As the chapters go on the relationship between Jane and Rochester develops and Jane seems to fall for him more and more. Bronte develops the story in a way that portrays their love and 'forbidden.' Much like Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet, Jane and Rochester are from different social standings and lifestyles, both of which would naturally push one away from the other. I know that this theme is not the most prevalent, nor the most important, but I couldn't help but notice it while reading. The society in the time of Jane Eyre plays a role in the social standings that (theoretically should) keep Jane and Rochester apart. I wonder if anyone else noticed this 'forbidden love' theme and wish I had brought it up in class during the discussion for this section. Who is to say if people are meant for each other? Does society have that large an impact that it keeps people apart? What aspects of society might have actually brought them together (at least initially?
Another theme we talked about in class was control. Rochester, due to society and his personality, is the natural dominant character. He owns the house and hires Jane while he dances with other women at his dinner parties. Looking at Jane quickly and without detail, she could be percieved as a typical women character in that time period. However, when our class dug deeper into the text, I saw Jane for something else. When her heart tells her to go to Rochester, and she wants to more than anything, she holds back because it is what she thinks is best for her. While Rochester almost craves control, Jane knows it is within her to choose her actions. I feel like control is almost a 'duty' to her, because she can't let herself down. Because of this, she has a tough time giving her 'identity/name' to Rochester through marriage. The scene with Bertha only intensifies these feelings that were already planted within the text.
It’s very difficult to come on at this point, when all of the above exceedingly articulate people have really eaten most of the pie. I’ll try to remember to get into this earlier next time. As it is, what I believe I can do is communicate and back up what my comrades have said about the chapters 17-27.
ReplyDeleteThis section was indeed one that saw the deepening of our understanding of many characters. The plot stagnates somewhat in the beginning to allow this. I can’t agree more with those who reveled in Bronte’s ability to paint an eerie scene. What makes them eerie? For me, this is largely the way in which they spring upon the reader. One minute, you’ve got a handle on things. The next, there’s a gypsy woman doing a reading for Jane all of the sudden. Okay, I think I’ve got a handle on this. Sort of. Oh, the gypsy is Rochester. No more handle.
This is not to say that this flow is one that bucks the reader from the saddle of understanding. It deepens it, by not allowing the reader to settle into the rut that is reading for plot, becoming focused on a particular scene. Each scene plays its part, no doubt, and the intricacies that riddle them are all a part of the driving forces that my peers have so well discerned (bird imagery, details about Rochester’s treatment of Jane post-proposal and how this may relate to Bertha). But Bronte does not allow you to settle into a rut. Jane’s narration creates a view of the events and people that surround her that compels a look from above. The writing does not do this, the reader must. And much more meaning is gathered from stepping back (oftentimes, going back a few pages) and filling in the pieces with the new understanding that we gather on the run.
I agree completely with Claire in that Bronte’s ability to create an entirely eerie scene has gone somewhat overlooked. There are many points were I cannot help but think to myself – what kind of person is Jane? How can she endure the scene in which Bertha infiltrates her room? Granted, I know she faints from terror and all, but the next day, she is calm and collected, rationally explaining the situation to a nervous Rochester. Is this just an English thing, a` la African explorers and their consistent understatements? I don’t think so. But somehow she manages to relate the full horror of the scene with composure the next day. That’s incredible self-control – the kind that it takes to walk away from the man you love, I suppose.
Many things happen from chapter 17 to 27 in Jane Eyre. Rochester's guests, his guise as a gypsy, his proposal to Jane, and, ultimately, his unveiling of Bertha's existence to Jane all impact the plot, and Jane's character, immensely. During this length of the book, the potential of Jane and Rochester's relationship becomes stressed. Jane feels she is being given her marriage to Rochester as a sort of pity gift. Jane looks at Rochester's love as shallow and unreal. She believes that in him marrying her, he is somehow conveying a message of sympathy and appeasement to her. It is this insecurity of herself that prompts Jane to rethink her independence and the lifestyle she wishes to lead. This stress that Jane places on herself results in her dreams of babies and the meaning that is associated with them. Jane’s dreams of babies are representative of an inner struggle over being tied down to one spot and being forced to fit herself into the mold that society has created for her. Rochester is the lodestone of this worry, being the one who begins attempting to change Jane into something she is not. Most notably, Rochester, tries to dress Jane up in attempts to project onto her his perfect woman. Jane sees this happening, but struggles whether to choose independence or the love and attention she has craved for so long.
ReplyDelete(Here it is important to take a look back at Jane’s visitation of Gateshead as Mrs. Reed faces her final days. Mrs. Reed, an important subject of the ruined childhood Jane had, and a root of where her problems began, sticks to her guns, rejecting Jane as being an outcast in her eyes and accusing Jane of taking Mr. Reed’s [before his death] attention away from her family.)
Jane ultimately decides when Bertha is revealed as the “madwoman in the attic” Jane sees in Bertha herself, and a possible future if she chooses to stay at Thornfield. Rochester pleads with Jane to recognize his regret and promises to prevent Jane from ending up as Bertha has, but Jane has already made up her mind to leave at once. Taking only the money she has saved and the clothes on her back, she turns away from Thornfield. Jane sacrifices a part of herself as she leaves Rochester and the possibility of a loving life behind for freedom and independence.
This chunk of Jane Eyre in my opinion is a little more juicy with detail, suspense, and build-up. You begin to see to unravel how beautifully dysfunctional the relationship between Rochester and Jane is. I say the word "beautifully" because the relationship is beautiful. I find their romance quite entertaining to read about. I think you first see the chemistry bubbling when Jane reveals that the fortune teller had been Rochester in disguise. She found it quite strange that Rochester knew so much about her, and I think we all thought the same. What was his point of being the fortune teller? He was trying to get a feel of Jane as well as Blanche. Even though Rochester responds to Jane coldly, he finds her completely intriguing. And this was because Jane was not only resistant to him like other girls, but, as we have discussed in class, unattractive. Rochester supposedly feel in love with Bertha only because of her beauty and wealth. And even though Jane sees herself in Bertha, they are opposites. Jane is poor, educated, and plain, and it gives Rochester a chance to fall in love with something that Jane has that Bertha doesn't have, which is a soul. As we have read in Wide Sargasso Sea, Bertha had lost her soul when she became mad. Her body is what's left. And in way, Jane and Rochester need each other. Jane never really wanted to give in to love in general because it usually would fail her. She was taken away from Bessie, and Helen died. And she is expecting to get failed by Rochester if she gives into his love. That's why I think Jane sees herself in Bertha, both characters have only relied on things other than nurturing love. Anyways, Rochester's and Jane's relationship is dysfunctional for obvious reasons. Rochester has attempted to dress Jane up and help her blend in with the same people that have looked down upon her, and she not very fond of the idea. And she refuses to treat Rochester as nothing but the man she works for until the night before her wedding. You would think she would be getting cold feet, but she fears her identity will be lost once she becomes Mrs. Rochester.
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