Development of Jane Eyre’s Characters

Abstract: Charlotte Bronte’s masterpiece Jane Eyre traces the emotional and spiritual development of the heroine， Jane Eyre， who discords with the traditional fictional stereotype of a woman as submissive， dependent， and ignorant in the nineteenth century. It describes her searching for an identity as a new woman supported by economic and emotional independence in a world， which did not allow such ambitions in women. For the originality of the novel in form and content， Jane Eyre is regarded by many as the precursor of feminism.

Key words: Jane Eyre， feminism， character， independence， comparison

中圖分類(lèi)號(hào):C913.68文獻(xiàn)標(biāo)識(shí)碼:A文章編號(hào):1673-8209(2009)10-0245-03

Jane Eyre’s experience in the novel can be traced in order from Gateshead→Lowood School→Thornfield→Moor House(or Marsh End)→back to Thornfield. Accordingly， I will analyze Jane’s character according to this order.

I Outburst Period At Gateshead

Jane Eyre is born an orphan， with unfortunate family and longtime repressive feeling， she builds up her resistant emotion. Mrs. Reed’s ill treatment， John’s imperious action， and Elizabeth’s and Georgiana’s cold attitude badly hurt her， even the servants make sarcastic remarks about her. As a girl who is raised in others’ home， she is as said by servant Abbot as “l(fā)ess than a servant，”(P7， Jane Eyre) for she “does nothing for her keep” (P7， Jane Eyre) Without happiness in real life， and her only happiness becomes reading. The book creates her imagination and arouses her intelligence. She feels herself free and independent in the world created by the book， and seems to have found her in a new happy land. But this simple way of self-consolation is also spoiled by her cousin. For the first time， she raises an impulsive feeling of protection after numerous humiliation. After being beaten by Master John， she says to him， “Wicked and cruely”， “You are like the Roman emperor!” (P6， Jane Eyre) Her emotion bursts out as strong as flood， as fierce as volcano， which can never be stopped. Her action frightens almost everyone in Gateshead that they all begin to take a new eye on her. This is the first step of the development of Jane Eyre’s characters.

The lesson of “John Incident” encourages Jane to struggle against Mrs. Reeds for her deserved position instead of crushing. Although the upright Jane has rebellious nature， she is too young to realize the value of her character. It is easy to see that there is at race of passion in her actions. Jane has her own simple principles to judge a person good or not according to her emotion. The Reeds are cold and cruel to her， so she thinks they are bad; while servant Bessie is sympathetic to her， so she thinks Bessie is a kind-hearted woman. It seems to her that there are only two groups of people in the world: good ones and bad ones. They are hostile. She doesn’t know how to conciliate the contradiction among people. Jane is not a reasonable girl yet. Miserable feelings control her. She thinks of herself as poor as said by a song : “My feet are sore， and my limbs， they are weary; Long is the way， and the mountains are wild; soon will the twilight close moonless and dreary over the path of the poor orphan child…”(P18， Jane Eyre) It expresses Jane’s mood， also it is the vivid portrait of her childhood. She feels puzzled by where she can go and what she should do. However， Jane Eyre gets a chance to strive for leaving Gateshead to Lowood School. She wins her triumph. From then on she gets rid of the oppression by the family forever. It marks the turning point in her life.

II Progress Period In Lowood School

During her stay in Lowood School， Jane not only keeps her rebellious spirit but also develop her independent personality.

In this period， Jane’s rebellious spirit is up to a new standard and catches a more profounding meaning. Her fighting is not only against a person， but also against the social convention. This is revealed by the contrast between Jane and Helen. Hellen can never give up the religious doctrine that， “l(fā)ove your enemies， beless them that curse; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you.” (P60， Jane Eyre) So she can bear the injustice and wrong done to her every time. Her forbearing spirit makes her always under the control of others without a dissatisfied word. Jane may lead the similar life as Hellen’s when at Gateshead. Since the first outburst， she absolutely deserts the gray characters Hellen possesses， and shows her development， She doesn’t agree with Hellen’s passive and gloomy attitude to the oppressors， so she tells Hellen， “I must resist those who punish me unjustly， it is as natural as that should love those who show me affection， or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserve.” (P60， Jane Eyre) Hellen admires religion， bears injustice patiently， and is tolerant to immorality. Jane can never do the same. She more practically sees through the evils in the society such as inequality， injustice and so on. She comes to know that a person should struggle his way to get his reasonable position in the complex society. Hellen is the victim of religion and cruel rules of her days， so we sympathize her; Jane is a brave fighter against doomed fate of life， so we sing high praise of her.

III Perfection Period At Thornfield Hall

During this time， Jane Eyre’s characters are completely developed and emerged by means of keeping relationship with people ranging from servant to master.

Jane， as a grown-up， changes her harshness into a refined woman with good education， delicacy of feeling and gentleness of manners. Jane makes a good impression on Mrs. Fairfax at the first sight， and she gets well along with her， though Fairfax is only a servant. Sometimes they talk leisuredly before the hearth， and Jane feels that is “warm and happy”. Jane is mild to everyone. Adela， a girl without talent， is carefully taught by Jane and makes “a surprising progress”. When adela falls ill， Jane thinks of how she herself wishes a day off when she is ill in Lowood school， so she gives Adela a holiday. Jane is also a nature-lover. She often strolls and enjoys herself in the beauty of nature. Planted-hill， deserted-field and pale moon are more suitable to her indifferent mood. In such a wide world she forgets her pain and her misery. Furthermore， she learns to be tolerant to others’ shortcomings. Hearing that Mrs. Reed is dying， she comes back soon to Gateshead. Although she once has told Mrs. Reed that she never wants to see her again， she forgets and forgives Mrs. Reed， Jane’s delicate feeling is best revealed when she meets Rochester， who is hurt. She gives him a hand in a polite way. In spite of Rochester’s rude rejection， she says that， “I cannot think of leaving you， sir， at so late an hour， in this solitary lane， till I see you are fit to mount your horsr.” (P125， Jane Eyre) Her abundant and smooth feeling is perfectly betrayed when she falls in love with Rochester. At first she is wandering with contradictory mind. On the one hand she cannot help thinking of Rochester every day and night; on the other hand she cannot be sure whether Rochester loves her or not. She imagines what Rochester would think of her， concerns whether Rochester will marry Miss Ingram or not， and is tormented by why Rochester is so cold towards her. This is the reasonable and complicated psychology of a woman in love. To Jane， the special feature is that she is silent in word， but violent in mind. After Rochester lies bare his true feelings to her， Jane is moved to tears， and her emotion bursts forth towards Rochester with nothing left. Whatever she does or whatever she says now， all makes her a growing-up refined woman.

After having a broader eye about the world， for the first time， Jane clearly expresses the most important part of her outlook. First， the marriage pursued by women must be based on true love. She distains the money-hunt marriage， pursued by Ingram， and looks down upon her artificial and hypocritic manners. The way she gets to know Rochester well is talking with him， observing him and getting agreements with him. She falls in love with Rochester not at the first sight but after a fairly long time acquaintance. Before Jane completely knows Rochester she only takes him as the master and an object for talking. Every time she talks with him， her attitude to Rochester changes once. Through communicating each other with their minds， they gradually come to a harmony in spirit. Jane thinks， “ The ease of his manner freed me from painful restraint: the friendly frankness， as correct as cordial， with which he treated me， drew me to him; I felt times， as if were my relation， rather than my master: yet he was imperious， sometimes still; but I did not mind that;” This is Jane’s revealation of true feeling to Rochester. Only when Jane understands Rochester， can she appropriately analyze and accept Rochester’s character. Understanding each other and getting harmony in spirit are the solid base of their true love.

Secondly， Jane respects the mutual equality of personality. Her viewpoint shows she has clear self-consciousness， self-esteem， and awaken sense of love. As a woman living in the society unequal between men and women， Jane doesn’t follow the outmoded conventions. She believes men and women are equal—if not in property， then in personality. So when she misunderstands that Rochester will marry Miss Ingram， she is injured by his asking for her stay. She feels it necessary to defend her dignity， so she announces， “Do you think I can stay， to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automation?—without feelings? And can bear to have my marsel of bread snatched from my lips， and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think because I am poor， obscure， plain and little， I am soulless and heartless?…You think wrong!…I have as much soul as you!…and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty， and much wealth， I should have made it as hard for you to leave me， as it is now for me to leave you.…it is my spirit that addressed your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave， and we stood at God’s feet， equal…as we are!” Obtaining equality in life is Jane’s ambition. It is equality that makes her love Rochester with all of her heart and soul; also it is equality that makes her leave Rochester with her disappointment and distress. Life is hard to Jane. On their wedding day， a secret is exposed that Rochester has a mad wife locked for several years， then Jane resolutely gives up Rochester and is determined not to be a mistress. Jane’s ambition， of course， forbids her to accept the unequal position of being the mistress of someone’s husband. She has her self-respect and must keep her nobility. Being an illegal mistress benefits her nothing but reducing her virtue and demoralizing her personality. Then she would have to depend on Rochester and lose her equality， independence and freedom. So she chooses the distress of leaving Rochester to realize her pursuit.

IV Stable period of Jane Eyre’s Characters

If Rochester’s wife did not exist in the course of Jane’s life， Jane would have married Rochester and lived a happy life. But in fact， Rochester’s wife appears， and Jane has to leave to look for another suitable place. Her distress creates a chance for her to clarify and balance her mind and emotion during a fairly long time， and then forms her stable characters.

Jane does not give up her pursuit yet. On the one side， she asks her savors to keep her; On the one side， she would not take their food without doing anything for them. With their help， she finds a job as a teacher in the village school. As she does so， she is contented with the happiness of realization of self-value. John is another man who affects Jane greatly in her life. He is a diligent clergyman who tributes himself to religion. He puts all his heart and soul on preaching and religious charity. Jane thinks that， “He lived only to aspire…after what was good and great， certainly; but still he sould never rest; not approve of others resting round him.” She is also aware that once John makes up his mind， he is not easily changed by others. It is because of these good characteristics of John River that Jane does not disgust him， though he obliges her to marry him. The explanation is that John’s advantage is coincidence with Jane’s striving spirit， and urges Jane to work harder and continuously， and that they are the perfect supplement to Jane’s characters. Jane’s goal is different from John’s. She can accept his viewpoint about struggle， but cannot accept him as her husband only because she does not love him. John tells Jane that he does not love her， but she is the best choice as a wife for his cause and himself. Jane can not promise him against her will， because she does not believe in marriage without love， because she still loves Rochester deeply. Under the pressure of John， she misses Rochester more than ever. Her consistent mind and emotion impel her to escape John and look for her lover in a hurry.

Jane at last has a satisfactory marriage due to her persistent pursuit and noble characters. Jane comes back to Thornfield Hall， only to find it in ruins. People tells her what has happened. She is dreaded to know that Rochester is “stone-blind” in a fire and feels more eager to see Rochester. She mixes with sadness and gaiety when Rochester appears before her eyes. Knowing that Rochester’s wife has died in the fire， Jane decides at once to marry Rochester. When in Marshend Jane has got a large sum of heritage. She says proudly， “ I am an independent woman now”; “ I am my own mistress.” Financial independence promotes her complete independence in the end. Rochester’ misfortune can remove nothing off Jane’s love. Jane has said that if God had gifted her with some beauty and much wealth， she should have make it as hard for Rochester to leave her as it was for her to leave him. What she has said becomes true. They are united， and Jane realizes her great ambition. Their marriage based on true love， harmony of spirit， mutual equality of personality brings them endless happiness. Jane finally finds her happy land both of material and spirit; where she deliberately cultivates her hope， her love and her life.

V Conclusion

Jane Eyre’s character can be understood from many aspects. Throughout the novel， Jane Eyre spares no efforts to achieve the independence in terms economic situation and spiritual world. As an orphan girl without beauty or wealth， Jane Eyre lays the significance of her life on the persistent strive for the independent status， mentally and physically， which presents a strong tone far beyond her time’s hearing. Actually women’s pursuit of the independent social status， the recognition of their potentials and the humanized moral regulation are exactly the manifestation of upgrading progress of society.

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