Dr Mark’s The Meaning in a Nutshell
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847)
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) is a romance novel, which also includes a Gothic horror dimension. It is the romance of a plain, principled woman with strong Christian convictions who triumphs in the end, finding a true love that is an everlasting love with the man of her dreams. The story, told in the first person from the perspective of the romantic heroine, Jane Eyre, centres upon the emotional and engaging ‘game’ of romance, with its dramatic ebb and flow, emotive ups and downs, and tantalising will-they or won’t-they moments in a manner intended to convey high drama and thereby evoke high emotion in the readers as Jane Eyre and the romantic hero, Rochester, meet, feel attraction, and overcome great obstacles to be together, ultimately in marriage.
The Gothic horror dimension of the novel involves the author’s evocation of unease, mystery and suspense regarding the romantic hero’s dark secret (the incendiary, homicidal lunatic first-wife locked in the attic of his grand manor house) and the danger this presents to him and to others. This adds another emotional element to the romance, bringing genuine horror and the threat of mortal danger into the drama.
The novel, written by a woman and predominantly for women, portrays a romantic fantasy in the hope this fantasy is shared by others, thereby gaining currency and agency as a story with which the audience can identify. The audience is also positioned to empathise with the romantic heroine, Jane Eyre, so her hopes and feelings are vicariously experienced by the readers to give them an engaging reading experience.
Importantly, the romantic heroine, Jane Eyre, is seen to hold out for what she wants, without compromising her beliefs or sense of identity, to find a fulfilling love with the man she chose above all others, Rochester. He is an impressive man who presents a challenge to the romantic heroine to win over, but he is a man worth fighting for and worth the dramas involved in winning his heart. The novel also plays into the romantic notion that there is someone special who is out there and who will come your way, and although winning them will not be easy, it will be worth it.
The romance portrayed in romantic fiction can be appreciated as: love with obstacles. The obstacles placed before the potential lovers heighten the emotional drama while simultaneously intensifying their love. The readers are positioned to empathise with the main characters, especially the romantic heroine, so they experience, along with these fictional protagonists, the emotions associated with this drama.
Initially, in the first phase of their romance, the obstacles faced by Jane Eyre and Rochester are their differences in class, wealth and status compromising them being perceived socially as a ‘good match’; then there is also the presence of a physically attractive rival woman seeking to marry Rochester; and, on top of that, there is a dangerous secret from Rochester’s dark past (hidden in the attic) that could, and eventually does, overturn everything. Following this, in the second and final phase of their romance, the obstacles are Jane’s Christian objection to Rochester having a living wife (although she is insane) whose existence prevents a legal marriage; then there is the geographical distance between the two after Jane, heartbroken, leaves Rochester and travels far to the north of England where Rochester cannot find her; and finally Rochester’s severely maimed condition after being injured in the fire set by his insane wife that destroyed his manor house and ended her life. Once all these obstacles are overcome, the romance concludes in marriage, a union that is fulfilling and produces the additional bounty of a child.
The novel is also a Christian novel that severely critiques cruel, hypocritical expressions of Christianity while praising expressions of Christianity that are kind, charitable and forgiving. These polar opposites are represented by Mr Brocklehust, the fearsome clergyman who runs the orphanage where Jane lives for eight years and is educated; and Helen Burns, an orphan who is a victim of Mr Brocklehust and who lives piously and dies unjustly of disease and neglect but does so without hatred in her heart.
Charlotte Brontë’s novel notably expresses sympathy for some reformist causes of her time, some of which were supported by radicals, such as improved rights and respect for workers, equal respect for women, and opportunities for women to be educated to express their creativity or achieve financial independence. However, Charlotte Brontë’s appreciation of these causes should be tempered by an acknowledgement of her frequently expressed appreciation of socially conservative values, which are usually conveyed unreservedly and uncritically. It could be argued that rather than being a radical she is a reformer, seeing reform as enhancing the Britain she loves and respects rather than undermining or revolutionising it.
In regard to issues relating to class, in the context of her romance novel, Charlotte Brontë recognises the importance of class in nineteenth-century Britain and how it played a role in determining whether someone would be considered a ‘good match’ for someone else in marriage. In this regard, she is simply being realistic. She also recognises the hurtful sting of snobbery. But there is no evidence that Charlotte Brontë sided with those emerging radicals who wanted to overthrow the class system. Instead, Charlotte Brontë appreciates the good fortune of those who rise in the class system. In the romance between Jane and Rochester, the fact that Jane and Rochester are from different classes is an obstacle to their coming together, an obstacle later overcome when Jane becomes the recipient of a generous inheritance from a long-lost relative. It should also be noted that it was very romantic for women to marry up, and find a husband who was of a higher rank. This is a feature of many romance novels including this one.
Importantly, the novel presents its heroine, Jane Eyre, as capable of overcoming a miserable and traumatic childhood to emerge as a woman capable of exhibiting profound stoic inner strength and possessing sound Christian values that guide her through life. She is a refined, educated young woman who can draw well, play music adequately, and speak French. She is a capable educator who can find dignified employment as a governess or teacher. This makes her economically self-reliant. In addition, although outwardly reserved in her manner, she is capable of being quite assertive. As a devout Christian woman, she chose to be Quakerish in her appearance, which is a modest sense of dressing with which she feels comfortable. Jane Eyre is also an astute judge of character, and kind, charitable and forgiving, as well as having the capacity to love deeply, sincerely and faithfully.
The novel also exhibits an appreciation of karma, the notion of what goes around comes around, with badly behaving individuals who made others suffer eventually suffering themselves. Bad karma is experienced by those who made Jane suffer during her childhood, such as Mrs Reed and Mr Brocklehurst. However, karma can work both ways, and Charlotte Brontë took care to present several good characters as rewarded with happiness, such as the servant Bessie, who showed the young Jane kindness, being rewarded with a happy marriage. The same could be said of Jane Eyre herself, who is rewarded with marriage to the man of her dreams and later blessed with a child. The notion of bad behaviour having bad consequences and goodness ultimately being rewarded seems intended to be a very satisfying notion for both Charlotte Brontë and her readers, representing a kind of revenge or justice, as well as reflecting an optimistic sense of the possibility of there being rightness in the world.
Student resources by Dr Mark Lopez
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The purpose of the concise notes of Dr Mark’s The Meaning in a Nutshell is to provide much needed help to students seeking to unlock the meaning of the texts with which they have to deal. (More elaborate notes are provided in lessons as part of my private tutoring business.)
Subject: Jane Eyre meaning, Jane Eyre themes, Jane Eyre analysis, Jane Eyre notes