With twenty-one thousand years of history, Christianity has spread to become the largest religion in the world providing hope and guidance to billions of people. In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte illustrates the personal journey the titular character goes on while maturing both physically and spiritually as she finds what God and Christianity mean to her. As she transitions from a student at the charity school Lowood, to governess and wife, Jane encounters several religious figures that represent the flaws the Bronte sees in traditional interpretations of religion. Jane Eyre rejects the conventional Victorian philosophies of Helen Burns, Brocklehurst, and St John to form her personal faith and religious identity.
Jane’s first friend,
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His complete dedication to Christianity causes him to reject his lover “[W]hile I love Rosamond Oliver so wildly––with all the intensity, indeed, of a first passion, the object of which is exquisitely beautiful, graceful, fascinating––I experience at the same time a calm, unwarped consciousness that she would not make me a good wife” (350). St John and Rosamond clearly have the foundation for a good relationship in place, but St John sacrifices that relationship in order to pursue his missionary work wholeheartedly. Love would distract him from practicing his faith, as he believes that strong emotions would obstruct his religious goals. As Jane gains a deeper understanding of St John and his belief system, she begins to see a disconnect in their interpretations of Christianity, she “prayed in my way- a different way to St John 's, but effective in its own fashion. (358)”. St John fails to see that other religious perspectives can exist and also be true to Christianity as well. He lacks the an actual interest in the people he is supposed to be helping with his missionary work, viewing it as warfare instead of spreading God’s love. Similarly, instead of asking Jane to be his wife, St John tries to recruit her to his cause as a tool or weapon he will
She is faced with helping her husband make the biggest and most final choice in his life so far. Since they have been apart for a while, separated by prison, it would be incredibly easy for her to say that he should live and give up his good name just so she can still have her husband and her kids have their father. It would be incredibly difficult for her to see John for a few minutes after a long time apart and say he can sacrifice himself for the greater good. However, she sees the situation as that: him sacrificing himself for the greater good. She is also strong enough to admit part of the blame is her own, that she has a hand in the guilt he feels about their relationship.
John committed adultery which is illegal and against the 10 commandments. John tells Abigail that it was a mistake and that he loves his wife. Abigail doesn’t feel the same way; she is madly in love with him and wants John 's wife Mary gone. Abigail tries to find a way to get rid of her. Abigail sees a perfect opportunity when Mary shows her a doll that she made in the courtroom.
John is Jane’s husband who is trying to control every aspect of Jane’s life. Jane states, “There comes John, and I must put this away-he hates to have me write a word.” (Gilman) This is just one of numerous situations and statements that the narrator shares with the audience. John’s influence also plays a big part in his dysfunctional marriage with Jane.
He hovers, he quietly controls, and furthermore, portrays a narrow mind, to the point of extreme. “John is a physician, and PERHAPS—(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)—PERHAPS that is one reason I do not get well faster.” (376) “You see he does not believe I am sick!” (376) as her self-awareness develops she becomes mindful of yet another symbol of John’s control and narrow mindedness. He has just enough arrogance to the point of telling his wife, how she should feel based on his own merits and limited knowledge of a female’s internal workings.
We grew up here in Salem and our parents were friends. My parents saw John as a decent boy when we were children, and John’s parents thought that I was a decent girl. I fell in love with John when I was
But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again” (22). He deeply regrets everything he has done and still suffers with being censured by himself. John trying to figure out if he’s still a good person of not states, “But I wilted, and like a christian, I confessed! Confessed! Some dream I had must have mistaken you for God that day.
Only be sure of this, for I know it now: Whatever you will do, it is a good man does it. I have read my heart this three month, John… I have sins of my own to count. It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery . . . John, I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say, my love.
This shows that John is a merciful being and desires forgiveness from his wife and God, therefore demonstrating traits of a good man. Furthermore, John has a heated argument with his wife, due to his encounter with Abigail, alone. Although, he thinks his wife will doubt him, she states on the contrary, “I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John - only somewhat bewildered” (55).
John confesses to adultery in court to try to save Elizabeth when she is accused of witchcraft. By doing this, he is confessing to a serious sin. In this society, the church and government are one. This means that he could face a death sentence. He also confesses prove Abigail’s motive to kill Elizabeth and to expose her and save others from being accused by her.
Who in her quest to replace the wife of the man she had an affair with (John
By the end, she found the love they once had in herself and forgave him and wanted him to save himself. Being hurt by people is something no one enjoys, but it’s how you move past it and who you become that counts. Elizabeth always knew John loved her, she was just hurt and trapped in the thought of what had happened. She realised in the three months though that John was in prison and she was pregnant that she has sinned too and should forgive
All through the ages, the Christ figure archetype has appeared in literature and film. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry gives himself to Voldemort purposefully sacrificing himself for the benefit of the Wizarding World. In doing this he becomes the “Savior” and functions as a Christ figure in the novel. The Christ figure also emerges in real life, as anyone who acts as a role model and demonstrates moral fiber at an enormous cost to him or herself. In Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Helen Burns serves as a Christ figure in the novel and her fundamental role is to illustrate and reveal the pivotal Christian belief of forgiveness to Jane.
While Helen embodies the ideal young lady of the 1800s – modest, submissive, and devoted to God – Jane is characterized as being passionate and stubborn. Helen’s acceptance of death and desire to go to heaven also highlights the way Jane craves adventure and independence. However, throughout the novel, Jane begins to follow Helen’s teachings and starts to follow the word of God. By contrasting Helen’s theological beliefs against those of Mr. Brocklehurst and St John Rivers, Brontë also emphasizes how Helen is more successful in spreading God’s teachings because she does not use religion as a tool for controlling Jane’s true nature. The character of Helen Burns not only plays an important role in helping Jane develop into a more submissive woman and devoted Christian, but her positive outlook on Christianity also emphasizes the use of religion as a tool for manipulation throughout the
One of the biggest character foils in Jane Eyre is between Mr. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers. From the first time we meet these characters, it is easy to tell the two apart. While one is ruled by a religious forces the other is controlled by emotions. Jane has to make a choice, and decide how she is going to live the rest of her life. At the end of the novel, she makes a choice between what is expected of her, and what she wants.
The protagonist from “The Turn of the Screw”, is perceived to be despearate as she tries to achieve her dream but her personal pride leads her to an unstable condition. The author depicts the Governess believing that to attain her goal of gaining attentionby her employer, she must be a hero. Therefore, she invents lies about seeing her predessors haunting her pupils. Nonetheless, the more times James makes the Governess mention the ghosts the more she believes they are real and they, “want to get them (the children)” (82). The Governess is blinded by making it appear she sees the ghosts that she looses herself in her own lies leading her to an unstable condition of not knowing what is real or not.