Gender Roles In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

Charlotte Brontë’s revolutionary novel Jane Eyre paved the way forward for women in literature. In a Victorian world so heavily influenced, and dictated by men Brontë’s refreshing view of women helps for women everywhere to feel empowered, and appreciate the strength of their gender. Initially penned by Curer Bell, Jane Eyre offers a refreshing view into the mind and actions of a new style of female protagonist. After growing up in a world that doesn’t appreciate her, Jane travels to Thornfield Hall to be a governess where she finally discovers the true meaning of love and being appreciated. It is in her meeting of Mr. Rochester that Jane is able to find herself, and truly know what she’s searching for in life, and is able to exercise her

After being taken in by her cold hearted Aunt Jane is forced into learning how to navigate through life alone. Jane is ultimately disliked by her family to the extent of them showing her no kindness, the passage “Say your prayers, Miss Eyre, when you are by yourself; for if you don’t repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away…” (Brontë, 16) that the harsh nature of the family she is living with truly shines through. Jane is forced into independence as the family she is staying with is verbally beating her into submission. Through the constant reminder of how Jane is indebted to her family that forces a deep and irreparable rift between herself and the people she lives with. The passage where Miss Abbot and Bessie said is an example of the constant verbal abuse that Jane

So many characters in Brontë’s time would not be able to bounce back from an upbringing as unstable as Jane’s. Bertha’s character is an extreme but sound example of how many characters would be depicted. Her madness very similar to the protagonist in Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s The Yellow Wallpaper in the shutting away of women who are too troublesome to deal with. In this way, the resilience that Jane displays in her many tribulations that she suffered all throughout her life. In the way she is able to adapt to her situation, in her time at Lowood School, Thornfield Hall, and in her adjusting to life with St. John and her cousins. In the line, “The more I knew the inmates of Moor house, the better I liked them…” (Brontë, 402) shows just how simple it was for Jane to open her mind and adapt to her situation. Typically one would assume that in a position such as Jane’s that giving up, or succumbing to one’s shortcomings would be the answer after facing so many problems. But, in an almost selfless nature Jane is able to push past any problems she faces, and refuses to dwell on the negative only focusing on how she going to get along with the people in her