Jane Eyre Gender Analysis

In Charlotte Brontë 's, Jane Eyre, we see a reversal of gender roles for both Mr. Rochester and Jane. In multiple scenes of the book the two switch back and forth from their “natural” roles, which ends up benefiting the two. In the story, Mr. Rochester, the big burly owner of Thornfield, occasionally drops his natural patriarchal role to become a feminine character. Jane also does this as she takes on a more masculine role from time to time, and drops her feminine complacency. While usually both characters dropping their gender-specific roles could turn out bad, in this story, dropping the stereotypical gender roles by blurring them leads to happiness by the end of the story. Both characters, venturing out of their gender roles, find ways to

Rochester by the end of the book is now confined to a small house “buried in the wood”, while also being cut off from the world and in horrible conditions after an almost fatal fire (537). Rochester who is still this bulky man, finds himself described as a “fixture”, for he is now “blind and cripple” (535). Being this now crippled man, Rochester cannot do any of the big burly man-things and becomes somewhat emasculated. Things like riding his horse, and going hunting are activities he cannot do anymore, as he is forced to stay inside, like a woman would be cooped in the house all day in Victorian England. Just when Rochester becomes this lonely, transformed feminine character, Jane shows up. Jane in this instance again becomes a masculine character. Jane becomes this masculine character by being Rochester’s link to the outside world, and caring for him. Jane states that it would a “delight [to] sacrifice” her life in order to take care of Rochester (555). In the masculine sense, Jane controls what Rochester does by being his only true link to the outside world, while, in a feminine aspect, she is still devoting her life to take care of Rochester. Rochester becomes extremely thankful to have someone to care for him, and insists that he and Jane “become one flesh without delay” (556). Rochester is both feminine and masculine in this instance as he needs Jane to reconnect with the outside world, but yet she will be put back into her gender role when she becomes Rochester’s wife. Rochester who is still a big stout man, becomes almost rendered useless due to his multiple handicaps now relies on Jane to become the manly character, while Jane also stays feminine as Rochester is needed to complete her life. The two characters being able to blend their gender roles, leads the two to a better life after orthodox gender roles are