Rochester As A Byronic Hero Research Paper

The novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë can be identified as a Gothic novel, in that the eponymous heroine encounters all five of the essential elements. Edward Rochester is the Byronic hero, who craves the love of an innocent woman to save him from his sins. Bertha Mason represents the evil, vindictive woman, who is imprisoned. Throughout the novel, Jane encounters supernatural elements, such as ghosts and vampires, and Thornfield Hall, the haunted mansion. Throughout the novel, Edward Rochester proves himself to be a Byronic hero, through his tall and dark figure, his mysterious past, and his yearn for the love of Jane. When he is first introduced, Rochester is described as having a dark and serious face: “He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow” (Brontë 115). His dark and mysterious features are one of the

Rochester can be described as a Byronic hero. Another reason that Mr. Rochester is a Byronic hero is his unnamed sin that he mentions throughout the book. In a conversation with Jane, Rochester briefly mentions a mistake he made in the past that he can never escape: “I have a past existence, a series of deeds, a colour of life to contemplate within my own breast, which I might well call sneers and censures from my neighbors to myself” (Brontë 137). This shows that along with his shadowy features, Rochester also has a puzzling history that he does not share with Jane. Lastly, Rochester also yearns for the love of an innocent woman, Jane Eyre. After a party with some of his friends, Mr. Rochester has a conversation with Jane and forces himself to restrain from using a term of endearment to say goodnight to her: “’Good-night, my’ He stopped, bit his lip, and abruptly