Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre - A Romantic Ending In An...

Jane Eyre - A Romantic Ending In An Anti-Romantic Novel This paper discusses the ending of Jane Eyre, discussing whether it is a â€Å"good† ending. The paper draws on three criticisms of both the novel and Romantic literature in general to conclude that, yes, it is indeed a good ending because it both fits the prevailing realism of the main character’s worldview, and conforms to the predominant literary trends of the period. The climate in which Charlotte Bronte wrote her magnum opus was one that had almost fully recovered from the rationalist excesses of the Enlightenment. The existing climate had replaced ‘scientific’ realism with Romanticism of the Byronic sort, drawing on the ancient ideals of chivalry and the†¦show more content†¦This stoicism is also an indicator of control – as stoics are in complete control of their emotions, so too is Jane in complete control of her life at the end of the novel. The survival instincts of both Jane and Rochester serve mainly to provide a contrast to the bald melodrama that typifies their declarations of love to each other. Feminist criticism of Jane Eyre concentrates on this aspect of control and the shifting power dynamic between Jane and Rochester throughout the book. What starts out as a retelling of the Electra story ends as an assertion of feminist agency over the domestic fate of both Rochester and Jane. By acquiring an inheritance and overcoming her lowly past as a governess, Jane is able to get the upper hand in her relationship with Rochester, who is not only male, but landed nobility, and thus controls Jane’s health, happiness, and future to a great extent. By the end of the novel, emotion has made the two equals, and rather than Rochester taking Jane to the moon and feeding her manna, making her dependent on him for all her needs (Bronte, 1987:234). Jane states â€Å"Reader, I married him,† in an active declaration of possession out of character for any Romantic heroine (Bronte, 1987: 387). This is absolutely in tune with the rest of her character; Jane has an un-Roma ntic attachment to truth, and a Romantic loathing of hypocrisy that makes her as strong as any Byronic hero. Bronte’s recounting ofShow MoreRelatedJane Eyre : A True Love Story1875 Words   |  8 Pagesand Charlotte Bronte agitated their pieces of work during different times and come from two different backgrounds. Although these things set these two women apart, their use of symbolism can be closely compared to one another. Wide Sargasso Sea, the prelude to Jane Eyre, paints a picture of how accounts and understandings differ from each novel, creating a sense of characters pasts being unavoidable. The Wide Sargasso Sea is an imaginative and innovative rejoinder to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane EyreRead MoreJane Eyre s `` Bad Feminist? Essay1755 Words   |  8 PagesJane â€Å"Bad Feminist?† Eyre Often misconceived as group of females who hate men, spit on the stereotypical feminine archetype (wife, mother, etc.) and toss away social beauty norms (the color pink, dresses, hairless below the eyes), the term â€Å"feminist† seems to be a word that calls for a mouthful of soap. So is not the case for all or any, as the base of feminism is located in equality between sexes, not outer appearance or the way in which one carries him/her/their self. Yet, even in the feministRead MoreEssay on Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice1903 Words   |  8 PagesWuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice Wuthering Heights presents the theme of love within and outside of marriage. This book has a major female character whose marriage conflicts in some way with her ideal of love. Catherines first love is Heathcliff. She falls in love with him as both grow up together. Yet she finds a different kind of love with Edgar Linton. Catherine decides to marry Edgar, who can satisfy her civilized side. When Heathcliff returnsRead More Essay on Social Conventions in Jane Eyre and Hedda Gabler2188 Words   |  9 PagesSocial Conventions in Jane Eyre and Hedda Gabler   Ã‚  Ã‚   Charlotte Brontes novel Jane Eyre and Henrik Ibsens play Hedda Gabler were written within fifty years of each other in the late 1800s. Both Jane and Hedda exist within the same social contexts. They are women of the middle class in European cultures. The fact Jane is penniless through much of the novel does not exclude her from the middle class. Jane and Heddas experiences, education and values all belong to the middle class. Therefore