Women and Restraint in "Jane Eyre"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines and contrasts the natures of two characters in Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre": Jane and Rochester's first wife, Bertha. The paper highlights the restraints facing both women and shows how each woman has chosen the only logical conclusion; Bertha through the freedom of death and Jane through further restraint and perfect humility in a love match with an old blind man. The paper shows how each woman has chosen the proper reconciliation for the restrained life they have led, bringing to a rightful conclusion the possible happiness for a man who was also restrained by his legalistic and proper society.

From the Paper:

"Jane Eyre is an essential work of fiction outlining the subject of the isolation and narrowness of place for women in its contemporary society. The work grapples with a dichotomy of comparing the right and the wrong of a woman's place, and her right or wrong reaction to restraint, by openly comparing the nature of Jane and the nature of Rochester's first wife, the lunatic Bertha. The options for women, facing social and cultural strife are demonstrated by the choices each makes to survive, Jane to become beguiling and Bertha to go mad in the face of her restraint. There are two passages in the work that express this comparison best, and first the passage where the reader is formally introduced to the secret lunatic locked within the secret room of the manner after Rochester is rightfully accused of attempting to become a bigamist."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1922.

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• Analytical Essay # 54245 : "Rebellion and Conformity in "Jane Eyre"
• Analytical Essay # 127754 : "Apollonian and Dionysian in "Jane Eyre"

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