Abstract This essay details the struggle for recognition of inner beauty over outer beauty as seen in "Jane Eyre". The author discusses how Jane's life is a stage for her education and the building of character and value that goes against the traditional notions of beauty. At each of her homes she gains confidence and strength, challenging societal views of beauty and is rewarded with her marriage to a man who respects her for who she is.
From the paper:
?The notion of beauty, what it is and whether it is an inner or outward quality, has been long debated. For centuries people, and particularly women, have struggled with the concept of their own inner beauty as something as important, if not more important than their outward, physical beauty. This is no less true in literature. The idea of female inner beauty has not always been valued. In Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", the protagonist, Jane, rejects her own outer beauty in favour of nurturing her intellect, her humility and those other inner qualities that she herself views as beautiful. She respects her wisdom and philosophy before any of her physical attributes, partly because of her need as a child to read; partly from the lessons she is taught.?
Abstract This paper shows how Jane's character develops and stengthens throughout the novel. The writer explains that Jane is faced with many difficulties while attending Lowood School that force her to strengthen her resolve to persevere in spite of many obstacles. Some of these obstacles are mentioned and discussed.
From the Paper "At the novels opening Jane Eyre is subjected to various cruelties by Mrs. Reed leading her to renounce her family and hope for the relative escape of Lowood School. Jane is aware that she has little other chance for escape because her social standing as an orphan leaves little options for her future and welfare. While a male can easily strike off on his own, an orphaned female's only options for escape are education at an acceptable school for females or through marriage."
Abstract This paper explains that gothic novels often establish a sense of mystery which is aided, to a greater or lesser extent, by some involvement with supernatural forces, often relying on religious
conventions for expression in the text. In Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", this sense of religious or supernatural mystery allows Jane to expostulate from her double-narrative point of view on the suspicious happenings at Thornfield House, where Jane is employed as a governess. The author points out that the role of religion can be seen in many ways in the novel using the characters Mr. Brocklehurst, St. John Rivers, Jane (the protagonist) and Rochester as the opposite of the role of religion. The paper relates that "Jane Eyre" takes place in a
society plagued by situations in which women are regarded as religious angels who are kept in a state of either decorative consumption or holistic servitude.
From the Paper "When Jane is relating to Mr. Brocklehurst at the school, he is a religious figure who gives mandates and constantly draws attention to the faults of others. Like St. John Rivers later in the novel, this character represents what Jane sees to be religious authority, and its goal towards her life is apparently repressive in nature. "And I was placed there, by whom I don't know: I was in no condition to not particulars; I was only aware that they had hoisted me up to the height of Mr. Brocklehurst's nose, and that a spread of shot orange and purple silk pelisses, and a cloud of silvery plumage extended and waved
below me. (He said) 'You see she is yet young... Who would think that the Evil One had already found a servant and agent in her?'" (Bronte). It can be seen therefore that Brocklehurst represents a sort of oppression over Jane in terms of influencing perceptions of her early in the novel."
Tags: bildungsroman, supernatural, mystery, double-narrative, women
