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Elizabeth Jane

Upper class Dirt poor, orphan


Beautiful Plain
Outspoken Outspoken
Resists marriage Resists marriage
Socially inappropriate Socially awkward
Ends up with her man, and all is well Ends up with her man but only after trauma

Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre are quite different in tone and style. The stories are entirely
dissimilar, though both are excellent.

some similarities:
-Both novels were written by a woman.
-Both include a love interest between a well-to-do landowner of the upper class and a woman
beneath him socially.
-Both have a woman of the same class vying for the main male character's attention.
-There is a rather haughty aunt to be found in each book.
-Both books include a character named Jane.
-Both take place in a country setting rather than London (though there is a little bit which takes
place in London in Pride and Prejudice).
-In both cases, the main character wouldn't even consider a marriage of convenience (one which
would be of some social and financial benefit). Marrying for love was important to both.
-Both Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet receive marriage proposals from two different men. In
each case, one loves her and the other does not.
-Though different eras, each story shows the restrictions under which women lived. They did not
have much by way of opportunities and were generally considered to need men to provide for
them. Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet were both more independent than the times would suggest
and both were true to their own convictions.

some differences:
-Pride and Prejudice is set in Regency England, Jane Eyre in Victorian England.
-Jane Eyre is impoverished and must work, the Bennets, though they potentially face poverty if at
least one doesn't marry well, are reasonably well off and do not have to work. (Jane Eyre would
be considered working class, the Bennets would not.)
-Jane Eyre is darker and has Gothic elements, Pride and Prejudice is a light and witty comedy of
manners tale.
-The male character in Jane Eyre is a tormented, not so Pride and Prejudice.
-Mr. Darcy is full of pride at first, Mr. Rochester, though used to command, is not.
-Whereas the parents are alive in Pride and Prejudice and the daughters are surrounded by family
and loved ones, Jane Eyre is very much alone.
-The first proposal Jane Eyre receives is by the man who loves her and later she receives a
proposal from the man who does not; Elizabeth is proposed to first by the man who does not love
her and later by the man who does.

A Comparison between Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre
Introduction
Austin's novel appeared in the 19th century, a classic restaurant-favoured early swept romantic
trend, an inheritance and development of English eighteenth century outstanding realist tradition,
the climax of realism novel is prepared for the 19th century .Although her works reflect the
breadth and depth of limited, but her novels energy is little, from a small whole window to the
social for forming and peeping at that time of change, plays a good role climate in the history of
the English novel, a connecting link between the preceding and the significance, known as a
writer with equal status as Shakespeare ". Jane Eyre is a literature with years of history. So far
has 164 years (1847 so far) of history, it successfully created the first English literature for love
in life, social and religious are taken independent proactive attitude and dare to struggle, dare to
fight for liberty and equality position the image of women; Jane Eyre was once the nineteenth
century stir in the literary world in the history of English literature, called a classic, beloved, it
with an irresistible beauty attracts thousands of reader, there is a kind of uncontrollable urge,
drives people picked up the book, and then, the heart is also deeply moved by the tremor. Love is
an eternal topic in our human world. Throughout history till today, many writers described love
and outlined a beautiful painting for those who are desirous of love with brushwork of great
delicacy and they expressed their deep feeling of life and love with their unique and exquisite
account. Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre by two significant images of woman, Elizabeth and
Jane, these two most important images in English literature, treat life and love with unique
method and pursue independence. Their self-esteem and self-respect of a character depends on
life and love, it is also showed the feminist ideas. Relatively speaking, Jane Eyre is women
represent who fight against the patriarchy society having brought more realism. Therefore,
Charlotte Bronte advanced the feminist a step after Jane Austen.
Different writing backgrounds of these two works
Time continuously changes; however, love this subject constantly actives in peoples life.
Perhaps there are different ways to express this subject, but never neglect this theme. In the past
history of love literature, each writer from different aspect has his or her own unique
interpretation of love, and to describe love with exquisite brushwork .And they also outline with
unique wonderful picture scroll for the people who look forward to love of good feelings and
demonstrate their profound comprehension for love and life. Both Pride and Prejudice and Jane
Eyre these two works have written by those two writers which in English literature are
representatives of women writers and they are the worlds influential British realism writers --
Jane Austen and charlotte Brontes novel. To some extent, these two famous works on opus with
certain autobiographies because the two writers use textual showed their thoughts and mood and
writers often started from their own experience with keen observation and fine emotions to
express deep feelings of the reality of the situation and to show females pursuit of independence,
freedom, helplessness and anguish. Even though these two female writers grasp the same theme
of love and marriage, each writer have different social background and experience in different
aspects of age in existence, at the same time they have something in common unavoidably with
their own characteristics.
Jane Austen was born in the 18th century, the Stuart kings, capitalist society system has been
established, but due to the existence of the monarchy, feudalism concept is still strong. Because
of the economic development, male is in a dominant position in society, women are excluded
from the social affairs, family become the only place to show their talent and intelligence, and
spiritual and material double harvest marriage became their most major pursuit. And Jane Austen
in her novel mainly describes some love marriage story, and also expounds such a theme: money
ancestry is the indispensable factors in marriage, but, true love is the basis of marriage, thus
effectively has criticized that in British money ancestry marriage has been popular, it is time for
discussing the social reality of great resistance. This novel depicts different young man of
marriage, but we can find best ideal marriage to Austin is the marriage between Elizabeth and
Darcy because this marriage is rooted in reality, and to the author a good marriage needs not only
have true love as a basis, and still need money and wealth as guarantee, the so-called marriage is
the perfect combination of love and money.
And Charlotte Bronte lived in the 19th century the extremely magnificent Victorian Age,
compared to the 18th century, the feminist movement has been lasted for nearly 50 years, and the
completion of the industrial revolution has changed people's implicit living conditions, many
women have their leisure time and more sovereign consciousness. This novel is very vividly
embodies the view of love and marriage of Bronte is that women should have self dignity,
freedom, and have the equal status with men. The author in works expressed strong awareness of
gender equality. Happiness is the basis of marriage between mental interlinked, equal status and
true love. This is her ideal marriage. Different social background let two female writers create
different character, not only let them in the pursuit of their own selves love at the same time, but
also showed a different female awakening.

Pride and Prejudice is the masterpiece of Jane Austin. The works of Austin are describe daily
life, not only attracted broad readers at that time, but also still today give the reader a unique art
enjoyment. Looked from the novel, Elizabeth resourcefulness, prescient, visionary, have very
strong self-respect, and be good at thinking problem. Just for a young unmarried young lady
speaking, this is valuable. As with this quality, make her in love have independent initiative, and
led her have a happy family with Darcy. Austins story quite dull, but good things in daily
ordinary created distinctive characters, let us from Elizabeth with Darcys love to see in its
pursuit to express meaning: marriage is generated needs the combination of love and money.
Pride and Prejudice mainly described the story of the Bennetts several daughters with their love,
their marriage and their understanding and selection in the village of Longhorn. Jane Austen
through five daughters treats marriage in different ways, and shows the girls in the middle-class
family of township having different attitude for marriage and reflecting the discussions of Jane
Austin. Austins works mainly depicted four marriage clues: the secular love between Charlotte
and Collins, the love of sensation, of sentiment between Lydia and Wilkins, the sincere love
between Jane and Bingley, and Elizabeth and Darcy's real love. Based on the development of the
characters in the novel marriage as the main line, expounds the process of the essence of
bourgeois marriage, explores Jane Austens ideal marriage, and points out the realistic meaning
novel. And the author utilized linguistic desperation to show the heroine Elizabeths is differing
from other females views. There's a phrase in works, Anyone who have property of bachelors
bound to a wife, this has become an acknowledged the truth." [1] In Pride and Prejudice,
describing the relations of the surface round marriage relationships is floating in receiving a
visitor, drinking tea, dancing, etc. in the social world. But, on the other hand, in the age anything
is on the economic basis to determine the entire survival competitive world. Austin uses her
heroine Elizabeth to express that justify marriage should be both sides on the basis of mutual
respect for the union, marriage shall not be decided by these traps status and property,.
Jane Eyre is one of masterpieces of the 19th century famous female writer Charlotte Bronte.
Charlotte Bronte compared with her other two sisters appears more gentle and more purity.
Charlotte Bronte comes from a poor family and when she was a little girl has no her mother. And
her common appearances without beautiful let her innermost soul produced an inferiority
complex and make her become very sensitive. Just been such Charlotte Bronte, still not forget to
pursue those nice things. In her work, Jane is not a beauty, tall woman, but has an extremely
strong self-respect, and unswervingly pursues a bright, holy, and wonderful life. And also
someone said, Jane Eyre is the portraiture of Charlotte Brontes poetic life. Jane Eyre is about
a mediocre but high self-esteem governess and the heros love story. The view of love displayed
by Jane Eyre, this character actually reflects the author Charlottes love ideal. During Charlotte
studied abroad, falling in love with her teacher, and her teacher has his own family and he has not
pay attention to Charlotte. So she put this delicate emotions have been pressed in his heart. The
emotional frustration has affected on her, but also accomplished the masterpiece, Jane Eyre.
There has some information about the view of love contains equality and independent. [2] If god
gave me some beautiful and a little bit of wealth. I just want to let you feel to leave me as it is
now for me to leave you same... we stand in front of god are equal, because we are equal. In
love and marriage, Charlotte insisted that every one should respect each other independent
personality, especially expression comes out when Jane Eyre learned that Mr Rochester and
Bertha owned tatters of marriage, and then choose to leave in the description of incisively and
vividly. Happy ending let notions of love of the author, Charlotte, disappeared clearly: true love
requires equality, mutual respect and both lovers love each other just because marriage with love
is happy. [3]
Chapter One the fierce words represent urgent pursuit of dignity
Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre are the two famous feminist images
of English literature in unique ways to pursue love and life. Pride and Prejudicewith a romantic
colour, it emphatically in the Stuarts reflects people to pursue marriage life. Elizabeth is smart
and wisdom and she is self-esteem, adventurous woman, and when she faces love extremely
intellect without needless words and deeds cautious. And Jane Eyre byJane Eyre is the first
feminist image with independence, and on its unique way toward love and life with unyielding
will and strong vitality. Due to the writer's life experience and the different ages, two female
images in somewhat similar, and meanwhile, each has his strong point with obvious differences.
Every writer will use their pens writes different words describing more and more novels, prose
and poetry to make readers taste the theme and idea of those works. When British contemporary
writer W. Somerset Maugham created his works said that, Words have weight sound and
appearance; it is only by considering these that you can write a sentence that is good to look at
and good to listen to.(4From his words, we can realize that writers usually use different words
to express what they want to transfer to readers. These two writers together use the energy of
words to show their characters personality .Writers will So-called the characters' language
personalized, is what about what people say let people through their own language to express his
ideas, identity, culture, experiences, and personality, etc. Language is the window of mind; the
reader is often through dialogue between tasks recognition and evaluation of the various
characters of novels. Therefore, linguistic description is an important part of the novel language
of one. (5) Also, both two female writers put linguistics description into use to show their
personality.
In the age, male ruled almost all of the social sciences, Elizabeth and Jane Eyre seek mental
independence, but someone such quality women are scarce, they all clear understand the value of
the women. In the first contact, as a noble Darcys behaviour with arrogance hurt Elizabeths
female self-esteem, strong self-respect let her not as Darcy's noble status to like or to closed to
him, such as No thanks to his gallantry for that, Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give
you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person."(6). When her old sister Jane
expressed to Elizabeth how very much she admired Mr. Bingley after the big party. Elizabeth
agreed with her sister about his manners, not about other peoples compliments. Elizabeth feels
self-confidence, don't accept others' mercy and contempt, when Darcy made advances to her
marry him, not because the man's status, or ignore one of the offending words, but rather flatly
rejected, for example It is natural that obligation should be felt, and if I could feel gratitude, I
would now thank you. But I cannot--I have never desired your good opinion, and you have
certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I am sorry to have occasioned pain to anyone. It has been
most unconsciously done, however, and I hope will be of short duration. The feelings which, you
tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgment of your regard can have little difficulty in
coming it after this explanation.(7) Through Elizabeth words, readers find that Elizabeth
dislikes Darcy even deeply-rooted, and she not like other women who once said yes when there
have a gentleman with money and statues wanted the woman marry him. Elizabeth wanted a
marriage include love, freedom and both man and woman in the marriage could treat other with
respect.
Jane Eyre has her reason and rules in her deep heart, and respects herself, hopes love could be on
basis of respect. She loves Rochester because he respect her and equally treat her, but in madly in
love also still continue to perform the duties to tutor child and feed herself by herself to keep
personal dignity, nor in status difference of inferiority. But, when she found that a crazy wife of
Rochester alive at the wedding, and she shut herself into the room and tie the door avoiding
someone breaking into, then start -- not cry, not sorrow - machinery to remove wedding dress,
change the wear coats last time. Then sat down, and felt weak. With her arms propped up on the
table, head in hands on." (8)She started thinking, its internal strong self-respect didn't allow she to
make a choice, and she resolutely chooses to leave. All these show Jane Eyre dignity to women,
and the pursuit of human dignity and independence of women as to the features for new
awakening females.


Chapter Two Janes determination and Elizabeth's hazy unconsciousness
Elizabeth was born in typical middle-class family, although not be beauty outstanding, still have
prominent places: having a middle education, having great wisdom; every day with her sisters
cares most popular fashion style, playing an active part in dancing party, often talking about new
rich men or single officer. She is a single flower in greenhouse, no frustration and raining,
experienced parents caress by the childhood, lacked of independence. And Jane relatively very
ordinary: very small, pale, facial features inequality; her parents are dead since childhood, living
with her aunt, after being abandoned in charity, and arguably had no money and no power, don't
even say beauty. Low identity making Jane tastes of all lifes suffering and giving her suffering
indomitable volition and tenacious vitality and body of intellect. Just because of life differences
in background, and let them in the face of love made the confusion of different reaction. Jane to
be brave and independent facing their own love, pay attention to the heart of both men and
women, dare to fight and dare to communicate the status of freedom and equality. And Elizabeth
exhibited a hazy unconscious resistance, and she really resisting injustice, but a rebel not
thoroughly, in love in a passive position of waiting for the man choice, rather than oneself active
battalion, to choose love out of a relationship is before had cut off this section if only friends,
but now hopes it to continue (9), absolutely not as to Janes determination.
Love is covered with moneys chains in capitalist society and hilted the mark of money and such
money situation virtually killed many young men and womens heart to pursuing the pure love. It
astonishes that Elizabeth treat love and marriage attitude too sensible. She never married without
love, she dreams of marriage is based on love for the premise, but cannot ignore the proportion
money in her love, the sentence Wickham did not get married with an unprofitable
girls?(10)Fully revealed her view of love combination love and money, love cannot live
without equal economic. She thought that: the marriage without love is pale, but it is blinded only
for love and ignore the money of marriage. And Jane as a poor governess, falling in love with
their employers Rochester, status gap, problems of age and looks for her are not suppressing their
emotional or avoiding this love story love without social rules, she also doesn't follow when
social marriage concept to suppress their emotional or avoid this love story. She didn't because
Rochesters possessions and falling in love with him, just pure pursue love and personal
happiness, rigid pursue personality independence and equality in life, independent strong
initiative dedicated, she did not passively wait for the man's choice, and actively confront their
love. She thinks that love is the most important feature is that it is free (11), her love is
unconditional.



Conclusion
Charlotte Bronte use novel tells us that our best life is human dignity plus love. Novel designs a
Chinese final (12) Rochesters manor ruined, and he also therefore become a disabled, but
Jane has achieved a dignity of love, as Jane herself said: I know what it is to live entirely for and
with what I love best on earth. I hold myself supremely blest-blest beyond what language can
express; because I am my husbands life as fully as he is mine. I know no weariness of my
Edwards society: he knows none of mine, any more than we each do of the pulsation of the heart
that beats in our separate booms; consequently, we ever together....because he claimed these
services without painful shame or damping humiliation. He loved me so truly that he knew no
reluctance in profiting by my attendance; he felt I loved him so fondly, that to yield that
attendance was to indulge my sweetest wishes. (13)Jane won't be torn between and choice in
dignity and love, she married with Rochester gaining satisfaction. Also, Elizabeth in dignity and
satisfy won her love. Darcy chooses to change his urbane: better love to sister, polite to people.
Such changes what from Darcy to let Elizabeth eliminate prejudices to Darcy. Plus when Darcy
after knowing that "domestic", not only despised her, still enthusiastic helping her solved all the
problems, all sorts of behaviour let Elizabeths heart remaining a prejudice disappeared, just
existence of deep love for Darcy just come down. Darcys change undoubtedly gave Elizabeth
something what need most - respect, let her feel herself existed in this relationship, eliminate
prejudice to enjoy their love; Also because of Elizabeth's change again, Darcy summoned the
courage to vindicate Elizabeth, this arrogance couple changed bias to find a way being
together.
The two works though not produced in the same period, but expressed the same idea: feminist
ideas. The two leading lady to the pursuit of human dignity and independence, whether it is the
time for new awakening women, the other women on each age has incentive effect, encouraging
them to strive for economic, love, personality independence struggle continuously, like bright
lighthouse pointed out the women as the pursuit of freedom, equality life on direction. Because
had the personality of equality and independence, love that relying on somewhat; Only love and
human equality and independent closely together, love to sublimate to a more ideal state,
marriage can truly happy. Only to gain respect and self satisfaction, everything else is valuable.
Instead, in settling up is only under a pile of no value to the waste product, can let yourself feel
tired vassal thing.
The Caste System of Victorian England


Jane Austen and Charlotte Bront are two of the most famous women writers ever born. Their
two masterpieces, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, are equally famous. Both these authors
and their works have been the subjects of much praise, but criticism has also arisen. This
criticism commonly focuses on the society that is portrayed in these novels; many modern
readers take umbrage with this society. It is full of unfamiliar rules, customs, and prejudices that,
thankfully, no longer exist in our current world. While both these novels do indeed deal with this
society, there are some differences between the two. Pride and Prejudice is more of a social
commentary than Jane Eyre, while the latter has more religious tones than the former. However,
both authors seem to view this society in a negative light and, therefore, create strong, memorable
characters that serve as inspiration for women of all generations and societies.
One of the provocative elements of Jane Austens society in Pride and Prejudice is the mindset
that most women have; they think their primary concern should be marriage. Most of the girls in
the novel can think of nothing besides flirting and finding someone to marry. Whenever there is a
ball in the neighborhood, the women and girls talk only about who danced with whom and
speculate if the pairings could lead to marriage. The worst of these girls is Lydia, the youngest
Bennet daughter. She has very little decorum when it comes to talking to the officers quartered
near her familys home and can think of nothing else when they are out of sight. She very much
embarrasses her older sisters, Elizabeth and Jane, and her wild behavior even contributes to
months of anguish on Janes part.
Also, as the girls continue to act silly, they only serve to propagate their own stereotype, which
the men come to depend and expect. Elizabeth Bennet receives two marriage proposals during the
course of the novel, and both men who propose treat her like she is very silly and desires nothing
more than to be married. The first of these men, Mr. Collins, asks Elizabeth to marry him and
then, upon her firm refusal, insists that she only refuses in order to be more enticing. He cannot
believe that she is being honest because he thinks all girls act silly like her sisters do. The second
proposal is from Mr. Darcy, who is a much better prospect for marriage, yet extremely proud. He
assumes that, because he is incredibly rich, any girl would jump at the chance to marry him. He,
like Mr. Collins, thinks he knows more about women than they do themselves and, aided by the
very silly and annoying behavior of Lydia Bennet, contributes to the offensive society in the
novel.

Another appalling element of the novels society is the caste system, which was all
encompassing in the nineteenth century. Throughout the entire novel, the reader never forgets the
financial status of any of the characters. Although the Bennets are not poor (we know they have
several servants), they are still seen as poor by many in the novel and therefore have lower social
status. The rich people in the novel treat the Bennets very badly. Mr. Darcy discourages his best
friend, Mr. Bingley, from marrying Elizabeths sister, Jane, because she is poor. Mr. Bingleys
sisters are also very rude to Jane. They are friends with her for a time but, when they think their
brother loves her, do not speak to her and barely deign to visit her for five minutes. One of the
most memorable characters in all of literature is Lady Catherine de Bourgh, an extremely wealthy
and influential old woman, who epitomizes the caste system. She feels that she can tell everyone
what to do, and that they will listen, just because she is rich. She sees the Bennets as extremely
low on the food chain and hardly worth her time. This blatant disregard for people who should be
equal helps create the distasteful society to which readers react; for in a society of equals, as we
have today, it is very upsetting to see one that is so discriminatory.
Although modern audiences react in this way to Austens society, the time frame in which the
novel was written must be kept in mind. We, as readers, cannot impose modern morals and
sensibilities on historical works. Everything was different when Jane Austen wrote Pride and
Prejudice. This kind of society actually existed; she did not just make it up in order to shock
audiences. She reported the truth. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Jane Austen
enjoyed this society; in fact, there is evidence to the contrary. Her heroine, Elizabeth Bennet,
seems to feel the same way many modern women do. She wants to be independent, she has her
own ideas about the relationships between men and women, and she does not seem to fall prey to
the same weaknesses that many of her contemporaries in the novel do. Elizabeth seems to be in
many ways a woman of the future. Granted, she does have some flaws, but overall she acts just
like a woman of our time would in her situation.
Although its a novel of the same time period and influence, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bront
deals with the society of the time in a slightly different way than Austens novel. The protagonist
of this novel, Jane Eyre, is not nearly as well-off as the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice, so
we see society from a different point of view. Additionally, Bront uses society only as a
background for her story, not a prominent player. However, there are some similarities between
the two novels. In Jane Eyre, as in Pride and Prejudice, the social caste system is a factor. As a
child, Jane is painfully aware of the difference between her poor heritage and her cousins rich
one. She grows up living with her Aunt Reed, a very rich woman who doesnt want anything to
do with her late husbands poor niece. Although she feeds and clothes Jane, Mrs. Reed hates her
passionately and sends her to boarding school to get rid of her. Here, Jane again makes note of
the social classes. This time, she is an equal to the other girls, who are training to be governesses
and to have other lower-class jobs. The girls are taught to be humble and obedient and to learn
their place in society and in the religious hierarchy that pervades the novel. After she leaves the
school, Jane has the opportunity to observe all types of social classes. She becomes a governess
to the ward of a very wealthy man, examines the behavior of her employers rich friends, and
visits with her cousins again. But she also wanders through a small, poor town, stays with a fairly
wealthy, though very nice, family, and ends up teaching a group of poor village girls at the behest
of her newly found cousin, a missionary. Throughout most of the novel, this societal caste system
is in the background, a subtle description that permeates, but does not color, the events of the
novel. However, Jane herself does go through some societal changes. After leaving her
employment as governess, Jane establishes a school for the village girls. While she knows this is
a good thing to do, she feels a little degraded. She feels that she is too refined to teach country
girls, but she knows that this feeling is wrong. She does her job well and comes to enjoy it.

Even with all this societal conflict, the novel is still not as much of a social commentary as
Pride and Prejudice is. Instead, Jane Eyre is a commentary on individualism. Like Elizabeth
Bennet, Jane is very much her own, modern woman. As a child, she shows much spirit and spunk
when she finally rebels against her mean aunt and tells her exactly what she thinks of her. This
spirit continues to grow at school and shows itself again when Jane takes it upon herself to seek
other employment when she cant stand being cooped up at the school any longer. Her spirit
serves her well at Mr. Rochesters house when she helps him on the road and endures many
strange and terrifying incidences without complaint or fear. Her resolve is most tested when Mr.
Rochester reveals he is in love with her and wants to shower her with expensive gifts and live
with her even though he is married to another woman. Jane, however, shows perseverance and
stands fast to her moral code. She does not approve of what Mr. Rochester is doing and, even
though she is desperately in love with him, she will not sacrifice her own principles. She then
shows great courage by leaving his house with very little money, camping out by herself in the
woods, and looking for work in a small town. This is quite remarkable for a woman used to living
in a fine house. She proceeds to make her own way in the world once again and, when she
inherits a great fortune, divides it equally with her cousins, who she felt were slighted in the deal.
She again maintains her principles by refusing a marriage proposal that she feels is wrong. As the
story ends, Jane defying convention and the caste system by marrying her former employer, Mr.
Rochester. If the caste system is part of the message of this book at all, it is only a medium
through which to show the strength of an individual in a strange and complex society.
Both of these great novels have stood the tests of time, criticism, and bookworms, and have
prevailed through all their tribulations. Although some criticize them for their depiction of
society, both authors seem to disapprove of this fundamental element of their respective stories.
Jane Austen uses Pride and Prejudice as a social commentary against the caste system of her
society. Charlotte Bront, on the other hand, uses this castelike society to spread her message of
individualism and perseverance in Jane Eyre. Despite these differences, there is an essential
similarity. Both of them feature women who are different than the others they know. These
women know what is right and wrong, and go after what they want, but always stick to their
principles. They are strong, independent, and, best of all, available for many future generations to
learn from, listen to, and read.



Feminist Issue in Jane Eyre
I see Charlottes Jane Eyre as an all-encompassing portrayal and thoroughgoing critique of
Victorian society. It is far more comprehensive and eloquent than her previous but unpublished
novel The Professor. This novel brings Charlotte very near to Charles Dickens in the sense that
like many of the Dickinsonian novels, Jane Eyre vividly presents the socio-economic anomalies
of the time, exposing the unbearable plights of the orphaned children (Oliver Twist). The first
strength of the novel lies in the fact that it chronicles in a highly rapturous eloquence the life and
living conditions, hopes and aspiration, sorrows and sufferings of the people belonging to
different rungs of the social strata. And its second strength lies in the fact that it presents itself
more than a social reportage: apart from presenting a strong critique on the unjust, discrepant, and
anomalous social, political, economic structures, values, and practices of the age, it also envisions
how the human society needs to be.
Most importantly, this novel gives voice to the marginalized class and gender, grinded into the
exploitative feudalistic structure of the society. Certainly, the novel also comes as an evidence
as Altick argues: By the beginning of the nineteenth century the powerful concept of
refinement prescribed that all women outside the working class abstain from gainful
employment except in cases of extreme necessity. It was such cases which resulted in a few
Victorian women becoming professional writers.to the fact that Victorian middle (and in
some cases working) class women were more engaged in the intellectual endeavors compared to
their upper-class contemporaries. Charlottes novel narratesthough obliquelyher own story
of higher aspirations and of hardships in the person of a governess. The successful publication of
this novel, after the setback experienced with the first, is no less interesting story of self-
revelation and self-empowerment through self-education and writing of a Victorian woman
author who had to disguise her gender by using a penname of a male. With the success of this
novel Charlottelike Jane Eyre, the governessis able to form an identity that she long
struggled to establish.
Apart from the class issues, the whole of novel revolves around the most pressing issues of
femininity and gender. There is no denying that Jane Eyre is a very radical in her opinions and
actions about herself and her gender as a whole. She is both visionary and revolutionary: it is,
indeed, uncanny for a woman of her time to say: Women are supposed to be very calm
generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for
their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a
stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged
fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting
stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or
laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for
their sex (129-30). In my view Jane Eyre is far ahead of her time to raise the questions
pertaining to gender and class oppression, which is why the novel received scathing reviews from
various conservative reviewers. But like many other masterpieces of literature that heralded the
coming of an age by studying the state of affairs of the power relation in the
society, Jane Eyre heralds of the changes that were to take place long after. A strong call for the
social reform, Jane Eyre, in my view, can be considered as a fictional version of J. S. Mills
seminal work TheSubjection of Women (1869).
You're right that the character Jane Eyre was way ahead of her time. However - surely the ending
only confirms Victorian stereotypes? That she inherits money - becomes a lady of her own
standing means only THEN can she marry Rochester. Rochester becomes a blind invalid of sort -
he becomes dependent on Jane Eyre. They are equals now and only now can a union take place
between the two which society would approve of. HadJane Eyre got what she wanted before both
their transformation - then the novel would have been truly ahead of its time.
I don't see like this. The end does not take that form out of compliance to
conventions. Jane Eyre is both a realistic tale and fairytale, but also a tragedy. And as a tragedy
the heroes have commited an Hubris towards God: Rochester with his arrogance of "paving the
hell with energy" and "sullying his flower" and Jane with "not being able to see God those days"
because she had made an idol out of His creation. So after Hubris comes Wrath of God and
punishment (separation and mutilation), to end up with Katharsis (=relief and reunion). That is
also why I object to comments like blindness symbolizing his castration by a sadistic Charlotte
Bronte. His punishment is the one that Bible has set for adultery.
I grant you however that Charlotte did judge and disapprove of his Byronic past, being at the
same time ironic to her younger self who had created a hero like Zamorna. This particular kind of
man was alluring and sexy and seducing but he could not cover the sentimental needs of a woman
or treat her as an equal. So Rochester was the rejection of Zamorna. He started as a Byronic hero,
with his black horse, looking like a rider of Apocalypse only to end up only two minutes later
smashing his face on the road, falling in front of Jane's feet: a really not Byronic entrance. And
during the novel he has to change a lot and come to better understanding of his nature in order to
be with his Jane.
Her equality with him in the end may seem forced. But I believe Charlotte wanted both to bring
out some aspects of Jane's personality (for example her disinterested way of accepting a fortune
and sharing it and her decision to marry a cripple which shows her love was real and not effect of
her being dazzled by his force or money) but also she makes another point. When Jane met
Rochester was utterly alone (no family), destitute and leading a boring life and his being
fascinating could make many women have a crush on him. Well Jane's love is not just a crush.
Even after having found both money and family something is missing. He is truly her other half.
And I object to those that say that Charlotte after creating such a powerful heroine makes her
conventionally married. Feminism is not about rejecting men and living alone. Jane knows
loneliness is a too high price to pay for independence. She has to find a balance and we really
want her to be with her man. She deserves him after all. So maybe the theme of rewarding worthy
characters may be conventional, but it works for me since society is usually so unfair and leaves a
bitter taste. I need sometimes a fairytale to assure me that it doesn't have to be this way .
Sometimes love and justice prevail even in our earthly world (not having to wait only for the
spiritual one if you believe in it).

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