FEMININITY

Backgr und: W men In Vict rian England Women during this time were expected to stay out of the public sphere, they were primarily in the domestic sphere. This involved them overseeing the work of the servants. Wealthy women did not raise their children themselves, the children had a nurse, then a governess when they got older. These “nannies” were supposed to instill in the parents rules and expectations into the children for the parents.

Women lived completely separate lives from the men, they only came together during mealtimes, and when the men wanted to see their women. During this time period women were always supposed to submit to the men in their lives.

ThesisIn Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Jane is a young women in the Victorian Era. Women during this time were restricted by the societal expectations placed upon them. Many characters in Jane Eyre submit to these norms, including Jane herself. However, by the end of the novel, Jane has become autonomous and has broken free from societal pressures.

The Angel in the HouseMan must be pleased; but him to please

Is woman's pleasure; down the gulf

Of his condoled necessities

She casts her best, she flings herself.

How often flings for nought, and yokes

Her heart to an icicle or whim,

Whose each impatient word provokes

Another, not from her, but him;

While she, too gentle even to force

His penitence by kind replies,

Waits by, expecting his remorse,

With pardon in her pitying eyes;

And if he once, by shame oppress'd,

A comfortable word confers,

She leans and weeps against his breast,

And seems to think the sin was hers;

Or any eye to see her charms,

At any time, she's still his wife,

Dearly devoted to his arms;

She loves with love that cannot tire;

And when, ah woe, she loves alone,

Through passionate duty love springs higher,

As grass grows taller round a stone.

Young JaneFrom the beginning of the novel, we were shown that Jane does not have a positive male figure in her life, John Reed, was abusive and tainted Janes view of men. Jane did not have a father figure in her life, she was virtually alone. This caused Jane to be angry, she hated Mrs. Reed and was not treated like the other young girls during this time. Although Jane was technically, not beneath the Reed girls, everyone made her think she was.

“‘And you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money and you will have none: it is your place to be humble and to try and make yourself agreeable to them’” (7).

Helen Burns Helen Burns, is very submissive, she takes the verbal and physical abuse, whenever it is given to her, even if the reasons are not logical.

“You say you have faults, Helen: what are they? To me you seem very good.” “Then learn from me, not to judge by appearances. I am as Miss Scatcherd said, slatternly; seldom put, and never keep, things in order; I am careless; I forget rules; I read when I should learn my lessons; I have no method: and sometimes I say, like you, I cannot bear to be subjected to systematic arrangements. This is all very provoking to Miss Scatherd, who is naturally neat, punctual, and particular” (49).

Jane and Independence“That then I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen; that then I desired more of a practical experience than possessed; more of intercourse with my kind, of acquaintance with variety of character, than was here within my reach. I valued what was good in Mrs. Fairfax, and what was good in Adele; but I believed in the existence of other and more vivid kinds of goodness” (100).

Jane was trapped in a life of service because she was a poor women. She knew of all the knowledge and opportunities in the world and wanted to experience those, but she was aware that she could not. Although, Jane did have moments of resistance to the patriarchy.

Jane and Societal Expectations“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” (101).

This statement by Jane reinforces and explains the expectations of society for women. Jane acknowledges the standards and realizes how unfair they are. Although she is aware, she chooses to defy the standards unlike many of the other women in Jane Eyre.

Jane and Rochester"Most true is it that 'beauty is in the eye of the gazer.' My master's colorless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth,--all energy, decision, will,--were not beautiful, according to rule; but they were more than beautiful to me: they were full of an interest, an influence that quite mastered me,--that took my feelings from my own power and fettered them in his. I had not intended to love him: the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, green and strong! He made me love him without looking at me" (163).

Jane yet again refers to Rochester as ‘Master’, then explains her feeling of submission to Rochester and his ability to to take power over her due to his looks. This only strengthens the argument that Jane was not a strong feminist advocate in the beginning of the book due to her ability to allow Rochester to control her with his outwards beauty and inward charm.

Rochester"'Gratitude!' he ejaculated; and added wildly--'Jane, accept me quickly. Say, Edward--give me my name--Edward--I will marry you.' 'Are you in earnest?--Do you truly love me? Do you sincerely wish me to be your wife?' 'I do; and if an oath is necessary to satisfy you, I swear it.' 'Then, sir, I will marry you.' 'Edward--my little wife!' 'Dear Edward!' 'Come to me--come to me entirely now,' said he: and added, in his deepest tone, speaking in my ear as his cheek was laid on mine, 'Make my happiness--I will make yours'" (242).

Even in Jane’s most independent moment of choice, Rochester verbally commands Jane to marry him creating a normally exhilarating tone into a condescending/power hungry one. Jane follows the command giving him the power and strengthening his mind set of control over Jane and societies gender standards which yet again shows her ignorance in the beginning.

Rosamund Oliver“But where there are no obstacles to a union, as in the present case where the connexion is in every point desirable, delays are unnecessary: they will be married soon” (377-378).

Rosamund upholds the Victorian model of what women are expected to do in their life. She is marrying Mr. Granby because it will elevate her status in society.

Jane and Independence“It was a grand boon doubtless; and independence would be glorious” (365).

“He also advised me to be composed; I scorned the insinuation of helplessness and distraction” (368).

“Marry! I don’t want to marry, and never shall marry... how averse are my inclinations to the bare thought of marriage. No one would take me for love; and I will not be regarded in the light of a mere money speculation” (370).

Jane does not fit the mold of a Victorian age woman. In these passages she is asserting her independence to the men in her life. She does not want to rely on men and be seen as helpless, like she is expected to do, but instead desires to make her own way in the world. Also her desire to marry for love is unusual for the time period because it was the custom for women to marry for the sole purpose of improving their station in society.

Saint John“St. John, no doubt, would have given the world to follow, recall, retain her, when she thus left him; but he would not give one chance of heaven, nor relinquish, for the elysium of her love, one hope of the true, eternal Paradise.”

Jane and St. John“Again the surprised expression crossed his face. He had not imagined that a woman would dare to speak so to a man. For me, I felt at home in this sort of discourse. I could never rest in communication with strong, discreet, and refined minds, whether male or female, till I had passed the outworks of conventional reserve, and crossed the threshold of confidence, and won a place by their heart's very hearthstone.”

Jane and St. John“By degrees, he acquired a certain influence over me that took away my liberty of mind… When he said ‘go,’ I went: ‘come,’ I came; ‘do this,’ I did it. But I did not love my servitude… daily wished to please him; but to do so, I felt daily more and more that I must disown half my nature, stifle half my faculties, wrest my tastes from their original bent, force myself to the adoption of pursuits for which I had no natural vocation” (380-381).

“I read well into his iron silence all he felt towards me: the disappointment of an austere and despotic nature, which has met resistance when it expected submission… in short, as a man, he would have wished to coerce me into obedience” (391).

St. John embodies the traditional male role of dominating the female. Jane has become submissive in her interactions with St. John, thus fulfilling the social expectations placed upon her. However, later on Jane asserts herself and in the face of her independence St. John becomes displeased with her because his identity as a man has been threatened.

Jane and Rochester “I told you I am independent, sir, as well as rich: I am my own mistress” (416).

“His countenance reminded one of the lamp quenched, waiting to be re-lit; and alas! It was not himself that could now kindle the lustre of animated expression: he dependent on another for that office… the powerlessness of the strong man touched my heart to the quick” (420).

“Reader, I married him” (429).

Jane is no longer dependent on others for her survival, and now has the freedom to exercise her free will and do what she pleases. This independence lends itself in her relationship with Rochester because she can no longer be dominated by him, and she now has the ability to exert control over Rochester. In this reversal of gender roles/norms Jane is able to maintain her autonomy.

ConclusionIn the beginning of the novel, Jane, along with other characters, are submissive to those in a higher position of power. They allow themselves to be subjected to both physical and verbal abuse, this behavior being a norm for women during the Victorian era. However, as the novel progresses the reader is able to see the shift that occurs within Jane. She evolves from being a submissive observer in her life to an autonomous individual who exerts her free will and expresses her opinions, having broken free from the societal pressures that were placed on her from a young age.

Works Cited● "Gender Roles in the 19th Century." The British Library. The British Library, 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. ● "The Angel in the House." The Angel in the House. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2017● BronteÌ�, Charlotte, and Joyce Carol Oates. Jane Eyre. Toronto: Bantam, 1987. Print.

Maggie Akinleye, Aryssa Harris, Ryan Gossett, Rachel Mihm, Autumn Powell