Physiognomy and Perception in Jane Eyre

Rebecca Jung, Sharon Chun, and Dhavan Khatri

Introductory Activity

The Main IdeaIn Jane Eyre, Bronte challenges the relation between physical characteristics and mental perception of someone’s social situation. This is a recurring theme with Bronte’s characters in Victorian society, specifically with Jane and Rochester. They contradict typical hero/heroine characteristics: they do not have charm or beauty. Yet the novel ends with Jane and Rochester having a typical happy Victorian love in contrast to the lonely demises of the other characters perceived to have physical advantages.

The Use of Physiognomy- Physiognomy: idea that the personal characteristics and morals are

determined through the study of their body, especially the face- Used by cartoonist to immediately show emotion and character- Literature: gives impression of the characters through their physical

features

The Relevance of Physiognomy in Victorian Society

- “Golden age of appreciation” for science- Provided useful means to sight good and evil spirited without

speaking to them- Allowed working class to glean information of the leisure class

without having to break social protocol

The Relevance of Physiognomy in Jane Eyre

- Jane Eyre is very sensitive and observant of people’s appearances

- Highlighted by her artistic inclinations - Bronte heavily contrasts the plain and “ugly” main characters

with the rest of the characters that possess beauty - A statement that “poor and obscure, and small and plain” person like

Jane is relevant - Jane and Rochester could have easily been physically attractive without

changing storyline

Rochester’s Physiognomy - “He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow; his eyes and

gathered eyebrows looked ireful and thwarted just now; he was past youth...” (Bronte, 105).

- Heavy brow: forceful person- Gathered eyebrows: dishonest, mean

- “...his broad and jetty eyebrows, his square forehead...his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw...” (Bronte, 111).

- Decisive nose: strength and leadership

cont.“His form was of the same strong and stalwart contour as ever...his hair was still raven black...reminded me of some wronged and fettered wild beast or bird, dangerous to approach in his sullen woe. The caged eagle, whose gold-ringed eyes cruelty has extinguished, might look as looked that sightless Samson” (Bronte, 412).

- Animalistic and fierce- Opposite of typical heroes in Victorian novels

Jane’s Physiognomy “I sometimes regretted that I was not handsomer: I sometimes wished to have rosy cheeks, a straight nose, and small cherry mouth; I desired to be tall, stately and finely developed in figure; I felt it a misfortune that I was so little, so pale, and had features so irregular and so marked” (Bronte, 121).

-Rosy Cheeks: Physiognomy of “ideal” victorian women.

-Little, pale: Plain and Overlooked

cont

“We may, perhaps, succeed in restoring her to them, if she is not obstinate: but I trace lines of force in her face which make me skeptical of her tractability” (Bronte, 406).

-Lines of force: suggest a willfulness

Minor Characters’ PhysiognomyReeds

- Georgiana: “...her beauty, her pink cheeks, and golden curls, seemed to give delight to all.” (Bronte, 8)

- Beauty does not equal goodness- Fair hair > weaker, more helpless, more infantile

- John: “...large and stout for his age, with clingy and unwholesome skin: thick lineaments in a spaciou visage, heavy limbs and large extremities... dim and bleared eye with flabby cheeks.” (Bronte,3)

- Skin that did not seem bright and pure indicated engagement in unwholesome activities: masturbation

(cont.)- Mrs. Reed: “...she was a woman of robust frame, square-shouldered

and strong-limbed, not tall, and though stout, not obese; she had a somewhat large face the under jaw being much developed and very solid,; her brow was low, her chin large and prominent, mouth and nose sufficiently regular; under her light eyebrows glimmered an eye devoid of ruth; her skin was dark and opaque.” (Bronte, 21)

- Large face with a very developed jaw > stubborn, suppressed emotion, volatile, and close-minded

- Low brow > opposite of intellectual

(cont.)

(cont.)Others

- Bessie: “...a girl of good natural capacity, for she was smart in all she did...I remember her as a slim, young woman, with black hair, dark eyes, very nice features, and good, clear complexion…” (Bronte, 22)

- Dark hair represents strength - Beauty does not mean evil

- Blanche Ingram: “The noble bust, the sloping shoulders, the graceful neck, the dark eyes and black ringlets were all there: but her face? Her face was like her mother’s; a youthful unfurrowed likeness: the same low brow, the same high features, the same pride…” (Bronte,161)

Rochester’s Disfigurement - Lost hand and blind eye > less of a man now, less commandeering

- “He is now helpless indeed.” (Bronte, 410)- Yet he finds love unlike St. John who is described as handsome

- Ends on St. John’s resultant path as an unmarried man- Even in his disfigured state, IN SPITE of his disfigured state, Jane

loves him, returns to him - Both Jane and Rochester never loved each other from their

appearance- From the moment Rochester laid his eyes on her, she struck

“delight to [his] very inmost heart” (Bronte, 141)

Final Thoughts

- Bronte drives the point that her two main characters, although ugly, plain, not the elites of elites, ended up with happier lives filled with love. This is emphasized by the contrasting endings of all those who are beautiful in the book.

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