Reason vs. Struggle In Jane Eyre
In Charlotte Brontė's novel Jane Eyre, Jane's sense of reasoning overrides her passion in her decision making. Jane fights to remain as she is instead of conforming to Mr. Rochester's standards, and she resists St. John Rivers' attempt to transform her into a missionary machine. Jane uses her reason to struggle against Rochester's persistence in making her conform to his standards. At first Rochester claims to love Jane as she is, because she is different from any woman he has ever met. However, after he proposes to Jane and she accepts, he begins to offer her priceless jewels that he keeps in London. Jane declines these by saying, "Never mind jewels! I don't like to hear them spoken of. Jewels for Jane Eyre sounds unnatural and strange; I would rather not have them." Rochester pleads with Jane to accept the jewels, but she insists that she will not wear them because jewels do not suit her. Having lost his first battle Rochester moves on and begins another. He tells Jane, "I will attire my Jane in satin and lace, and she shall have roses in her hair." After hearing this Jane replies tenaciously by saying, "Then you won't know me, sir; and I shall not be your Jane Eyre any longer, but an ape in a harlequin's jacket, -a
St. John, I abandon half myself." It was this reasoning that caused her to say no. Nevertheless, she still felt as if she was abandoning God so she proposed her own terms to become a missionary. She suggested that they go posed as brother and sister and work together. Unfortunately, St. John declined this offer and demanded once again that she marry him. Jane still refuses because she will not marry unless it is for love. Jane leaves the situation victorious as she usually does. Her reason, she believes, helped her make the correct decision and she is glad that she did not let her passion for work influence her final resolution. I would as soon see you, Mr. Rochester, tricked out in stage-trappings, as myself clad in court-lady's robe; and I don't call you handsome, sir, though I love you most dearly: far too dearly to flatter you. Don't flatter me." After all is said and done, Rochester realizes he has been defeated and Jane sees that she has once again been victorious. Unfortunately, this is not the last time Jane will have to fight to remain as she is. Later in the novel, Rochester again tries to pressure Jane into becoming his mistress. He tells her, "You shall go to a place I have in the south of
Some common words found in the essay are:
Jane Eyre, St John, Unfortunately Jane, John Rivers', St John's, Thornfield Jane, Rivers Jane, Eyre Jane's, God Jane, London Jane, st john, jane eyre, sense reasoning, god jane, love jane,
Approximate Word count = 823
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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