I am woman....hear me roar.....
9 years ago
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
man's worth
In Jane Eyre, nothing can better show a man's moral worth than the way in which he treats the women in his life. How is Rochester's character reflected in the way he treats Jane, Adele, Bertha Mason, and Miss Ingram, and in his reported treatment of Celine Varens? How is St. John's character reflected in the way he treats Jane, Miss Oliver, and Diana and Mary? Why does this serve as such a good gauge of a man's morality and worth? What other relationships serve similar functions in the novel?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Rochester! Wasn't everyone just a little bit in love with Rochester? And I think the fact that he was flawed and had made mistakes made him all the more loveable and real.
I wish he had had more affection for Adele, but he did try to do the right thing for her. He respected the other women in his life and was not ashamed to love who he loved. He also did the right thing by keeping Bertha around as well. He could have at least had her institutionalized but she was his responsibility. He was such a good person for Jane to find because they both deeply needed each other.
St John was a punk. He tried to make Jane whatever he needed her to be. He did not love Jane. She did not love him. I struggled as I watched her trying to win him over and needing still to have someone need her. I kept thinking, please get out of there and go back where you belong. I am so happy that Jane found her worth on her own and did not let Aunt Reed, or St John or anyone else define it for her.
Mr. Rochester was basically a good man. He made mistakes because of his despair in his life and wanting to find a get-away and true love. But the fact that he cared for Bertha (he could have left her in Jamaica)at Thornfield and hired a person to be with her and a doctor to care for her when needed was a sign of good character. He didn't treat Adele with as much kindness as he should of but he provided a home for her (she could have been put in an orphanage)and brought her gifts and provided a nurse and later a governess for her. With Jane he teased her and cajoled her and gave her little terms of endearment before she knew he loved her and after, he showed her protection and kindness and an abundance of loving feelings.
St. John wanted dominion over Jane to improve her and prepare her for a life given totally unto Christ, to put her in a climate that would be hard for her health-wise, and wanted her to be his co-servant without love and gentleness and the building up of her great qualities. He gave up true love when he gave up Miss Oliver because he knew she would not be pliable to his wants and desires. He still was good to Jane in many ways as he was the one who, when she was nearly dead with wet, cold hunger, and desperation, brought her into the home and gave her shelter and food. He treated his sisters with love and was good to them. He wasn't a bad person but became obsessed with being perfect and controlling and having those around him be that way, too.
Post a Comment