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Brief Comment on Jane Eyre

’

s Rebellion

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Abstract

：

“Jane Eyre” is one of the greatest masterpieces of the 19

th

century in the English

literary world. Many people considered it as a wonderful works; because it formed an obvious

comparison with the social value in British and furthermore it was written by the feminine, for

the phenomenon of male superiority dominated the whole society at that time. Almost all persons

thought

literature

was

not

the

women’s

career,

and

w

omen

could

not

regard

it

as

their

jobs,

neither.

So

the

birth

of

“Jane

Eyre”

was

a

shocking

works.

This

paper

aims

at

commenting

briefly

on

Jane

Eyre’s

characteristics

of

rebellion.

The

heroine

in

the

novel

bore

all

different

kinds of oppressions from the feudalistic society, but she was strong, with her intelligent, kind

and

pure

getting

respect,

freedom

and

a

piece

of

great

love.

Believing

that

most

of

readers

especially

women

in

untoward

circumstance

get

much

encouragement

from

this

classic.

This

essay

is

accomplished

with

examples

to

state

her

rebellion

in

detail

and

combine

with

the

practical cases to let people know what enlightenments we can get from.

Key words:

Jane Eyre; rebellion; enlightenments

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

.

.......................................... .................................................. ..............................

5

1. BACKGROUND

.

..... .................................................. .................................................. ...............

6

2. IN THE GATESHEAD (RESOURCE OF REBELLION)

............................ .............................

6

2.1

R

EBELLION UNDER THE

< br>I

LL

-

TREATMENT FROM

J

OHN

R

EAD

.

....................................... ..........

7

2.2

R

EBELLION IN THE

R

ED

R

OOM

.

....................................... .................................................. ....

8

2.3

R

EBELLION IN THE FRONT OF

M

RS

.

R

EED

.

....................................... ......................................

8

2.3.1 Characteristics of Mrs. Reed

.

..................................... .................................................. ....

9

2.3.2 Through Rebelling against Mrs. Reed to See Today

.

.......... ............................................

1

0

3. IN THE LOWOOD (DEVELOPMENT OF REBELLION)

.

..... ...............................................

1

0

3.1

A

NALYZING THE

R

EBELLION OF

J

ANE

E

YRE THROUGH

B

URNS

.

...................................... .....

11

3.2

R

EBELLING AGAINST

M

R

.

B

ROCKLEHURST

........................................... ..............................

1

2

4. IN THE THORNFIELD (CLIMAX OF REBELLION)

...... .................................................. ...

1

3

4.1

L

OVE REBELLION

.. .................................................. .................................................. ..........

1

3

4.2

V

IEWS OF THEIR LOVE

.

........... .................................................. ...........................................

1

4

5. IN THE MOOR HOUSE (ANTI-CLIMAX OF REBELLION)

............................................. ..

1

4

CONCLUSION

................. .................................................. .................................................. ........

1

5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

............... .................................................. .................................................. ......

1

6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

............ .................................................. ..............................................

1

7

Introduction

Jane

Eyre,

a

very

classic

heroine

of

a

famous

novel

written

by

Charlotte

Bronte,

was

a

typical rebellious feminine in 19

th

century. She was a successful figure under the

author’s works.

In

the

novel,

she

was

self-respect,

independent

and

kind-hearted.

Jane

Eyre

was

a

greatest

masterpiece in

the world

not

only shocked the whole literary at

that time but

also

encouraged

many

persons

who

were

on

the

lower

rungs,

especially

for

women.

Since

women

had

no

opportunity, no right, no position at that time. This novel was born in 19

th

century which was a

turbulent

age

and

the

Caste

System

was

quite

strict.

Women

in

that

British

time

had

little

independent

voice.

They

had

no

choice

but

to

bear

all

different

kinds

of

oppressions

from

feudalism. In the Capitalists’

eyes, they were only the tools for machines, let alone freedom and

independent.

People

who

have

read

this

novel

may

have

strongly

felt

that

the

author

is

the

prototype

of

Jane

Eyre.

The

story

of

this

novel

is

fictional,

but

the

heroine

and

many

other

figur

es’

living

environment,

characteristics

and

other

details

are

all

from

the

author

and

her

relative

persons’

experiences

.

(

廖洪中

2003:108)

< br>

With

a

story

about

the

life

of

an

orphan,

Charlotte showed us the miserable situation for British women at that time, reflecting women on

how

to

get

rid

of

the

request

from

males

oppressions

and

discriminations.

It

was

the

great

pioneering creation in British literature, which resulted in a tremendous response. In this works,

we can see

the author’s silhouette everywhere.

Just like what Charlotte Bronte said, Jane was not

pretty, not rich, not pride, but she was intelligent, enthusiastic, humble, just like herself. After

finishing this novel, the enlightenment from it is we should not yield to any evil forces. Everyone

in this world is equal and we enjoy the same rights with other persons. Also we should not be

timid; inversely we have to be brave to pursue the truth, honesty and beauty. Jane Eyre suffered

from a great deal of insult and contemptuous look, especially in Gateshead. But she was not an

ordinary girl. When bullied by them, she would hit it back powerfully. So from this novel, we

can easy to see at the bottom of Jane’s heart how strong she was.

1. Background

Charlotte, one of three Bronte’

s sisters who were all quite famous in British literature, was

born

in

Yorkshire,

England.

Her

father

was

a

clergy

but

knowledgeable,

and

her

mother

died

when she was five. After three years, Charlotte was sent to a boarding school together with her

sisters. But unfortunately, her two sisters were infected the tuber and later they were dead.

So

they back home. Charlotte lived through a hard childhood that affects her future life greatly. She

put

her

characteristics

into

Jane

Eyre

and

let

readers

know

what

hardship

not

only

she

had

suffered from but also the British women had lived through. In her novel, Jane Eyre was a poor

girl. She was no money

and not beautiful; nevertheless, Jane was pure, noble, self-respect and

independent.

When

being

a

private

teacher,

she

loved

Rochester

gradually

who

was

once

her

master.

The

experience

of

Jane

was

the

same

with

Charlotte.

When

Charlotte

was

studying

French in Brussels built by Ella couple, she was also loved her French teacher. But the pity was

that he had got married. There was little possibility for Charlotte to get married with him. So she

hoped

that

Jane

could

finally

come

true

her

dream

and

be

together

with

her

lover.

We

are

so

happy to see that the final destiny of

heroine under author’

s writing had a good ending. For my

eyes, it was onl

y author’

s fantasy and she hoped this fantasy could be realized on Jane Eyre.

Depressing sorrowful mood, Charlotte was back to her hometown and decided to prepare to

establish

the

school,

but

at

last

she

failed.

However,

s

he

didn’t

give

up.

In

rever

se,

she

was

striving for herself. Just the same with Jane, though the road was full of thorns, she was always

insisting on. There was no vestige of backward. The spirits of independent, rebellion, self-respect

showed up in every corner, especially the rebellion. Just because Jane wanted to be independent

and free, she had no choice but to rebel.

It was these spirits that Jane Eyre

got the purest and

noblest love.

2. in the Gateshead (Resource of Rebellion)

At

this

part,

I

will

talk

something

about

the

rebellion

spirit

of

Jane

Eyre

in

Gateshead.

Generally

speaking,

the

purpose

of

any

defiance

is

to

get

oneself

freedom

and

equality.

The

reason why they have rebellions is that these people are under ill-treatment. In this classic novel,

the rebellion is always companying with Jane that is formed by the complicated environments.

Jane Eyre was an orphan who lost her parents after her birth and lived with Family Reed in

the Gateshead where she suffered from much imaginable ill- treatment. Jane Eyre had to depend

on

her

aunt

for

support,

but

unluckily

her

aunt

disliked

her

and

looked

up

down

her.

(Cong

Xiao2010:106)

Also her brother and sisters distained her, thinking that she was just a poor girl

and had nothing. Only a ten-year-old girl should bear such pain, it was really an amazing thing.

However, what comforted our readers was that Jane held on it. She was so strong that nothing

could be easy to strike her down. In the Gateshead, the characteristic of rebellion was gradually

grown up.

Jane was a successful figure, because she dared to break through the traditional thoughts,

never thinking of herself as a slave and always trying her best to

escape from the constrained

freedom. She was kind-hearted, humble and honest. Despite her shortness and plain-looking, she

was often full of confident. But her relative, Mrs. Reed, was a rude and uneducated woman who

had never treated Jane well. She was a snobby woman and never thought of others. In her eyes,

there was only a word that was money. She did not like Jane and often abused her. But Jane was

not easy to be bullied. When Mrs. Reed scolded Jane excessively, Jane would talk back to her

powerfully. And if John, the son of Mrs. Reed, abused her, she would resist it crazily, either. The

rebellion in front of Mrs. Reed was obvious. The days in the red room lit up the spark of Jane

Eyre’s

rebellion

further.

She

thought

if

she

didn’t

have

defiance,

then

she

would

be

dead.

As

Matthew Arnold suspects that Jane Eyre is such a woman who

yearns to escape entirely from

drawing rooms and patriarchal

mansions. (Li

Zhou2010:163)

From the rebellion

in

Gateshead,

we can learn from that the respect was a mutual thing

. If you want to get other’s respect, the first

thing is that you should learn to respect others. No matter who are you.

2.1 Rebellion under the Ill-treatment from John Read

From the beginning of the first chapter, we can know that Jane Eyre

’

s living was unhappy,

for

the

writer

pointing

out

that

a

heart

suddenly

by

the

chidings

of

Bessie,

the

nurse,

and

humbled

by

the

consciousness

of

my

physical

inferiority

to

Eliza,

John,

and

Georgiana

Reed.

(Charlotte Bronte2008:1)Since Jane has lived with family Reed together, she did have a good life

until

her

uncle

died.

From

then

on,

everyone

in

Reed

house

started

to

bias

her

and

bully

her.

Later, she was even abused by them. At Gateshead, the one who always abuse Jane Eyre was

John

Reed.

John

Reed,

elder

four

years

than

Jane,

was

Mrs.

Reed

’

s

only

darling

son.

So

no

matter what he had done, no one would scold him, instead, all of them would think that it must

be the Jane

’

s fault. At the initial stage, maybe Jane had a little frightened to John when she was

abused by him. For example, as Jane Eyre s

aid:” every nerve I ha

s feared him, and every morsel

of

flesh

on

my

bones

shrank

when

he

came

near.

”

(Charlotte

Bronte2008:6)

However,

Jane

Eyre

’

s heart was strong, since she was not scared with any half step. On the contrary, the seeds of

the rebellion were gradually growing up. It is known to all that people who were only under the

great oppression will break out their enormous

power. That’

s it. The tolerance of everybody is

limited. When the tolerance reaches a certain point, of course, it will have a massive explosion.

Just like what Luxun s

aid:”

to explore in silence, or to die in it.

” See

ing from that you can know

it was full of the rebellion spirit in Jane Eyre

’

s heart, which was her own unconscious

that hadn’t

shown apparently.

Jane

didn’t think that

she should resign to such an uneducated and rude boy.

She desired

freedom and independent. Fair was also her inner calling. But it was impossible for her to get

these things at that time. Gradually, the rebellion consciousness was much stronger than before.

As for John, both of his intelligent quality and emotional quality were inferior to Jane. He had

not much affection for his mother and sisters, let alone the sympathy to Jane Eyre. Furthermore,

he

always

insulted

Jane

with

fouled

words

that

to

the

great

extent

hurt

Jane

’

s

respect.

For

instance, he once

said: “you

have no money,

you ought to beg.

I’ll

teach you to rummage my

bookshelves,

for

they

are

mine,

all

belongs

to

me,

or

will

do

in

a

few

years.

”

(Charlotte

Bronte2008:7)

From this point we can see that the author gave a bright comparison between Jane

her brother, John, because at the end of the story, Jane had got decent money which was left by

her uncle Eyre, and she shared all her money with her family. The love of family was the best

gift for her.

In our reader’

s view, Jane was just like a straw, looking weak, (

王 红莉

2010:52

)

but in fact,

it was quite hardy. The more difficulties there were, the more she was strong. When John Reed

lift and hurled the book to Jane, she shouted out without any hes

itation: “wicked

and cruel boy!

You

are

like

a

murder---- you

are

like

a

slave

driver----you

are

like

the

roman

emperors!

”

(Charlotte Bronte2008:7)

Even she thought she would declare it aloud, although Jane once often

thought of John as these evils. This point has been shown clearly that the tolerance limitation of

Jane Eyre has saturated. But for the John

’

s continuous

ly attack, the rebellion won’t break out.

In

our view, Jane Eyre

’

s choice was exactly right. At least, her defiance has our readers

’ hatred

give

a vent. Believing that as Jane shouting out to John, she must be very joyful. From then on, as

long as John thrust his tongue in his cheek or even attempted abuse, Jane would instantly turn

against him. We were so glade to see that there was mighty power in Jane

’

s heart.

2.2 Rebellion in the Red Room

Mrs. Reed hated to see Jane Eyre, because of Jane

’

s ceaselessly rebellions. It seemed that

Jane was challenging the power of Mrs. Reed. So finally she could not escape from the tragedy

of being sent to the red room. The room was a spare chamber that was seldom used. Mr. Reed,

the uncle of Jane Eyre

on her mother’

s side was dead in this room for about 9 years. Dear friends,

you can imagine that how horrible the red room is. Everything in this room was guarded with a

sense

of

dreary

atmosphere,

which

made

people

stifling.

So

was

Jane.

She

was

so

afraid

that

there were all the terrifying images that almost occupied her all mind. She s

aid, “although there

was

a

superstition

with

me

at

that

moment,

it

was

not

yet

her

hour

for

complete

victory:

my

blood was still warm, the mood of the revolted slave was still bracing me with its bitter

vigor”

(Charlotte

Bronte2008:13)

each

time,

as

long

as

she

though

of

John

Reed

’

s

violent

tyrannies,

Eliza and Georgiana Reed

’

s pride and Mrs. Reed

’

s merciless and hard- hearted, at that time, Jane

would

cause

a

feeling

of

hatred.

There

was

only

one

word

would

come

up

her,

that

was

the

rebellion.

Only

through

the

rebellion,

Jane

could

feel

a

sense

of

triumph;

only

through

the

rebellion, she would get the satisfactory. Only through the rebellion, she could have the chance

to get freedom and independence. The days living in the red room was just like the days living in

the hell. During that time, Jane thought lots of things. She deemed that it was not the life she

wanted.

Everything

around

her

was

unfair.

Locked

in

that

gloomy

and

cold

red

room

all

afternoon, Jane

’

s mind was filled with terror, and all her heart was tumultuous.

Jane

was

a

strong

girl

and

never

gave

up

striving

and

rebelling.

At

sometimes,

she

even

thought

of

a

new

means

to

escape

from

these

disgusting

days.

She

knew

it

was

pointless

in

pleasing them, since the family Reed

didn’t like her from their heart. Each of them looked down

on her, considered that she was poor and not pretty. So it was meaningless to integrate her into

these persons. They were not worth getting any respect and sympathy from Jane. She thought it

was she that did not fit to associate with them, but they had no qualifications to associate with

her. The thinking of Jane Eyre was obviously contrary to the current of thought at that time. The

ideological trend in the 19

th

century of British was male priority. Women had not the equal right

to men. And the only thing which they could do was to obey, to yield and to resign them. In the

terms of Jane

’

s rebellion, it was like a joke for women, even though someone having such idea,

they could not put it into practice.

However, Jane, we have seen that, was a different girl. She dared to think and act. Persisting

all the way, she was rather out of herself. She had conscious that now that, it was impossible to

please them, then she would rather to become rebel s

lave. The novel had pointed out that “they

had got me by this time into the apartment indicated by Mrs. Reed, and had thrust me upon a

stool: my impulse was to rise from it like a spring(Charlotte Bronte2008:9)

”

you can imagine, at

that

time,

if

someone

laid

upon

you,

do

you

dare

rebel?

However,

looking

at

Jane

Eyre,

she

jumped

up

instinctively.

So

the

consciousness

of

the

rebellion

in

the

red

room

was

more

and

more strong.

2.3 Rebellion in the front of Mrs. Reed

From chapter 1 to chapter 4, the author described the Jane

’

s living in family Reed. And in

Gateshead, the dialogue between Mrs. Reed and Jane Eyre could well display her rebellions. In

Gateshead, Jane suffered from lots of difficulties. While when faced with so many different kinds

of revilement, Jane had not shown any sign of fright. Instead, she gave the powerful words to hit

back. Her reason told her that it was not the time that she would be yielded. As Jane cried out as

leaning over the banister

, “they are

not fit to ass

ociate with me.”

(Charlotte Bronte2008:33)

Mrs.

Reed was so angry when hearing it, and then

dragged her into the nursery, pressed her on the

edgy

of

the

bed

and

said

”

dared

me

in

an

emphatic

voice

to

ri

s

e

from

that

place”

(Charlotte

Bronte2008:33)

then, Jane

talked it back immediately, “what would uncle

Reed say to you, if he

were live?”

These words shocked Mrs. Reed; her eyes were tangled with terror. She did not think

that such little girl had so great power and courage to speak to her. In Mrs. Reed

’

s heart, there

was also a slight of fright, and also just like people living at that period.

People who dare to defiant are usually hardy and study. We should respect them. In the days

of

nursery,

Jane

was

always

striving.

Often,

she

was

thinking

about

how

to

say

her

inner

thoughts out. She had been abused mercilessly for a long time. But unfortunately, there was no

any good idea for her to escape from it. The only thing that she could do was to rebel, which was

the best way that could protect her. If not do so, the rest of the world for her was only the death.

When

thought

of

this

point,

she

would

gather

all

her

energy

and

gave

Mrs.

Reed

a

forceful

hit- back. She said to Mrs. Reed

”

I am not deceitful: if I were you, I should say I love you: but I

declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except the John Reed:

and this book about the liar, you may give your girl, Georgiana, for it is she tells lies, and not I

”

(Charlotte Bronte2008:46) how joyful and comfortable for Jane as she was saying these words.

Afraid as she was, Jane still continued to s

ay “I

am glad you are no relation of mine, I will never

call you aunt as long as I live, and I will never come to s

ee you when I am grown up.”

(Charlotte

Bronte2008:46)

“

How

dare

I?

Mrs.

Reed?

It

is

the

truth.

You

have

no

pity

I

shall

remember”

(Charlotte Bronte2008:46)

she said

it extremely

excited.

Jane

busted all

her bad emotions

that

bad been oppressed for a long time. No wonder even herself said when she had not finished the

reply, her soul began to expand, with the strange feeling of freedom, of triumph. Upon this Jane

gained a psychological victory over the gorgon aunt. (

王姝，庄严

2007:161) So dear readers,

when

you

see

this

point

of

the

novel.

Don’t

you

think

the

rebellion

of

Jane

at

this

time

had

extended to another degree? Only a ten-year-old girl had such kind of courage against the things

that she thought unfair.

2.3.1 Characteristics of Mrs. Reed

Mrs. Reed‘s attitude towards Jane was always aloof, and fu

ll of taut. In fact, Mrs. Reed was

a mean, snobby, selfish, merciless

and indifferent

woman. She thought

Jane was a poor, short

and not beautiful girl.

Besides these, she

still considered that Jane was a precious actress: and

sincerely looked on her as a compound of virulent passions, mean spirit and dangerous duplicity.

So no matter what Jane did, it was useless to make Mrs. Reed happy.

Additionally, she was a hard-stone woman. Just we have known Jane was cruelly put into

the gloomy red-room by Mrs. Reed and she had to stand the horror that should not a ten-year-old

girl could

endure. No matter how she pleaded to Mrs. Reed, all the efforts were in vain. Mrs.

Reed did not agree to release her, no matter how Jane cried loudly with all her efforts. But at last,

the result she got was only a cold piece of words---let her alone.

“

It was just her naughty trick

”

(Charlotte Bronte2008:18)

Mrs. Reed said. Readers who have read the novel know that even at

the end of the story, Mrs. Reed did not want to apologize to her.

What

’

s more? Mrs. Reed was a woman who are soft afraid of hard. Those who had a little

money often looked down upon the poor, which had formed a social atmosphere. And if there

were a person who had a big power, she would respect him.

However,

Mrs. Reed was a right

person that belonged to this kind. She disliked Jane very much, so later decided to send Jane to

the school so that she could live a tranquil life. Of course, the school was not very generous or

decent. Just like the charity. But in fact it was the half-charity school. Before sending Jane to the

school,

Mr.

Brocklehurst,

the

founder

of

the

Lowood,

came

to

Gateshead

to

know

about

something

about

Jane.

Mrs.

Reed

said

many

uncomfortable

words

about

her.

She

told

Mr.

Brocklehurst that Jane was a liar. And no one could be naughtier than her. Jane was so sad to

hear these slander words. She tried her best to repress her sorrow and wiped the tears harshly. At

this

moment,

no

one

could

help

her.

All

of

miserable

things

were

put

on

the

Jane’s

shoulder.

What a resolute girl is!

In our realistic life, many people are like Mrs. Reed who is a mean and snobbish person.

They

think

they

have

money,

so

they

have

right

to

order

people

what

they

want

them

to

do.

Actually, everyone is equal. Everyone is a free man. They don

’

t belong to any person. So if you

were in the

Jane’s

shoes, what will you do?

2.3.2 Through Rebelling against Mrs. Reed to See Today

We can borrow the example of rebelling against Mrs. Reed to see ourselves. Without doubt

the defiance of Jane Eyre was shocking and surprising in the 19

th

century. Thus it explained that

people at that time especially the feminine that on the behalf of Charlotte Bronte had a strong

consciousness to rebel. But Charlotte had her own limitation because of the era. So the reason

why she shaped a figure, Jane Eyre, was that Charlotte just wanted to pour her all feelings which

were

impossible to

give out

at

that time upon Jane, through describing

the strong defiance on

Jane

to

shout

out

her

voice.

Such

rebellion

is

like

the

old

China.

When

foreigners

opened