Jane Eyre

In the novel, Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte shows the development and gradual characterization of the main character, Jane Eyre, making her become one of the strongest protagonists in literary history. The novel opens with Jane portrayed as a lost, unhappy, and unloved orphan. She is neglected by her aunt and cousins in their house at Gateshead. Bronte uses this as a contrast to the novels closing. When the story ends, Jane is a strong, focused, intellectual, and loved woman. These two examples from the novel’s beginning and the novel’s end emphasize the turn that Jane’s life takes and how she develops and evolves into a brave, independent, and happy character. Through the progression of the novel, Jane goes from being a powerless individual to the character that ultimately holds all the power in her hands, largely because of her strong independence.

Jane Eyre is an extremely independent character throughout the entirety of the novel. She is independent even when she wishes she was not. When she is a young, orphaned child, she is independent because her aunt chooses not to love or include Jane in her family. Jane is independent when she attends Lowood School because she is without any long-lasting relationships; she has to fend for herself and she is determined to excel in her studies even though she has no family members to support her. During Jane’s work as a governess at Thornfield, she is independent because she is let down by her love, Edward Rochester. Jane has to recover from this sadness in her life by herself. Jane finally triumphs in her independence when she is at Marsh End. She became strong enough to stand up for herself and turn down St. John River’s marriage proposal. This is possibly the best decision Jane ever made because at the end of the novel, Jane is reunited with Rochester and they become happily married. Jane remains independent even after she becomes Rochester’s wife because she believes in and treasures the abilities of women and their right to equality.

Jane Eyre is a strong advocate of women’s rights. Part of her faith in women’s equality comes from her independent mind and her longing to break social barriers that she has faced in her life. Jane works hard in school because she believes that a good education should be enough to set her apart and should help her become a lady. Her success in school adds to Jane’s self-confidence which further stresses her view that women should be allowed to be intellectual, active in society, and equal. Jane opposes society for setting women below men and for setting her profession, a governess, in low social standing. She fights against society through her relationship with her wealthy, upper class master, Rochester. Jane’s independence sparks her rebellion against the social norms of her society.

Jane Eyre gains much of her strength because of her relationship with Edward Rochester. Their very powerful connection is deepened because they both understand each others shortcomings and resistance to become emotionally close. Rochester sees the independence within Jane and does not want to hold her back. He knows that she is cautious with people because of her lack of any emotional connection or love as a child. He shows this when he says:
I see you laugh rarely; but you laugh very merrily; believe me, you are not naturally austere, any more than I am vicious. The Lowood constraint still clings to you somewhat; controlling your features, muffling your voice, and restricting your limbs; and you fear in the presence of a man and a brother- or father, or master, or what you will- to smile to gaily, speak to freely, or move to quickly: but in time, I think you will be natural with me, as I find it impossible to be conventional with you; and then your looks and movements will have more vivacity and variety than they dare offer now. I see at intervals the glance of a curious sort of bird through the close-set bars of a cage: a vivid, restless, resolute captive is there; were it but free, it would soar cloud-high.

These words of Rochester’s show that he is dedicated to Jane and that he sees her full potential as a person, even when she does not. Rochester accepts Jane’s independence, unlike the many men who would have found it inappropriate. Rochester is even impressed with Jane’s intelligence and her drawing capabilities because this was so unusual at the time.

Jane Eyre resembles a modern day heroine because of her revolutionary ideas on equal rights for women, the denial of social ranking, and her pure independence. These qualities give her the power to oppose the people who attempt to deny Jane of her happiness. Jane targets the injustices within her society which allows the novel to progress and build up around her and all that Jane was trying to accomplish. Jane’s success is largely due to her motivation, her desire for happiness, her ability to say no and to do what she knows is right for her. The novel plays off of all of Jane’s notions, ideas, desires, and actions. The growth of Jane’s character is critical to the novel because it takes this literature to another level beyond the basic story line. Bronte presents Jane Eyre to the reader as a likeable character that the reader roots for and wants to see succeed. The reader wants Jane and Rochester to end up happily together and to see Jane overcome her sad childhood. Bronte makes the readers sympathetic to Jane as a method for making the novel progress through developmental phases in Jane’s life. The reader grows to love the novel as Jane grows to love herself. The reader comes to admire Jane and everything that she stands for through her independence and her final success in her marriage to Rochester. (1021).