Fire And Ice In Jane Eyre Essay

Jane, through much of the first half of the novel, is put into circumstances where she feels she must fight for herself. The plights she faces are seen with the incessant description of cold, dark, and frigid settings. She being a child and a girl no less is expected to be timid, respectful, and to simply take everything without malice, but she cannot. Symbolizing Jane as fire, the author is telling us that to be idle is simply against her nature. Even Mr. Rochenchester takes note of it stating what a “fire-spirit” she can be. We know, due to this, that Jane will be breaking or at least challenging a few societal conventions of her time period which she does in the case of her feelings about gender roles, love, and class. Like fire she is lively and not easily controlled (in her case not controlled by the familial and societal expectations of her).

Throughout Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, the symbols of fire and water shape the novel and support the novel’s main theme. Jane Eyre continually struggles to find a middle ground between ‘fire’ and ‘water,’ as she is both aggressive and submissive. In Eric Solomon’s critical analysis, “The Symbolism of Fire and Water in Jane Eyre” Solomon accurately describes this struggle. It is important to note that Jane conflicts with authority, defeats the struggle by her inner confidence, and progresses into separation. Although Solomon clearly describes Jane’s struggles in her journey to find an equal balance between ‘fire’ and ‘water,’ other examples highlight crucial moments in the novel, by adding symbolism that enhances the struggles that Jane faces.

The novel in which Jane Eyre stars in can be seen criticizing many aspects of those times such as the role and nature of women, child negligence and social hardships for those in a lesser class. Jane Eyre’s alienation from society allows for a greater reveal of the story’s culture, values, and assumptions. It’s presented through the use of gender, class and character conflicts throughout the story. On multiple occasions, Jane is judged for the presented factors reflecting the type of society Jane lives in and what the times were like at that time.

Violence is the most recurrent gothic convention used in Jane Eyre, which is prominent in Charlotte Brontë's effective development of the novel and the character of Jane Eyre, who, throughout this novel, is searching for a home in which she would have a sense of belonging and love which would ultimately resolve this exact unfulfilled need she had as a child. The neglect she experienced in her childhood is manifested in the way she is treated by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, as in the first page of the novel Jane Eyre admits: ‘Me, she had dispensed from joining the group, saying, 'She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance’’. This opening shows how there is a clear line of separation drawn between Jane and her relatives due to her complicated family background which consequently results in their reluctance to accept her into their environment. These complications lead to her maltreatment, which also adds on to the violence she experiences acting as a catalyst for the development of the character and her subconscious quest.

“I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is a discovery” - Robert Frost.

Throughout the novel of ‘Jane Eyre’ a colonialism and isolation are reflected throughout the novel, mainly through the treatment of Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre as she is cruelly locked in the attic due to her husband, Mr Rochester deeming her as insane. Bertha is described in a demon like manner whereas Jane represents a rebellious young woman who can be closely linked to a modern woman with the values and independence the contemporary readers possess. Jane does not represent any of the desired values by Victorians as Jane stands up to Rochester and acts as his equal rather than his lesser half. The presentation of Bertha being demonic was also highlighted by Solomon as she ‘represent[s] the flames of hell fire’¹ showing the devilish manner Bertha is presented in and the mistreatment of her as an individual, however, it also shows the historical views towards the mentally ill as Bertha isn’t seen to have a sickness but rather she is possessed. Fire is also associated with heat like Bertha as she is aligned with the ‘hot’ West Indies. Bertha is seen as villain as she constantly jeopardises Jane and Rochester’s future, however she can be seem to catalyse Janes personal development and self-awareness due to the positions Jane is left in due to Berthas presence.

The definition for a motif is essentially an important idea or subject that is repeated throughout a book (Merriam-Webster). A motif of fire and ice was present in this novel through a binary of love and hate. In Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, binaries were created using different elements within the novel, symbolism, imagery, etc. While profoundly reading Jane Eyre, I tracked the image/motif of fire and ice. The fire and ice are used throughout the story to thoroughly develop a binary between love and hate.

Jane Eyre is a coming of age story following a young woman and her journey of self-growth. At the start of the novel Jane is living with her aunt and three cousins. They continuously abuse her, treating her like a stranger rather than a family member. At the age of ten Jane leaves her aunt's house and attends boarding school. It is at this school where she learns lessons of forgiveness and hope from a meek young woman named Helen Burns. Subsequently studying and teaching at the school for eight years Jane decides to become a governess at the mysterious Thornfield mansion. She falls in love with the owner of Thornfield and the two make plans to marry. Nonetheless on the day of there wedding Jane discovers that Mr. Rochester is already married and that he keeps his insane wife Bertha trapped away in the attic of Thornfield. Devastated by this information, Jane flees Thornfield and nearly dies from cold and starvation. Soon after she is taken in by the Rivers, two sisters and one brother. The passing of Jane's uncle reveals that she and the Rivers are cousins. It is also revealed that this uncle has left Jane all his fortune. This in turn leaves Jane extremely wealthy. Her cousin St. John Rivers ask Jane for his hand in marriage. However Jane comes to the conclusion that she still loves Mr. Rochester. After declining St. John's proposal Jane journeys back to Thornfield. When she arrives at Thornfield Jane discovers the mysterious mansion in burnt ruins. It is revealed that the

A constant theme throughout Jane Eyre is the search for love. Although this could be shown through many of the novel's key characters, it can most readily be shown in the experiences of Jane Eyre herself. The novel begins with her searching for love and it finally ends with her finding it, for good, in Mr. Rochester.

Jane Eyre is a story about a little orphan girl who was raised by an abusive aunt and later was sent to a charity school. Though she met further hardships, she successfully educated herself and took a job as a governess for the Rochester family. The dark history of Mr. Rochester forced Jane to abandon the bond once between them. After a series of challenges and self-exploration, Jane returned as a mature and independent woman and lived a happily ever-after life with the love of her life. Although she faces all different kinds of changes in her life, she never lost the sense of dignity and the determination for maintaining her own autonomy.

The prevalence of fire imagery and it's multitude of metaphoric uses in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre expresses two things that could not be expressed openly in the Victorian Period, which are mainly passion and sexuality. Brontes writing was dictated by the morals of her society, but her ideas were not. Jane Eyre was written with the Victorian reader in mind. Bronte knew that if she were to write about these two things directly she would have to face possible rejection of her book. A resolution to this dilemma was to awaken the audience in a way that society deemed not only respectable, but also acceptable. So Bronte creates Jane, and Jane becomes the embodiment of

Jane Eyre is a story of a quest to be loved. Jane searches, not just for romantic love, but also for a sense of being valued and belonging. However, this search is constantly hindered by her need for independence. She starts of as an unloved orphan who is desperate to find love and a purpose. For example, Jane says to Helen, “to gain some real affection from you, or Miss Temple, or any other whom I truly love, I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm broken, or to let a bull toss me, or to stand behind a kicking horse, and let it dash its hoof at my chest”. However, over the course of the novel, Jane learns to gain love without harming herself in the process. Although she is despised by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, she finds parental figures throughout the book. Miss Temple and Bessie care for Jane and give her love and guidance. However, Jane does not feel as though she has found

In literature, the presence of a bird can mean so much more if you know, for example, that the bird represents freedom. These symbols give us, as the reader, an ability to look deeper into the meaning throughout the stories that we read. One such example that is filled with all sorts of symbolism is the story Jane Eyre. The symbolism of fire and ice in the story of Jane Eyre’s life can be seen through the mood set in a scene as well as the personalities of the characters.

Firstly, Jane Eyre is a young woman who faces hardships with great determination. Raised by Mrs. Reed, a cruel aunt, she is sent

In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë underlines two opposing paths through different love interests for Jane.  During the exploration of paths set out before Jane, she finds herself at a crossroad between a life of duty and a life of passion. A man born into a wealthy family of high rank shows a path of passion. Contrasting this is a strict clergyman, shows a path of duty. It is through different manners, however, St. John Rivers and Edward Rochester both have sought to cultivate and nurture the similar value of intelligence they both share with Jane. Although both characters shaped Jane Eyre’s life in some way or another, St. John Rivers’ icy exterior helps the reader to better appreciate Edward Rochester’s fiery sense of humanity. In the