Fire and Water Imagery in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

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).

Fire has turned into a focused, on image for death in this story. When we read about the cottagers bite the dust in the flares after the creature begins the fire, we see that once we encounter fire we see flames filled with death. Fire additionally causes torment for instance when the creature says "In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain." The torment that fire has caused not just to the people but also to the creature who has made death occur through flames of this awful mark.

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.

Fire is a symbol of emotion in the novel and is involved in deep moments of love and hate. There were various examples of ‘fire’ that develop love and hate in the story. The two most important ‘fires’ in the novel are literal and both committed by Bertha Mason. The first act of arson occurs in Volume 1, Chapter 15 when Bertha sets Rochester’s clothes on fire. “Something creaked: it was a door ajar, and that door was Mr. Rochester’s, and the smoke rushed in a cloud from thence” (148). Out of love, Jane doused her crush in

The love relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester is not one to be called "at first sight", because at their first encounter, Jane does not seem to feel any kind of attraction towards the one who in the end will become her husband. Their love grows steady, it is not spoken and it is built with baby-steps, through gestures I believe the two protagonists are not completely aware of. Jane finds Mr. Rochester fascinating in a good and bad way, at the same time: "The ease of his manner freed me from painful restraint; the friendly frankness, as correct as cordial, with which he treated me, drew me to him" (Chapter 15). A new territory is revealed before Jane's eyes and her strict religious beliefs seem to fade in front of her growing passion for her master. The passion I am arguing about is so strong that it eventually makes the heroin think of nothing but her ideal lover. Passion is physically present in the novel through the symbol of fire, first in the night when Rochester's bed is set fire and finally, when the castle of Thornfield burns to the ground. In the first situation the reader surprises an intimate moment between the protagonists, when Jane rescues her master and he speaks to her in a manner which confused and yet gave her wings: "Strange energy was in his voice, strange fire in his look. [...] But he still retained my hand, and I could not free it. I bethought myself of an

The word choice here reflects Jane's situation - she is like the ground, 'petrified' under the influence of her aunt, whose behaviour is mirrored in the term "hard frost" because of the icy discipline she bestows. Mrs Reed's attitude towards Jane highlights one of the main themes of the novel, social class. Jane's aunt sees Jane as inferior as she had humble beginnings: she is "less than a servant". Jane is glad to be leaving her cruel aunt and of having the chance of going to school.

Several natural themes run throughout the novel, one of which is the image of a stormy sea. After Jane saves Rochester's life, she gives the following metaphor of their relationship:

Jane is filled with passion, however, and her willful disobedience is often her attempt to explain her feelings.  We see her passion find its fulfillment and understanding in Rochester.  When they meet, we see Jane's all-consuming passion and not much less of a fire in Rochester, "'I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you: their expression and smile did not (again he stopped) did not (he proceeded hastily) strike delight to my very inmost heart for nothing...My cherished preserver, good night'.  Strange energy was in his voice, strange fire in his look" (Bronte 133).

In some cases, it is a symbol used in some cases for rebirth or new life. Jane is often compared to fire while Antoinette is intrigued by fire. Jane is referred to as “a ridge of lighted health, alive, glancing, devouring” (Wide Sargasso Sea, Chapter 4). Also, in Wide Sargasso Sea, Rochester loves the immense fireflies as he also loves the candles that Antoinette repeatedly puts out around the house. This theme of fire is obvious in two particular cases. One of these cases is when Coulibri is burned and Anette falls into insanity, and the other being when Bertha burns Thornfield down, ultimately killing herself and seriously injuring Rochester (Symbolism in Wide Sargasso Sea). In addition, Rochester, in Wide Sargasso Sea, describes the West Indies as “fiery”. This shows his dislike of the land he is not familiar with until it increases and reaches the point when he decides to shoot himself. This scene relates to the scene in Jane Eyre when Jane hears Rochester’s voice as she walks through the woods. Fire relates Jane and Antoinette in different ways. Fire additionally describes Jane’s love for Rochester, while on the other hand; it describes Antoinette’s pain and fear, whereas it also links Jane and Bertha. The fire that Jane possesses is her love for Rochester as she describes it as “fiery iron grasped my vitals,” and Bertha’s literal setting of the fire that kills her. This is symbolic of the new

The relationship between the environment and characters in literature played a large role in Victorian novels. This relationship is extremely evident in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, where Jane’s journey to freedom is reflected by her environment. However, Jane’s goal of freedom and equality symbolizes Victorian women struggling to gain these same values. According to Jennifer D. Fuller in “Seeking Wild Eyre: Victorian Attitudes Towards Landscape and the Environment in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre”, Jane’s passion for freedom is reflects the passion for freedom in Victorian women who have not achieved equality yet. Although Jane’s environmental surroundings symbolize Jane’s future, Fuller effectively asserts that the weather instead symbolizes the harsh constraints of women’s gender roles in Victorian society.

    Charlotte Bronte wrote the novel Jane Eyre in the mid-eighteen hundreds. In her novel she expresses her views on many important factors present during this time including social problems such as race, class, gender, and the role of religion. Each of these factors affects the way that the protagonist, Jane Eyre, grows as a person. Throughout the novel Charlotte Bronte uses images and symbols that either influence or represent Jane's growth. Bronte uses a common imagery throughout the novel reflecting images of "fire and ice." She also uses symbols in Jane's life such as the red-room, from her childhood, and the character Bertha Mason Rochester, during her time at Thornfield. Other characters who

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is presented in the Victorian Period of England. It is a novel which tells the story of a child's maturation into adulthood. Jane's developing personality has been shaped by her rough childhood. She has been influenced by many people and experiences. As a woman of her time, Jane has had to deal with the strain of physical appearance. This has a great effect on her mental thinking and decision making. Jane Eyre's cognitive and physical attributes have been affected by her environment throughout her life.

Bronte takes the fire and transforms it to illustrate the image of sexuality and passion. By doing this, she also proposes the way in which internalized feelings of opposing ideas give into self-depleting energy through the loss of self-control. Here, Jane has the fear of becoming like Mrs. Reed. She comes to the realization that if this is not what she wants to be like, then she must keep her passions under control. Otherwise, she could become "black and blasted after the flames have died." This is presented to embody what Victorian society believed to be true and is a fine example of everything that it despises, which is namely the expression of passion. The fulfillment of self becomes the foundation of society's views, on which the fears of women and their passionate behaviors are laid.

Clarke analyzes the symbol of the hearth which is a central theme in both stories, and as she suggests points to pre-Christian religious symbolism of the goddess or the divine mother. The hearth in Jane Eyre is associated with homecomings and precious caregiving qualities of the hearthkeepers, as well as family, emotional intimacy, intellectual companionship, and even life. Clarke suggests more concisely that hearths are symbols of all that is needed, desired, and inspiring. The hearthfire also contains a potential for devastation and destruction as Clarke points to in the examples of Helen Burns dying by fever as well as Rochester’s bed of fire. Also, Clarke emphasizes that the hearth is associated with domesticity which within Jane Eyre is associated with a resistance to the life-denying principles of a tainted social system and with this spirituality that seeks to reintegrate ancient maternalist principals in Christianity. Clarke states the in a world like Jane Eyre’s or Cinderella’s where women become competitive and cruel or are swallowed up because it does not value them the hearth is representative of an alternative or choice for life as well as a sacred space.

Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Brontë, contains several notable themes and messages sent to its readers. Jane Eyre is a coming of age novel that is a story of a girl's quest for equality and happiness. A common theme that recurs throughout the novel is the importance of independence.Charlotte Brontë utilizes several techniques to convey this message, incorporating her personal experiences, as well as including symbolism and motifs. Charlotte Bronte subjects Jane to several conflicts that occur because of Jane’s desire for independence and freedom, such as love, religion, and gender inequality.