How Elizabeth Gaskell Manipulates the Readers Feelings in The Half Brothers

Creating a haven from the cruel outside world, families ideally provide protection and support for each of their members. In Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, however, bitterness grows between the Earnshaws and the Lintons. Within these two families, siblings rival for power and parents fail to fulfill their roles as caregivers. The intertwining relationships of the Earnshaws and the Lintons are marked by physical abuse, degradation, and emotional negligence. These reduce each of the family members’ life to a lonely and meaningless journey though the cold and misty moors.

From the very first part of the novel readers are presented with the general atmosphere in England during the late eighteenth century. Women are discriminated and men come to inherit property belonging to their tutors. Men were typically provided with inheritances coming from their mothers and fathers alike. Conditions involving Elinor and Marianne were even more critical, as even though their brother inherited a significant fortune from his mother and his wife was expecting an inheritance from her mother, the two sisters depended on Norland Park. The moment when their father died was particularly problematic for them, as they became unwanted guests in the place that they previously considered home. The two sisters are practically influenced in taking

While moral Jane remains an invalid, captive at the Bingleys, her satirical sister Elizabeth walks two miles along muddy roads to help nurse her…While Jane remains at home, lovesick but uncomplaining, Elizabeth accompanies the Gardiners on a walking tour of Derbyshire. Jane’s docility, gentleness, and benevolence are remarkable, for she suffers silently throughout the entire plot… (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, 65)

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.

Continuing her uncertainty of her sister’s judgement, Elizabeth concurs with Jane’s perception of Bingley while questioning “And so, you like this man’s sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his” (11). Austen included this statement to show Elizabeth’s obsession with people’s manners and acknowledge society’s rules about manners, which Elizabeth has plentiful thoughts about. Simultaneously, Elizabeth ridicules the Bingley sisters’ manners and compliments Mr. Bingley’s. By asking if Jane likes the sisters, Elizabeth’s skeptical and scornful attitude towards people with poor manners is captured. Similarly, Austen demonstrates Elizabeth’s rejection of society’s idea about wealth and being a good person. While she acknowledges that this circumstance is true for Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth uses the Bingley sisters to prove this standard wrong. Without Elizabeth’s pessimism towards the Bingley sisters, the novel would lose

Charlotte Brontë’s works were greatly influenced by her life, which was riddled with trouble and loss. The passing of her mother, and later, her two eldest sisters, deeply marked her. The loss Charlotte experienced was represented in Jane Eyre, where the main character leads a childhood similar to Brontë’s. The isolation she was raised in also played a role in her writing, this because her and her siblings were only able to communicate with each other, causing her and her sister’s writing styles to be very similar. These similarities led to the public thinking that many of the separate sisters’ works to be written by only one person. Another factor that influenced Brontë’s writing was the change of career- shifting from writing poetry to writing novels. Brontë, in her early years, experimented with forms of poetry that were characteristic of the Victorian period, but soon settled into her own signature style of writing.

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

Evidence of isolation due to a characters place, or position, in society can be found in both novels. Bronte demonstrates the isolation Jane inflicts upon herself, coming as a result of her awareness of her place in society, in the Chapter 17 of Jane Eyre, which tells of Mr Rochester’s return from his unexpected departure to Gateshead hall, accompanied by numerous guests enjoying a social stay, comprising mainly of games and dinners. Jane intentionally separates herself from Mr Rochester’s prestigious guests as they gather in the study after dinner. After firstly declining her master’s request for her company, anticipating the isolation she will face, stemming from her inferiority in her class, she then goes on to separate herself. Bronte uses the first person narrative to reveal Jane’s feelings, such as in the narrative “I sit in the shade-if any shade there be in this brilliantly-lit apartments; the window-curtain half hides me”. This demonstrates Jane’s need to physically isolate herself from the party, attempting to not only isolate herself from their conversation with a book, but furthermore their presence, trying to hide. This also indicates her vulnerability, which contrasting with the confidence of the other women. This isolates her further. By saying ‘half hides me’ her reservations are highlighted,

In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë illustrates character doubling with Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason. Jane, orphaned during early childhood, constantly felt neglected, mistreated, and isolated. Her aunt and cousins treated her as if she was a penniless outcast, thus causing her to become angry and rebellious. Her feelings mirrored that of Mr. Rochester’s wife, Bertha Mason, whom he decided to lock away in the attic at Thornfield Hall. He had become disgusted by her violent outbursts and inappropriate behavior, as she had been diagnosed with insanity. Throughout the novel, it becomes apparent that Jane and Bertha were extremely different from one another, yet they often encountered similar situations. Bertha’s character represents what would have happened to Jane if she remained rebellious and became violent. The purpose of the character doubling with Jane and Bertha is to depict Bertha as an impediment to Jane becoming Mr. Rochester’s mistress and to illustrate how they parallel one another in temperament and emotions, signifying that Bertha is a representation of Jane’s real desires and her potential to wind up with Bertha’s same fate.

Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” has captivated readers for generations. As with all coming of age novels, young adults can relate to the struggles and triumphs of Jane. Jane’s setting influences and parallel her emotions. A reader can see the novel through her eyes and perspective. In Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” the location often parallels Jane’s emotional growth through the tone presented by the environment, resulting in the different places she lives revealing her journey through depression. Jane’s behavioral patterns and thoughts suggest clinical depression that affected her choices throughout the novel and her life at Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Marsh End, and Ferdean.

Jane Austen puts an emphasis on both loyal and rival sibling relationships in all of her works, and these relationships prove to be as important, if not more important, than those relationships of marriage. Pride and Prejudice offers insight on many sets of siblings. Sibling pairs each present different ways in which they interact with each other, and the dynamic of their relationship. The way in which Austen portrays certain sets of siblings may be a mirror of the way she was with her sister Cassandra, whom she was very close. Inspiration for these relationships may have come from ones she experienced first hand, or witnessed throughout her years. Pride and Prejudice expertly highlights the significance of sibling bonds, and how important

Furthermore, Gaskell commends Margaret’s self determination through juxtaposition, describing “Fanny had returned, screaming…and had thrown herself in hysterical sobbing on the sofa” when the riot begins in contrast with Margaret’s astounding courage “She threw her arms around him; she made her body into a shield” and faced “the angry sea of men”. The use of imperative tone and personal pronouns describes Margaret’s control in facing the men, described through strong imagery, whereas in contrast Gaskell portrays Fanny to mirror the notion of femininity being fragile and irrational. Gaskell portrays Margaret to finally achieve a level of self determination, “So Margaret gained the acknowledgement [from Mrs Shaw] of her right to follow her own ideas of duty”, the personal pronoun “her” emphasising Margaret’s newfound sense of autonomy, and her acceptance by Mrs Shaw being symbolised by Gaskell to reflect that an individual can still participate in society, despite some independence. Therefore Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South exemplifies that through the individual gaining a level of autonomy, the struggle between the individual and society can be resolved and self satisfaction also achieved.

The inferiority complex that was instilled within the young, lower class during this time period caused them to resist change, and remain complacent in a constant state of oppression. Nearly the entirety of Western society subjected itself into being organized by a social hierarchy, and the notion of a mere glimpse of equality was quickly expelled at a youthful age. This state of complacency served as a source of ignition for both Jane, and Bronte as they would both fight preconceived notions of social division later in their lives. Not only were citizens of the lower class obligated to embrace their inferiority to the upper class, but in the case of Jane, their lives as a member of the impoverished community were depicted in a harrowing light. At an immature stage of their life children “have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty”, but rather connect the life of lower class citizens with “ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manner, and debasing vices” (Bronte, 29-30). The bleak description of life in the lower class not only depicts the debilitating nature it may have on poorer member of society, but also the polarity of wealth distribution within Victorian England. A person within the social hierarchy could only travel as far as their wealth, or title, could carry them, and with a poor woman like Jane that possessed neither, their futures seemed eerily grim. Bronte was faced with similar hardships as she sought to escape

Even though Jane and Antoinette find alternative sources of motherly love, they both attempt to reconcile with Mrs. Reed and Annette as they are willing to forgive them. In Jane Eyre, Jane wishes to care for Mrs. Reed on her deathbed despite how she was treated in childhood. Jane describes that her reasons to meet her aunt is due to a “strong yearning to forget and forgive all injuries – to be reconciled and clasp hands in unity” (Brontë 798). Jane even breaks her childhood vow to never call Mrs. Reed aunt again as she felt as it was “no sin to forget and break that vow” (Brontë 799). In this meeting, Jane tries to reconcile; however, her aunt is not as willing to be kind in return. Jane describes that if her aunt had held her hand kindly she would have “at that moment experience[d] true pleasure,” and instead her aunt regards her icily with a “stone eye” resolved to “consider [Jane] bad” (Brontë 799). Mrs. Reed’s lack of love towards Jane hurts Jane as she says: “I felt pain … My tears had risen, just as in childhood” (Brontë 799). Her aunt refuses to love Jane because she is a “burden” and wishes that “[Jane] had died” (Brontë 799). Mrs. Reed never considered Jane as her own

There are many elements in representations of the family in Victorian literature and culture. In this essay, through Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Dickens’ Oliver Twist, and Gaskell’s Mary Barton, I will be focusing on family in relation to how society perceives and affects the individual in the family, how and whether a family is formed through blood relation or situation, In the mid-Victorian era, novelists were prone to use their literature as a method of discovering and drawing attention to the conditions of society, classes, industrialism and family ties. They bring their own individual experiences, and portray it through realist and fictional novels.