Jane Eyre Foils

Equally, Jane had great respect for St.John as a brother. However, when he asked her to marry him, although his only reason for this decision was he assumes that she is a suitable partner for him on his mission to India. Just when Jane was about to accept his offer, she hears Mr. Rochester call for her. She becomes delusion and runs after calling. By refusing St.John, she has overcome her reason of not marrying Mr. Rochester but she ends up following her passionate love for

Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, employs many themes like sanity and madness, fire and ice, and equality in station and morals. The most profound theme is sight and blindness, or light and darkness, which can be applied to a good portion of the novel. The main characters, Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester, figuratively play as both the light and dark in their companion’s lives. These abilities make the two foil characters, who contrast, but also complement each other’s qualities.

In chapter 33 of Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte shows just how far Jane has come as a women since we first met her. Bronte shows this through Jane's reaction to finding out that her long lost uncle who recently passed on decided to leave her his fortune as an inheritance. However the way in which Jane learns of this revelation is equally intriguing. She's told about her newfound wealth by Saint John Rivers, who reveals this to Jane by retelling her own life story to her. It is of great significance that River's informs Jane of her fortune by way of a frame story structure. By telling her the story of a orphaned girl, and filling in the details until it becomes evident that he is speaking about none other than Jane herself, and through this revelation I believe he completes his role as the major final foil for Jane. I believe John Rivers completes his mission as Jane's final symbolic foil by by giving unto Jane what she deserved from the beginning truth and justice. John Rivers symbolically rights the wrongs of her childhood, bringing Jane from her childhood and present experience of dependence, to a position of empowerment.

“Look at the difference!” Mr. Rochester urges Mr. Woods and Mr. Briggs to compare Jane Eyre’s “clear eyes” and “face” with Bertha Mason’s “red balls” and “mask” (p. 311). It is obvious that Rochester’s comments on his new lover are a lot more positive than those on his first wife. From his point of view, Jane is a pure angel whereas Bertha is a raging beast. Rochester further overstates the contrast between Bertha and Jane by dehumanizing the former into a “demon” and “bulk” while giving the latter human characteristics and “form” (p. 311). Nevertheless, Rochester overlooks the connection between the two women who marry him in succession. Bertha, the most enigmatic and problematic character in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, is in fact Jane’s

Jane believes that her self-determined manner of loyalty to God, which is unique and more moderate than St. John’s absolute, untiring devotion to the Lord, thoroughly gets the job done and is sufficient for her. Thereby, Jane proves that by practicing her preferred, unique way of religious loyalty, she obtains satisfaction and happiness. Later on in Jane Eyre, Jane goes to Ferndean to find her love, Mr. Rochester. In the final chapter of the book, Jane says that in her marriage to Edward Rochester, “All my confidence is bestowed on him,

Jane Eyre is a criticism of the patriarchal Victorian era; where passionate girls are forged into docile women and cannot escape this fate. Mirrors provide insight into Jane’s struggles and what she thinks of her own character. She refuses to conform to society’s expectations of proper behavior for a member of a low societal class; instead, she condemns adherence to societal expectations if that means betraying her duty to society. The tyranny of the Reeds finally comes to an end when Jane moves to Lowood. This opportunity is exceptional for Jane because it is quite unlikely for girls to get an education, let alone a poor girl like Jane. As Jane Eyre reaches the middle of the story, her reflections show that although she keeps her passion in check to prevent ostracization, she still has an urge to be independent. By promising to marry Mr. Rochester, Jane has unknowingly abandoned her independent nature and accepted her role as a servant as revealed by her own literal and figurative reflections. Jane regains some of her sense of independence when she flees from Thornfield after learning about Bertha’s imprisonment, but despite being free, Jane is ensnared by St. John -- another man who conforms to the patriarchal society -- and, ultimately, is entangled in Mr. Rochester’s

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre has no shortage of multi-faceted characters. Many of these characters end up having several differences, which creates for interesting character interactions. Rochester and St. John have very different physical appearances and demeanors, but they both test Jane to see her true character. The two men differ in their physical appearances.

In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, the main protagonist, Jane, often avoids temptations that she faces and uses her strong will and independence to avoid situations that she knows will end badly for her in the long run. These situations are most usually involving a man, some form of love (or lacking thereof), and a possible marriage. The final time she is asked to be wed, Jane accepts and finally does settle down as a married woman, but before then, she runs from a marriage on her wedding day, and refuses one more before she is engaged. This one that she refuses is the one requested by St. John Rivers, a man working in a ministry whom takes Jane in and cares for her, with his two sisters, in her time of need. Jane and St. John have a

When Mr. Rochester decided to tell Jane he was married to Bertha, it has changed Jane’s views about him. “"That is my wife," said he. "Such is the sole conjugal embrace I am ever to know—such are the endearments which are to solace my leisure hours!” (Bronte 303). After revealing his marriage Jane did not want to stay with him anymore. She did not want to continue the wedding, instead of running away. She could not handle how he would keep a secret so valid away from her, and that he says he loves her. "But, Jane, I summon you as my wife: it is you only I intend to marry." I was silent: I thought he mocked me.” (Bronte 320). It was distressing to find out he betrayed her with a secret that changed everything in their relationship, and that will be hard to solve and to be forgiven.

Not only do her thoughts betray her independent spirit, but so too do her actions and words. Her relationship with Mr. Rochester is heavily defined by her brash actions and opinionated answers. Mr. Rochester, a typical Victorian male, exudes superiority even when he professes his love to Jane, sending out subtle hints about how she should act and live while planning the wedding. In many of the conversations between Mr. Rochester and Jane, Jane opens up more than is socially acceptable, proving herself to be just as fierce in her opinions as her employer. In one conversation, she tells Mr. Rochester, “It is my spirit that addresses your spirit…equal—as we are” (Brontë 296). She establishes herself as an equal in her relationship with Mr. Rochester before she even accepts his proposal. Similarly, Jane’s relationship with her cousin St. John is riddled with her independent spirit. Jane refuses to marry St. John when his ideas of love clash heavily with her own, verbally scorning his love and his impassionate proposal. She explains to Mr. Rochester that St. John, “is good and great, but severe; and for me, cold as an iceberg. He is not like you, sir; I am not happy at his side” (Brontë 514). Doing so jeopardizes her chances of a good home and financial stability, but she refuses to compromise her own convictions and happiness even for the sake of comfort.

{{In your introduction, include a brief summary, with the title and the author, and a thesis which address the prompt directly. Answer the question in the last sentence of your introduction.}}First and foremost, I will {{Avoid the "I" statement. State your opinion as a fact and support it.}} be describing the relationship Jane and St. John Rivers in the story Jane eyre. St. John Rivers wanted to marry Jane but she wasn't on board with his plan, she wasn't attracted to him like every other female. The reason behind Jane not wanting to be married to Rivers was because she saw things in him that other females didn't. in the beginning of the story Jane is living with her aunt and cousins who don't like her, she is a powerless ten-year old who's isolated from everyone. To sum up, St. John Rivers And Jane Eyre's relationship wasn't really a relationship because the feelings weren't mutual.

Also, even though Rochester and Jane were of different classes, Charlotte Bronte presents him as an intelligent person. Both Edward and Jane enjoy conversations with each other. However, Jane does not express her feelings as clearly as Rochester does. So he dresses up as a gypsy and tries to find out what she thinks of the marriage, which everyone assumes that he will with Blanche. Although, both Jane Eyre and Rochester have are fond of each other, Edward was deceitful to Jane. For example, when Jane found out about Mr Rochester’s first wife, he first says that they can run away as ‘brother and sister’. However Jane refuses. Rochester tries another tactic and asks her to be his mistress. But Jane was too virtuous to accept the offer and had no other alternative but to leave Thornfield.

Mr. Rochester, Jane Eyre’s employer at Thornfield as the benefactor of Adele the little girl that Jane tutors and cares for as a governess, is the only obstacle that Brontë’s protagonist faces, one that causes her to waver for an instance in her journey towards independence. As Jane accepts Mr. Rochester’s marriage proposal, she independent choice seems to be in accordance with the impulses for a typical marriage during the Victorian era, to marry based on financial and social status benefits; however her true motive stems from her sincere love for Mr. Rochester and her choice is not effected by social or economic ambitions (Ayyildiz 150). Jane is adamant in her self-perseverance to

A dark, mysterious man with wild mood swings, Mr Rochester provides with a bountiful hand much of the suspense in the film. Being a wealthy estate owner Mr Rochesters interactions with Jane are very unconventional. He sets aside both his manners and his propriety, two very important aspects of a Victorian era gentleman, and descends the ridged social classes to speak frankly, directly and openly with Jane. In this rendition of Jane Eyre it could be said that the chemistry between or on-screen lovers is not as believable as earlier

Jane views water to be a distancing from passion and emotion. The character St. John Rivers has been compared to and placed near water and cold elements many times throughout the novel. The most prominent being that his name. The first time Jane views him, she says, “I have never seen that handsome face of his look more like chiseled marble as he put aside his snow wet hair from his forehead.” When he is placed by the fire he’s described as being gloomy and out of place, when placed near the fire. Because of Rivers aversion to heat and him being cold, he does not seem suitable nor compatible for Jane since she is full of warmth and passion and he seems to be out of place when near the fire. When Jane spoke of how he would be as a husband, she says, “He has no more a husbands heart for me than that frowning giant of a rock, down which the stream is frothing over yonder gorge.” she uses water imagery to express his feelings. Moreover Jane being a very passionate person sees the absence of passion and emotion to be as bad as death itself.