Jane Eyre: a Gothic Novel Essay

While tutoring, Eyre begins to overhear strange, guttural peals of laughter coming from upstairs. When she inquires about it she is told that it is the servant Grace Poole. Eyre suspects the staff is hiding something but does not investigate further and soon she forgets all about it. A few months later when Eyre and Rochester about to wed a clergyman comes to inform them that he cannot marry them. A search of the marriage records reveals that Rochester has a wife that is still living. A witness confirms seeing her at Thornfield Hall. Rochester reveals that he indeed married to a Bertha Mason. He explains that he married her unaware that “she came from a mad family; idiots and maniacs through three generations.” They all ride to Thornfield Hall to show the clergyman his wife. Locked in an upstairs room, Bertha Mason resembles a “strange wild animal…[with a] bloated…purple face.” Upon seeing Rochester, she rushes at him, attempting to throttle him. But Rochester manages to restrain her and binds her to a chair.

The novel Jane Eyre is about a young lady who was treated unfairly and all she really wanted was happiness and kindness. Many characters get introduced in this novel and many of them change, but Jane Eyre would have to be the one who changes the most. She doesn’t change in a physical way, but her mind set changes. Throughout the novel Eyre becomes frustrated, hopeless, and open minded.

The house has an appearance that sends a chill down the characters’ backs. On page 35 of the novel it says, "Except for the wires which ran to the house from a spot among the trees, there was no evidence that Hill House belonged in any way to the rest of the world" (Jackson). This shows the eeriness that the house makes people feel when they first see it, which reflects to the reader what the feeling of the novel will be. Also, the characters form an opinion about the house as if it were alive, which implies to the reader a sinister ambience. On page 32 of the novel it states, "All I could think of when I got a look at the place from outside was what fun it would be to stand out there and watch it burn down" (Jackson). The characters’ reactions and descriptions of the house allows the reader to understand the mood. Elizabeth Wilson, who wrote a paper on haunted houses in the horror genre, said, "Usher identifies the cause of this fear as the house itself, which he believes through water condensation, fungus and decaying trees, has dispersed a miasma which has had a fatal effect on his family over the centuries” (113-118). This directly relates to the setting of the novel because most of the characters described, when they first saw the house, as terrifying, which relates to the aura. Finally, the choice of words and emotions that the characters express allows the reader to understand that the house is unpleasant. On page 19 of the novel the reader is given a description of the house by Eleanor, "The tree branches brushed against the windshield, and it grew steadily darker; Hill House likes to make an entrance, she thought; I wonder if the sun ever shines along here" (Jackson). The house makes the characters feel petrified which sets the tone for the reader as soon as they learn about Hill House. The blood-curdling emotions that the house gives off

Jane Eyre's literary success of the time has been cheaply commercialized. In other words, Bronte's novel never got the appreciation it deserved, in the areas it deserved. Many 19th century critics merely assigned literary themes to their reviews to "get it over with". Critics commended Jane Eyre for everything from its themes to its form. However, their surface examinations amount to nothing without careful consideration of the deeper underlying background in Jane's life where their hasty principles originate. The widely discussed free will of Jane's, her strong individuality, and independence are segments of a greater scheme, her life. For example: Jane's childhood serves as the

Alex’s spookiest experience was when she was watching a t.v. show and it actually convinced her that a women could communicate with the dead. This is related to gothic literature because they both have supernatural elements. However, it's also related to magical realism because it was realistic but also contained surreal elements. Edgar Allan Poe’s “Fall of The House of Usher” is an example of gothic literature because it resembles a dark and mysterious plot. While Julio Cotazar’s “House Taken Over” is an example of magical realism because the house gets taken over by Nazi’s, but seems as if ghost’s took over.

One of Diana spookiest experiences of her life was when her cousins and Diana would hear weird sounds in the night. This scenario relates to the traits of Gothic Lit and Magical Realism because the sounds did happen so it's reality. Gothic Lit and Magical Realism are similar because they are both scary, mysterious, and are dramatic. Edgar Allen Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” is an example of Gothic Literature because it has a dark and gloomy setting in a large old mansion. While Julio Cortazar’s “House Taken Over” is an example of Magical Realism because it has a mysterious ending.

Gothic literature is having a setting that is spooky and dark. In Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where is Here” contains a great example of Gothic Literature due to the story being spooky and having strange things happen. One example that proves it is a Gothic Literature in Oates’s story is, “one November evening at dusk, the doorbell rang, and the father went to answer it, and there on his doorstep stood a man he had never seen before (69)”. This sentence proves its Gothic Literature since it contains a strange or violent plot and a dramatic description. Therefore “Where is Here” is a Gothic Literature because it contains these things that create a spooky or chilling story. Gothic Literature is one of the crucial important genre in the Unit one “Allure of fear”. (Angelee Chea)

How can a girl, who started out with nothing, blossom into a well educated, generous, blissful woman? Well, in Jane Eyre, the main character overcomes all obstacles thrown at her and makes a great life for herself. From a miserable, orphaned young girl to a happily married, well educated woman, Jane Eyre transforms immensely throughout the novel. Through her many experiences in essential locations, she grows significantly at Gateshead, Lowood School, Thornfield, Marsh End, and Ferndean.

Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher is an excellent example of Gothic Literature because of the characters in psychological and physical torment. For example, in Poe’s story, “the writer spoke of acute bodily illness-of a mental disorder which oppressed him-and of an earnest desire to see [him]” (2). Roderick, being the writer, wrote to the narrator to come visit him because he is sick and mentally depressed. It shows that Roderick is not in the right state of mind and needs the narrator for assistance to keep him sane. Another example, “the disease of the lady Madeline had long baffled the skill of her physicians. A settled apathy, a gradual wasting away of the person, and frequent, although transient affections of a partially cataleptical character

At first glance Jane Eyre may seem to be a young woman with semi-bad taste in men, but she is actually much more complex a character than that. Jane is driven by her craving for freedom, her desire to be useful, and her yearning to fit in somewhere. She is rich in character with a stubborn, strong willed, and passionate personality. She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in, whether it is a family she wants to have, or a marriage that is unfair and without balance. As an adult, Jane is a level headed young woman, but as a child she let her passions get the best of her. She tones down this passion quite a bit as she grows older and gains more experience, and channels it into other areas of her life.

The author of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, desires the reader to understand that the torment Jane endures at Gateshead and Thornfield was worth it. Jane worked hard to exert her independence and defy the typical Victorian ideals for women by thinking for herself despite the consequences.

The major criticisms of the novel in question to be the melodrama used by the author and the wickedness of character shown in Jane and Mr. Rochester. While most critics admired the style of writing and truth of character portrayal, they did not admire the improbability of circumstances or the characters portrayed.

The Gothic Features of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte A Gothic novel is a type of literature, which became very popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. In this time, society was governed by strict moral codes. The "Gothics" would escape into a world of dark, supernatural and wild passions. The word 'Gothic' meant barbarous and wild and many writers liked to involve these elements in their novels.

The novel suggests that the building is far from civilised places, on page twenty-four, chapter two; “..On that bleak hill top the earth was hard with a black frost, and the air made shiver through every limb..” This says that Wuthering Heights is isolated on a bleak hill top, it is dull and miserable and the earth is “..Hard..” and contains “..Black frost..”. The use of “..Black frost..” is Gothic as it describes even the frost as evil. Normal frost is white but “..Black frost..” symbolizes evil. This is very Gothic. Emily Brontë uses a lot of imagery to create tension for the reader. For example on pages thirty-one and thirty-two, chapter three when Lockwood is shown to his chamber in Wuthering Heights by Zillah, Emily Brontë uses a lot of images to create the feeling that the room and the surrounding is coffin like. This makes the building, Wuthering Heights feel supernatural and very Gothic. The house itself is very Gothic, containing tall dark arches and gargoyle statues. There are lots of shadows. Emily Brontë chooses realistic descriptions of the building/house, Wuthering Heights; “..One or two heavy black ones (chairs) lurking in the shade..“. “..Black..” reoccurs frequently in the novel as it suggests evil. The word “..Lurking..” is interesting because it suggests that something does not belong in a place , it is mysterious, as in his case the chairs have no place in Wuthering Heights. Almost as is the chairs are alive and they have thoughts and