Social Class In Jane Eyre

By analyzing social class in Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre this essay will compare these two

Throughout the course of history, social hierarchies have existed across the globe, spanning from prince to pauper or business tycoon to lowly scrivener. Authors, in turn, have written works regarding social class, often examining the negative effects of societal structure on personal growth. Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre takes place in Victorian England, in the age of industry and genesis of industrial capitalism. The novel’s protagonist, Jane, first lives a life of neglect, then a life in poverty, and eventually finds her happy ending. Through Jane’s personal experiences and interactions with fellow characters, Brontë analyzes the effects of social class. Professor Chris Vanden Bossche’s article analysis “What Did ‘Jane Eyre’ Do? Ideology, Agency, Class and the Novel” examines social inclusion and monetary pressures placed on the central characters during this pivotal era of English history. Through the Marxist lens, Jane Eyre can be understood in terms of complexity and character motives. Vanden Bossche effectively argues that external forces, like money and people, both motivate and repress Jane into choosing her own path. Thus, a more developed explanation is made for Jane’s various behaviors regarding social inclusion and societal rebellion.

In its simplest form, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre tells the story of a young woman, Jane Eyre, who grows up poor, makes the decision to be independent, does so, and, eventually, marries rich. The novel follows her from her childhood to her reunion with the love of her life and she, throughout it, deals with classism and sexism and exhibits her own form of feminism. By the end, it becomes clear that, with this semi-autobiographical novel, Charlotte Bronte was providing a criticism on society’s discrimination toward those of a lower class, a subtle argument against the male-dominated society’s treatment of women, and an even subtler call to action for women to find their own agency outside of the men in their lives. On another end, however,

Even though Jane faces limits to opportunities in her life because she strictly belongs to neither the upper nor poor class, her thinking isn’t limited and she is able to grow as an individual unlike the characters who have been assigned to a specific class. Through Jane’s point of view, Charlotte Brontë expresses her view that the class system is harmful Jane and thus to the society in which she lives in her novel Jane Eyre.

The Victorian Era was known for its propriety, and for its social standards that could be as strict as the caste system in India. Citizens in England of low social regard faced many prejudices and limitations that could be almost insurmountable to overcome. Much like the caste system, people considered to be the dregs of society were often alienated and had little room for opportunity. In Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre, the main character, Jane, suffers social prejudice because she is a simple governess, revealing much about the social stigmas about the working class during the Victorian Era. Jane’s social status limits her not only from being with the one she loves, but also hinders her endeavor to achieve true autonomy.

Based on the ideas of Karl Marx, this theoretical approach asks us to consider how a literary work reflects the socioeconomic conditions of the time in which it was written. What does the text tell us about contemporary social classes and how does it reflect classism? Jane Eyre depicts the strict, hierarchical class system in England that required everyone to maintain carefully circumscribed class positions. Primarily through the character of Jane, it also accents the cracks in this system, the places where class differences were melding in Victorian England. For example, the novel questions the role of the governess: Should she be considered upper class, based on her superior education, or lower class,

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë depicts the rigid social structure and clear division between the upper and lower classes of Victorian society, in which wealth and status determined one’s beliefs, career, and treatment from those surrounding them. Those of the upper class did not typically converse or involve themselves with those viewed as beneath them; however, Jane Eyre fights the separation between the classes to which she has fallen victim at both Gateshead and Lowood school. Her refusal to conform to the hierarchy eventually leads to the meddling between the Victorian-era elite and peasant class, as seen through Jane Eyre’s romantic relationship with Edward Rochester, an upperclassman and

Jane is taught at a young age to look down on people not of her caste, and to oppress them the same way that she herself is oppressed as a female orphan. Though Jane is not influenced directly by social status at all times, it is still a constant factor which Brontë makes evident. In Victorian England, a female must either be born or married into her social class, and this is what defines her. The character of Jane served to undercut the popular female stereotypes of fiction: the angel of the house, the invalid, or the whore (Brackett, 2000). Brontë creates Jane as her own force, in which she is neither the angel, invalid or whore, but a young lady who is intelligent and has pride and dignity. In this Victorian society, her unsubmissiveness and independence is her social fault, which Brontë pokes fun at (Brackett, 2000). Male Victorian writers cast women during this time as social, finagling creatures whose goals are to obtain as many friends as possible and throw the most elaborate parties. Brontë opposes this by creating Jane as an opposite of these “defining” characteristics, by making Jane a female who could are less about how many people adore her, a female who would actually enjoy a life with few companions. As mentioned before, Jane’s sense of dignity is evident. As Jane became Rochester’s governess, she is faced with the

At the time of 19th century England, the societal norms of women were very different from today. It is against the norm for women to get an education and to have a job outside of the house. Bronte allows the reader to follow the journey of Jane Eyre’s struggle of getting a good education and finding a job. As Brontë introduces Jane, the reader learns that she will be attending school of Lowood soon, as a way for her stepmother to get rid of her. Young Jane is thrilled at the idea of going to school and sets her hopes high.

This extract from Jane Eyre sees Brontë, in one sense, overturning the gender and social constructions of the mid-Nineteenth century. However, overwhelming, she reinforces that Rochester and Jane’s relationship is one of insurpassable inequality. Jane’s Confirming her view of female independence earlier in Chapter 12, ‘It is thoughtless to condemn [women] […] if they seek to do more or learn more,’ (Jane Eyre, p.95) Jane rises above the constraints of her status as a ‘poor, obscure, plain and little,’ woman, through her retort towards Rochester, where she condemns him, who is superior to her societally, for his behaviour towards her.

Jane desires to belong to the aristocracy, even though she is fully aware that she doing so will not bring about her happiness. Jane’s class struggle also appears when she is preparing to marry Mr. Rochester.

Jane initially sees this phenomenon in Ms. Fairfax’s description of Mr. Rochester. To her, he is “a gentleman, a landed proprietor—nothing more.” The wealth and high standing of those like Mr. Rochester traits are celebrated, however, other important traits such as depth and character, are less important while evaluating a person. The same reality harshly affects Jane, as the Englishmen and women of higher social status see only her poverty just as they solely see Mr. Rochester’s wealth. Blanche is another consequence of Victorian England’s strict caste system, and Bronte specifically describes her as, “[not knowing] the sensations of sympathy and pity” (Vol. 2, chapter 3). Blanche represents the ideal woman and socialite in Victorian English society. Yet, her wealth, class, and beauty allow her to exhibit apathy and a superficial

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

Yet, she of the same nature challenged the patriarchal roles of her society. Moreover, even though the Industrial Revolution opened other venue for lower-class women society, the society however offered only a respectable employment such as working as a governess, Jane’s job. The society did not offer much more for women no matter how learned she could be. Although to note, the position of a governess during Bronte’s time was not likely as presented in the novel. “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, to absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.” In this statement, Jane showed what her society expected of women. The rigid restraints of the heteronormative society placed women on a very unlikely side---they were inferior to say. They were relegated in a

The domineering Rochester entraps her in his physical power while with St.John she is subjugated in every which way. Her exodus from Thornfield was triggered by a sense of inequality. Her return (marked by an obsessive passion) is activated by the same reason but this time she is in a dire need to be loved and the roles get reversed. Jane is far from being the bullied, oppressed victim and this is quite evident in the kind of imagery that is used by Jane to describe Rochester (“a caged eagle”, “sightless Samson”, “fettered wild beast or bird”) and herself (“I am Jane Eyre”, “I am my own mistress”). Charlotte Bronte always felt for the subservient women, especially the ones inculcated with intelligence, but devoid of background and resources. Jane Eyre’s conspicuous, distinct and overt personality which is set forth to claim its right, shakes the so-called rectitude of the Victorian Era. Bronte provides Jane Eyre’s evolution from childhood to womanhood via exterior, noticeable events as education, love and marriage, but the transition that takes place internally is illustrated by Jane through drawings. In fact, nature becomes a signifier of Jane’s