The, Ellis And Acton Bell

Emily Brontë was born on July 30, 1818 and died December 19 , 1848 which made her 30 years old at death. Emily Brontë (1818 - 1848) was born in Thornton, Yorkshire. Her father, Patrick Brontë, married Maria Branwell of Penzance in 1812, and by 1820 (2), when he moved to Haworth in Yorkshire as rector, there were six children : Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne.(Adnax Publications). Within that thirty years Emily lived a very interesting life. Emily lost her mother when she was really to cancer. Then later on Emily and her sisters attended Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge because their father was a clergyman. Maria and Elizabeth Brontë which were Emily's sisters passed away from tuberculosis. Emily taught at Law Hill School and lastly published her own novel. {{Do not just list information. State a thesis and preview three main ideas.}}

Women in the Victorian era were supposed to be passive, pure, and idle; were not to be well educated; and were expected to marry.  Throughout Brontë's novel, Jane Eyre learns the realities of these social expectations and directly and indirectly speaks against them.

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,

The Victorian Era encompassed a time of great discrepancy between the sexes, especially for women. The polarization of gender roles reflected on a basis of gender sexuality where men and women were granted certain advantages and disadvantages. Women were expected to realize a specific position in society based on morals of submission, passivity, and a complete lack of selfishness and independence. Constrictive notions such as these prevent individual expression and expansion. Therefore, while struggling to fill the pre-conceived expectancies of society, one forces true desires and happiness to pass as a scant priority. Charlotte Brontë's Victorian novel, Jane Eyre, explores the significance of individual fulfillment in an oppressive

During the Victorian era, gender roles became separated and entered into different spheres that only interacted at specific moments. Women were considered physically weaker yet morally superior to men, which meant that they were best suited to the domestic sphere. Not only

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall written in 1848 during a period of relaxed thinking and changing ideals. During this time Europe was struck by a number of revolutions against the traditional ideals of social class, wealth and monarchies; hence Anne Bronte’s questioning of gender constructs within Wildfell Hall reflects this period of question. Examining text before, during and after this period the development of gender ideals is evident. The 2008 movie adaptation of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, The Duchess and Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations examine the ideals of becoming a gentleman and the ideals that come with social class, wealth and power. Jane Eyre written by Anne’s sister Charlotte Bronte and the BBC television adaptation of North

Brontë shapes her female character in such a way that she deals with her “hunger, rebellion and anger” (Gilbert and Guber, 1979: 360), without entering into a visible conflict with society. Thus, Jane does not openly challenge the Victorian patriarchal system, because she knows how to encompass the imposed standards without letting them run her

Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre embraces many feminist views in opposition to the Victorian feminine ideal. Charlotte Bronte herself was among the first feminist writers of her time, and wrote this book in order to send the message of feminism to a Victorian-Age Society in which women were looked upon as inferior and repressed by the society in which they lived. This novel embodies the ideology of equality between a man and woman in marriage, as well as in society at large. As a feminist writer, Charlotte Bronte created this novel to support and spread the idea of an independent woman who works for herself, thinks for herself, and acts of her own accord.

Anne Bronte makes a bold statement of rebellion against the typically accepted yet deplorable behavior of Victorian males in her book “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.” In her novel, Helen Huntingdon breaks the rules of Victorian society with punishable offenses; such as, scandalously escaping from her abusive and philandering husband, refusing his demands for custody and fleeing with their only child, and absconding with much of her personal property. Helen’s imprudent decision to marry Arthur Huntingdon is uncharacteristic of Bronte’s heroine; however, rectitude and integrity eventually lead her to happiness. The domestic and social criticism of Helen’s husband, Arthur Huntingdon and his perfidious ways, is pitted against the ideals of loyalty and integrity found in Helen’s honorable neighbor, Gilbert Markham, when she flees to Wildfell Hall. Bronte, utilizes these characters to incite the need for social reformation with fresh inclusion of the redeeming values of biblical virtues.

Jane Eyre Through the Feminist Lens The theme of male dominance permeates Jane Eyre, reflecting the impact of patriarchal Victorian society. Chris Lewis’ “Separate Spheres and Women’s Status in 19th Century England” analyzes Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre through the feminist lens of literary criticism. This lens involves examining problems created by a male-dominated society and how the effects of gender roles have changed over time. Revealing conditions of women in Victorian England, Lewis’ article accurately analyzes women’s dependence on men, gender expectations, and double standards on morality as causes of problems seen in Jane Eyre, thus providing apt criticism of patriarchal society.

The nineteenth century Victorian era woman needed wealth or position to avoid a life of drudgery.  Women were viewed as trophies or possessions men owned.  They were not permitted to develop nor expected to, and even venturing out on their own was considered inappropriate.  During the era in which Jane Eyre was published the home and family were seen as the basic unit of stability in society.  At the middle of this foundation stood a wife and mother representing the sum total of all morality - a Madonna-like image.  This image was reinforced by social institutions such as mainstream religious and political beliefs.  Women were steered away from independence, confidence, and

“I am no bird and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will” (Bronte, Jane Eyre 293). In the Victorian time period Charlotte Bronte lived the unequal life as a woman, like many others. The only difference is Bronte did not believe in living in inequality, and she wrote about her hardships in her literature. In her book, Jane Eyre, the reader can see many similarities in her main character’s life and her own. Jane Eyre has many ways of showing how Victorian women were expected to be and act, included in the life of Jane. Bronte also continues her portrayal of the inequality of women and the decision of love versus autonomy through two of her poems, “Life” and “The Wife’s Will.” Charlotte Bronte displays the inequality in life of women in the Victorian era by taking her life and revitalizing it into themes of her works, by providing a journey of discovery of love or autonomy.

Bronte’s Jane Eyre gave a voice to women in the Victorian era. Bronte embedded her feminist ideas into her novel, Jane Eyre. Her belief in marrying for love was a head of her time. Bronte used Jane to explore the depth at which women could act in society. Her ideas on women being more educated brought on thoughts of equality of a different level.

We never lose sight that Jane is plain, ordinary, and not the sexually repressed spinster who cannot resist her sexuality, as portrayed in in the critic Mary Pooveys argument in her essay ‘The Anathematized Race’ (Reader p. 195) who states, ‘The figure who epitomised the Victorian domestic ideal was also the figure who tried to destroy it.’ (Reader, 195). On the contrary, Bronte used this uncertain profession for Jane to illustrate the difference in social class and to portray the story from both a servant’s and aristocratic point of view, (CD 3) whilst also depicting Jane’s journey from her humble beginnings to equal stature with the man she loved.

Charlotte Brontë wrote Jane Eyre in 1847 during Britain’s Victorian era, a time when the societal culture was patriarchal, meaning men were considered to be superior to women in all parts of life. In general society was guided by etiquette and considered prudish, hypocritical, single minded, and arrogant. The culture of this era was defined predominantly by two main characteristics. First by the rigid caste structure, which prevented most from advancing beyond the station held by their families. Second, the extreme polarization of gender roles, especially in the upper classes. Men were expected to be honorable, enterprising, intelligent, loyal, and morally strong. However, women were expected to be chaste and in the constant company of a chaperone