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The Red Room Analysis

Decent Essays

While Jane’s time in Thornfield Hall, what she thought she knew due to her experience in the Red Room begin to get challenged. When she first arrived at Thornfield, she became impatient with constantly being suppressed by society. Although, she is content with Mrs.Fairfax's pleasant attitude and her pupil, Adele, Jane begins to want more. Bronte writes “I could not help it; the restlessness was in my nature; it agitated me to pain sometimes. Then my sole relief was to walk along the corridor of the third story, backwards and forwards, safe in the silence and solitude of the spot, and allow my mind’s eye to dwell on whatever bright visions rose before it—and, certainly, they were many and glowing; to let my heart be heaved by the exultant movement …show more content…

Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth. 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, too 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” (Bronte). During the beginning of her time at Thornfield, Jane begins to yearn for a life that differs from societies boundaries. She begins to doubt her fears the red-room instilled in her, therefore making Jane …show more content…

St. John is Jane's cousin and believes in marriage for God instead of for the attractive qualities of love. He proposes to Jane and asks her to move to India with him. St.John's proposal, although it has it's pros, eventually gets denied. He believes that Jane is destined to be with him as a "missionary's wife." St.John says, "‘God and nature intended you for a missionary’s wife. It is not personal, but mental endowments they have given you: you are formed for labour, not for love. A missionary’s wife you must—shall be. You shall be mine: I claim you—not for my pleasure, but for my Sovereign’s service’" (Bronte). St. John is telling Jane that she was made to be a missionary's wife. He "claims" her as his but promises it is not for his pleasure. Simply because of her plain appearance St. John thinks that she is suited for his purpose: marriage strictly for religious reasons. After a while Jane thinks about the good that could come out of her saying yes to him. Jane's fear of her feelings that started in the red-room begin to arise once again. Jane, like most Victorian women, is torn between what she wants and what society wants of her. Jane quickly decides that being imprisoned any longer would physically and mentally torment her. While discussing her options with herself Jane says "I should suffer often, no doubt, attached to him only in

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