17. Jane meets Grace and is told that Mr R is away socialising with Blanche and co.
18.The socialites arrive and we are introduced via Jane
19.Mr Mason arrives
20.The gypsy
21.Mr Mason stabbed and does anyone know what is going on with Rochester?
22.Visit to Mrs Reed
23. Jane returns- gossip of Mr R marrying Blanche
24. The proposal
25. Courtship, embellishment and fancy fantasy in Millcote
26. apprehension and omens for the wedding- veil
27. Nearly a wedding and definitely a scandal
Themes
- emotional isolation
- guilt and mystery
- appearance vs reality (e.g looks vs personality)
- deception and concealment
- judgement
- threat and violence
- frugality vs frivolity
- omens and superstitions
- suppression and madness
- class and status
Character
Jane
In this section she becomes very critical of herself and starts to compare herself to others. We see her character developed in terms of seeing Jane's place in the world and her place in the class system as a governess.
Mr Rochester
Mr Rochester in this section is very confusing for the reader. His motives and actions become a constant mystery.
Blanche Ingram
As blank and shallow as her name. A truly frivolous personality. She is the typical socialite. Bronte describs her so it is nigh on impossible to like her.
Mr Mason
Another character we know very little about except hints and speculations.
Grace Poole
Her character is greatly expanded in this section. Bronte allows the prejudice against Grace to continue up until they are thrown aside in chapter 27 when she is revealed as the guard and keeper of Bertha.
Bertha Mason
Seen mainly as hints and shadows but materialises in ch 27. We never really meet her. She is more a physical extension of Mr Rochester's hidden and suppressed past. It could also be argued that Bertha is a symbol of the oppression of women and the prejudices against them in the day. It is interesting to see how Bronte classes and describes Bertha through the other characters as Bertha is a foreigner. The prejudice and condescending nature of the comments towards colonialists is interesting to note also.
The Reeds and Bessie
The Reeds and Bessie reappear in this section as Jane is called back to Mrs Reeds deathbed. It is interesting here to see that none of the characters have developed. They stayed stagnate at Gateshead. Jane is the only one to have moved on. A symbol of dysfunction? of resolution?
Motifs
- Gothic imagery
- ghosts, apparitions and omens
- bland vs exoti
- love-friendship, shallow and courtship
- ethereal and fantasy
Place
Still set at Thornfield. However, it seems to take on a far more flamboyant set of description as Jane grows to love it more. The imagery used is that of fantasy and midsummer eves as i supppose Janes life at Thornfield must seem like fantasy compared to gateshead and Lowood.
Narrative Voice
Jane contrasts between being more happy and optimistic aboput life than at any other time and being at a real self deprecating low. She over embelishes the traits of others in order to make herself seem even more plain. On the other hand her love of Thornfield also shows where she uses such exotic imagery. This can also be seen in imagery for Mr R.
Interesting Quotes and phrases
'Tall, fine bust...it contrasted well with the jetty mass of her curls' first description of Blanche pg 159
' That a greater fool than Jane Eyre had never breathed the breath of life: that a more fantastic idiot had never surfeited herself on sweet lies, and swallowed poison as if it were nectar,' pg 160
'... said Miss Ingram, curling her lip sarcastically...'
' Good night, my-' He stopped, bit his lip and abruptly left me' Mr R talking to jane
'I was growing very lenient to my master: i was forgetting all his faults, for which i had once kept a sharp look out.' pg 187
'... whatever aspect it wore, it failed not for seven successive nights to meet me the moment i entered the land of slumber' pg 220
'a splendid Midsummer shone over England: skies so pure...' the proposal setting pg 247
'is this my pale little elf?' pg 258
'He smiled; and i thought his smile was such as a sultan might, in a blissful and fond moment, bestow on a slave his gold and gems had enriched: i crushed his hand, which was ever hunting mine, vigorously, and thrust it back to him red with the passionate pressure' pg 269
'The month of courtship had wasted...' pg 275
'Jane Eyre, who had been an ardent, expectant woman- almost a bride- was a cold, solitary girl again...' pg 295
3 comments:
"It is interesting to see how Bronte classes and describes Bertha through the other characters as Bertha is a foreigner. The prejudice and condescending nature of the comments towards colonialists is interesting to note also."
This is very interesting. Does this link in anyway to how Jane has felt as an outsider in the novel?
This will be worth following up when we look at Wide S. Sea.
I like your responses here. You clearly highlight themes. Your comment about place is good too. What you say about Gateshead is worth thinking about further. When you say that J is the only one to move and that this shows resolution I'm not sure what you mean. Has something been resolved within her? Also you suggest it might be dysfunction - the society she finds herself in?
Some good comments here. You've developed a very good set of responses that show how you've reacted as you read through.
I think it links with the theme of being an outsider but i see Bertha as more of a metaphor of the suppression of women, this does link with jane (who has been suppressed) but I think Jane is more a specific example of how suppression can alter your character.
With Gateshead i meant that Jane gets closure when she goes back. She is also the only character to have developed or grown up, the Reeds seem to be very much the same.
reading back i can't quite remember why i put a symbol of dysfunction...perhaps as Gateshead is not a traditional family and creates the dysfunction within jane...?
Thanks for the clarification Amy. I like the idea of Bertha as a metaphor for the suppression of women.
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