As we wrap up Jane Eyre, I just loved the role reversal seen between Rochester and Jane at the end of the novel, especially after today's discussion of the passage comparing Jane and Blanche (pg. 137). Throughout the novel, we see how much of the upperhand Rochester exerts over Jane as he tries to assert his love for her; as an outcast, she constantly feels inadequate to Rochester, who is a member of the upperclass and rich. She struggles to find her place in society, especially amongst Rochester's supposed crew. On page 137, Jane chastises herself for having feelings for Rochester while Blanche is in the picture and creates "Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain." She then describes Blanche as this beautiful being with a "Grecian neck and bust." Blanche essentially has it all - money, class, family, the looks. In comparison to Blanche, Jane feels unequal to Rochester and struggles to accept her feelings for him. On some level, Rochester seems to exploit this notion as he plays mind games with Jane. After Blanche is no longer in the picture and the whole Bertha unveiling goes down, Jane runs away (about time!).
I believe this separation is important as it sets up the true turning point in Jane and Rochester's relationship. When Jane returns to him, it is only AFTER she has asserted herself as an independent woman. She is rich and has family - essentially she has found a place in society after searching all this while. This is ironic as she approaches Rochester who is now in a vulnerable state. He has lost his house, his hand, and his vision in the fire. Rochester is utterly dependent on Jane. Now it is SHE who is taking care of him and it is SHE who even plays a few mind games with him. When Rochester asks about St. John, Jane makes it a point to describe him as "a handsome man: tall, fair, with blue eyes and a Grecian profile" making Rochester (who is now extra hideous) jealous and uncomfortable - seems to echo the whole Jane / Blanche ordeal, does it not? It is this equal playing ground that Jane and Rochester are able to form lasting relationship - one that Jane now accepts wholeheartedly without doubts, as confirmed by her reflection:
"I hold myself supremely best - blest beyond what language can express; because I am my husband's life as fully as he is mine. No woman was ever nearer to her mate than I am; ever more absolutely bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh" (384).
I enjoyed reading your post a lot, and I have to say that I do agree with you. I think the separation you were commenting on was necessary for their relationship. Because Jane was so insecure herself, how could she ever try to trust someone else? If you don't know yourself, then you're definitely not in the right state of mind, or point in your life, to get to know someone else on such a romantic level. And I have to say, I was very impressed with the improvement she made. After she took some time alone to get to know herself, she was stronger and ready to take on Rochester. It was just ironic that his life kinda went downhill during their separation.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you pointed out the irony in Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship since in the end Jane is the one who is in a more favorable position in her life. I kind of feel like its karma for all the torture that Mr. Rochester put Jane through with his hidden marriage. To me this was a satisfying ending as well because Jane is finally able to see herself clearly for the person that she is. With Jane being as clever and witty as she is I think I sometimes forgot that she is only eighteen. The scenes that most remind me of her age is when we see some of Jane's insecurities about her appearance and her financial status come out. This was the constant problem in her relationship with Mr. Rochester. Jane always felt as though Mr. Rochester was above her and I feel like with this ending Jane is finally able to see herself as an equal to him. She gains a lot of maturity in finding more confidence in herself. I think this is why she is able to be with Mr. Rochester without feeling restrained because she no longer feels like Mr. Rochester has the power in the relationship. Instead, the two must rely on each other in the end.
ReplyDeleteI love the comparison you made between the whole Blanche/Jane relationship and the whole Rochester/St. John comparison. Blanche and St. John both look like the ones you want to marry. Blanche is beautiful and rich, the seemingly perfect angel in the house.St John is handsome and on his way to become a missionary. Jane is flawed and Rochester is now obviously flawed, so neither would appear to be the more appealing. To add to the whole equal playing field thing, I think its also important that Rochester is blind. Rochester was so obsessed with social class and money because of his father and his brother that he had to look upon Jane as an inferior and manipulate everyone. But now he is blind, both literally and figuratively in a way, in my opinion. He no longer sees all that other stuff, but he does see his love for Jane. And then he begins to kind of see again out of one of his eyes when he does block out all that other stuff. When good things happen, like his son, he begins to see again! Oh symbolism!
ReplyDeleteBut you're right--they do get on an equal playing field. Rochester is not the superior anymore looking down at Jane as the inferior, and Jane is not looking at Rochester and feeling completely out of place. Now she does have a place! Yay!
Amelia,
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you wrapped up Jane Eyre. As I was reading I did not actually notice the similarity between the Jane and Blanche earlier on in the story and Rochester and St. John at the end. You point out an interesting dichotomy between the two because they are striking resemblances of each other. When Rochester made Jane guilty when he spoke about or was around Blanche must have built up in Jane and no at the end of the book she seizes the opportunity to make him feel jealous as well. As you point out Jane describes St. John as a very good looking individual to the now basically blind and lacking a hand Rochester. I think that it is important that Jane is now able to go back on her own free will to Rochester and “dish out” what he gave her in the past. Through out the story Jane is constantly searching for a place to fit in, and that almost preoccupies her time, not letting her do what she actually wants. Now that she has found a “home” she is able to go do what she wants.
Daniel Pietaro
Daniel, yeah I totally agree. That's a really cool way to look at it. Jane's looking for a home and a place she belonged disabled her from being able to see herself clearly. She thought that it would be a home that would make her a full person, but really she was a full person all along! She just had to go discover this and who she truly was in order to be able to get together with Mr. Rochester and feel okay about it. (Plus Bertha's dead, which makes things easier and less polygamous.) I think the whole ordeal with St. John made her realize that she didn't NEED another person or a home to make her whole. She didn't want to HAVE to belong to St. John and act super pious how he wanted her to and go where he wanted her to go. But she WANTED Mr. Rochester, and she WANTED to be with him. She didn't feel trapped anymore (no more Thornfield haha). It was her decision.
DeleteAmeila, I really enjoyed your post! You pretty much hit the nail on the head about the new relationship that has formed between Rochester and Jane. After all this time apart, she seems to have finally found herself and is confident in who she is but still is very much in love with him. This is proven when St. John is asking to marry her but as soon as she hears her voice being called, she immediately runs off back to Thornfield. When she finds that Rochester is maimed and blind, she is overjoyed because she finally sees them as equals. Jane loves to observe her surroundings and watch things so now she can do that for herself, but all for Rochester. With his crazed wife dead, she also does not have to worry about the restrictions that once complicated her marrying him before! Basically, after a long, cruel, lonely life, Jane finally has found a home and a life to call her own with the man she loves! Seriously loved this book, it is one that I will carry with me for a long time!!
ReplyDelete-Megan Harpel