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Generally speaking, the term“feministnovel”refers to works about women by women novelists. Theyfirst appeared in Englandduring the second half of the 18th century and developed in the 19thand the 20th centuries. A catalogue of woman novelists in English literaturewould include some of the greatest novelists: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte,Emily Bronte and so on. In other words, it was these gifted women novelists ofthe 19th century like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters who openeda new epoch of feminist novel in English literature. The essence of thosefeminist novels lives in their recognition of the intensity of human feeling oremotion. Jane Eyre is the most representative work of Charlotte Bronte,who is considered an extraordinary woman novelist. The novel of Jane Eyreis a feministnovel. Jane is an unconventional woman and her unconventionalityis shown in her pursuit of liberty equality, and independence. (Liu 4). copyright paper51.com III. Analysis of Jane’ssplendid character 内容来自www.paper51.com A. Literature review paper51.com There are plenty of articles aboutJane Eyre. For example, George Henry Lewes, a famous Victorian critic,reviewed Jane Eyre in an 1847 edition of Fraser’s Magazine. Hewas much moved by the novel, which he admired for its excellent plot, its vividcharacterization, and its fidelity to life: “…reality—deep, significantreality—is the great characteristic of the book.” It contains “actual sufferingand experience,” it is “soul speaking to soul.” He confesses the book moved him,particularly the account of Jane’s childhood and the romance with Rochester. She is notpretty, she is not extraordinarily clever, yet “you admire, you love her—loveher for her strong will, honest mind, loving heart, and peculiar butfascinating person.” The style of the book is not elegant, but it is personal,“the written speech of an individual” (36-37). The novel is a worthy additionto English literature, in Lewes’s opinion. copyright paper51.com Lawrence and E. M. Hanson, in TheFour Brontes, praise the vitality of both the plot and the characters inJane Eyre: “She is a real and distinctive girl, with her sharp feelings andrapid changes of mood” (52). After reading the story, we can find the childJane and the grown-up Jane are consistent in her personality. The novel isrevolutionary in its treatment of love. Before Jane Eyre, love of awoman was not considered respectable, but Charlotteshowed that “beauty could exist in the desires of a woman” (52). She is alsoable to express the tenderness of lovers through conversation, while “the acidtang” of Jane’s wit “prevents the love scenes from becoming over-sentimental” (52). 内容来自www.paper51.com
From this research, it is obviousthat many researchers give high praise to Jane’s character. From Jane’s experience,this paper analyzes Jane’s splendid character which is different from other literaryheroines. Both literary critics and the readers take great interest in Jane’sunconventional character whose unconventionality is shown in the heroic pursuitfor liberty, equality, and independence. http://www.paper51.com B. The experiences of Jane’s growing up paper51.com 1.At Gateshead copyright paper51.com Janewas born an unfortunate girl. She is orphaned after birth. Therefore, she livesunder Mrs. Reed’s roof, for Mrs. Reed, her aunt, is her only relative. She lives an unhappy life with her cruelcousins and aunt at Gateshead. At Gateshead, she is maltreated by her cousins and aunt.Most people at Gateshead dislike her,including the servants, except Bessie. Even one of the servants thinks that sheis less than a servant. From Chapter 1 to Chapter 4, the author describes howher cousin, 14-year-old John, maltreats Jane without any excuse. Even thoughMrs. Reed is partial to John, Jane is meek and usually obeys John until an incidentoccurs when she can’t stand it any more. One day, when Jane takes his book toread, John says that Jane has no right to take his books: “You have no businessto take our books; you are a dependent, you have no money; your father left younone; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us,and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mama’s expense” (6). Janefights against him this time; she says John is a wicked and cruel boy. He islike a murderer, a slave-driver, or the Roman emperors. 内容来自论文无忧网 www.paper51.com Becauseof the lack of any familial affection, Gatesheadis merely a shelter—not a home—for Jane, so out of necessity she learns how tobe independent and not to rely on other people. After all, she is a littlegirl; it is hard for her to be economically independent. But she decides to beindependent and self-sufficient in her mind. We can find her independentcharacter at Lowood Institution, where she learns to live independently, atleast in spirit. Finally, she is spared from the Reeds and is sent to this lowbudget orphan school called Lowood Institution. 内容来自www.paper51.com
2.At Lowood Institution paper51.com
At Lowood, as the poor girls are not allowed to get much food, they are practicallystarving. The conditions there are appalling. At Lowood she meets Helen who isdeeply influenced by religion and dies because of illness. Jane comes to faceto face to face with real humility and genuine religious faith in the person ofHelen Burns (Zhang 54). But Jane can not accept the idea of humility. WhenHelen reminds her that the Bible tells us to return good for evil, Janedisagrees, insisting that we must “strike back very hard, resist injustice, andreturn dislike with dislike” (72). She listens in wonder as Helen urges her notto waste time or energy in hatred, but to endure suffering patiently and toprepare for eternity. At this point Jane can not accept most of these ideas,but she has learned one lesson from Helen. Though she suffers from shame andanger when punished before the whole school, she does try to endure herpunishment stoically. She gains strength and encouragement from Miss Templewho is an independent woman, the superintendent of the Institution. Miss Templeis a responsible teacher and kind to the students, even the low students.Consequently, she gets respect and popularity from the students around her.From Miss Temple, Jane learns that independence isa very important thing for her. http://www.paper51.com
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