Book Review: Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre.

You might have heard of this name at school or at academies.Yes. Jane Eyre is one of the most eminent classic novels that is loved by many people around the world until now. Its well-crafted structure, mysterious happenings, and abnormal personality of the protagonist (Jane Eyre) catches readers' mind at once and of course, I am no exception to that.

Just like other typical Victorian novels, Bronte (author)  describes the difficult life of Jane Eyre which luck and love wins at the end. However, unlike other novels, it is written in a feminine perspective in which other authors refused to write with. Thus it received high credits for being written in a fresh view of females.  

Review

       


        In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte portrays the clash between social restrictions and the desire for freedom in the nineteenth century. At the time, women were considered inferior and were denied by many rights that men had. Jane Eyre, the protagonist of the novel, is however, in the position where she stands off to fight such prejudice. In her youth, she is an insolent and rebellious little orphan who always strives to stand against the authoritative power of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Although she is heavily punished and chastised by making such trials, she does not easily give up her 'mission'. Throughout her life in Lowood and Thornfield, she accepts a challenging life in order to show her desperate wish to be a passive participant of the society.





         As this novel is written in feminine perspective, it clearly shows the internal emotions of the female character towards happenings occurring in the society. During the 19th century England, people were extremely strict about making decorous behaviors and their custom implicitly coerced people to be genteel and hide their true emotions. Thus, most people, especially those in high social status, maintained superficial relationship with each other and were never able to live a life according to their will. However, Jane is a character that ardently challenges the custom and acts against its social expectations. Sometimes, authoritative characters such as Mrs. Reed and Mr. Broklehurst, suppresses Jane for being too frank about her emotions. Nonetheless she makes successful approach to people like Ms. Temple and Mr. Rochester and is evaluated 'diligent' and 'lovely'. Thus, by making a heroine character, Jane, Bronte accentuates the  fact that the custom which English were proud of actually circumscribed their lives. 

           Usage of numerous symbolic elements and parallel situations that pervade throughout the novel adds an extra emphasis on the theme. Whenever Jane suffers from conflicts by her position as a women, they are solved in a blink of an eye as if a supernatural force is exerted. Such structure of the novel is not a simple component of a novel but expressing the author's strong wish to escape from the state of subservience and obedience. Likewise, Bronte's vivid narrative towards women's role and ideal attitude of people when they build relationship with others give a definitive message to people not only in the past, but also present.... 

"I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives."                 -Jane Austen-