Jane Eyre - an Analysis

The Oxford dictionary states that a classic is of lasting importance; typical, and famous because it is long-established. But this only hints at what makes a classic. Yes it is true that most classics have been around for a long time but this is not purely what makes then a classic. It is the reasons why they have lasted so long that make something a classic. These reasons can be condensed into four broad aspects. These aspects are: raise the level of human consciousness, influences many people's lives or minds, influences future texts, and in some way being able to contribute to the search for the eternal truth. A brilliant example of a literary classic is "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte. This book is considered a classic because of all of these aspects.

Firstly, the search for human consciousness is an aspect widely explored throughout "Jane Eyre". This can be seen through the ideals of Romanticism that Bronte incorporates and develops in her story and characters. The Romantics believed that the ability to feel love is what defines us as humans and this ideal is embraced by Bronte. The character of Jane Eyre is the one who represents these ideals. She embodies passion and does what is right for her. She believes that to marry someone you should feel love for that person. It should never be based purely on convenience, companionship, status or stability. This is expressed through her relationship with St John Rivers. He represents marrying not for love but companionship and to marry him would mean sacrificing passion for principal. The fact that Jane does not marry St. John Rivers portrays to the viewer Bronte's own beliefs; being that to marry the relationship must be based on love. Despite Jane's belief of love and passion being of upmost importance, she put morality ahead of it. This is seen in the novel when it is revealed that Mr Rochester is already married, Jane's choice to not marry him shows that she puts morality above love. This ideal is displayed when Jane states, "and Conscience, turned tyrant, held Passion by the throat." In this representation Bronte is positioning us to believe that you must be a moral person.

Romantics also celebrated that it was the natural birthright of every human to experience love, no matter how ugly, or plain the person is. This is also clearly seen through the character of Jane, as she had always been told that she is plain, but ultimately in the end she does marry her true love. This idea is also portrayed through the character of Edward Rochester. He, as Jane often stated, is not "handsome" but he and Jane find happiness with each other. And as they say "love is blind".

A classic should also influence many people's lives or minds, and this idea becomes clearly evident while reading "Jane Eyre". Looking back through the past and how ideas, morals and opinions have progressed over time it is clear that Bronte's ideas were well before her time. Bronte may have even been influential in causing some of these ideas to become surfaced. One such idea seen in the book is that in relationships each person should be considered by the other to be equal. This was a challenging thought in Victorian times because women were never considered equal to men. Bronte is telling the reader that she does not agree with this common belief; this idea would eventually in the years to come influence people's lives, and ideals. Modern day opinion is greatly based around a fifty-fifty relationship. Men and woman are now considered to be on an equal playing field. This can be seen in many modern day texts including the song lyrics of "Independent Woman" by Destiny's Child. The lines "Always 50/50 in relationships" and "Try to control me boy you get dismissed" both position the reader to believe that this is how woman should act and be treated in a relationship. Although the lyrics are a bit more obvious than that of "Jane Eyre" they still share the same common belief of equal partnerships. Like the song states, Bronte also believes that it is also important for woman to be individual and independent. Bronte; through Jane tells us that a woman, like a man should be allowed to be themselves and do what they like. Jane is represented as a "free human being with an independent will" and portrays Bronte's own ideals. Romantic's also believed that to be human you must experience love. When Jane is at Lowood happiness has not yet come her way Jane states that she "remained an inmate of its walls" this comparison to gaol portrays to the reader that this was not a happy time of her life as nothing positive is every associated with gaol. But when Jane finally experiences love with Mr Rochester she expresses that her "eyes seemed as if they has beheld the fount of fruition". When Jane leaves Mr Rochester because he is married it is revealed that she feels that "Jane Eyre, who has been an ardent expectant woman - almost a bride - was a cold, solitary girl again: her life was pale; her prospects were desolate."

This is therefore reinforcing the Romanticism ideals that love equals happiness.

Bronte also believes men should not and are not in general smarter than woman. Jane is represented as a smart and passionate woman and when she encounters Mr Rochester her true intellectual abilities come out. She is clearly able to match him wit for wit and this is ultimately what he loves about her. Equality of the sexes is also embraced by Bronte, the character of Jane tells the viewer that:

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 restraint, too absolute a stagnation...

Reading this passage it is clear to the viewer that Bronte's believes that women should be treated the same as men because they experience all the same emotions and aspirations. This idea is hugely embraced still in today's society and was the huge issue of the feminist movement of the sixties. Therefore all these attitudes have transcended and grown over time. Bronte's "Jane Eyre" was hugely influential on people's minds at the time and still is as future generations still continue to read this well loved book.

Also to be considered a classic it should influence future texts. "Jane Eyre" definitely did this and it can be seen in many different texts that succeeded it. Although the gothic novel has been around since 1764, Bronte