The passions kindling at Thornfield have finally sparked and burned the house down; Rochester's burning bed was merely a prelude. Jane's psychic powers have been reaffirmed as another of her dreams has become reality.
The passions that have burned down Rochester's family mansion, leaving it "a lonesome wild," are, in Jane's version of the story, centered in a woman: Bertha Mason. Jane refuses to recognize her own part in this tale of excessive passion: the innkeeper tries to tell her of Rochester's irresistible love for Jane, which he labels a midlife crisis: "when gentlemen of his age fall in love with girls, they are often like as if they are bewitched.
As simply a specimen of a common phenomenon — midlife crisis — Jane and Rochester's love loses some of its romantic force. In addition, Jane doesn't want to be associated with Thornfield's tragic end, so Bertha Mason becomes the scapegoat. Critics have viewed Bertha as the odious symbol of Rochester's sexual drive; as Jane's double, the angry, repressed side of the orphan child; or as a scapegoat destroyed to redeem Jane.
In setting fire to Thornfield, Bertha begins by torching the hangings in the room next to her own, but then kindles Jane's old bed. Her anger seems to focus on sexual jealousy of her rival. During her final rebellion, Bertha stands on the roof Thornfield, "waving her arms above the battlements, and shouting out till they could hear her a mile off," with her long, dark hair "streaming against the flames. She is a strong, large, extravagant, and sensual woman, who contrasts with Jane, described by the innkeeper as "a little, small thing.
Walking past Rochester's room, Jane knows she could find a "temporary heaven" there, but she refuses to accept it. Instead, she sneaks out of the house, beginning a journey far away from Thornfield. In this chapter, Jane learns more about Rochester's past, particularly his relationship with Bertha. Much of this information hinges on the problem of excessive sexuality.
As Rochester constantly reminds Jane, he is not "cool and dispassionate"; instead, he seems to devour her with his "flaming glance.
When he first arrived in Spanish Town, Rochester found Bertha dazzling, splendid, and lavish, all qualities that excited his senses. But he soon discovers that she is sexually excessive: "coarse," "perverse," "intemperate," and "unchaste. When he tries to accuse Jane of flinging him back to "lust for a passion — vice for an occupation," she reminds him that these are his choices. She senses that his passion is out of control — he's in a "fury" and glowing like a furnace, with "fire" flashing from his eyes — and Jane needs to walk away from the relationship until he has learned self-control and until she can enter the relationship on a more equal footing.
These are not lessons Jane wants to learn. To keep herself from the "temporary heaven" of Rochester's bedroom, Jane hears prophetic voices that guide her on the path of moral righteousness. It was surreal to be the one pined for, the one whose crumbs were gladly gathered. When he declared himself, she told her father, who exploded. But she did not love him, yet. Finally, she agreed, though she had deep reservations. During a pre-nuptial conversation with two of her friends, the kind of conversation in which virgin women asked more experienced friends about their marital obligations, Charlotte confided that she worried about what marriage might cost her.
Marriage did exact a price. Though Charlotte Nicholls loved her husband, he constricted her. He was horrified by the personal issues she discussed in her longstanding correspondence with Ellen Nussey, a friend since childhood. Nussey agreed, grudgingly. Then she disobeyed him.
Did Charlotte kill herself by handing over her intellectual and physical well-being? She died soon after, likely from dehydration following severe morning sickness. But her nine months of marriage to Arthur Bell Nicholls were among the happiest of her life. Perhaps few women ever existed more anxious to be pretty than she, or more angrily conscious of the circumstance that she was not pretty.
Privacy Policy Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message. JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. By: Erin Blakemore. February 27, March 2, Share Tweet Email Print. The answer to that question is up for debate. Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre, It might seem like sacrilege to question the small r romanticism of Jane Eyre , a story that centers on the obsessive love of a teenage governess and her decades-older boss.
In his new wife, Zare implies, Rochester has gained an all-too-willing caretaker. Accept my meed of congratulation—and believe me Sincerely yours C. Samantha Morton as Jane Eyre, Marriage did exact a price.
Once a Week. Have a correction or comment about this article? Please contact us. Jane Eyre and the Pursuit of the Mother's Pleasure. South Atlantic Review, Vol. Critical Survey, Vol. The Slave Narrative of "Jane Eyre". Victorian Literature and Culture, Vol. Studies in the Novel, Vol. More than just kissing: cousins and the changing status of family.
He pities the fact that he is married to Bertha. Rochester is angry and self-pitying when he mentions his marriage to Bertha. The use of the verb 'cheated' illustrates how Rochester believes he was tricked into marriage and cheated out of happiness. He also refers to Bertha as a 'being', suggesting that she is less than human. Rochester tries to manipulate Jane's emotions by flirting with Blanche Ingram and making Jane believe that they are going to marry.
Rochester is demanding that Jane spends time in the drawing room with his guests and himself.
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