Jane Eyre XXVIII-XXXVIII: Jane between Love of Man and Love of God Conclusion

Outline Review Overview: Chap XXVIII-XXXVIII Women of Different Classes and Families St. John and his Proposal The three proposals

Review (1): Chaps I-IV -Gateshead Quest Reading and looking out of the window Red room (scaring her) – vague desire Passion rebellion “in frantic sort” against John, and against Mrs. Reed Education Mr. Lloyd’s visit The visit of Mr. Brocklehurst

Review: Chaps V-X Education in Lowood Helen Burns --punished, self-denying -- ill, looking for the afterlife Brocklehurst -- humility -- restraint & hunger Scatcherd -- physical punishment -- insists on cleanness and order. Ms. Temple -- Justice and education (marries a clergyman)

What does Jane Want? End of part I: Chap IV: a change seemed near,—I desired and waited it in silence. End of Part II: Chap X: “I desire liberty…a new servitude” (74) For Romance? Chap XI: [Arriving at Thornfield] I desired to be tall, stately, and finely developed in figure; I felt it a misfortune that I was so little, so pale, and had features so irregular and so marked. For Intellectual Achievement? Chap XII: I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen: that then I desired more of practical experience than I possessed; more of intercourse with my kind, of acquaintance with variety of character, than was here within my reach.

Review: Chap XI-IXX – The Quest for Love vs. The Realistic and the Gothic Jane’s Role as a governess vs. Her desire for intellectual equals Rochester: commanding, sympathetic and deceitful (Gypsy woman)? The Polite Society, women in dichotomy The Gothic Elements; the laughter//her desire? “The Aliens”: “Grace Poole” and Mr. Mason Jane’s Role as a Governess vs. Her Desire

Chap XX-XXVII: for Love or Like or Service Jane helping Rochester (fire, Mason) Jane’s absence; expecting to seek another job Rochester’s Lie about Marrying Ingram & His Proposal Wedding and Revelation

Chap XX-XXVII: Jane’s Intellectual and Financial Autonomy -- Jane helps to do what’s right Jane bargains to get her payment Jane’s resistance to being dressed as a beauty or called an angel; Discusses her position after her marriage Abide by God’s law; “care for” herself. R: no conversation between Mason and Jane R: I summon you as my wife. (223) R: “cast a glance on my sufferings—think of me.” R: “ Is it better to drive a fellow-creature to despair than to transgress a mere human law—no man being injured by the breach?

Last Week’s Discussion Questions Group 2 Mrs. Fairfax vs. Bertha group 7 Eliza vs. Geogiana– Types of Female characters the novel present (Possible subject positions for Jane) Group 3 part 1, group 8 part 2-- Relations between Jane and Rochester group 4 -- Through the two main episodes here (Mrs. Reeds’ death and the wedding), how does Jane express and develop her sense of identity? group 5- What do you think about Rochester as a lover? And his solution to his attempt at polygamy? Groups 6 & 1 -- What would you have done were you Jane?

Discussion Questions for Chap Available jobs for women: How is Jane saved from death or becoming a fallen woman? 2.Jane’s Quest: In what ways does this part develop such main motifs as Jane’s need of love, intellectual and financial autonomy on the one hand, and education and respect for authority on the other? 3.How are Mary and Diane opposed to Georgiana and Eliza? 4.How is St. John characterized? Why is his proposal hard to turn down? 5.What do you think about the ending? Jane’s relations with Rochester? The fact that the novel ends of St. John?

Overview: Chap XXVIII-XXXVIII 28-35: fall and rise in fortune; 36-38: return to Thornfield and going to Ferndean

Overview: Chap XXVIII-XXXVIII 28-35: fall and rise in fortune; Chap XXVIII Jane gets off the coach at Whitcross, wandering into the heath. Lives outdoor for two days, asks for opportunities of employment (dressmaker, plain-work, servant; 287) without success, starts to trade for food, and then ask for food (290) Arrives at Marsh End. Rejected by Hannah, Rescued finally by St. John. Chap XXIX St. John, Diane and Mary described Made peace with Hannah (301; poverty not a crime) The Rivers 302 Jane’s account of her past Chap XXX Mary, Diane and Jane close to one another Jane follows them to read more St. John – stern, direct in his gaze, incommunicative, sermon (suggestive of his bitterness and disappointment) News of the death of their uncle John Rivers (315) Chap XXXI Jane’s work at a cottage “degraded” “free and honest” (316) Rosamond Oliver 319 Chap XXXII Jane’s teaching goes well, but she’s troubled by nightmares about R Rosamond Oliver Jane’s reading poems 326 Jane discusses RO with St. John (328-31)

Jane’s 2 nd Education Mary and Diana: books (XXX 308) St. John: Chap XXXIIISt. John’s revelation of Jane’s inheriting a 20,000 pounds Jane’s elated about having 3 relatives, decided to divide it up among the four. Chap XXXIVReunion with Diane, Mary and St. John (St. John, hard and cold) Christmas week (347); Diana and Mary—witting, pithy and original discourse (Rosamond married to sb else) St. John starts to “train” and observe Jane, asking her to learn Hindostance 349; 350 Wants Jane to have a purpose in life (351); Jane disappointed at not getting any letter from Thornfield. St. John’s proposal (353) Chap XXXVSt. John stays on to persuade Jane Jane confides to Diana Jane is almost brought to agree (369), but she hears the call of Rochester Chap XXXVIBack to Thornfield only to find it in ruins; get the story told by a host of an inn Chap XXXVIIRochester changed (379) Chap XXXVIIIConclusion –marriages and St. John

Classes & Families in the novel The ReedsThe Rivers (Mrs. Reed) (John) St. John GeorgianaDiana – both working as governesses ElizaMary XXIX – 302, etc. “It was my nature to feel pleasure in yielding to an authority supported like hers: and to bend, where my conscience and self-respect permitted, to an active will.” IngramRosamond Oliver (XXXII: ) (like Adele)

St. John’s Ambition Jane: “placid” vs. “restless” (XXIX 303) -- his sermon – powerful, but bitter (XXX 310) -- dislikes domestic bliss -- cold, hard man -- Jane: “'This parlour is not his sphere… 'the Himalayan ridge or Caffre bush, even the plague-cursed Guinea Coast swamp, would suit him better. Well may he eschew the calm of domestic life; it is not his element.'” (XXXIV)

St. John’s Education and Persuasion Jane: "I daily wished more to please him: but to do so, I felt daily more and more that I must disown half my nature... force myself to the adoption of pursuits for which I had no natural vocation“ (XXXIV) St. John: “ God and nature intended you for a missionary's wife.” “you are docile, diligent, disinterested, faithful, constant, and courageous; very gentle, and very heroic” St. John – “it is not me you deny, but God.”

Jane-- 'Oh! I will give my heart to God,' I said. 'You do not want it.'

Jane’s Responses to Marriage Proposals 1. I summon you as my wife. 2. A missionary's wife you must—shall be. I want a wife: the sole helpmeet I can influence efficiently in life and retain absolutely till death.' 3. I knew I meant more than friends, but could not tell what other word to employ. He helped me. 'Ah! Jane. But I want a wife.' 1. Disbelief  “I will marry you.” 2. Willing to go to India, but “free” (not as his wife) 3. Unwelcome news? -- 'That depends on circumstances, sir— on your choice.'

Jane’s Struggle I was almost as hard beset by him now as I had been once before, in a different way, by another. I was a fool both times. To have yielded then would have been an error of principle; to have yielded now would have been an error of judgment. So I think at this hour, when I look back to the crisis through the quiet medium of time: I was unconscious of folly at the instant, (chapter XXXV: 368)

Conclusion: Education and Marriage for Women Ms. Temple—married to a good clergyman Georgiana – married to a wealthy “worn- out” man of fashion Rosamond– married to a rich man she only knows for two months Diane—married to a navy captain; Mary – a clergyman Adele -- docile, good-tempered, and well- principled. (shed off her “French” defects)

Role Play Is Jane successful in her quest? Roles: Jane –--3 Rochester – 5 Bertha --4 St. John Rivers -- 8 Mrs. Fairfax -- 6 Georgiana --7 Helen Burns --1 You --2

Conclusion: Major Issues in Jane Eyre Jane Eyre’s Quest: what does she desire? How does she quest for what she desires? Is she in any way compromised? Between Passion and Christian/Humanistic Conscience The Ambiguous Roles of Religion and Charity Class Differences – challenged, but not completely denied; social problems of women and orphans Is the novel feminist*?

Conclusion: Jane Eyre & Reader Jane Eyre – the mature Jane and the young rebellious Jane The narrator 1. asks the Reader to visualilze “Let the reader add, to complete the picture, refined features” (V 40; XI beginning) 2.explains her narrative methods: “oh, romantic reader, forgive me for telling the plain truth” (XII) 3.Asks for sympathy: True, reader; and I knew and felt this—[never tired of Helen] (IX 80); not tranquil in my mind(XI); Reader!—I forgave him at the moment, and on the spot. (XXII)

Conclusion: Major Issues in Jane Eyre Bertha: We saw him approach her; and then, ma'am, she yelled, and gave a spring, and the next minute she lay smashed on the pavement.' 'Dead?' 'Dead? Ay, dead as the stones on which her brains and blood were scattered.‘ (XXXVI) India: “If I join St. John, I abandon half myself: if I go to India, I go to premature death” (XXXIV 356). St. John “he labours for his race: he clears their painful way to improvement: he hews down like a giant the prejudices of creed and caste that encumber it.”