How does Charlotte Bront Present Bertha Mason in "Jane Eyre"?
How does Charlotte Brontë Present Bertha Mason in "Jane Eyre"? Half way through the novel of Jane Eyre, as readers, we become aware of a mystery being that is living at Thornfield Hall. This character is eventually revealed to us, after many episodes of strange noises, near death experiences, and attempted murders, to be Bertha Mason. Bertha is the current wife of Mr. Rochester, and is therefore an obstacle, which stands between the event of Jane and Mr. Rochester's marriage, and so Bertha proves to be the biggest obstruction to Jane's happiness. Charlotte Brontë uses Bertha in the novel for the above purpose - to be an obstacle to Jane's happiness. Bertha is the final thing, which prevents Jane being allowed to "live happily ever after" and end up with the man she loves. Due to all of this, Bertha is immediately disliked; she is the object that prevents happiness. Mr Rochester cannot be happy with his Jane as he is already married to Bertha. When Mr. Rochester asks Jane to marry him, he is asking Jane to go against her morals, and not be his wife, but his mistress. Not only that, but his marriage to Bertha in the first place was dishonest. Mr Rochester was tricked into marrying Bertha by his father and brother, as he did not know that she was a lunatic and drunkard. However after the marriage, it became clear to Mr Rochester that his wife was not what she seemed to
Compare the presentation of Bertha and Antoinette in 'Jane Eyre' and 'Wide Sargasso Sea.'
Compare the presentation of Bertha and Antoinette in 'Jane Eyre' and 'Wide Sargasso Sea.' Rhys' character Antoinette derives from Charlotte Bronte's powerful depiction in 'Jane Eyre' of Bertha, a Creole woman who is wildly insane. In 'Wide Sargasso Sea' Jean Rhys creates a history for Antoinette, developing reasons for the madness of the character presented in 'Jane Eyre.' The reader can go back to 'Jane Eyre' and sympathise with the mental and emotional decline of Bertha's character through Rhys' counter presentation of Bronte's one dimensional monster. Rhys explained in an interview why she felt the need to rewrite 'Jane Eyre': 'I was convinced that Charlotte Bronte must have something against the West Indies and I was angry about it.' Rhys wrote 'Wide Sargasso Sea' in 1966, more than a century after Bronte's book. By the twentieth century issues of prejudice and equal rights were being widely explored within education and the media. Rhys, a Creole herself, felt the need to 'vindicate the mad woman in the novel' and re-present her race. However Bronte's character Bertha was principally intended as an obstacle for the love story and to add a mysterious element to the plot, which aimed to intrigue the reader. It is unlikely Bronte intended to offend or make an attack on West Indian women. This essay will explore the presentation of Bertha as a wild animal and Antoinette as a
Jane Eyre- Analysis of the character 'Bertha Mason' and her importance in the novel 'Jane Eyre'
Analysis of the character 'Bertha Mason' and her importance in the novel 'Jane Eyre' Bertha Mason is quite possibly the biggest antagonist in 'Jane Eyre'. Although Master Reed and Mrs Reed are emotionally and physically cruel to Jane, Bertha potentially does the most amount of damage to her, intentionally or indirectly. The scene in which Bertha is revealed is arguably the most important scene in the novel. Occasionally referred to as the 'madwoman in the attic', she is not only a huge part in Jane Eyre but a massive part of literature as well. Although Bertha only appears a few times in the novel, Charlotte Bronte has managed to invent a character that essentially creates the stories conclusion and all the unfolding drama surrounding it. Bertha is an unknown character throughout the beginning of the novel, yet even when Jane and the reader are finally introduced to her, we still know very little about her. Although Mr Rochester tells us the story behind his and Bertha's marriage and how she ended up locked in the room on the third floor, there is still an air of mystery around her and when she is first described by Jane's own eye, the reader cannot help but be fascinated and appalled at the same time. Jane describes her first experience of seeing Bertha as '...at the farther end of the room, a figure ran backwards and forwards. What it was, whether beast or human being,
Comment on the authors presentation of Bertha Rochester in the extracts from Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea.
Comment on the authors' presentation of Bertha Rochester in the extracts from Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. There is huge contrast of how Bertha is presented in each of the extracts; in the Jane Eyre extracts, Bertha is portrayed as a wild and inhuman beast, she is presented in this way to give the reader a prejudice against her and to make them favour Jane's character. Whereas in Wide Sargasso Sea she is shown to have more human qualities, the story reflects Bertha in a more sympathetic light. There are obvious differences with the use of dialogue in each extract. For example, in the first extract there is very little; most of the speech comes from Mr. Rochester barking orders at Jane - "Hold that". Commands like these show Mr. Rochester's authority over Jane. After Mr. Rochester leaves the room there is no more speech which leaves the author free to describe the setting and begin to build up the bias she wants the reader to have against Bertha - "a murderess" is the phrase used to describe Bertha in this extract and Jane thinks that the utter thought of Bertha being so close "appalling". The little dialogue leads the reader to think that Bertha is an inhuman object; she is never called by name. However, there is more dialogue in the second Jane Eyre extract although in spite of this, it does not do Bertha any favours. It still gives Bertha a bad reputation by the way
The Madwoman, Bertha Mason, is more beast than woman. What does her characterization tell us about Charlotte Bronte's attitude to both madness and femininity??
The Madwoman, Bertha Mason, is more beast than woman. What does her characterization tell us about Charlotte Bronte's attitude to both madness and femininity?? In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte explores the fine line between the conventional 19th century path of marriage and subjection to patriarchal codes, against the culturally subversive path of feminine independence. This has been done through the characterization of Jane Eyre, and the counter figure of "the mad woman in the attic"- Bertha Mason. In doing this, Charlotte Bronte's writing moves around a contrast of principles between passion and reason, creating a collision between these important values. Jane Eyre is a strong, self assured and determined young woman, who is rebellious against society, and is one of the first women in Victorian literature strong enough to challenge the ever present control of men. She is a woman cognizant of her own rights; ahead of her time in her thinking; although still shaped by the demands of her society. She reflects the position that Bronte is put into when writing the book. She successfully breaks through the restrictiveness of her society, and her "soul began to expand, to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, or triumph" Throughout the novel, she tells of fights and argument and often is reproached for her "difficult, flinty" nature. Bertha Mason, on the other hand,
Jane Eyre Essay. Analyse the ways in which Bronte presents the wedding of Jane and Rochester and the Discovery of Bertha in Chapter 26
Analyse the ways in which Bronte presents the "wedding" of Jane and Rochester and the Discovery of Bertha in Chapter 26 Jane Eyre Coursework Essay Weddings have been described as the happiest day in a person's life, so traditionally, and not just in British culture, but throughout the world weddings are meant to go smoothly, and each specific detail is meant to happen perfectly. When certain details are changed or go wrong, as in Jane's wedding, it leaves the reader worried about what else could, would and will go wrong. Jane Eyre's wedding happens really quickly. In a traditional wedding the couple allow for time to be taken in preparation. In chapter 26 the preparation and the ceremony is rushed, "I hurried from under her hands" is what Jane narrates when Sophie is dressing her but Mr Rochester calls her, the speed of this leaves you wondering why they can't slow down and why they're running out of time. Bronte uses metaphors to describe how much Rochester rushes Jane, "my brain is on fire with impatience" Rochester says to Jane when he first sees her in her Wedding gown, highlighting how getting the ceremony over and done with was a priority, instead of admiring his wife-to-be, on the day she is to be admired, as it is believed in British culture, and was then. This lets the reader know he has other things on his mind. There are no guests at the actual ceremony,
Examine the theme of Imprisonment in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - with specific references to Jane, Bertha, Rochester and St. John Rivers
Examine the theme of Imprisonment in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - with specific references to Jane, Bertha, Rochester and St. John Rivers There are many times in Jane Eyre where the characters feel imprisoned. Each of the characters experience it some time, and in the following essay I will explain how imprisonment played a big part in the book. In "Jane Eyre", Jane suffers the most from Imprisonment. She was imprisoned from a very young age; for as long as she can remember. Brought up feeling as though she was a burden is enough to make her feel unhappy and imprisoned. She feels she can't speak her mind because if she does, she could be beaten by her cousin John Reed. At one stage in Gateshead Jane is physically imprisoned when she is made to sit on a stool, while she is locked in the Red room. Terror overcomes her, as she is a young girl and a victim of her own imagination. Jane wanted to go to school because it would mean her leaving Gateshead. 'If I had anywhere else to go, I should be glad to leave it.´ When Jane is sent to Lowood I think she sees this as an escape, but herself, Helen Burns, and the other pupils at Lowood are all, in fact, imprisoned. I don't think this is as mentally bad as Gateshead, because Jane is happier and enjoys her friends company, especially Helen Burns. However, physically, Jane is imprisoned, because there is nowhere for
Jane Eyre Coursework - "Locked rooms are important in the story of Jane Eyre. Comparisons between Jane's ordeal and the ordeal suffered by Bertha Mason".
Jane Eyre Coursework "Locked rooms are important in the story of Jane Eyre. Comparisons between Jane's ordeal and the ordeal suffered by Bertha Mason". In the novel Jane Eyre the first locked room that is mentioned is the Red Room. Before this no locked rooms are mentioned, but it is like Jane is in a locked room for the whole time that she is in Gateshead, because she is not allowed to do anything or touch anything that isn't hers. The reader gets the impression that she feels trapped as if in a locked room. This impression comes from the bullying Jane has to suffer from the young Master Reed in chapter one. "You have no business to take our books, you are dependant mama says. You have no money, your father left you none, you ought to beg and not live here with gentlemen's children". Another time when Jane is left out is when Georgina, Eliza and John are gathered around their mother, who is lying down by the fire. Jane, who is excluded, stands by the door stating "Me she has dispensed from joining the group". This immediately makes the reader feel sad and it also gets the message across that she is alone. The first proper locked room that the reader learns about is the Red Room where Mrs Reed places Jane. Mrs Reed places Jane in the Red Room because Jane said to Master reed "You are like a murderer, you are like a slave driver, you are like a Roman Emperor".
Analyse the ways in which Bronte presents the "wedding" of Jane and Rochester and the discovery of Bertha in Chapter 26. Discuss what this tells the reader about Victorian views of women (and race).
Analyse the ways in which Bronte presents the "wedding" of Jane and Rochester and the discovery of Bertha in Chapter 26. Discuss what this tells the reader about Victorian views of women (and race). We are introduced first to a girl who was an orphan adopted by her uncle, who also died shortly after. This girl, Jane, was left in the care of her Aunt; Mrs. Reed, with her cousins, one of which called John who bullied her. The green-eyed monster got the better of Mrs. Reed and Jane suffered from her as well; there was no one who would take her side of the story. Mrs. Reed thought of Jane as an unnatural child and occasionally locked her in the red room where Jane's uncle passed away. Being an imaginative child who would get lost in pictures from books, Jane would always see terrifying things, including ghosts. Jane was then sent away from Gateshead to a school called Lowood. Jane was tagged as a liar there and only made one friend, Helen, but she passed away as did many children when disease struck the school. We've seen all the people Jane loved dearly leave her. Jane finally advertised and came to the place that she came to love so much; Thornfield Hall that was surrounded by moors and wildness that symbolise the master's nature as well. We see Jane as an accomplished woman, but still not fitting the Victorian ideal, teaching the vain Adele and making a great friend, Mr.
What aspects of Charlotte Bronte's depiction and use of the character of Bertha Mason are most clearly illuminated by Jean Rhys' depiction and use of her parallel character of Antoinette?
What aspects of Charlotte Bronte's depiction and use of the character of Bertha Mason are most clearly illuminated by Jean Rhys' depiction and use of her parallel character of Antoinette? In Wide Sargasso Sea, written by Jean Rhys in the 1960's, is a radical critique of the context of English Imperialism and male dominated society within which Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre. In order to both expose and oppose the parallels inherent in Jane Eyre, Rhys intertwines in her novel the two reading positions of feminist and postcolonialist criticism. Rhys demonstrates how both social and narrative conventions mandate that certain categories of women must be devalued if other categories of women are to assume importance. She does this by exposing to the reader how Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre, in order for her reader to give Jane an assumed importance, devalued by the Creole character Bertha; showing her to be made and giving us Jane's description of her as "[she] seemed...a woman... [she] reminded me... [of] the foul German Spectre - the vampire" and Rochester's comment that "the lunatic is both cunning and malignant." Rhys, it seems was politically inspired to rewrite Jane Eyre and write back to the empire. Wide Sargasso Sea is a prequel to Jane Eyre which was written British Empire was at its peak. Jane Eyre was a representation of England to the English. Rhys decided to write
