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).

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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. Rochester who is much older and changeable in his behaviour; he’s not exactly the Victorian ideal either. Through the rude statements made by the Ingrams an insight into Victorian attitudes towards governesses is seen. Jane finds out that she has an uncle living; this revealed by Mrs. Reed on her deathbed.

   The reader has been given many clues that there is a mystery in the heart of Thornfield: strange noises, tearing of wedding veil, fires and vicious attacks. However, during all this, Jane doesn’t ask any questions.

    Rochester admits he loves Jane and they plan to get married despite much disapproval, even from Mrs. Fairfax. Suddenly, all Jane’s hopes and dreams are crushed with the news of another wife living in Thornfield Hall; Bertha Mason. After all the bluffing made by Rochester trying to look innocent, he admits that the news is true.

    Jane, deeply shocked and upset, runs away and gives herself a new identity only to find more relatives and inherit quite a large sum of money. After a refused proposal from St. John, Jane realises her heart belongs to Rochester and she runs back to a destroyed Thornfield. She is told of the fire started by mad Bertha, Rochester’s wife and how this has caused Rochester to lose sight in his eye. Jane comes to his rescue and they finally get married and have a son. Rochester then regains his sight. This is the story of Jane Eyre, but I will focus on Chapter 26; the climax of the book.

    From the beginning of Jane and Rochester’s encounter, Bronte makes it known to the reader that there is a difference in status. Jane is just a governess, but Rochester owns Thornfield and is worth twenty thousand pounds whereas all the money Jane has in the world is just a few shillings. Jane was not accepted by the Ingrams who were upperclass just as Rochester is; this was further emphasised by their rude remarks towards governesses. Mrs. Fairfax, being on the same level as Jane also made it clear of their different social classes and age difference. Mrs. Fairfax’s reaction to the news of Jane and Rochester’s plan to get married was an absolute shock, but it wasn’t the usual happy sort. She thought Jane had more sense than to marry an older man and was too young to know what love was. It was thought unwise by Mrs. Fairfax; therefore it would be thought much worse by the upperclass and Victorian society. Everything is already cursed. Then, there is another bad omen as they go against tradition by not having their engagement announced at a social event; there hardly is an engagement as there is less than a month’s preparation. It is usually six months preparation minimum.

    Bronte presents Mr. Rochester as not someone who is a conventional hero as he was “impatient of” Jane’s “delay” and “sent up to ask” why Jane wasn’t coming down. In a traditional Christian wedding the bridegroom should not ask when the bride is arriving as she has the right to be “fashionably late”.

    There has already been a bad omen before the wedding. Jane Eyre doesn’t wear the elaborate veil Mr. Rochester chose for her; it was ripped. She has no choice but to wear the plain veil she originally chose: “the plain square of blond after all”. Despite being upset that the veil was ripped, Jane is also glad as she prefers plain things which are symbolic to the impression she has of being “plain Jane”.

    Bronte presents Jane with a lack of vanity: after Sophie dresses her Jane “hurries from her hands” as soon as she can and doesn’t take “one peep”. This is another unconventional characteristic. A bride usually wants to make sure she looks beautiful for the most important day of her life, but Jane is hurried and can’t wait to get away. The fact that she doesn’t really give much thought into her appearance suggests she isn’t the ideal Victorian bride; hence the marriage will not be ideal.

    There is bad luck because Rochester sees Jane before the wedding: “I was received at the foot of the stairs”. It is a father or male relative’s duty to receive the bride and give her away; the bridegroom should be at the altar.

    Bronte emphasises the fact that the environment around Jane and Rochester is purely speed. Rochester gives “but ten minutes” for Jane “to eat some breakfast”. This makes everything more tense and dramatic for the reader because everything is being hurried. When something is going at a high speed it has to stop eventually and when it does the after affects are disastrous therefore this suggests to the reader that the ceremony will not end well.

    A traditional Christian wedding has many guests however for Jane and Rochester there were “no groomsmen, no bridesmaids, no relatives”. Bronte uses the word “no” three times for the reader to remember the fact that they are going against tradition and makes everything seem even more daunting. Also, the “no” being said three times emphasises how everything is unconventional and to foreshadow that there will be no wedding either.

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    She describes the church as “the grey old house of God”, this represents gloom and there is nothing bright which is what is usually associated with a wedding.  Jane also sees a “rook” which is a bad omen because it symbolises death. This implies to the reader that there is only darkness to follow as there is also a “ruddy morning sky beyond” which is a technique commonly used by Bronte: pathetic fallacy.

    There are “two figures of strangers” who are “reading the mementoes graven on the few mossy head-stones”. This is also related to death ...

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