If they did not love me, in fact, as little as I
did love them. They were not bound to
regard with affection a thing that could not
sympathize with one amongst them; a
heterogeneous thing. In capacity, in propensities…
Here, because the narrative is in the first person [viewed as from Jane] Jane seems to have a certain amount of understanding for the cruel treatment she receives. Although this feeling is vastly overshadowed:
This reproach of my dependence had become
a vague sing-song in my ear; very painful and
crushing, but only half intelligible.
This is one way in which Charlotte Bronte stops and feeling of empathy with Mrs. Reed in her situation with Jane; by making Jane clearly the victim, in contrast to protagonist, Bronte firmly asserts Jane as the oppressed heroin in the story.
This is most apparent to the reader during chapter two, whereupon Jane imagines “dead men” [in this case her Uncle, who died in the Red Room] “revisiting the earth to punish the perjured and avenge the oppressed.”
One reason for Jane’s situation in the Reed family household is her inability to integrate with the Reeds.
I was a discord in Gateshead Hall; I was
like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony
with Mrs. Reed of her children, or her chosen
vassalage.
Jane however, is frustrated that she cannot figure out what it is that she does, and is doing; e.g.:-
why could I never please? Why was it useless
to try to win anybody’s favour?
Jane seems terrified by the Red Room, the most obvious reason being the death of her uncle; “ I resisted all the way.” This shows that Jane does not want to go there and will do anything within her power not to go there, as she acts out of character, by kicking and screaming. This makes us, the reader, sympathize for Jane as it seems as if she is being tortured and punished for a mild offence.
This room signifies the first Gothic element of the story, although Jane Eyre is a dominantly romantic novel [however this is not shown in the opening chapters, as Jane is only 10 years old], it also has a strong Gothic tone. All of these elements: a dark and foreboding room where a family member died, the color red, ghosts and phantoms, and the romantic gothic scene of rain on the moors - are Gothic and seemingly predict future Gothic locales and themes in the plot.
The use of Gothic components is Jane Eyre is perhaps due to the Victorian society in which Charlotte Bronte lived in. Gothicism influenced 19th century arts, poetics, architecture, and many aspects of design. This, perchance, is one reason why Bronte chose to include many Gothic constituents in the novel.
Jane also states that this action was “..a new thing for me.”. For the first time Jane is asserting her rights as a person, and she is further punished for this act of rebellion. Jane’s efforts to gain equality in her world only seem to deepen the punishment and resentment which she receives.
Although Jane seems to be quite mature for her tender age of 10/11 she still loses her rationality at times, such as her outburst at John Reed which leads to her confinement in the Red Room. This indicates to the reader that Jane will inevitably allow her situation to worsen… with foreseeable consequences: she will be sent to the “poor house”.
The Red Room could be symbolic for many aspects of Jane and her surroundings; not least of which fear, oppression, and isolation:-
The colour red is, by itself, associated with danger and fear. Bronte seems to exaggerate the overall redness of the room; I think that the room is red more in Jane Eyre’s imagination than in reality. Mahogany is a very red wood, and Victorian décor often used red extravagantly, however the idea that a room would be so vividly red is absurd.
Mr. Reed had been dead nine years: it was in
this chamber he breather his last; here he lay
in state; hence his coffin was borne by the
undertaker’s men; and, since that day, a sense
if dreary consecration had guarded it from
frequent intrusion.
The death of her uncle in the red room seems to create an aura of death and darkness for those who dwell in it. This atmosphere is amplified by the mirrors present in the room, perhaps reflecting the deep red shades, projecting an image of red into Jane’s highly active imagination.
One reason for Jane’s confinement in the red room instead of another room, is its isolated stance within the house, thus isolating Jane.
The red-room was a spare chamber, very seldom
slept in: I might say never, indeed…
Throughout the first two chapters of the novel the young Jane Eyre undergoes several metamorphoses; the story opens with Jane in a stoical mood. This, during the Victorian period, was expected of respectable women and gentile ladies. Jane reveals little emotion, for example she was “humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.”
However, as the chapter develops, it becomes apparent that she finds other means of escapism that emotive disposition. Jane’s fascination with nature and, importantly for the opening chapters: birds, is shown when she reads “Bewick’s History of British Birds”. She reads of “death-white realms” and “the solitary rocks and promontories” of sea-fowl. Here we see how quickly Jane identifies with birds: the idea of flying above the toils of everyday life, observing without discourse.
This is fitting for Jane as she seems herself to be hyper-observant; she sees often irrelevant aspects of her reality which most people would likely take for granted, or not notice. This is shown by Charlotte Bronte’s excessive use of adjectives and adverbs during the opening chapters. e.g.“…leafless shrubbery…”, “ … cold winter wind…”, and “…clouds so sombre…” – from a single sentence in the opening paragraph of the novel.
Although the least ambiguous, this is not the only of Jane’s fantasies:
A singular notion dawned upon me. I doubted
not – never doubted – that if Mr. Reed had
been alive, he would have treated me kindly.
Ofcourse, this fantasy of Mr. Reed treating her well, rather than the suffering she endures under his widow, would be impossible to be realized. Her fantasy of birds too, cannot be realized while she is under the care of Mrs. Reed and her servants – as birds sometimes rely on handouts of crums [which occurs at several times later in the novel], Jane is still only a child and reliant on Mrs. Reed.
As the chapter unravels however, Jane’s mood changes into virulent passion against John Reed and his disciples in oppression:
…these sensations for the time predominated
over fear and I received him in frantic sort.
She is clearly acting on impulse, and her immaturity is shown. Since the novel is retrospective, the narration is aware of this inability to keep a purely resigned and stoical disposition.
…mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding
and imperfect feelings…
Her impulsive actions continue until her confinement in the red room is secured [“They went, shutting the door, and locking it behind them”]. Whereupon she seems to return to her stoical self, however she retains an emotively superstitious mood for the rest of the chapter.
Superstition was with me at that moment: but
it was not yet her time for complete victory.
In the latter part of the second chapter Jane sees a light, at which point superstition does seem to claim victory over Jane; she calls out for help, seemingly hysterical to Ms. Abbot and Mrs. Reed. As a result she is left in her solitude, to endure fear and complete her sentence.
Bessie and Abbot having retreated, Mrs. Reed,
impatient of my now frantic anguish and wild
sobs, abruptly thrust me back and locked me in…
The scene ends with our heroin – Jane – fainting as a result of her torment:
Unconsciousness closed the scene.
