Jane Eyre Cwk

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English Coursework: Jane Eyre                    

Finding a suitable marriage partner is very important for many of the characters in Jane Eyre. What do we learn about marriage during the Victorian period from the novel?

In the Victorian period, most women were aiming to get married to a man of the same or better social status, be loving and serving wives and be a mother to her husband’s children. Marriage was not necessarily based on love. It was usually based on financial and social benefits. Women did not have many rights and privileges and always needed a man to determine their social position. For example, Blanche Ingram thought that she was going to marry Mr. Rochester for his wealth and social position; his wealth could give her the ability to live a life of luxury. Mr. Rochester’s interest in Blanche was originally based as a trick to make Jane feel envious, but because of Blanche’s beauty and the idea that her social power could benefit him, Jane believed it. These marriages did not last long periods because some men became bored of their women and in turn, women realised that their husbands were not as wealthy as they were before. These relationships were also usually quite dull and lifeless. Jane and Rochester’s relationship however, was different. They loved and cared for each other, although there was a massive contrast in class. These marriages were most likely to last lifetimes because of the love and excitement gluing the relationship together.

Georgiana and Lord Edwin Vere loved each other and wished to get married, “…But his relations were against the match;” says Bronte. His family was against it and refused. Bronte shows us that parents were looking for beneficial marriages for their children. In this case, the marriage attempt was based on love but it was rejected due to the contrast in class. However, Georgiana and the Lord were determined to marry and eloped secretly together, yet their plan was foiled as Eliza informed Mrs Reed. Again Bronte here shows that it was difficult to marry for love as families were against it if there were no benefits. Also she is trying to show us the importance of what the family decides and how you could not easily get away with disobeying them.

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Blanche Ingram and Mr Rochester’s potential marriage was based on Blanche’s interest in Mr Rochester’s money and his phoney interest in Blanche’s beauty and social position. As a sign that wealth was the only obsession on Blanche’s mind, she revoked her interest in Rochester when she discovered that he was not as wealthy as before. Here Bronte is trying to show that money played a big role in marriage because people were greedy and thought that money would make them happy. Money brought you power then and this was greatly important. “-to take Miss Ingram to my bosom, in short ...

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