Compare and Contrast the Techniques Used by Bronte in Describing Thornfiled Hall in Chapter 11, with those used by Woolf in Describing London in the Early Pages of Mrs. Dalloway

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Compare and Contrast the Techniques Used by Bronte in Describing Thornfiled Hall in Chapter 11, with those used by Woolf in Describing London in the Early Pages of Mrs. Dalloway?

Jane Eyre's tone is both gothic and romantic, often conjuring an atmosphere of mystery and secrecy. Her description of Thornfield in chapter 11, is very Victorian and thorough, which draws us into the novel.  

On page 122 of Chapter 11, when approaching the third floor, Jane uses a visual first person narrative text. When Bronte writes, “Mrs Fairfax stayed behind a moment to fasten the trap-door”, she is giving us an aspect of ambiguity, the word ‘fasten’ emphasises the refusal of entry. The description of the staircase in Thornfield Hall illustrates the rigid and constricted atmosphere, as they are described as ‘the narrow garret staircase’. Bronte uses alliteration when stating, “lingered in the long passage”, to emphasise the description of her movement in the surroundings. The phrase ‘separating’ used in the passage exemplifies the secrecy within Thornfield, which also intrigues us. The use of semicolons and commas in the passage, adds to the appeal of Thornifield, illustrated when Bronte writes, “the third story; narrow, low, and dim”. These techniques disrupt the flow of the sentence to show the fascination and anxiety that she has for the attic. This allows the structure of the sentence to be sharp, with short gaps to keep the reader curious and interested. The depiction of the building demonstrates the typical Victorian accommodation, of small, gothic and narrow appearance. Furthermore, the conclusive text of the ‘little window at the far end’ shows the isolation within Thornfield, as light can barely enter the house. Bronte shows the seclusion in addition to this, as Jane says “with its two rows of small black doors”. The technique of colour imagery used here, exemplifies the obscurity and secrecy, which adds to the suspense of Thornfield.

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In Jane, Bronte gives us a detailed description of the events that occur in her life.  Despite these Gothic elements, Jane's personality is friendly and the tone is also affectionate and confessional. Her unflagging spirit and opinionated nature further infuse the book with high energy and suspense.

Mrs Dalloway is written in the first person narrative and so all her images are also very thorough. The dialect used by Woolf is very energetic and visual. This is immediately demonstrated on the first page, as Woolf uses onomatopoeic terms such as “What a lark! What a plunge!” The use of ...

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