By not being intimidated by the not allowing her herself to be intimidated by the “quisitive looking… solemnly speaking” Mr Brocklehurst, Jane showed her self-determination. She answered bluntly to his questions and gave some answers which where seen as “objectionable”. When asked by an older superior figure what she must do to avoid hell, she answers curtly “I must keep in good health, and not die.” This was typical of Jane’s “passionate disposition” and shows her independence of her way of thinking. Children where expected to obey the rule set out by the Bible and answer truthfully and polite to their elders, neither of which Jane did, expressing her full regard of Mr Brocklehurst and her true feelings of the bible.
Once transferred to the Lowood School, Jane soon finds an independent role model, that “impressed her by her voice looks and air” this was the "stately air” of Miss Maria Temple, the superintendent of Lowood School. Although, she was Jane’s role model for independence, all women at this time needed a man to support them. Her “friendship had been her continual solace” and now it was now gone, gone to a clergyman “almost worthy of such a wife.” This was a major break through in Jane’s independence since most of her ideas and opinions were formed in this period at Lowood encouraged by the action of Miss Temple.
Whilst making friends with Helen Burns, who was punished by “severe” Mrs Scatcherd who “dislikes her faults,” Jane showed her stubborn yet independent thinking. “If she stuck me that rod, I should get it from her hand; I should break it under her nose.” This thinking of Jane’s showed her self-sufficiency since it has the intent of disobey her orders and striking her elders. Although, Helen points out that she “would do nothing of the sort” Jane has trouble trying to “comprehend this doctrine of endurance.” Her comments show how stubborn and set in her ways she is and an individual in the way that she does not need a man to stand up for what she believes is right.
After another eight years and Lowood school Jane “desired liberty; for liberty she grasped” how she longed for “a new place, in a new house, amongst new faces” now she has decided that she “must advertise in the shire herald” this was very independent for a women to do at this time, most teachers came into a governess position through acquaintances. It was very rare for any women/governess to advertise in a newspaper since women weren’t supposed to provide for themselves.
Once Jane acquired the position of governess at the “old-fashioned” Thornfield Hall, as usual Jane is self-governing in her action here and show this with her first encounter with the “stern features and heavy brow” of Mr. Rochester, when he and his horse “slipped on the sheet of ice which glazed the causeway.” Jane was very quick to offer her assistance “if you are hurt and you need help, sir. I can fetch someone from either Thornfield hall or from Hay.” It was very independent of a woman of this time to offer her help to a man, since women were thought the weaker sex and could not possibly be any use to a man would need help.
Furthermore Jane showed her independence when talking to the “dark, strong and stern” body that was Mr. Rochester. She refuses bluntly to flatter him. “Your claim to superiority depends upon the use you have made with your time and experience. “Also, when Mr. Rochester asks the question “do you think me handsome” she answer frankly and with out hesitation “no, sir.” It was an independent thought of the time for a women to talk to a man like that since they were deemed the greater of the two sexes as stated in the bible. So, a woman should never tell a man he is “fallible” or “imperfect,” but that’s coming from a women who thought the bible was “boring.”
Jane showed her strong thinking ability when she rescued the “unimpeachable” Mr. Rochester from the “tongues of flame darted round the bed” in which Mr. Rochester lay “motionless.” and “succeeded in extinguishing the flames which were devouring it.” This would have been very unheard of during the nineteenth century because as before women could not possibly save the stronger sex, if they can’t themselves. It was deemed unthinkable for a man to be in such an “immense a debt” to a woman. Many other women would have fetched a servant to help, however Jane saves him herself.
Also, Jane showed that she is unlike other women; she doesn’t “turn sick at the site of blood,” when faced with Mr. Mason’s “ghastly countenance” when his arm was “almost soaked in blood” and see was expected to clean the “trickling gore” that came down Mr. Mason’s “bloody spectacle” of an arm. This was very different than many views on women of the Victorian age; many perceived them to be squeamish and to faint and the sight of blood, since women had weaker stomachs so when faced with a challenge like this women where expected to “turn sick” unlike Jane this show her independent strength of mind.
Soon after, following many honest truths, Mr. Rochester proposed and a wedding is set to take place. She refused to wear any jewels since “jewels for Jane Eyre sounds unnatural” for a “plain, Quakerish governess” she also rejected the idea of having the “priceless veil” due to the fact that this defies her character “you won’t know me, sir.” To deny all of the material goods when she has such an unfortunate background was very unlikely in the 19th century. Women often had to marry well in order to survive and Jane was engaged very well, however she denied all the goods many women would have leapt at the chance to have because she is a “free human being with an independent mind” and doesn’t want to sacrifice her self for it.
However, the marriage did not go ahead and Jane was left “a cold, solitary girl again.” “Almost a bride,” but not quite and yet the dealings of the day did not “scathe her or maim her” Her hopes were “all gone” and she had no prospects. She had to “leave Thornfield at once.” This was a very courageous move for a woman at the time. Many women would dream of moving on by themselves without a job secured in another place. Therefore this is a very brave step, all because she feels humiliated in love.
Later, she meets St. John Rivers a missionary who used his eyes as “more of an instrument to search other people thoughts.” It wasn’t long before he asked her to marry him. She declined “I will give the missionary my work not myself…I have no vacation, nothing speaks within me” After this, Jane’s discovers she has inherited a sum of twenty thousand pounds from her long lost uncle and has three cousins in the form of St. John and his sisters. “Although it’s deemed too nobler sacrifice” Jane’s see is fair that the money is split between them. “We each have an equal right…to have five thousand would please me to have twenty thousand would torment and oppress me.” Even though she could have all the society she wanted she states that “her society is here.” This was a very independent thinking for a woman of this time, to have two proposals is more than any woman of this time could ask for and to turn them both down was to tempt fate. Society was everything, as it ruled the classes, so to turn that down as well was maybe a “too nobler thing”
Realising that she truly could not live without Mr. Rochester she goes in search of him and finds Thornfield “burnt to a cinder” and the residence residing at Fern dean manor
For the period of time this book was written, Jane’s thoughts and actions defied the norm for women of the day. Her independence outruns all expectations for women at this period of time, and is probably on par with ladies of today, and rebels against stereotypical images of women that have been present since the bible, such as men being the stronger sex and women needing a man to succeed in life. Although these trivial things are widely accepted as being untrue nowadays in the nineteenth century it was though to be true and many people then saw this novel as shocking and controversial. Therefore I can conclude that Jane was an independent woman of her time and probably ours as well.
