The novel is concerned with many issues of social and historical content. Social status was very important in the 19th century and class divisions were very fixed making it difficult to move between them. One example of the rigidity of social class is the reaction to Jane’s mother’s marriage to a poor inferior clergymen which caused her to be disowned by her middle class family. Society in the countryside such as Yorkshire, where Bronte’s family home was situated, was effectively feudal. A landlord owned the land and rents were paid by tenants of farms or cottages. In the novel Mr Reed is a landlord and magistrate therefore the Reed family are a very middle class family however Jane is neither middle class nor working class due to the different classes of her parents and so this isolates her as she doesn’t belong in a certain class and in the early part of the novel whilst living in Gateshead Jane asks ‘‘Am I a servant?’’ and receives the response ‘‘No; you are less than a servant…’’ this increases our sympathy for her.
Bronte was very aware of the position of women in Victorian society and how they were subservient to men and looked down upon. They were deprived of certain privileges in which men were entitled to for example having the right to vote. Also it was unacceptable for middle class women to earn their own living as they belonged to their father and then their husband once married and were supposed to make a career out of marriage however the only job they were free to do was charitable work. Single women were allowed to work as a governess, they were neither servant nor a young lady. Jane’s position at first is one of subservience however she moves towards a position of liberation by securing a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall.
Romantic and Gothic influences play an important role in the novel and Bronte’s writing were influenced by these literacy traditions. In the first two chapters Jane is presented as an isolated figure whom enjoys reading to escape from the harshness of reality however a strong and intellectual young girl. Jane hides behind a ‘‘red moreen curtain’’ whilst reading a book about nature. This reveals the influence of Romantic literature which originated from a group called the Romantics that believed they were at one with nature and wrote many poems linking human thoughts and emotions. Other aspects of the Romantic tradition were a commitment to justice and personal fulfilment, they used the technique of ‘‘pathetic fallacy’’ to convey and emphasise human emotions. In chapter 2 Jane is taken to the red room where she is locked in isolation. Jane’s imagination takes over her and she is convinced that the spirit of her late uncle is present which frightens her, these events are firmly rooted in gothic tradition.
The setting of chapter 1 is in Gateshead Hall a large country house which portrays the wealth and high status of the family. The house consists of wealth and has many extra rooms only affordable for the rich such as a drawing room, breakfast room, numerous bedchambers even a window seat and expensive drapes. There are also bookshelves with a selection of books indicating wealth as only the rich could afford books. Overall Gateshead is a wealthy home and is full of riches that only a middle class family can afford.
Jane clearly doesn’t enjoy living at Gateshead as she is isolated and treated un-fairly. Despite all the wealth Jane is not entitled to any of it as John Reed constantly reminds Jane that she is not the same class ‘‘you are an independent…you ought to beg, and not live her with gentlemen’s children’’ this of course causes Jane to feel uncomfortable and isolated living in Gateshead where she is neither servant nor part of the family. The description of the weather in the opening paragraph reflects Jane’s mood and causes a bleak atmosphere. The weather is wet, windy and ‘‘chilly’’ which shows little signs of warmth and life. This creates a foreboding mood due to the harsh weather ‘‘cold winter wind’’ and ‘‘rain so penetrating’’ thus portrays Jane’s mood which is miserable just like the weather.
In chapter 2 Jane is taken to the red room and we see it from Jane’s point of view. Jane’s emotions transform the red room into a gothic horror as she is feeling upset and overwrought just after she has been unfairly treated by Mrs Reed and John Reed. The description of the red room itself is very gothic ‘‘blinds always drawn’’ this suggests ghastly images and horror as all the light is blocked out leaving a room full of darkness. The whole idea of the room being red such as ‘‘curtains of deep red’’ and ‘‘covered with a crimson clothe’’ shows a sense of gothic tradition. The colour red is traditionally linked with danger and love. It is described as a lonely, cold and silent room due to this Jane’s imagination links the bedchamber with the colour of death. The use of the word ‘‘tabernacle’’ gives the image of an alter. In the past these were used to sacrifice people giving a horrific image conveying the end of life. Jane also watches herself in the mirror ‘‘hollow than in reality’’ she sees it as a sort of prison she is locked away in and she cannot escape. Jane sees the room with a supernatural presence and every object is related to an unnatural sense. Sympathy for Jane is increased as she is frightened in a haunted room where death lingers around her and thus Jane faints which makes the reader aware that Jane is vulnerable.
The novel is written in first person in whom Jane tells us her own story and describes the setting from her own perspective. Therefore Jane speaks in personal pronoun for example ‘‘I never liked long walks’’ and ‘‘she must really exclude me…’’ making the reader feel more included and creating a bond between the reader and the main character and so the reader is more willing to be sympathetic towards Jane.
Jane judges herself quite harshly and views herself as less attractive than her cousins and Georgiana who represents the typical image of Victorian beauty ‘‘her beauty, her pink cheeks and golden curls’’. Jane sees herself as smaller and less important than them ‘‘Humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority.’’ Because of this she seems to be more likely to be the victim of bullying and this also increases our sympathy. Even though Jane is a child in chapters 1 and 2, the story is told from her perspective as an adult, so our sympathy is increased as the adult Jane acknowledges that her personality was despised by Mrs Reed and that Jane is very honest about her behaviour as a child.
Bronte reveals that Jane is lonely and isolated because she is different from her cousins and doesn’t fit with the Reed family. Jane doesn’t see Gateshead as her true home and is an unwanted burden to the Reed family. In the red room Jane is locked in isolation where she feels haunted by her late uncle as her imagination takes over her causing her to feel frightened and locked away from the outside world and sanity.
Bronte uses the dialogue between Jane and Mrs Reed to emphasise the coldness and distance within their relationship. Mrs Reed despises Jane and there is very little dialogue between them. Mrs Reed does most of the talking as she has authority and usually dismisses Jane and excludes her from joining in with the Reed family ‘‘me, she had dispensed from joining the group’’ Jane is ordered by Mrs Reed and doesn’t her opinions aren’t of any value to Mrs Reed ‘‘Jane I don’t like cavillers…remain silent.’’ Jane begs her aunt to have mercy on her ‘‘oh aunt, have pity’’ but Mrs Reed refuses and there is no dialogue between them. There clearly is no affection in their relationship towards each other and Mrs Reed is very dictatorial towards Jane. Thus Jane is always addressed by Mrs Reed as if she is always lying ‘‘I abhor artifice’’ and hence her coldness towards Jane. The dialogue in chapters 1 and 2 show that Mrs Reed has power and authority over Jane in the household. The reader is shocked at the way Jane is treated and yet again causes sympathy.
Furthermore Jane and John Reed have a cold relationship and Jane fears John Reed as he is much bigger physically ‘‘large and stout for his age’’ and higher in status than her. John Reed physically abuses Jane ‘‘the volume was flung, it hit me’’ and knows that there will be no punishment and so doesn’t hesitate ‘‘Mrs Reed was blind and deaf on the subject.’’ John Reed is pampered and spoiled and shows his cruel attitude towards Jane whom he has ‘‘an antipathy’’ towards. He forces Jane to address him in a certain way ‘‘Say, what do you want, Master Reed?’’ causing her to feel belittled and calls her a ‘‘bad animal’’ making him seem a superior than her, ‘‘he bullied and punished me.’’ John Reed is used by Bronte to increase our sympathy towards Jane of how she is bullied by him.
The reader sees another aspect of Jane’s character as she suffers the abuse of the Reed family which surprises the reader. Jane has strength and justice and will not take abuse and describes John Reed like ‘‘the Roman emperors!’’ as he mirrors the element of a ‘‘slave-driver.’’ This allows the reader to see that Jane has the potential of achieving happiness and success and that she will dictate her own life.
By the end of chapter 2 Bronte’s description of Jane’s distress and fear causes the reader to have increasing sympathy for Jane as she is only a child of 10 years old who is frightened when isolated in the red room which she relates to death and horror and feels haunted in. She pleads with her aunt not to lock her away again in the red room ‘‘forgive me! I cannot endure it…’’and she looses control at the thought of going back in. Her punishment is unfair and Mrs Reed treats her unjustly forcing her to return to the red room ‘‘Silence! This violence is all most repulsive’’ even though Jane wildly sobs she locks her in ‘‘without further parley’’ and Jane hears her ‘‘sweeping away.’’ Jane is isolated once again and still is bullied by the Reed family with whom she doesn’t fit in. In conclusion Jane is a victim however she still has spirit and a strong sense of justice in which she attempts to break free from the abuse of the Reed family and grow into an independent young woman who follows her destiny in life.
