was not quick either of vision or Conception” Pg 5
In the novel Bronte uses irony, humour, emotive language and contrasts. In her writing style she shows the reader respect. In the Victorian era, women where not expected to become authors so when Bronte published her book she had to publish it under a man’s name ‘Currer bell’
Women and Marriage was seen as important and it is one of the areas that is covered in the novel. At the time Jane Eyre was written if you were pretty and attractive you would get a lot further in life than if you were someone who was plain and ordinary. You would be able to get away with masses of things if you were good-looking. Bronte’s point of view is that inner beauty should be more important than what you look like.
Georgiana has outer beauty but she is unkind unlike Helen Burns. She has inner beauty and is kind-hearted to all. Bronte shows the reader that outer beauty in the Victorian era was more significant than if you were kind or not. She shows this but the contrast between Georgiana and Helen.
“Her beauty, her pink cheeks and golden curls,
seemed to give delight to all who looked at her
and to purchase indemnity for every fault.” Pg 10
Helen Burns and Jane Eyre were not pretty like Georgiana. This implies to the reader that Jane and Helen could not get away with anything because they were not handsome and attractive.
The reader can use that unless you are good-looking you would have trouble getting far in life. It would be harder for you in the Victorian era. Inner beauty should be more important is what Bronte is trying to express. Georgiana wasn’t a pleasant person but she was good-looking and pretty so she could do anything. Helen was good-looking and she had to battle her way through her short life.
Poverty and social class are not main themes in the novel but her still commented upon. In the Victorian era poor people weren’t treated well. They had to work in a poor house. Upper class people thought/ were taught that poor people were not pleasant “Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more so to children” Pg 18
There is a contrast between what Mrs Reed and what older Jane thinks about poor people and their lifestyle. Even in the short space of time when she goes to Lowood she learns that there is more to life than what society thinks. As Jane Eyre grows up she experiences how poor people live as she had to become a beggar after she left Mr Rochester.
Jane was brought up to think that poor people were not clever or friendly but in fact many upper class people had unwelcoming attitudes to the poorer people in society. The upper class thought that poorer people had no manners or morals.
One of the themes written about in Jane Eyre is Childhood & Education. Childhood & Education was very different from how it is now. Mostly only rich boys got an education. They had to pay to go to school. So the richer group of society was more likely to have an education than the poorer people in society. Girls didn’t really need an education because their jobs were to get married and have children. So if they had an education they were taught French, drawing and sewing. They were taught these things as they would help then get married. You had to pay to go to school, but there were some charity schools. Jane Eyre gets sent to a charity school “Lowood Institution”.
When children were born they were seen as wicked, evil children.
“Children must be corrected for their faults.” Bronte doesn’t agree with that and the way they are treated. “Hardened girl.” She shows that childhood was demanding gruelling for children in the Victorian era.
“treated me with miserable cruelty.”
This signals to the reader that living in the Victorian era was troublesome and severe. You had to be a strong person to survive in society.
Bronte uses emotive language such as “dirty, disagreeable” to hint on what society thought of children. Bronte thought that children should be listen to not have to quiet and unheard.
“Jane, I don’t like cavillers or questioners;
besides, there is something truly forbidding
in a child taking up her elders in that
manner. Be seated somewhere; and until
you can speak pleasantly, remain silent.” Pg 1
This implies that children should be seen but not heard.
