Detailed information about the themes in the novel 'Jane Eyre'

1. Themes in Jane Eyre

2. The Gothic is a major theme in Jane Eyre, and most literature at
the time, Jane herself is associate with the supernatural/gothic.
Bronte does this to make Jane stand out from the other characters.
THE GOTHIC

3. Features of The Gothic in Literature
• The Supernatural: ghosts, ghouls and all things spooky are often
used in literature as signs of warning/danger
• Architecture: Architecture is a key element in the Gothic as it
reflects the type of atmosphere and themes is the novel. For
example in ‘The Strange case of Dr Jeykll and Mr Hyde’ the
architecture of the house is shown to be negative as it shows a lack
of care and love, there is also a hint of things that are hidden
• A sense of returning back to a medieval past e.g. Castles,
monasteries
• Female suffering: Either imprisonment, rape or murder at the
hands of an authoritive figure e.g. Monk, husband

4. The Red Room
• Pgs 8-9
• „tapenade‟ – associated with death
• “strange little figure...coming out of lone” “tiny phantoms” – fantasy,
phantom like
• “Mr Reed had been dead nine years...breathed his last” – ghost
stories
• “crimson cloth”-red repetition emphasising Jane‟s fear
• “pale throne” – death image

5. Thornfield Arrival
Pgs 84-92
• There is mystery surrounding Thornfield and Rochester as the
reader is „drip-fed‟ details, leaving the scene to the reader‟s
imagination
• Thornfield itself is presented as a gothic mansion with wild roses
growing up the side showing signs of neglect and reflects
Rochester‟s character
• Through the story of „Blue Beard‟ Bronte hints at violence and
imprisonment : both features of female suffering in the Gothic
• At the end of the chapter Jane hears a mysterious laugh: Bertha‟s
first appearance in the novel

6. Jane walking in the country lanes just
before her encounter with Rochester
Pgs 95-96
• “The ground was hard, the air was still, my road was lonely”
• “dimness” “low-gilding and pale beaming sun” –little light adding to
the eerie atmosphere
• “wild roses” –overgrown and untamed
• “utter solitude and leafless repose” –little life, reflects her loneliness

7. Rochester’s first appearance
Pgs 100-101
• So far Rochester is still unknown, and for four months there was no
sign of Rochester
• When they first meet Rochester still doesn‟t reveal his true identity
• His features are described as being „dark‟ – mysterious, evil?
• Rochester‟s dog reminds Jane of an old folk tale which represents a
bad omen

8. Bertha’s outburst
Pg 180-187
• At the night of Mr Mason‟s arrival, he is attacked by Bertha and is
left wounded
• This scene is a particular good example for the Gothic in Jane Eyre
as the night Mr Mason is attacked there is a full moon which is
associated with supernatural creatures such as werewolves and
vampires
• “I saw too that his linen on one side and one arm was almost soaked
in blood”-Blood: a reoccurring symbol in Gothic novels such as
Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ in which Stoker uses blood as a symbol
for sex
• “moistened the corpse-like face” –Half -dead
• “She sucked the blood: she said she‟d drain my heart” –Vampire like

9. Before Rochester’s 1st Proposal
Pg 218-219
• “the trees were in their dark prime”
• “antique garden” – reference to a time long past
• “I trode on an edging of turf that the crackle of the pebbly gravel” –
nature foreshadowing events
• „moth‟ – associated with old or/and dead things
• “As I crossed his shadow, thrown long over the garden by the moon,
no yet risen high” – Rochester‟s shadow is distorted and eerie

10. Romance may be the most obvious theme of the novel; however
getting together was never that easy
ROMANCE

11. Jane and Rochester
• Jane takes the job of being a governess at Thornfield; which is
owned by Rochester.
• Shortly after working there Jane falls in love with her employer;
however there are many obstacles preventing them being together
• Obstacle one: Jane is of a lower class and it would be a scandal if
the two were to be married!
• Obstacle two: Rochester is already married to Bertha: the mad
woman he keeps in the attic

12. Jane and Rochester
• After Mr Mason interrupts the wedding in chapter 26, Jane leaves
Thornfield as she is heartbroken
• Jane has to learn how to love without sacrificing herself completely
and her moral compass that she clings tightly to
• Jane inherits money from her late Uncle and discovers that the
Rivers are distant family members: this changes Jane‟s status and
she gets the family she always longed for
• Jane dreams of Rochester and even hears his voice on the moors
• She rushes back to Thornfield to find the estate burned down
• She finds Rochester at Ferndean, as he is recovering from his
injuries. Rochester is more humble as a result of his injuries
• They finally marry, have a child and live happily ever after at
Ferndean

13. Jane and Rochester
• When Jane and Rochester finally get together they are both equals
• Bronte splits Jane and Rochester up mid-novel so Jane can develop
as a character, by the time Jane goes back to Rochester she is now
a woman and accomplished (spiritually, money and status)
• Bertha also had to die for Jane and Rochester to be together, Bertha
is what is keeping Jane and Rochester apart morally and legally.

14. Even though Jane is fairly educated, she still refers to old folk tales
in the novel
SUPERSTITON

15. The story of Gytrash
• In chapter 12, a few months into Jane‟s stay at Thornfield, Jane
goes on a walk in the country. Whilst watching the moon rise alone,
a horse approaches. A story that Bessie once told her springs to
mind.
• The story was of a spirit called Gytrash, who disguises itself as a
mule, dog or horse to frighten travellers. Gytrash generally is a bad
omen.
• As the horse comes closer, a dog and a rider also appear from the
misty weather
• As the horse and its rider pass Jane, the rider slips on ice and is
injured
• Taking into account that Gytrash is a bad omen, was this all a
warning that Jane should have left?

16. Dream of babies
• Jane dreams on a series of consecutive nights about babies.
• Jane remembers what Bessie said about dreaming of babies that it
was “a sure sign of trouble, either to one‟s self or one‟s kin” (chapter
21)
• Jane thinks the dream is a bad omen

17. We, the reader, can also interpret the novel as being a fairytale due
to its fairytale-like qualities
FAIRYTALES

18. Key Features in Fairytales
• The Good and the Bad: In most fairytales there is a sense of
certain characters being bad and others good, this is a „label‟ made
usually by society concerning looks, characteristics and whether a
particular character follows the rules of society. Characters who are
outsiders or considered non-conformists are usually thought to be as
„bad‟ or „evil‟
• Struggle to a higher class: some fairytales tell the tale of the
protagonist and their journey to becoming of a higher status, a good
example of this would be Cinderella as she goes from a servant to
a princess, even Disney's Hercules can be seen as an example of
this as he goes from a normal boy to a demi-God
• The Happy ending: All fairytales have the happy ending we all
know so well, for example: the prince marries the princess or the
kingdom is restored back to peace and harmony, etc.

19. Jane: The Cinderella Story
• Jane starts off as an orphan and of lower class, she has no friends
and feels unloved
• She then becomes educated and obtains the job of a governess at
Thornfield: making her middle-class
• The wicked Mrs Reed and John Reed die
• Jane then gets engaged to Rochester who wants to buy her the
finest garments and jewellery: which she rejects (chapter 24)
• Jane inherits money from her uncle; and discoveries that the Rivers
are distant cousins
• Bertha kills herself; finally Jane and Rochester can be together
• Jane finally marries Rochester, by the end of the novel, which
betters her own social status

20. The ending of the novel
• At the end of the novel Jane is married happily to Rochester and is
mother to Adele and a child of her own
• Jane also has recently inherited money from her uncle, so she is
now wealthy and of higher status
• St.John, who Bronte portrays as cold and wicked, goes on a
pilgrimage and dies of illness
• Finally there is a happy ending for Jane!

21. Through the use of dreams and paintings Bronte hints at future
events to come in the novel
DREAMS AND PAINTINGS

22. Dreams
• Dreams come from the subconscious part of our minds and are
associated with our desires and our fears
• In Jane Eyre dreams represent warnings and to foreshadow events
to come
• Jane mostly dreams of Thornfield in the novel and Rochester – her
dreams both represent her fear of losing Rochester and her desire
of Rochester

23. Jane’s dream after the fire in Chapter 15
• After the fire in Rochester‟s room Jane dreams of her spirit travelling
towards Beulah but the wind prevents her from reaching it
• “Sense would resist delirium: judgement would warn passion” (pg
133) – Here the dream almost acts as an warning that her passion
for Rochester would ruin her spiritual and moral virtues

24. Jane’s dream before the wedding
• A child cries in her arms on an unknown road, Rochester walks
ahead of her. Jane tries to catch up with him but he ends up walking
farther and farther away (chapter 25)
• Here Jane is worried of losing Rochester
• Perhaps this dream comes from her insecurities

25. Jane’s dream in Chapter 27
• In a dream the moon appears as a goddess like figure and advices
Jane to “flee temptation” of Thornfield
• This is supernatural-like as the moon poses as a warning
• By the end of the chapter Jane flees Thornfield

26. Paintings
• Paintings can represent our desires, and like dreams, paintings
come from the subconscious part of the mind
• Jane is an avid painter
• Rochester even says that she “exist[s] in a kind of artist‟s
dreamland” (chapter 13)

27. The sinking ship
Chapter 13
• In Jane‟s portfolio there is a painting of a half-sunken ship. There is
a large bird sitting on the mast of the ship, in the bird‟s beak there is
a golden, bejewelled bracelet. The bracelet has come from a
drowned corpse which is sinking with only an arm visible above the
water
• Jane herself is associated with birds throughout the novel, so maybe
the painting could be a hint to Jane‟s future fortunes

28. Polar Landscape
Chapter 13
• Jane‟s third portfolio painting is of a polar landscape, it illustrates an
iceberg and the northern lights, but the foreground is of a huge
head. There are hands drawing away a veil to reveal “a brow quite
bloodless, white as bone, and an eye hollow and fixed, blank of
meaning but for the glassiness of despair” The head in the painting
also wears a crown of white flame.
• The iceberg: cold, jagged, sharp, lonely
• Veil: marriage, death
• The landscape itself is barren and lonely mirroring Jane‟s mood at
her time at Lowood

29. Rochester on the mind
Chapter 21
• At her stay at Gateshead Jane paints a portrait of a man,
subconsciously she is drawing a portrait of Rochester
• Jane emphasises his strength, determination and spirit in the portrait
• But Georgiana only sees an „ugly man‟

30. Religion was still a big part of Victorian Society, and religion plays a
big part in the novel.
RELIGION

31. There are many religious figures in „Jane Eyre‟
Even Jane herself can be considered as a religious figure

32. Mr Brocklehurst
• Brocklehurst is a cold and wicked character in the novel
• Though he is charitable as he gives money to the school (Lowood) it
seems that he could be more giving, he is also seen to be
hypercritical as his family are lavished in fine clothing
• When we first met Brocklehurst Bronte describes him as “a black
pillar” with a “grim face at the top was like a carved mask” (Pg 25)
• And again he is described as being “black marble” (pg 56) when he
punishes Jane at Lowood
• These descriptions of Mr Brocklehurst make him seem cold, evil,
two-faced and emotionless

33. St.John
• Another religious figure in the novel who is presented negatively is
St.John
• St.John is described as being cold and emotionless
• “Statue” “ivory” (pg304) –beautiful yet cold
• “marble kisses or ice kisses” (pg352)
• Before St.John proposes a second time, he reads a passage from
the bible about hell etc, this is very manipulative of St.John as he is
trying to influence Jane‟s decision.
• He also doesn‟t want to marry out of love; he wants Jane as a wife
to serve him and accompany him on pilgrimages

34. Helen
• Helen: Jane‟s friend, is can be seen almost as a martyr figure
• At Lowood Helen takes many punishments, yet doesn‟t rebel, here
she is almost Christ-like
• Helen quotes from the bible to Jane in her times of doubt, almost
like a teacher. She also speaks of Heaven and this life being less
important which could be interpreted as lacking an appetite for life
• Helen can be seen as a messianic figure, an example of this would
be the chapter when Helen dies, and even the markings on Helen‟s
grave „Resurgam‟ meaning „I will rise again‟ can be seen as Christ-
like

35. Jane
• Jane is a very moral character and shows all virtues of an Victorian
Society
• When Jane leaves Thornfield she seeks spiritual guidance; which
she finds at the River cottage
• Jane herself attends church later on in the novel when she stays
with the Rivers.

36. Bronte’s comment on Religion
• Through Jane, Bronte comments on certain aspects of Christianity.
Bronte portrays nineteenth-century Evangelicalism as being
negative by using the character Mr.Brocklehurst she shows the
dangers and hypocrisy of Evangelicalism.
• Mr.Brucklehurst is a cruel man who subjects the students to a harsh
routine striping the students of their pride. His punishments can be
humiliating and sometimes even un-Christian-like as we see with
Jane‟s punishment and when he orders one of Jane‟s classmates
hair to be cut as it is naturally curly.
• St.John is another figure of religion that Bronte use to make certain
comments.
• St.John is concerned of his own Christian ambition, glory, and
extreme self-importance; instead of being selfless he is rather self-
obessed

37. Bronte’s comment on Religion
• Though Jane rejects the „three faces of religion‟ (Mr.Brucklehurst,
St.John and Helen) towards the end of the novel she finds her own
„middle ground‟
• However: Bronte is NOT saying that Christianity is „bad‟ as Bronte
herself (and Jane) are both Christians.
• By the end of the novel Jane is neither hateful or oppressive as the
male religious figures in the novel illustrate; instead Jane embraces
the world, learns how to love without sacrificing herself and shows
complete faith in God.

38. Pathetic Fallacy is used throughout the novel to reflect different
themes, moods and foreshadows events to come.
NATURE

39. Birds
• Jane is associated with birds, Bronte uses bird imagery to reflect
Jane‟s mood
• Birds themselves are associated with freedom, vulnerability, beauty
and the need to soar/be free
• Rochester is also described as a bird in chapter 24 “a royal eagle,
chained to a perch, should be forced to entreat a sparrow to become
its purveyor” (pg 389) – the imagery here is used to reflect
Rochester‟s injury
• In chapter 28 Bronte uses bird imagery to reflect Jane‟s broken
heart “impotent as a bird with both wings broken” (pg 286)
• St.John describes Jane as being a “half-frozen bird” (pg 308) when
they take her in

40. Moonlight
• Moonlight is a reoccurring part of nature and associated with
warnings, the gothic, the supernatural, women and madness
• At the night Bertha attacks Mr Mason there is a full moon
• Before Rochester‟s proposal his shadow is cast by moonlight –
hiding his true identity
• And before Jane leaves Thornfield she dreams of a moon-goddess
who warns her to “flee temptation”

41. The Chestnut tree
• The same night Rochester proposes to Jane, in chapter 23, the
chestnut tree in which he proposes under is struck by lightening and
“half of it [is] spilt away” (pgs 219-226) – the lightening here is used
to hint that their love is temporary and not meant to last
• This type of freak weather/ natural disasters are associated with
Bertha Mason as it is described in chapter 27 when Rochester talks
of her decent into madness

42. Weather
• In the opening of the novel there is a “cold winter wind” with “clouds
so sombre, and a rain so penetrating” (chapter 1) –reflecting Jane‟s
miserable and lonely mood
• At her arrival to Lowood there is “rain, wind, and darkness filled the
air” – the weather both reflects Jane‟s mood and foreshadows
events to come
• Jane even says in chapter 24 “Nature must be gladsome when I am
so happy” (pg 226) –here Jane is aware that her mood affects her
surroundings, Bronte is also being playful here

43. Thornfield
• Thornfield is rather wild as roses are growing up the side of the
building, the wildness reflects Rochester‟s character and neglect
• Thornfield is isolated, surrounded by countryside however there is
little life as we see in chapter 12 when Jane goes ventures out the
grounds
• The estate has its own garden with dark green trees, wild
strawberries, ripening fruit, gooseberry-trees and other flowers etc.
The garden has almost „Eden-like‟ qualities as it is filled with
temptation and ripe fruits such as cherries and strawberries

44. Ferndean
• Fearndean is hidden like how Rochester is hiding whilst in recovery
“thick and dark...gloomy wood about it”
• There is a lot of green surrounding Ferndean which is very natural
and has healing properties
• At Ferndean Rochester makes a great recovery, Jane even
comments that he is “green and vigorous. Plants will grow about
your roots”(pg 393-394)
• Ferndean, unlike Thornfield, is natural and warm and not pretentious
• Ferndean is of great importance as it is where Jane and Rochester
settle down to live at the end of the novel

45. Lowood’s garden
• When sickness is spreading in Lowood, the strict regimes and rules
are less oppressive and the children get to venture out onto the
grounds and the garden
• The garden at Lowood represents independence, freedom,
childhood and appetite for life
• The garden is used almost to show Jane‟s transformation to a young
woman
• “glowed with flowers: hollyhocks has sprung up tall as trees, lilies
has opened, tulips and roses were in bloom” (pg 65) –roses and
lilies: flowers associated with female beauty

46. Binary opposites are quite dominant in the novel, there is a clear
sense of divide socially and within the characters. In Jane Eyre
there are characters, such as Jane, who are passionate and warm;
then there are characters who are cold like St.John and Mrs Reed
FIRE VS ICE

47. Characters associated with Ice
• Mrs Reed: Mrs Reed is emotionally distant and cold towards Jane,
in the earlier part of the novel Jane describes her gaze as being
„freezingly fixed‟
• Mr.Brucklehurst: described as being „black marble‟ and is cold and
oppresses the students at Lowood.
• St.John: St.John is associated with cold and lifeless objects such
as when Jane first meets St.John she describes him as being like a
„statue‟: an object that is beautiful yet cold. A few chapters on Jane
then describes St.John as an „automaton‟ (a robot) suggesting that
he is heartless, stiff and lacking any human emotion.

48. Characters associated with Fire
• Jane: Jane herself is a passionate character and even rebellious.
She is drawn to other passionate/fiery characters in the novel
• Rochester: Rochester, like Jane, is passionate and there are many
associations with Rochester and fire. In chapter 25 on pg.136 there
is a “strange fire in his look” just after the fire in his bedroom. On
pg.280 Rochester is said to have a “flaming glance” showing his
passionate side, here Jane is trying to resist him as she feels
“powerless as stubble exposed to the draught and glow of a furnace”
• Bertha: Bertha represents the danger in „playing with fire‟ as fire
imagery is used to represent jealousy, anger, danger, destruction
and warning. In chapter 15 Bertha tries to kill Rochester by setting
his bed on fire, and she eventually burns down Thornfield: killing
herself and injuring Rochester.
• Mrs Fairfax: there is a warm, inviting fire in Mrs Fairfax‟s room on
Jane‟s arrival