简爱中的女权主义探析

Feminism as Demonstrated in Jane Eyre 现代文学批评概论作业
Feminism as Demonstrated in Jane Eyre
Abstract: The Victorian Age was men-centered and men-controlled times. Women were discriminated against by men at that time. However, the ahead-of-age female consciousness of Jane Eyre, the main character of Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, challenged men’s authority. In this novel of the Victorian Age, Charlotte exposed and denounced men’s oppression of and discrimination against women. On the other hand, Charlotte is remarkable in portraying Jane Eyre as a self-respecting and rebellious girl, desiring equality and independence, bravely showing her love and deciding on her own marriage. Through the portrayal, Charlotte sets a new role model for women of Victorian times as well as modern age.
Key words: feminism; Jane Eyre; rebellion; equality; independence
1. Background introduction
Jane’s characteristics of feminism should ascribe to both the epoch and her own experience. In order to make a deeper understanding of Jane’s feminism,the background of Jane must be introduced: the 19th century, the feminist movement, and the formation of Jane’s feminism.
In 19th century, women did not have any status. They were discriminated against and conceived of as people inf erior to men. Although women’s colleges were established at Cambridge in 1869 and at Oxford in 1879, women could not take degrees at the university until 1920-1921. At that time, almost the only occupation
open to women of good families was teaching as school mistress or more likely serving as governess in a private family. The Victorian moral code for women was that they should remain ignorant and uneducated. So, novels about young girls who went out alone into the world, suffered various trials, miseries and temptation, and emerged chaste and triumphant had been popular in England for over a century. Charlotte Bronte and her Jane Eyre challenged the old commandment and traditional discrimination to women. That is why Jane Eyre was criticized by some people. Lionel Stevenson said, “Jane Eyre was an intolerable renegade from all the standards of behavior expected of respectable girls.”(Luo I:103) W. A. Craik thought, “The Bronte biography does them a disservice with the reader, may prevent him from seeing properly are air individual merits or indeed what is her purpose in writing it.”(Luo II:109) However, the praise of Jane Eyre by far outweighs criticism. Most people regarded this book as one of the greatest novels of that time. It was Jane’s rebelliousness, her dislike of servility, her insistence on equality with her master and her claim that she had a right to feelings and passions that gave the book its uniqueness and force, shocked many of its early readers and earned popularity among most women. The book also encouraged women to be independent and fight for their own rights. Luo Jingguo said, “Jane Eyre is the first English novel even the most powerful and popular novel, which presents the modern view of women’s position in society.”(Luo III:176)
1.1 The feminist movement
The 19th century was the Victorian age in history, when the Industrial Revolution
was already successful, but the society was still controlled by men. Women had not any rights, they were just appendants of men. At that time, women had not equal chance with men to get education, their education were just to learn how to be a good wife, and if any one want to be learned, there would be no one want to marry her. And women had no chance to have an ideal job, the best job for them were governess. They even couldn’t possess their properties at will, all their properties were entitled to and controlled by their husband. Women at that time couldn’t control their own life, they all suffered a lot from the society and convention. So the only way for them was to marry a husband with good fortune, so that they could live a wealthy life.
The Feminist Movement first arose in French in the mid 19th century,and then spread to England and America. The movement can be divided into three phases: the first phase was from the mid 19th century to 1920s, the second phase was from 1920s to 1970s, and the third was after 1980s. In Jane’s time, it was at the very beginning of the first phase of the Feminist Movement. When feminism had not a systematic theory, the aim of the movement was to get legal rights for women. The early feminist hold that, women should have equal rights with men in education, election, work, and property possession. They fought hard against patriarchy, and set a solid foundation for feminism. From then on, systematic theories of feminism came into being, and became diversified.
1.2 The formation of Jane’s feminism
At Jane’s time the convention made women suffer a lot from men’s oppression, and Jane suffered even more because of her own experience. She could depend on no
one, and she must obtain everything she want through her own effort and struggle.
One’s experience is very important to the formation of his characteristics. Jane’s feminism was formed from her childhood on. Jane was an orphan, and was adopted by others. She lived with her aunt and cousins, but they were not good to her, she was unwanted in the family. She must suffer the insult from her cousin, the punishment of her aunt and even the blame from the maids. She was isolated, and no one can she seek help from, the only one to be depended on was herself, so she formed the independent and rebellious characteristics. There were so many unjust things about her, and she suffered a lot from them, so she was sensitive to injustice and was earnest to pursue equality in her life. So Jane’s feminism thought was formed during her childhood in Gateshead.
Jane’s characteristics of feminism developed in Lowood Institution. In Lowood Institution the condition did not get better, the teachers beat and punish the girls at will, and Mr. Brocklehurst oppressed the girls both in body and spirit, the living conditions were awful also. Under these circumstances, Jane could not give in, she was obliged to rebel all the injustice about her. “When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike again very hard; I am sure we should–so hard as to teach the person who struc k us never do it again.”(Bronte 68)
Her experience made her know that she must depend on herself, and the most important thing is to get independence in economy, so she worked all the time to support herself.
2. The feminist characteristics of Jane
Jane showed her characteristics of feminism in three aspects: rebellion, equality, and independence.
2.1 Rebellious characteristic
Women in Jane’s t ime were oppressed by men, but Jane rebelled the oppressions all the way. She showed her rebellious characteristic at every stage of her life, and gained opportunities she want through her rebellion and struggle.
The first oppressor is Jane Eyre’s cousin, John Reed. John, at the age of 14, has become particularly obnoxious, a fat, greedy, unwholesome bully. He regards himself as the future owner of the house. He beats and insults Jane at will. Goaded by John Reed’s bullying, she hits back on two occasions, fighting like a mad cat until she is overpowered. Then, she is locked up alone in the red room. Terror as well as anger is always with her when she is in the red room where her own vivid imagination frightens her into a frantic fit. Jane experiences the first crisis in life and nearly dies. In the clash between Jane and her cousin, the writer emphasizes Jane’s feelings of dread, loathing and despair as the weak when facing unreasonable, ill-mannered merciless even brutish threat. This description shows exac tly small and weak female’s general sentiment under male’s maltreatment. When we read the part from Chapter I to Chapter IV, we will sympathize with Jane’s miserable experience.
The second oppressor is Mr. Brocklehurst, the headmaster of Lowood orphanage. The first impression he gives Jane is “What a great nose! And what a mouth!”, (Luo III:32) just like a brutal bloodsucking animal. Here, Brocklehurst is portrayed as a very severe and hard-hearted person who not only keeps the children half-starved but
prevents them from having normal mental growth. He is meddling, loveless and hypocritical. Brocklehurst thinks it is his duty to punish the eighty girls’bodies in order to save their immortal souls. He does not let them have enough rest. He forces them to cut their long hair and makes them wear the worst quality, the ugliest clothes. He attempts to kill these poor girls nature of pursuing beauty. He is hostile to women. He calls these girls’bodies “vile bodies”(Luo III:63) and their natural curled hair “excrescence”(Luo III:63). He strangles these girls’vigor and vitality. These girls almost become machines which can only work and read Bible. Brocklehurst’s devastation to these girls is far beyond people’s toleration. Brocklehurst makes the life condition much worse, which causes a lot of deaths including that of Jane’s best friend, Helen Burns. Life in Lowood Orphanage may be the most agonizing memory to Jane, but the miserable life gives Jane much more courage and determination to struggle for her right.
The third oppressor Jane has met is Mr. Rochester. Most writers agree that the theme of Jane Eyre is the search for love. Lawrence has said, “The novel is revolutionary in its treatment of love.”(Luo II:101) Rochester’s oppression does not come from the fact that Rochester wants to marry Jane without telling her his mad wife’s story. Here the point is that Rochester’s love oppresses Jane and jeopardizes her independence. When they prepare things for marriage, Rochester says he will put the diamond chain “round Jane’s neck, and circlet on her forehead, clasped the bracelets on these fine wrists, and load her fingers with rings” (Luo III:270). He uses visible jewelry to limit Jane invisibly. Jane feels that she is oppressed. She feels
Rochester’s smile has”su ch a sultan might, bestow on a slave his gold and gems had enriched”(Luo III:272), and she, herself, just like the east allusion, is without freedom . Jane knows, facing Rochester, she is no longer as independent as before. Jane’s heart is always in a stat e of intense struggle. She willingly devotes herself to Rochester, but she still tries to grasp her own soul. When the secret is discovered, Rochester hopes that Jane can go with her in the name of love. Jane is nearly shaken. After all, she keeps her individual soul.
In Jane’s life, she never stops struggling against miserable life and misfortune. She hasn’t a noble position, an illustrious background, wealth or a beautiful appearance. The only proud thing for her is her self-respect which is supported by her self-confidence and her staunch independence. She never expects that Rochester can love her because she thinks there is a big gap between them forever. When they fall in love, Jane has to keep her self-respect and independence in case of losing herself. What she can give to Rochester is only her love, her infatuation, her spiritual support and nothing else. However, what Rochester gives her is more than hers. He can also improve Jane Eyre’s social status and increase her wealth. This unequal exchange makes Jane Eyre uneasy. The situation makes her feel that they are not quite equal and her independence is also threatened.
The fourth oppressor Jane comes across is the clergyman, St . John Rivers. He is idealistic, very good-looking, religious and zealous. He turns egotism and ambition to the service of religion. He uses the name of obligation to oppress Jane and gives Jane spiritual suffering. He does not treat Jane as a woman or as his future wife, but a slave,
a slave of God as well as his. St. John says to Jane, “Simplify your complicated interests, feelings , thoughts , wishes , aims; merge all consideration in one purpose that of fulfilling with effect -- with power-- the mission of your great Master .” (Luo III:411) Here, “Master” is capitalized. It seems that “Master” is the God. In fact, St. John uses the word “Master”to refer to his own mission. He regards himself as Jane’s “Master”. He deprives Jane of all her rights, especially the rights of a woman. Jane is no longer an independent woman, but a doll, a machine in his eyes. The word “Master”also delicately discovers the most important element of man’s attitude towards woman. St. John’s proposal is even more outrageous than Rochester’s, for it involves a spiritual prostitution instead of a physical one. Only when St. John involves God’s name in support of a false idea of marriage does Jane resist,“If I were to marry you, you would kill me. You are killing me now”(Luo III:417). Jane’s first “kill me” indicates that the miserable life in India would destroy her health and kill her. Jane’s second“kill me”refers to St John’s oppression to her spirit.Jane Eyre bravely shows her feelings, but St. John denounces Jane as violent, untrue and unfeminine. But what is feminine? Should women always regard man and their husbands as “Master”? Shouldn’t women show their true feelings and be rude pendent?
2.2 Jane’s quest for equality
Jane was not beautiful, and she had no fortune, but she had dignity, she thought that love should be established on the basis of equality. Marriage should base on the love of each other, and the contemporary marriage which is based on money, status
and beauty had not true love. Jane loved Rochester not for his fortune, but his amity, and equality to others. She loved Rochester, but she did not please him and flatter him, she treated him equally.
So when Rochester expressed his love to Jane in his special way, Jane misunderstood him, and said "Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart!” and “I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, not even of mortal flesh;--it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal,--as we are!" (Bronte, 325)This is a proclamation of equality from Jane, it displayed her quest for equality with others--especially her beloved, and that all people are equal in the world.
When Rochester intended to equip her with jewels and silk, Jane decided to write to uncle John to inherit his fortune, “if I had but a prospect of one day bringing Mr. Rochester an accession of fortune, I could better endure to be kept by him now.”(Bronte, 346)
After Rochester came across the accident, became blind and handicapped, Jane returned to him, and married him, though she was wealthy then. She disregarded the difference between them, because she loved him, and they were equal. Through her effort, Rochester got better by and by, and so they lived together happily.
2.3 Independent characteristic
Women in Jane's time wanted to seek a rich husband to support them, but Jane
did her utmost to obtain independence in economy. From her experience in Gateshead, she knew that one would have no freedom and dignity if depending on others. So she worked to support herself at every place, she did not want others to support her.
She studied hard at Lowood, and gained the opportunity to be a teacher there, which offered her fifteen pounds a year, she could support herself.
She got the job as a governess in Thornfield through advertisement by herself. There she got thirty pounds a year by teaching Adele. Her independence in economy endowed her dignity in personality, so she could face others confidently, and so she could proclaim to Rochester that they were equal.
Her dream was "to save money enough out of my earnings, to set up a school some day in a little house rented by myself." (Bronte, 254) This makes us see the rare independence consciousness of females of that time.
3. Conclusion
Man forces woman to live and behave as man wants, which really gives women a great oppression. For thousand of years, women suffer from man’s oppression and discrimination. John Reed, Brockcehurst, Rochester and St John oppress Jane in different ways. They are only some typical examples. By them, Charlotte exposes and denounces man’s oppression sharply. The agony women actually suffer may be much more than Jane’s. Should they always be silent or stand to fight? Jane Eyre gives a definitely answer. Her stories awaken women’s female consciousness. What is a woman like if she wants to fight for her proper rights? Here, Charlotte answers the question with the portrayal of Jane Eyre’s character.
All in all, Jane is such a self-respecting, independent and decisive woman. Her female consciousness and her struggling experience set a brilliant example for the female worldwide. Her spirit encourages women to fight for liberation. Jane Eyre tells not only what an independent woman is like but also what a successful woman should do. In fact, Charlotte is presenting through the character of Jane some of her own most deeply felt convictions of permanent importance in human life such as the right of the humblest person to affection, self-realization, honesty and integrity, the right to speak out frankly and the claims of morality and religion. Jane’s long struggle to attain these values to become a person who is admired, respected and cared for without compromising any of her other principles leaves an indelible impression on us. As a great book, Jane Eyre not only awakens its early readers of the Victorian Age, but also stimulates and encourages modern women’s movement.
Jane Eyre has said in Chapter Ⅻ, “It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility; they must have action; and they will make it if they can not find it…women are supposed to be very calm generally; but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts are much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.”(Luo III:110-111) This is Jane’s female consciousness. It is Charlotte’s as well as world wide female’s feminist declaration, indicating a new era of feminism for women was to come.
Works Cited
Bronte, Charlotte, Jane Eyre. New York: Bantam Classic & Loveswept, 1994.
Luo, Jingguo. A New Anthology of English Literature (volume I, II, III). Beijing: Peking University Press, 1997.
Vincent, Andrew. Modern Political Ideology. Nanjing: Jiangsu People's Publishing House, 2005.
Wang, Jiu, “The Change of Female Education In Victorian Age.”Journal of ZheJiang Normal University 27.1 (2002): 72-76。