论《简爱》中的女性意识

安阳师范学院人文管理学院本科毕业论文An Analysis of the Feminist Consciousness of Jane Eyre论《简爱》中的女性意识摘要《简爱》是英国著名的女作家夏洛蒂.勃朗特的代表作品，由于她成功地塑造了一个典型的人物—简爱，她也因此被认为是一位卓越的女作家。

这部作品一经出版，简爱这个人物就引起了人们极大的关注，她表现出早期女权主义者的某些特征，主要表现在她敢于反抗压迫和社会偏见，努力争取独立，自由，平等和真爱，为追求幸福生活而顽强斗争，宣告了女性自我意识的觉醒。

本文首先通过事例分析对简爱的女性意识的表现进行介绍，着重描写她的人格平等意识；维护女性尊严，追求独立人格的意识；强烈的爱情和婚姻自主意识；追求经济上的独立意识。

然后从个人和社会因素分析简爱这种意识形成的原因。

最后简要分析简爱的这种女性意识对当今女性的启迪意义，从中挖掘现代女性所应具备的个性品质。

关键词：女性意识；尊严；真爱；独立AbstractJane Eyre is the most famous work written by Charlotte Bronte in England. By creating successfully the typical figure, Jane Eyre, is also considered as an extraordinary woman novelist. When the book is published, the character of Jane Eyre has caught people’s broad attention. She showed some of the characteristics of early feminists, such as the persistence to rebel and fight bravely against the social oppression and discrimination, her unremitting efforts of pursuing freedom, equality, independence and true love and she always tries her best to seek for a happy life. That declared the awakening of female self-consciousness. At first, this essay attempts to introduce Jane’ female consciousness through an analysis of some cases happened to her, and a plenty of works will be done to describe her personal equality consciousness, her maintaining the dignity of woman and the pursuing of her independence both in marriage and economy. Then next part analyzes the causes of the formation of Jane Eyre’s female consciousness from the aspects of individuality and society. In the end, an analysis of revealing will be made about the female consciousness of Jane Eyre for women today, from which it can be seen obviously that the modern female have their own personal traits.Key Words: female consciousness, self-respect, true love, independenceContents摘要 (I)Abstract........................................................................................................................................ I II1. Introduction (1)2. The Performance of Female Consciousness of Jane Eyre (2)2.1 Personal Equality Awareness (2)2.2 The Pursuit of Dignity and Independence (4)2.3 The Pursuit of Love and Marriage (5)2.4 Independent Awareness in Economy (6)3. T he Causes of the Formation of Jane Eyre’s Female Consciousness (7)3.1 The Individual Factors (7)3.2 Family Factors (8)3.3 The Social Factors (8)4. The Revealing of Jane’s Female Consciousness for Modern Female (9)4.1The Influence of Jane Eyre (9)4.2 The Significance for Modern Female (10)5. Conclusion (10)Bibliography (12)Acknowledgements (13)1. IntroductionCharlotte Bronte is a great critical realist in the 19th century who was born in a poor family at Thornton Yorkshire. Her father is a country clergy man who has three daughters, and the another two are Anne Bronte and Emily Bronte. Wuthering Heights was a great work written by her sister Emily and the other sister Anne has ever published Agnes Grey. Their novels based on their miserable lives are very popular in the word. Charlotte Bronte went to a charity school where bad food and poor living conditions were provided, and then, she was removed from the school to start a sketchy learning at home. She had been in a boarding school, and later was appointed as a family teacher. She has not received much formal schooling in her youth, but wide reading and home education seemed to give full play to her imagination. She had written lots of works in her long life. In 1842, Charlotte learned French for nine months in Brussels, and got a job. The job gave her a chance to work there as a teacher for one year. Later, she got married with a clergyman, but less than one year she died in 1855.Her masterpiece, Jane Eyre, is a world famous novel in 1847, and has been translated into many languages. She later wrote a great number of works in the past 40 years, which made her enjoy a high reputation.Jane Eyre is a novel written by Charlotte Bronte based on her own experiences, which is her most famous work. This novel has brought public attention and a heated discussion for over 150 years. On the surface, Jane Eyre is about a love story that tells us the beautiful love between a poor young woman Jane Eyre and a rich man Mr. Rochester. But when we read it carefully, it can be found out that this work is not only a simple love story, but also reflects some social issues in Victorian. Eyre is an orphan who is plain, timid and weak. She is ill-treated seriously by her relatives. She rebelled and fought bravely against the social oppression and discrimination, made unremitting efforts of pursuing freedom, equality, independence and true love and she always tries her best to seek for a happy life, which makes her a tough character with strong self-respect, beautiful ideal and wisdom. It can be seen that Jane Eyre, a marvelousfigure, has left us so much to recall and to think: she is a special image out of ordinary. She has the bravery to express her own idea and creates her own life. She always works hard and keeps her self-respect, intelligence and her tough personality under the pressure of life. In her point of view, everyone is not different at the same sky. Though there are differences in status, property and appearance, but all the human beings are equal in personality. She represents those middle-class working women who are struggling for the recognition of their basic rights and equality as a human being. Jane tries her best to gain women’s liberation and to pursue freedom, equality and true love in spite of all difficulties. She began to understand the true meaning of life, and tried to brave and strong to live. She thinks i t’s her spirit that makes the life meaningful. Jane Eyre was Charlotte Bronte’s own embodiment to resist the oppression of the traditional morality.The heroine Jane moves most readers as a unique image in spite of her plainness, poverty and low position. There is no doubt that this novel is of great importance in the history of world literature, and a new image it creates gives a profound meaning about Jane’s personalities. It can be said that Jane Eyre is an excellent declaration of women. It is Jane Eyre’s female consciousness that awakens women’s strong desire for liberation. This thesis manifests the females’ situations under the traditional morality in Victorian age. Jane Eyre fights against to break the traditional morality at that time, which is the appearance of feminine consciousness. Women’s pursuing of equal social status like men and independence in life can be easily found.2. The Performance of Female Consciousness of Jane Eyre2.1 Personal Equality AwarenessWomen were discriminated against by men and almost had no right at Victorian Age because man dominated and controlled everything, including woman. However, Jane Eyre dares to challenge men’ authority and traditional ideas in the process of going for the freedom and equality in her life. One of the eternal sights is her powerful confession of love. In a pleasant evening, to tempt Jane Eyre, Rochester saidhe was going to marry Miss Ingram, but also expressed that he was passionately in love with Jane. He hoped that Jane would stay with him. Jane Eyre immediately retorted: “Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton?--a machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? 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 if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor 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!” (Charlotte Bronte, 2007: 23) Here, Jane Eyre thought that her pride was hurt, and pure emotions played a trick by the traditional concept, so she sent out the angry voice under the patriarchal culture depressed women and gave a call of equality between men and women. In this section of the confession of love, it can be found that the poor consciousness and the sense of the slave of the employees are far from Jane Eyre. Some others thought that she was easy to look down on, thanks to her ugly looks and poor family. So when someone met Jane Eyre, they always seemed quite contemptuous, for that they think that they obviously much prettier than Jane. But as the little Jane had said: ‘Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!’(Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre, 2003: 67) from that the idea of equality was showed strongly in Jane Eyre’s mind. She was not given the beautiful looks and an amount of money, but everyone is equal in the eyes of God, and Jane is not an exception. She has a kind heart and a thinking brain, which is different from others. What she impresses us most is her awareness of everyone is equal and the sense of self-respect. The strong power can be felt in her small body. Jane Eyre never forgets that she is equal with other people when in the face of that arrogant noble young lady. She always insists on the principle of equality between men and women. She said angrily and discontentedly: “women generally are considered to be very loyal, but they also have the same feelingwith man. And they, like their brothers, also need to play their talents to the full, to exert them to the harsh environment.” (Charlotte Bronte.Jane Eyre, 1997:45)the book shows its uniqueness and force because of Jane’s insistence on equality and shocked many women around the world. In order to strive for equality, Jane made a strong resistance. It can be said that Jane played the female consciousness of that age.2.2 The Pursuit of Dignity and IndependenceJane’s strong independent awareness has an impact on the people from other parts of the world. She was thrown into a survival environment where her parents were dead. However, it is possible for Jane to pursue her self consciousness and self rights. Aunt’s contempt, cousin’s insult and beat and the snobbishness of the servants, these are never made her give up. Instead, she rises up to struggle against opponents with terrible fear, and never compromises. Jane Eyre begun to realize that she had to rely on nobody but herself to get the respect from others at the Lockwood boarding schools. Although constantly humiliated in school, she didn’t sink in humiliation. She got her strength to obtain independence from her dear teacher and fellow students. Maria Temple, an independent woman, is the headmaster of the Institution. She has a responsible attitude toward students and sees everyone equally, even the low students. From then on, Jane began to realize that independence is of great importance thing for everyone to fulfill their values, which is a meaningful lesson she leaned from Maria Temple. Later Jane made great progress in the aspect of her studies and won the respect and understanding from her teachers and students. Eventually she succeeds and gains respect and popularity from the people around her.Later Jane began her teaching career, which made her be independent economically. Without economic independence, female liberation movement would be impossible. When Rochester provided Jane with a chance to free her passions, Jane came to realize that she would be sacrificing her dignity for the sake of her feelings, so she refused without hesitation, because she thought that the freedom and independence she achieved by living as Rochester’s mistress is shameful and disgraceful. From the point of Jane’s view, everyone is equal in terms of personality, without regard to their different status, property and appearance. Love must be basedon equality and mutual independence. Women with independent personality, self-esteem, self-love, but not attached to the other people can get others’ respect, love and real happiness. So when the rights and dignity was invaded, she will be desperate to resist for their human dignity.2.3 The Pursuit of Love and MarriageIn Britain, at that time, it is difficult for women to obtain a majority position that truly belongs to them. Women don’t free to choose a spouse and to enjoy freedom. But Jane is a woman full of new love. She has the bravery to be against the social order and convention. The love between her and Mr. Rochester is on the basis of equal exchange mind and spiritual communion, especially on the emotional communication. That is a kind of love o f ‘soul calling soul’. She insists on that she doesn’t need any stranger who has no common language and is incompatible with her. She needs a type of person with me; she can get emotional resonance together. Love is equal and need mutual exchanges. This is the first criteria of mate selection in Jane Eyre’s view. She is just a poor teacher with a small figure and no charming beauty, and she hasn’t a noble position, an illustrious background, and an amount of wealth or a beautiful appearance. The only proud thing is her self-respect and her staunch independence. She never expects Rochester to love her for that she thinks there is a wide gap between them. In order to not lose herself, Jane always keeps her self-respect and independence when they fall in love. Therefore she has won the love of Rochester. It can be acknowledged that the reason lies in her unique personality and bright spirit that is her most valuable personality.It is said that love is the most beautiful thing in the world, which can bring human beings the spiritual happiness and delighted warmth. However, some people regard their love as goods that can be sold and measure their marriage by some materialistic staff, such as social status, money and power. Maybe they have never tasted the true love. Jane and Rochester love each other; the true love is their common goal that can enjoy the same thing. They can break the bonds of tradition and surpass all obstacles. More efforts like that have been done to achieve true love after they experienced a lot of sufferings. Eventually Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochesterwho has rich experience and wisdom, but not for his wealth and high rank. Rochester loves Jane for her unique character.Honesty should be based on mutual trust and play a very important role in love. Communication is also very important in inter-personal relationships, especially in love. Two people during the time of loving, they will communicate with each other honestly and share the same interest. Then they can have a perfect love. Jane and Rochester are just like this. At the beginning, they have some certain love feelings due to their frank exchanges. Jane understands and loves Rochester more when he tells all things about what happened in his past. Actually, Rochester sees Jane as a real independent person, not an employee or the slave of man and has a strong desire to get true love from her. When it comes to Jane’s love, her marriage has to be built on equality, mutual respect and honesty. She looks down upon the people who get married for money, status and any other beneficial things and refuses to be a puppet especially in the rich family. She truly loves Rochester and has nothing to do with his wealth and social status.2.4 Independent Awareness in EconomyIn the novel Jane Eyre Charlotte expressed strongly a view that female must achieve independence in economy. Charlotte mentioned that, no more than one, if the unmarried women have not their own property, they have to face the hard situation of their low status and aimless to live. She also thought women should not be the goods of the market for sale, but should actively fight for their position, and pursue the spiritual liberation and personality independence that is on the basis of economic independence. It is very necessary for woman’s liberation and their dignity, personality and position.Jane does not want to be the slave of money and to rely on others. She falls in deep love with Rochester. But he does not want Jane to go on working he wishes Jane belongs to him completely and considers Jane as his property. Jane refuses his suggestion without any hesitation．In her opinion，if she loses her job, she must depend on Rochester to live，thus economic independence says goodbye to her. She thinks that a kind of independence in property may also be a kind of comfort. Shedoes not want to be piece of personal belongs of Rochester. At last, she decides to preserve her independence.In the beginning of the novel, economic factors have obvious performance. Her father left her no penny in childhood, so she had to be a sponsor with abuse and humiliation. But through her own hard work, she had a job, a family teacher, which made her gain independence in economy. And at the same time, she also paid more attention to seek spiritual freedom. This freedom and independence are to maintain the foundation of all rights. Eventually she was married Rochester whose a large number of heritage burnt in a big fire. Here, it can be found that Ja ne’pursuit of economic independence is just the way of the achievement her independent personality.3. The Causes of the Formation of Jane Eyre’s Female Consciousness 3.1 The Individual FactorsJane Eyre has her own wisdom, courage and knowledge to achieve a happy life and realize her values, from which she comes to be recognized and respected. Her positive attitude towards life and the confidence in her own experiences make her take a turn for the better．Frankness and rejoicing is her hopeful attitude toward her unfortunate life. In Jane’s long life road, her attitude was formed from her life experiences, her feelings and viewpoints, and the life attitude also experiences a process of growth and maturation. Jane Eyre indicates her resolution by action, making all the costs to maintain human dignity.Jane has some qualities that modern woman should have. In such an era, the patriarchal cultural oppression exists in every corner of the female life. Jane Eyre figures out that a powerful man is based on wom an’s ignorance and obedience, and she comes to realize that women can not be controlled and dominated by man. On the contrary, woman should go for the equal rights in occupation, education and any other facets in life. Because Jane Eyre is strong, and can always keep a clear mind, in any crisis emergence, she always shows calmness. Whenever Rochester is in trouble, heinstinctively turns to Jane who can give him the inner power of life. In the process of getting along with Jane, Rochester has been totally attracted by her unique personality charm, so that he is totally dependent on Jane Eyre in spirit and life. Jane Eyre’s individual factors are the important elements for the formation of her female consciousness.3.2 Family FactorsJane Eyre is an orphan, whose parents passed away when she was very young, being raised by Mrs. Reed, her cruel, wealthy aunt. Jane has ever received kindnesses from a servant named Bessie who often told her some interesting stories and singing songs. One day, she fight with her bullying cousin John Reed, and said “Wicked and cruel boy!” “You are like a murderer.” (Charlotte Bronte, 2007: 12). After that, Jane was confined in the red-room by cruel aunt, in which Jane’s Uncle R eed died. While locked in, Jane was so frightened that she believed she saw her uncle’s ghost, and she screamed and fainted. The sufferings from humiliation teach Jane to be maintaining dignity over anything else. She wakes to find herself in the care of Bessie and Mr. Lloyd, the kindly apothecary who suggests to Mrs. Reed that Jane be sent away to school. When her aunt said she was a liar and nasty girl. Jane felt her personality is suffering from a brutal trample, so her humiliation and anger turned into strong resistance in her heart: “You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so, and you have no pity. People think you a good woman, but you are bad, and you are deceitful!”(Charlotte Bronte 2007 , 2 第三十页) This victory made Jane Eyre hurt in her young mind once again , she realized that the only way was the resistance if one wanted to be survive, and obtain fair treatment as anyone else. These family factors have a great impact on her female consciousness later.3.3 The Social FactorsIn 19th century, women did not have any status. They were discriminated and had no such choices. Most of them lived in a state little better than slavery. They had little choice but to obey men, because man dominates all the things in most cases. Girls are forbidden from college and can land only low-income jobs. Women s solepurpose was to marry and reproduce. At that time, woman just was teaching as school mistress or a tutor in a private family. They are educated to remain ignorant and uneducated.In the late 19th century, feminism began to gain popularity in some western countries such as Britain and America and so on so forth. Feminism means that women can get equal rights and opportunities with men; it is a social reform that seeks to end the inferior status of women. Feminism is worldwide. Its aim is to save women from all forms of oppression, and led to unity between women. The charter movement in which the proletariat struggle for democratic rights is rising. From then on the position of women was given prominence. Many people put forward the slogan of freedom for woman's rights, and woman’s independent awareness has been greatly raised. They think they are all equal with men and they have the right to decide their own marriage. Jane with unique character is different from many other women in the male-dominated society. Jane’ great character inspirits not only women but also men. Jane’s a great soul is a bright star to guide us in a long journey.4. The Revealing of Jane’s Female Consciousness for Modern Female 4.1The Influence of Jane EyreJane Eyre develops from an angry, rebellious girl into a sensitive, confident and independent young woman. In fact, she is also the prototype of the author in this novel. It can be said that Jane’s biggest barrier is her social class, but even so, Jane never give up pursuing her financial and emotional independence. The reason why she rejected to marry Rochester was that she realized she can get married with him so long as she has obtained the financial independence. She acknowledged that self-esteem and economical independence were the basis of maintenance a marriage of equality. She is valued for her humanity and values. The story told with terrific intensity. The hardships Jane experienced were illustrated in such a simple and plain language that you could not be read without emotion. Jane Eyre is unique in Victorian fiction. It is one of the most popular of all English novels and has a great effect on thepeople all over the world.4.2 The Significance for Modern FemaleIt can be seen that the status of woman has been improved so fast nowadays, but woman’s status is also very low in some countries. Most feminists believe discrimination against women still exists in North American and European nations, as well as worldwide. But as we all known, it have taken a considerable leap for the rights and status of woman. It is also interesting to witness that in recent years some developing nations, such as India, and Israel that have chosen women as heads of state. What’ more, many women are working in many big companies as leaders or boss. Moreover, we take for granted that women can choose whether or not to marry, and whether or not to have children, and so on. On the whole, we can say that the liberation of woman is no longer a big issue, but we still need to make every effort to fight for more rights for woman. There also seems little doubt that the demand for sexual equality will persist until it has fully been granted everywhere. Today, however, in addition to economic issues, problems of sexual self-determination have come to the foreground. We should do everything we can to advance woman’s right s and status, and achieve real equality between men and women.5. ConclusionFrom the analysis above it can be seen Jane is a good model for women in all aspects, such as, her self -esteem, respect, independence, and her views on true love, her courage, her spirit and ideas. This road in J ane Eyre’ life is full of hardships. In this process, she has ever been depressed, but she was brave and still struggled for her own ideal and dream under the bad environment. She has a heroic spirit in facing hardships. There is a process of growth and enrichment in Jane Eyre’s attitud e towards life, which includes the formation of personality, the attitude toward love and the attitude toward life and death. From this a new feminine image from Jane is presented; the image can be the firm ideals and persistent pursuit of self-esteem, independence, self-reliance, the choice of one’ own life. This is the charisma of JaneEyre, as well as the purpose of this paper. So we still say Jane Eyre is great. Charlotte who publishes her own idea through Jane Eyre is greater. Through Jane Eyre , It can be understood that the woman can find the true love and the sense of belonging so long as they does not submit to the social class and the sex prejudice, and does not approve the oppression, or the status which controls them.Finally, the sprits of independence and sovereignty for women advocated by Charlotte Bronte is what the modern women are pursuing even day, which also influences millions of her readers who can’t get an equal treatment in the society from ancient time till now. Let the great work light up every corner of being unfairly treated women.Bibliography[1] Bronte Charlotte. Jane Eyre [M].New York: Oxford University Press. 1975[2] Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre[M]. Shanghai: Foreign Language Teaching andResearch Press. 1996[3] Gaskell Elizabeth. Life of Charlotte Bronte[M]. Hammondsport:PenguinPress.1975[4] Wu Wyden. History and Anthology of English Literature[M]. Beijing: ForeignTeaching Printing House.1982[5]胡进.《简·爱》女权意识的探析[J].淮南职业学院学报,2004（2）[6]胡晟娇，邱薇.论简·爱的反叛性格和女性意识形成的心路历程[J].湖南环境生物职业技术学院,2006（2）[7]李献民.2002，译《简.爱》[M].呼和浩特：内蒙古人民出版[8]佟靖. 激情、叛逆、女性独立—论简·爱形象的塑造[J].齐齐哈尔大学学报,2003（2）[9]夏洛蒂·勃朗特.简爱[M].李霁野，译.西安：陕西人民出版社[10]於奇.女性主义文学与女性意识觉醒[M].郑州大学出版社,2008AcknowledgementsMy deepest gratitude goes first to my supervisor XXX, for her constant encouragement and guidance.As a senior, because of lacking of experiences, so there are some limitations in my paper. During my paper writing process, I get the kindly care and patience instruction from my teacher. She helped me through all the stages of the writing of this thesis. Her serious responsible attitude and strives for perfection of the work style, infecting and driving me deeply .Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have completed on time. Extend my sincere gratitude and the lofty respect to my dear XXXLast my thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.。