Charlotte Brontë was an English poet and novelist that lived in the seventeenth century. Brontë was the eldest of the three surviving Brontë sisters who attained adulthood. Her works became English literature classics owing to her prowess in articulating and portraying literature in a manner that was considered teachable and relatable. Her attribute of articulating English literature saw her leave school and begin teaching her sisters. Literature catapulted her, and she became the governess for the Sidgwick family. One of Brontë’s most notable novels is Jane Eyre. The novel was first published as Jane Eyre: An Autobiography under the pen name "Currer Bell.” The novel follows the experiences of Jane Eyre’s eponymous heroine that includes her love for Mr. Rochester and her growth to adulthood (Bronte & Bloom, 2013). Mr. Rochester is the brooding master of Thornfield Hall. Additionally, Jane Eyre revolutionizes prose fiction. This means that it focuses on Jane’s spiritual and moral development that is narrated through a first-person narrative that is intimate and whose events and actions are colored by a psychological intensity. Arguably, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is considered feminist and portrays women as equal to men.
Jane Eyre is not only considered as a feminist novel but as a proto-feminist novel. Any artistic work that was written before the twentieth-century by strong female protagonists, such as Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, fell into the feminism literary and philosophical tradition. Even though Jane does not advocate for equal rights for women in the novel, her lifestyle portrays a model for an independent woman. Furthermore, her ambitions are unlike the social, traditional mores of her place and time. Jane’s view of the institution of marriage as a ‘catastrophe’ further fuels what can be termed as feminism (Bronte & Bloom, 2013). Although she is an orphan, Jane vehemently rejects a dependent attitude. Likewise, Jane is not afraid to practice self-advocacy whenever she believes that she is being mistreated. It is imperative to note that she opposes and resent being treated as an object by Rochester when they begin courting. Jane only accepts Rochester’s proposal when she becomes financially independent. Therefore, while Jane does not openly advocate for the rights of women, she lives her life under her term warranting the novel to be branded a feminist novel.
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The end of the novel, Jane Eyre, offers a spectacular and exciting turn of events. It is evident that Jane returns to her husband Mr. Rochester after she fights the feelings and compromises that she was willing to take with St. John. Jane’s willingness to suffer had prompted St. John to seek her as a wife. Jane fights back and finds herself again at Mr. Rochester’s place. On the other hand, Mr. Rochester experiences a turn of events, as the symbolism of fire that surrounded his life becomes evident (Bronte & Bloom, 2013). Mr. Rochester regrets mistreating Jane and turns to God. The novel portrays women to be strong physically as Jane does not think that men are better than she is. Additionally, women perceived to be emotionally stronger than men were. This attribute is evident when Jane rejects St. John. Lastly, Jane is morally strong compared to her male counterparts.
Overall, Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre, is not only feminist but also proto-feminist. The novel, like many that were written by strong protagonists, were perceived to be feministic. Jane did not outrightly advocate for equality between men and women, but her dependence and lifestyle portrayed that one of a feminist. Moreover, Jane had ambitions that were not normal for women of her time. Therefore, it is prudent that she was a female chauvinist. In the end, the novel displays women to be stronger than men in matters of emotional, physical, and moral.
Reference
Bronte, C., & Bloom, H. (2013). Jane Eyre . New York: Infobase Pub.
