Bronte uses the novel Jane Eyre as a vehicle for social comment
The novel Jane Eyre was first published in October 1847 by a young orphan female called Charlotte Bronte. After experiencing the death of great percentage of her family including mother and father, she and the remaining siblings took to imaginative fantasies and fictitious worlds.
Bronte wanted to share her thoughts on social injustices of which surrounded the struggles between femininity and feminism, but knew that considering to be an female author to write a book which attacked these visible flaws of her time would of inevitably brought about a dispute. The society of her area felt comfortable living their lives and believing in what they wanted to; without the opinionated views of a young woman. Undeterred by this, Bronte developed a plan to convey he views through story by veiling her name under that of Currer Bell, an ambiguous choice of name being dedicated by a sort of conscientious scruple at assuming Christian names positively masculine as she explains it. Bronte wanted to highlight in the minds of her readers, which would have been the typical Victorian audience, the topics in which they appeared relentless to its tune. Thus, Jane Eyre became Brontes self reflection voicing emotions through story.
Religion was one of the most obvious topics Bronte attacked in her novel Jane Eyre. Bronte believed that religion was taken advantage of by the older and middle aged Victorian society; used to justify punishments, ungracious and immoral acts. Jane had many of these experiences when she overstayed her welcome at Gateshead Hall as well as Lowood. Thrown into the Red Room, punished for standing up to for her rights, Jane was quoted on what her fate could await her in the hands of her creator.
( Page 8; Abbot to Bessie) God will punish her: He might strike her dead in the midst of her tantrums, and then where will she go? Say your prayers, Miss Eyre, when you are by yourself; for if you dont repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away.
Bronte indicates the use of the word God and quotes on His actions was usually used to scare children especially, as exhibited by Miss Abbot, even though a majority of things that the adults said that God could do were false.
The order of the words strike her dead in the quote above generates violence which goes on to cause the reader to imagine horrific scenes of a powerful hand striking a child dead in the midst of tantrums which in the eyes of a Brontes Victorian seemed normal. However, a reader of today would regard Miss Abbots approach to Janes as unjust and cruel. Ms Abbots who believes her words are of some advice only threatens Miss Eyre in a way not to instil discipline within the troubled infant but to frighten her.
This is a prime demonstration how Bronte believed that as religious practices were followed strictly by the Victorian people, religion was seen as an effective tool to control others. In order, to eliminate this behaviour from society, Bronte dissects generates more typical examples of the misuse of Christianity. A number of these examples took place at Lowood School, where Bronte sends Jane Eyre and witnesses the extremities of religion-based manipulation of the students whom attended.
Mr Brockleshurst, the headmaster of the school administered a lot of these religious rules and regulations in Lowood. Many of the students whom attended Lowood suffered unthinkably. They were unfed and dehydrated but Mr Brockleshursts ignorance, overshadowing his basic morals, believed that hunger and thirst were obstacles they had to overcome in order to seek true happiness.
By every word that proceedth out of the mouth of God; to His divine consolations, If ye suffer hunger or thirst for My Sake, happy are ye. Oh, madam, when you put cheese and bread, instead of burnt porridge, into theses mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls! (Brockleshurst to Miss Temple- Page 53);
Mr Brockleshursts speech consists of word for example ye and proceedeth which creates the effect of old English. This is a tatic he commonly uses which tricks the students into believing that his message is a genuine Bible quote or the word of the Lord ,which as Catholics living in a country dominated by the Church Of England, should be followed. Mr Brockleshursts goes on to make the female students feel worthless when he describes their bodies as vile. One would think that as the female students are being degraded, that Miss Temple; also a female, would interrupt and defend her species however as lady whom; telling by her name Temple espouses the virtues of true faith, hope and charity, she overlooks his behaviour. This is probably why Jane Eyre goes on to find solace in her in her hours of need.
A man who has a Master to serve whose kingdom is not of this world, whose mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of flesh; to teach them to clothe themselves with shame-facedness and sobriety; not with braided hair and costly apparel(page 54);
would inevitably practice what he preaches. At the appearance of three visitors, all female relations; the two younger of the trio whom had grey beaver hats, then in fashion, shaded with ostrich plumes; vanity in which he was so strongly against and thinks that all can live without, Mr Brockleshurst should have acted immediately however, not sit and stare. It is not the benefits of the students Mr Brockleshurst has in mind as he rears them in this particular religious manor of; plain fare, simple attire, unsophisticated accommodations, hardy and active habits;(page 28- Mr Brockleshurst to Ms Reed) but of the interests of his own. The use of less money in the maintaining Lowood and ensuring that the students are well cared for, the more spent on splendid velvet attire, silk, furs and false front French curls for that of his wife and two daughters.
A lot of anger and resentment in installed in the reader towards Mr Brockleshurst as his evangelism is full of hypocrisy as he feeds of the deprivation of the students he was obliged to take care of when he decided to become the headmaster of the boarding school he built; in order to indulge his family in a life of luxury. Religion in those times was taken very seriously so for the word of the Almighty to be contradicted obscenely was inevitably going to bring a lot of hatred. However, Bronte exaggerates Mr Brockleshursts character for the purpose of indicating to the reader that a lot of patriarchal, dominating figures, during this era, behaved this way. She saw this as a way to expose the actions of these unscrupulous men. In effect of this, the rich would realise their wrongdoings and initiate a change; motivated by the wrath of poor as well as working class who would join together and fight for some quality.
Bronte does not only focus on the negative aspects in religion in Jane Eyre. She comments on the behaviour of the people in her society who give in to religious manipulation and who have developed a character to accept what is said and done on the basis of religion; whether right or wrong. She expresses this through Janes pious friend, Helen Burns. Helen practices forgiveness and tolerance, though she is constantly suffering at the hand of Mrs Scatcherd. (Page 46) Jane - But that teacher, Miss Scatcherd, is so cruel to you?
Helen -Cruel? Not at all! She is severe: she dislikes my faults.
Jane is confused by Helens patient and loving response to mistreatment. This amongst all Janes other religious encounters is the soul reasons for why she rejects Helens instructions on religion as to pointed out on page 49, when Helen encourages her to Read the New testament, and observe hat Christ says, and ho he acts; make His word your rule, and His conduct your example, until finding her own interpretation of Christianity.
As a reader, Bronte wanted you to instantly pity the soul of Helen Burns as she suffered a great deal i.e. Miss Scatcherd flog her pupil, Burns(Page 46) , having ..conspicuous characters written on a piece of pasteboard spelling: Slattern (meaning a dirty un tidy girl) and boundon Helens large..forehead(Page 63); just constant victimisation until she died (..I(Jane) was asleep, and Helen as dead, Page 71) mainly because of Mr Brockleshursts neglect, but partially because she believed it as right to follow the instructions of the New Testament whish is turn the other cheek, bless them that curse you and love your enemies : all on page 49. She is a prime example of those in the Brontes era, who have to suffer willingly because of their strong belief in accepting all odds in order not to offend God: and as a result of this, are unable to differentiate from being punished as a response of wrongdoing to being punished for anothers personal gratification. This posed as a possible hinder for a chance in social change in terms of religion. However, now by Bronte exposing this epic situation and given an insight on the terrible ending, the minority this applied to in her era were able to take control of their lives to ensure this is was not to be their unjust fate
Bronte presents childhood, another social injustice in Victorian society, as very strict. Children were often made to feel, but could not analyse their feelings (pg 18). Bronte believed that childhood was a period of time in a childs life where he or she, at their most vulnerable states were bullied; bullied emotionally, mentally and even physically. She saw this as wrong as it had a negative effect on the children and therefore wanted to bring forward to her audience a change on the treatment towards them.
In Brontes novel, Jane Eyre, Jane is made a victim of a daunting and unfair childhood. Segregated from the rest of the family who vowed to take good care of her as the wishes of her late uncle, Jane soon discovered that even the promises of a soon-to-be widow made to her dying husband are cheap; the left behind luxury, considering Mrs Reed could not inherit the household, was main priority. The wish of Janes uncle soon disappeared after he breathed his last breath. The very words of Janes benefactress, Ms Reed herself indicated that change:
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