Katie's Specialist Study

Higher English Specialist Study
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte

A novel in which the theme of beauty plays an incredibly important part is “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. Here, Bronte beauty to convey the pure nature of her heroine and to show the deep, passionate love that Jane has for her master, Edward Rochester. As neither character is physically attractive it allows the reader to become completely absorbed in the character’s emotional and internal feelings and to understand their love without differing to their physical attributes. This essay will examine how Bronte conveys the theme of beauty in the character of Jane by her use of characterisation and settings.

Jane Eyre is an incredibly kind character who has a strong sense of duty and pride. However, Jane herself is not physically attractive. She describes herself as “poor, obscure, plain and little.” She has a beautiful heart though which allows her to look beyond the physical beauty and see inside a person’s soul. As the book is written entirely through her perspective Bronte captures the pure love that Jane has for Rochester. We can see her immediate reactions when she sees him: I did not think I should tremble this way when I saw him- or lose my voice or power of motion in his presence.” Bronte manages to show the depth of Jane’s love for her master. Jane comments that he is not handsome which is important because we are never under the illusion that Jane is attracted to him because of his looks. It is his kindness, passion and soul that attracts her and makes their love even stronger. A perfect example of this is when she is commenting about his physical appearance: “were not beautiful according to rule, but they were more than beautiful to me: they were full of interest that quite mastered me.” Here, Jane is able to find the beauty in Rochester that others would never notice. This also shows how perfect Rochester and Jane are together. Her reaction to her own external beauty also changes when Rochester proposes to her. The happiness she feels inside is reflected in her face: “it was no longer plain: There was hope in its aspect and life in its colour.” Her complete happiness is shown in her rise in self esteem.

Another beautiful trait of Jane’s is that never changes herself. She resists Rochester’s attempts to glamorise her insisting “jewels for Jane Eyre sounds unnatural and strange.” Jane’s turning point in the story is her decision to flee Thornfield. She could never be true to herself if she stayed with Rochester while he had a wife. An important part of Jane’s internal beauty is her passion. We are shown her powerful struggles with her passion and conscience. When Jane tells Rochester of her decision to leave the powerful struggle is shown so effectively that the reader truly believes Jane will abandon her moral convictions and run away with him: “physically, I felt, at that moment, powerless.” However Jane stays true to herself and leaves. This is another sign of Jane’s beautiful nature. She is strong willed and is influenced by no-one. When Jane leaves Thornfield she also grows as a stronger person. Her time with the River’s family allows her to grow in independence and confidence therefore when she returns to Rochester she is now his match in power and passion. Bronte uses Jane’s departure from Thornfield to further the internal characteristics of our lovers. Their internal beauty is now equal and they are able to appreciate and love each other more. and feelings. Jane is the most perfect example of showing that inner beauty is more important than external.

Another technique that Bronte uses to personify the theme of beauty is the settings. Jane’s feelings towards Thornfield and Moor House show another characteristic of her nature. Thronfield Hall is described by Jane as a “gentleman’s manor.” However for such a young age, Jane is not intimidated by living in such grand surroundings which shows maturity and confidence. It is only until the arrival of Edward that she feels any warm appreciation for the house. When he leaves she feels sadness towards the place: “vague suggestions kept wandering through my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield.” Thornfield Hall is a symbol for Jane’s happiness. It is the first time that she has enjoyed a full and happy life. Her beautiful nature is also shown through her attitude towards Moor House. Jane isn’t materialistic and therefore appreciates everything she has in life. This is shown when she describes her new home as “a charm both potent and permanent. Her heart is so pure that she could never be bought with jewels or riches.

Charlotte Bronte has successfully convinced the reader of Jane’s true beauty. We do not pay attention to her physical appearance but are drawn in and become fully connected with her feelings. The lack of external beauty in our lovers is extremely important because it leaves their raw emotions completely exposed. Bronte also manages to create an inspirational role model in her heroine. She shows that in being true to yourself, happiness can be achieved. She didn’t have to be stunningly beautiful to capture his heart and it is all the more satisfying when she can finally say “Reader, I married him.”

By Katie Nicol 5M3