Differences in social status in “Jane Eyre” novel
“Jane Eyre,” written by Charlotte Bronte, is a fictional novel that discusses the story of a young orphan girl who grew up in her aunt’s house. The story focuses on how this young girl suffered living in that house during her childhood. After a while, when she reached the age of ten, she was sent to a public orphanage center, where she was forced to live. During her time living there, a series of events took place, which contributed to a significant change in Jane Eyre’s personality. She eventually learns how to deal with the various issues that she has faced in her time living at the orphan house, especially when her friend “Hellen” dies, which was the main turning point in this story. It seemed like Jane came back to know who she was by living in the orphan house after the oppression she faced living with her aunt and her family. Jane comes from a poor family; however, when her parents die, she meets a change in her life as she is sent to live in a luxurious mansion. In the story, it is evident that Bronte contrasts between the rich and the poor by generally stating that there are two kinds of wealthy people. One type which is oppressing and arrogant, just like her aunt and her kids, and another type which is humble and does not like to show off their wealth or expose it, just like Mr. Rochester.
The contrast between the rich and the poor seems to have particular importance to Charlotte Bronte, which gives us an idea about her background. Charlotte Bronte also had to face a similar change in her life, just like the protagonist, Jane. After her mother and two older sisters died, she had to live with her aunt and her religious father (Wagner, 2018). Bronte was a teacher in her time; we can relate this to the fact that Jane grew up to become a sister in this novel. Most importantly, a similarity between Bronte and Jane is that Bronte also came from a low-income family, and they both suffered the loss of loved ones in their lives. Which brings us to a question: why has Charlotte Bronte decided to write “Jane Eyre.” Well, she wanted to write a novel that would make her gain enough income for her and her sisters, as economic opportunities for women at that time were critically limited, and mainly because of the conditions that she and her sisters were living in. It is evident that not only did she produce a novel of high quality, but she even knew how to link it to events that she has faced in her life. Also, one can easily imagine Charlotte Bronte writing the novel “Jane Eyre” by looking at her vivid and creative imagination. Nearly all her books were true to life and discussed real-life situations. Mainly, her novels were biased, and she was creative in using prejudice to raise awareness about real-life situations that are occurring at that time.
Social superiority and wealth go hand in hand in Jane Eyre’s novel. However, there were ladies socially superior but lacked means to support their status or a man to maintain it. For instance, Mrs. Fairfax, who is a housekeeper at Thornfield, despite being a lady with the class she has no way of earning herself a high income. She, therefore, turns out to be dependent. Often, ladies turned out to live miserable lives when their family wealth collapses (Wagner, 2018). Also, it can happen due to other circumstances in a Victorian society like bank failures, slumps, and booms. Also, children belonging to paid professionals faced difficult times when their parents died living behind little to no family wealth. Death of a breadwinner could make a family take a very different turn in life. This is a circumstance that haunted Jane upon the end of their parents. On the death of Mr. Bronte, the breadwinner, his place is taken by another man leaving behind his sisters to face a tough life. This circumstance is also witnessed upon the death of Mr. Rivers in which his sisters Mary and Diana have to take up governesses’ position and leave the Moor house.
Wealth offers one freedom from social constraints as well as the ability to pursue one’s goals and dreams. However, misuse of wealth is a reminder of the ultimate place; it can lead one to (Gossin, 2017). Charlotte Bronte, in Jane Eyre, displays the corrupt of monetary possessions on people through various characters. The author shows that preoccupation with wealth can blind people on prosperity, which they have and can finally lead them to loneliness and misery.
Jane Eyre, the protagonist, occupies an ambiguous class position. She moves from one class to another, from the homeless to the upper level. Her mother is from an upper-class society while the father was a poor clergyman. She turns out to be a poor orphan living in an upper-class household at Reed’s’. Her status does not decline or incline. However, it oscillates between the two extreme positions in the social status Spectrum. Also, before she was born, her social class was ambiguous. Her parents’ social class was somewhat vague, and this is majorly a part of their legacy to Jane (Brontë, 2016, p.616). Upon her birth, she also occupied an ambiguous social position. Her social status turns out more complicated upon her parents’ death, leaving her behind to be raised by her wealthy auntie, Mrs. Reed. She is a working woman with uncommon intelligence and artistic achievements. However, she does not hide her weaknesses. She portrays herself as a quick-tempered, judgemental, and moody person. However, she is the leading role player in this story, and her lack of class is what makes her a keen observer of all the persons from different courses. She is a fearless adventurer and a loyalist. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
At one time, Jane borrowed a book from her cousin John who took that advantage to physically and mentally torment her. John said that she was a burden to her mother. She had no money since her father left her none. He said she was supposed to go begging as opposed to choosing to live with them “the gentleman’s children.” He went ahead, telling her how she ate the food they were eating and how she dressed the same clothes they put on at the expense of his mother (Brontë, 2016 p.43). He yelled all this to her and warned her not to touch his bookshelf. He threw the book at her causing her a head injury. Finally, Jane was blamed for the whole situation not because she had not borrowed the book, but because she was viewed as a lesser person. Lower than a servant. Also, all the people who lived there considered her an evil child, which included the house servants (Brontë, 2016 p.44). This kind of treatment was quite hard to understand for Jane Eyre, who at the moment was only ten years old. She always questioned herself why she got that kind of harsh treatment, still suffering, forever condemned, and ever accused with no answer (Brontë, 2016 p.46). The only thing she realized is that she was not loved and accepted by Mrs. Reed and her children. She, therefore, started lamenting to herself, that she had no family, and that the Reeds were not part of her family.
Jane Eyre is one day imprisoned by her aunt Mrs. Reed in the red-room as retribution for fighting with her cousin John Reed. Jane’s uncle Mr. Reed died in this room. While in the place, Jane believes that she sees her uncle’s spirit and screams until she fainted. On waking up, she finds herself on the care of Bessie, Mrs. Reed’s house help, and Mr. Lloyd, who suggests to Mrs. Reed to have Jane go to school. Surprisingly, Mrs. Reed agrees. At the school, there is no proper facility, and she feels very lonely. At Lowood School, Jane finds that her life is not peaceful (Mustafa, 2017). Here, she is with a mix of other poor girls, and they are forced to live in a toxic environment. The headmaster of this school, Mr. Brocklehurst, is a disloyal, brutal and hateful person. For instance, he lectures Miss Temple as well as the students of Lowood since they wore their hair and clothes plainly. This is not what he demands of his family to do, according to Jane. He misappropriates the school funds to provide a lavish lifestyle for his family while preaching a doctrine of poverty to his students. The headmaster shows the way his view of social status is cruel. For the poor and orphaned students, he prefers them to live everyday, simple, and strict lives while he and his family can live extravagant lives. By the time Jane leaves school, she has experienced such harsh conditions for a poor working-class girl.
Jane, in her entire life, kept on drifting from the different social classes and remained locked in a state of social ambiguity. Jane’s education propels her to middle lower-class people as a result of accepting a job as a governess at the Thornfield estate. While at the place, she earns her income and still meets her future husband, Edward Rochester. Her relationship with Rochester has complications, which forced her to flee Thornfield and live as a homeless runaway. At one point, due to hunger, she tries to sell her handkerchief and gloves in exchange for half a cake (Brontë, 2016 p.323). At the same time, she is so cold, but she cannot help it. The bakery worker refuses the food, and she is humiliated. Her social status at this point is very near the bottom of the lower social class. She has turned into a beggar. However, her situation changes dramatically when St. John Rivers takes her and offers her an opportunity as the schoolmistress. Consequently, in a notable turn of events, Jane inherits a considerable sum of money from her deceased uncle, placing her into the upper-middle class. With her new social class and wealth, Jane goes back to Rochester, her lover. Throughout her life, Jane represents a happy, rich, and respectable lady and overworked, a poor person (Brontë, 2016 p.630).
Despite that Jane is able to look past one’s wealth in forming friendships, she is highly aware of class status. She tells Mr. Lloyd that she prefers to stay with the wealthy and abusive relatives rather than living with poor relatives. According to Jane, choosing to live with more impoverished relatives shows one wishes to be a poor person (Brontë, 2016, p.36). She adds that she does not like to go around begging. However, thereafter Jane goes begging, and shortly after, she goes to live with her poor relatives. She enjoys living with her poor relatives. Despite that Jane does not judge people based on their social status, she does notice it and uses it to describe them.
Woman in the 19th century in England was portrayed in the literature based on an ideology which promoted social and political biasness based on gender. The period in the 19th century showcased a sharp division of labor between men on women (Kitch, 2016). This practice was enforced by many policies, stereotypes, and religious beliefs. Women were poorly treated and oppressed. They were supposed to follow their men and not allowed to practice their rights. Either women did not share the same status and position with men in the 19th century.Fr instance; women did not have the right to vote or even run for a political position (Mustafa, 2017). The society was divided into social class based on race, ethnicity, creed, caste, and many other factors. Women could not also express their thoughts since they were bound by these beliefs and practices. Either, women could not work without getting permission from their father or husband. Thus, they were entirely dependent on men.
Jane does not just face challenges since she is a woman; she undergoes tough times because of her poverty. Majorly, she is an orphan girl living with her aunt. Mrs. Reed, Jane’s aunt, takes advantage of her situation and abuses her throughout the novel. Her aunt mistreats her, just like a servant. The poor treatment increases her desire to seek independence (Mustafa, 2017). She lives in miserable conditions in many ways. She has cousins who hate her, feel that they are superior to her and an aunt who ill-treats her. In addition, there are servants who mistreat her on orders from her aunt. She has to endure punishment from her cousins and her aunt. Cruelty from her relatives is what pushes her to seek for a better life. Cruelty must have limits and cannot endure forever. Jane finally chooses to redeem herself from her aunt’s wickedness by standing up against her in her passionate speech (Brontë, 2016, p.63).
Charlotte Bronte also undergoes significant challenges, just like Jane does. She is a woman living in Victorian society at that time (Godfrey, 2005). Because she is not in a position to succeed early in her life, she, therefore, lives vicariously through her character Jane. She models Jane into an active female role in society. Charlotte Bronte’s failure in her personal life is strongly connected with Jane’s success. In research done by Lucile Dooley, Jane Eyre has an autobiographical feeling, if not a life event, and there is a strong relationship between the character and the author. Dooley, in her research work, searches for a connection between the two by application of psychoanalysis theory. Dooley argues that the work cannot be termed as autobiography because Charlotte uses other information as opposed to her real-life story facts. She uses something like her dreams, her emotions, and physical conditions. Through her novel, Charlotte lives a better life through the fiction world. Through her book, Bronte wants to tell people that women can conquer all they face and succeed. Much of this information is relayed through social inequality in society.
Poverty is depicted as a disease that one should fight earnestly. Jane Eyre realizes that she and her family lived in utter poverty and social inequality. Charlotte Bronte writes, “I reflected. Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty…” (Brontë, 2016 p. 40). This excerpt shows that poverty forced Jane to live and work her way out through education and personal development. As a young girl, Jane, is thirsty for knowledge, while Mr. Rochester, her lover, is a highly educated, experienced, and wise man. Also, he is very wealthy and influential. The people of his social class expect him to marry a woman from his social class, in addition to the fact that many women want to marry him. However, Mr. Rochester falls in love with Jane since she seems like a unique woman to him. She seems loyal to her convictions, intelligence, innocence, and modesty. Jane’s strength of character, mind, and morality allows her to succeed in love and her life. However, for Jane to marry Mr. Rochester she has to pass a life exam which is grouped into three phases; the first phase involves proving to the society that she does not just love Mr. Rochester for his money and social status and second she has to prove that she truly loves him and supports him. The third one is that she has to make the right choice, which does not go against her moral principles. Finally, Jane succeeds in proving all these and acquires in her marriage. Also, through her strong spirit and determination, she escapes the problematic situation and finds love and inner satisfaction.
The novel fully demonstrates that God’s providence and blessings extend to all without regard for the poor or the rich. Despite that the rich rule over the poor, in this novel, it is shown that God can deliver one from class oppression and poverty (Comyn, 2018 p. 100). Jane Eyre rises from poverty to the upper-middle class while her aunt Reed goes down due to her ill-treatment for Jane. Either the author shows that divine providence extends to all without regard to their social status. For instance, Jane’s resilience and character create a room for divine intervention in her life. She makes fortunes while her aunt Reed experiences retribution due to her weak nature and attitude towards the poor.
Also, other characters in the novel try to judge Jane just like she also decides other people. Firstly, they noticed her external features like her physical appearance and economic status. However, after getting to know her, they focus on judging her based on her behavior and personality. For instance, Rochester, when he first met her, enquired of her job at the Thornfield, adding that she could not be a servant at the hall (Brontë, 2016 p.121). He later realizes that Jane was not a servant and was not a lady. This made him look further in order to understand her social status. Majorly, he evaluated her on the basis of her appearance. He registers in her mind her less attractive face, which is later described by St Johns as “always plain” (Brontë, 2016 p.333). Her lower social status and less beautiful look at first instance push Rochester away. At first, their relationship is purely professional. Eventually, with the passage of time, Rochester starts loving her intellectual qualities and enjoys her company. He becomes highly fond of her and later asks for her hand in marriage. The proposal is a significant aspect of Rochester’s move. Rochester’s plan shows that he did not basically evaluate Jane on her social status and appearance. Also, it puts in a position where others can criticize the basis of marrying from his social class. However, Rochester’s fears of criticism are weaker than the strength of his love for Jane.
Due to Jane’s class ambiguity, she does not discriminate against other people based on class, as many characters do. For instance, Mr. Fairfax, who is Rochester’s servant, has a harsh opinion for the people from the upper level. Such individuals include Blanche Ingram just because they do not belong to his class, and he does not understand them. For Blanche, she argues that she does not have sympathy, truth, and pity (Brontë, 2016, p.188). Mrs. Fairfax, on the other hand, views Blanche to be a heartless rich woman who does not have a concern for other people. On the other hand, Jane describes Blanche as a beautiful woman whom she thought could fit Rochester better than herself. Jane may not like Blanche as a friend, but then she still recognizes her for her achievements and qualities more than Mrs. Fairfax could do. Jane is able to evaluate others in a more favorable manner. Either the ability of Jane to evaluate Blanche in a more favorable can be associated with spending much time with her. Also, Jane is able to assess members of the lower class favorably than members of the upper level. Such a moment is seen when Rochester appears dressed as a poor gypsy woman. Blanche and other ladies fear the gypsy woman, while Jane is very happy for the opportunity (Brontë, 2016 p.197). The ladies judged the woman based on her physical appearance and could not understand her, while Jane was happy seeing her since she had been in the same situation as the woman.
Marriage in Victorian society is based on wealth and status, while love is rarely considered (Godfrey, 2005). In this novel by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, and Mr. Rochester’s relationship goes against this practice. It becomes clear when Blanche Ingram changes her mind about marrying Mr. Rochester. The attraction between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester was powerful, even without the role of money. The time Jane gets her own money chooses to settle with Mr. Rochester since they already were in love with each other. In the Victorian community, the role and significance of wealth and class are immense. Victorian England parents ensured that their daughters marry people from their social class or higher (Godfrey, 2005). However, if women decided to marry purely for love and fail to consider wealth, she ended up living in poverty, hunger, and homelessness. For instance, Jane’s mother married a weak person because of love. She married the poor clergyman against her parent’s wish, thus risked being poor. The situation her daughter ended in is almost a punishment to her mother for going against the will of the parents and marrying for love.
Wealth and status are of high importance in the Victorian society presented in the novel. However, it is of importance to different people and in various aspects (Bossche, 2005). For instance, Blanche Ingram has a very spiteful character when choosing to marry Mr. Rochester. She only considers his wealth. However, when she goes to gypsy and finds out about Mr. Rochester’s wealth, she decides not to marry him since she does not consider him highly wealthy. On the other hand, Jane Eyre chooses Mr. Rochester on the basis of love. She decides to be his wife because she considers him a gentleman. She also says that wealth and status are only for convenience and not the central aspect of choosing him. Also, Jane aborts the first marriage when Mr. Rochester decides to buy her expensive jewels and clothing. She did not consider this important factor when choosing a marriage partner.
Conclusion
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is no doubt a romance, unlike other romantic novels, it is not just based on private life or the fictitious world, and it displays the social construction of the Victorian society. It is based on the Victorian community, which the novelist lived. The representation of social classes is clearly presented in the novel. For instance, wealth and social status earned one respect. People from different levels did not have an understanding of other social types. Also, one was supposed to marry based on social status and wealth, not based on love. The women who decided to marry based on love were outcasts, lost their families and friends, in addition to losing their inheritance and risk to live in poverty. On the death of Jane Eyre’s parents, she turned out living a miserable life, which is a punishment to her mother for marrying a poor clergyman because of love. Jane Eyre does not belong to a particular class and therefore is less biased when it comes to judging people. The novel shows that poverty is a disease that should be fought with all energy, even if it means marrying just for wealth and status. God’s divine providence was also evident and did not choose between poor and rich, but was based on one’s character.
References
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