Jane Eyre- Social Issues

Question #5

Jane Eyre tells the story of a young girl’s hardships as she contrives to make a way for herself as a school governess. Through the voice of Jane, the young girl, Charlotte Bronte provides a harsh social commentary on the time period and setting in which Jane lives her life. While at Lowood Jane is forced to endure terrible hardships as a young girl, as Mr. Brocklehurst puts it, for the sake of “salvation.” Helen Burns, however, teaches Jane about God and how to be a quiet, submissive Christian. The foil between these two characters illustrates the horrid conditions in schools and the hypocrisy of many preachers. Even today, we can learn a lesson from Helen Burns. It is true that the novel is accurate to history; many agree that the events in Jane Eyre mirror the events in Charlotte Bronte’s own life. (Melani)

In addition to the hardships and hypocrisy found at Lowood, Jane Eyre speaks out against the oppression of women. In the era that the novel was published, women were expected to perform their household duties without branching out into the world with their talents. Jane acts as the voice for these women, blatantly speaking out against their lot in life. “It is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.” Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre under a male pen name, and used events and social customs to build her novel and speak out against her lot in life.

Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Random House, 1943. Print