Background on Charlotte Bronte:
- only lived to age 39
- lived in rural Yorkshire known as the "Moors"
- went to boarding school where two of her sisters died, just like the girls in Lowood
- she and her sisters wrote intensively together; they all worked as governesses and failed
- distanced herself from Jane Eyre by publishing under "Currer Bell"
Religion:
- Helen represents the modern view of religion (one of hope) while Brocklehurst represents the old view of religion (which is about suffering)
- Both Helen and Brocklehurst are very opinionated in their views
- Jane's emotional gospel: justice, speaks out
- Helen's emotional gospel: puts faith in God, subservient
- Rochester's own moral code: existentialism, his own morality
Romantic versus gothic: many gothic scenes (Red room, Bertha, ominous dreams, nighttime visits)
Modern view of feminism: women shouldn't be confined to cooking, sewing, etc. She values mental and emotional action; furthermore, Jane is guided more by empathy than anything else
No comments:
Post a Comment