Jane Eyre

Summary:  The movie I chose to watch this week was the new rendition of Jane Eyre.  The movie was released this year, 2011 and is a remake of the classic novel by Charlotte Bronte.  The story behind Jane Eyre focuses on the main character, Jane Eyre.  She is a governess that is not said to be especially attractive.  Her childhood is shown to be difficult, as she is raised by her Aunt that dislikes her, and sends her to a very strict and cruel school, Lowood, at a young age.  After graduating Jane is lucky to find work as a governess for a young girl at Thornfield Hall, a large manor house.  It is at Thornfield that Jane meets the house’s “master”, Edward Rochester.  Mr. Rochester shows immediate interest in Jane, though she merely thinks it to be an odd kind of intrigue, not anything based on genuine feelings.  The summertime introduces Blanche Ingram, and she is thought to be Mr. Rochester’s betrothed.  Jane is thoroughly upset by this news, and mourns the loss of a love that she never truly thought could be hers in the first place.  One late evening, Mr. Rochester’s tells Jane that it is not Blanche he wishes to marry, it is Jane, the very plain and poor governess.  The two immediately plan to wed and set up everything for the occasion.  Trouble strikes on the day of the wedding when a man barges into their wedding ceremony screaming that the two can not be married, because Edward Rochester is already married, to his daughter Bertha Mason.  Edward then takes Jane back to Thornfield Hall, where he shows her the place he has kept Bertha locked up for many years, for she has gone mad.  Bertha Rochester is constantly trying to hurt herself, and others.  At one time Edward’s room curiously caught on fire and it had never occurred to Jane that someone may have set it on purpose, but now she knows that someone had, and it was Bertha.  After learning of this great disgrace, Jane runs away from Thornfield Hall, and finds recluse at the home of Diana and Mary Rivers, where their brother St. John helps to get her back to good health, find her a teaching position, and allow her to live in their home and become part of the family.  Jane soon discovers that an uncle of her has passed away, leaving her very rich.  St. John soon offers marriage to Jane and the chance for her to go with him to India, but she declines.  Edward Rochester’s voice has been coming to her mind more and more frequently and she finally gets to where she must see him.  So Jane leaves St. John and heads back to Thornfield only to find the house in ruins, it has burned to the ground.  Edward Rochester is still on the property, blind and pitiful.  Bertha finally succeeded in burning down the house.  Jane and Edward are reunited, and from this point on they are inseparable. 

Analysis:  One of the reasons I chose this particular piece was because I knew it would offer a different perspective than past shows and movies I have written about given that it is a dated story.  This story had a lot to do with class, as do many older stories.  The idea of marrying outside of the class you were born to was thought to be unacceptable, and when it happened, it was regarded as tacky and disrespectful to the family of privilege. Of course, being that Jane was Mr. Rochester’s governess, she was obviously much less fortunate than he was.  Since this novel was published in 1847, it could be said that novels such as this one mirrored societal views, and helped to frame them in a way as well.  In 1847, the only real ways to communicate were through novels and newspapers so novels could easily frame societal ideas, and show the public what the correct way of thinking should be, and that any circumstance that may break that norm is merely a work of fiction. The fact that Jane comes into a serious amount of money before she goes back to Thornfield Hall and it is now acceptable for the two of them to be together.  Since Edward Rochester lost his riches and manor in a fire, it was now acceptable for him to marry Jane, who was at one time thought by society to be “beneath him” because with her money she will be able to place Edward back into the world of privilege to which he is accustomed, and deserves to live in.  Looking at this story in a sense of gender is interesting, because Jane does save Edward in the end.  Their love is finally legitimate through the death of his first wife and comfortable through Jane’s inheritance.  Jane Eyre offers a different twist on the common fairytale ending.  Even though Jane may save Edward, he still saves her as well.  Edward saves Jane from the misunderstood life that she led before meeting him.  Edward is the only person that Jane ever feels completely comfortable with and after she gains her fortune she ends up saving him from desperation.  It is acceptable for this man to be saved by this woman only after he has suffered severe devastation, and has been physically handicapped.  So this breaks the gender norms that we normally see portrayed in media, in the sense that Jane is shown as saving Edward, but only after he is physically and emotionally devastated. 

Reaction: I love this story, and those similar to it like the ones by Jane Austen.  Although this story does not show women in a position of absolute power, it shows that even back in the 1800’s it was possible for women to be strong, intelligent, independent, and still find love.  Stories like this one are what I believe to be the lifting off point for women in literature.  Although Jane is able to break some gender norms by essentially saving Edward Rochester, the only way that she is able to do so is after she collects a ridiculous amount of money from her dead uncle.  If Jane did not inherit that amount of money she wouldn’t have been able to reconnect with Edward in a way that is as romantic and appealing to audiences.  So Jane is the savior, but only after she is shown to be equivalent to Edward in class is she able to do that.  This goes to show that women have to prove themselves worthy in multiple different ways before they can “marry above their means”.  Characters didn’t look at Edward in a negative light when he confessed to loving Jane, but they did look at Jane as though she was unworthy.  So Jane proved herself to be worthy, by inheriting money and becoming his equal so that the two of them are capable of loving one another comfortably.  I think this is a great story, and a launching off point for strong women.