Jane Eyre as an Independent Woman Essay -- Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre as an Independent Woman Jane Eyre was probably the most shocking and controversial novel of it’s time. Not only was it almost unheard of for a readable novel to be written by a woman, but the views and opinions expressed by the character of Jane Eyre were unthinkable and before their time. In the eighteenth century, when Queen Victoria was at the height of her reigning day, People were far more reserved that the people of today. People were much more prudish and kept themselves to themselves. Life, in general, was very class orientated with the aristocrats of the day dominating the social status whilst the poor were ostracized. Therefore, moving to a higher class was near impossible. Society was very much male dominated. Women were expected to obey a man’s commands and were treated inferior to their male superior. Therefore, a novel written by a woman was never read, since it was deemed unworthy to be read by the literature critics all of which were male. Consequently, Charlotte Bronte published under the name Currer bell- a man’s name. We first see Jane’s Independence at Gateshead; she was â€Å"excluded from privileges intended for happy content little children† she was isolated from family activities and this may explain why she was so autonomous, standing up to her elders and the superiority of the young Master John Reed. During a â€Å"moment’s mutiny† she attack’s him in a â€Å"picture of Passion†. This would have been severely frowned upon since it was unheard of for a lady not to know her place and not to strike he benefactress’ son. She documents John Reed as being â€Å"A murder†¦a slave driver†¦like the roman emperors† At this period of time, in which children should be seen and not heard; young lad... ...sing that she truly could not live without Mr. Rochester she goes in search of him and finds Thornfield â€Å"burnt to a cinder† and the residence residing at Fern dean manor For the period of time this book was written, Jane’s thoughts and actions defied the norm for women of the day. Her independence outruns all expectations for women at this period of time, and is probably on par with ladies of today, and rebels against stereotypical images of women that have been present since the bible, such as men being the stronger sex and women needing a man to succeed in life. Although these trivial things are widely accepted as being untrue nowadays in the nineteenth century it was though to be true and many people then saw this novel as shocking and controversial. Therefore I can conclude that Jane was an independent woman of her time and probably ours as well.