Jane Eyre 3/5

St John vs. Rochester's Proposal

• Rochester's proposal was full of passion and he genuinely loved Jane
• "I offer you my hand, my heart, and a share of all my possesions" (338)
• "pass through life at my side--to be my second self, and best earthly companion"
• views Jane as an equal: "My bride is here because my equal is here, and my likeness" (339)
• "my comforter, my rescuer... my deep love, my wild woe, my frantic prayer" (409)
• "I will at least choose--her I love best" (547)
• On the complete opposite end, St. John has no passion in his proposal to Jane. He sees her as a sturdy workhorse rather than an object of affection
• "not for his pleasure, but for his Sovereign's service" (501)
• "was formed for labor, not for love" (501)
• prizes Jane as a "good soldier would a good weapon" (504)
• "never love me, but he shall approve me" (504)
• does not see her as an equal and would rather for Jane to submit to his will, his philosophies, his way of life
• I think it's St.John idea of marriage and love which pushes Jane back toward Thornfield. Because she scorns the idea so much (492) and recognizes how such a relationship would essentially kill her (512) she is more open to the idea of finding happiness with Rochester
• I think St. John maximizes the "hitch in Jane's character" (392), Rochester was referring to. Jane is like St. John in multiple ways ("docile, diligent, disinterested, faithful, constant, and courageous" (502)), but she realizes she does not want to become him; cold, austere, and unfeeling, sucking the all possible joy out of life
• Jane represents a happy medium between Rochester's intense passion and St. John's self-sacrificing, self-denying philosophy
• "I feel I have adequate cause to be happy, and I will be happy" (489)
• "to keep the fire of my nature continually low... this would be unbearable" (507)
• What are other roles St. John could have played in the development of the novel and/or Jane's character?

Jane priorities

• When Jane finds out she's suddenly 20,000 pounds richer, she does not see it as good news at all because her last claim to family died
• "money came only to me... my isolated self" (480)
• "if you had committed a murder, and I had told you your crime was discovered, you could scarcely look more aghast" (480)
• Jane takes real value in the discovery a family tie to St. John and Diana and Mary; wealth means very little if you have no one to share it with
• "Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch! This was wealth indeed!--wealth for the heart!" (481)
• Also shows her clear concern for Rochester. Despite the fact that her alibi was blown, Jane only cared to learn about how Rochester was doing
• "Just tell me this...what of Mr. Rochester? How and where is he?" What is he doing? Is he well?"

Rochester as a changed man

• before Jane leaves, Rochester was willing to defy the Christian doctrine and enter into polygamy, but he now accepts "the hand of God," knowing his being blind is the consequence of his actions
• also thanks god for his happiness that Jane has returned to him, knowing it could only be Him (551)
• no longer the confident, strong man he was when first introduced, but a powerless man
• viewed as a lamp "waiting to be relit" but "dependent on another for that office"

Love is unbounded

• Jane and Rochester defy importance of social class, age, beauty, and disabilities, promoting the "love knows no boundaries" idea

What other themes can be seen throughout the novel?