This book is set in the late 1800's, around the same time period that Charlotte Bronte lived in. Throughout the book, I noticed the cultural and social differences from our own time period.
In the book, women did not have the same rights as men. They seemed to be expected to be the tiny little wives that bent to their husbands every will and dealt with the household affairs. When they were married, they were permanently bound to their husbands, and in the book, I noticed how Jane realized this and thought hard and long about if she should accept St. John’s proposal.
The book reflects the attitudes of the men. In the book, Rochester and St. John are the representation of rich men in the 1800’s. They were both in charge and were the boss of the house. They had servants to help them and keep their houses. They lived good lives and did not think about the poor. The rich and the poor were highly separated, as were the poor from the middle class. As Jane experiences poverty and starvation after having spent her money on a trip out of Thornfield, she discovers how awful the poor are treated. (Bronte, 374-390) Wandering hungry, she experiences the feeling of having nothing and depending on little scraps of food.
This book represents the issues of that time period: The intense separation of classes and inequality between gender and money possession.
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003.
No comments:
Post a Comment