AnAnalysisofJaneEyre

　　Thenovelisrichinpoetry,symbolismandmetaphor.Itdoesnotfiteasilyintoadefinitepattern,beingneitheranovelof"manners"inthetraditionofAusten,orastraightforwardGothicRomanceinthestyleofMrsRadcliffe.WhatCharlotteBrontedidwastocreateaworkwhichcleverlyblendselementsofthetwostyles,andwhichremainsuniquelyindependentofthematthesametime,sinceitaddressesissueswhichwereatthetimerathercontroversial.

　　Thenoveliswritteninthefirstperson,andthusmagnifiesthecentralcharacter-thereaderenterstheworldofJaneEyreandistransportedthroughherexperiencesatfirsthand.Thisatoncemakestheworksubjective,especiallysinceweknowthatCharlottesBrontesownlifeandexperiencesweresocloselyinterwovenwiththeheroine's.AswellasthiswelearnonlyattheendofthenovelthattheeventsarebeingrelatedtoustenyearsafterthereconciliationwithRochester-thusthenarrativeisRETROSPECTIVE(lookingback).CBiscleverinblendingthenarrativesothatattimesJaneseemstobespeakingasanadultwithadulthindsight,whileatothersshesheis"inthemiddle"ofthem,asachildoryoungwoman.Theindecisionwhichisacentralissueinthebook,isheightenedbythisdevice.Weneverknow,asreaders,whethertobeentirelytrustfulofJanesactionsandthoughts,becauseweareneversurewhehersheisspeakingimpulsivelyormaturely.

　　Thisintensifiesthereadersdilemmaastowhatis"right"and"wrong"inthedramaticrelationshipswhicharepartofJE'slife.Canwebelievewhattheheroinesays,orisshedeceivingherself?Thenovelisprimarilyalovestoryanda"romance"wherewishescometruebutonlyaftertrialsandsuffering.Thesupernaturalhasitsplace,asdodreams,portentsandprophesies.Theheroinebeginspoorandlonelyandendsuprichandloved;theorphanfindsagoodfamilytoreplacethewickedone;allthebasicingredientsofclassicromanticfairytalearepresent.

　　TheromanticelementispresentintwoformsinJaneEyre;the"family"aspectisdealtwithintheGateshead,LowoodandMoorHouseepisodes,whichinvolvetheexchangingofthewickedReedfamilyforthebenevolentRiversone;andtheLoveromanceisdealtwithintheThornfieldandFerndeanepisodes.Bothaspectsare,ofcourselinkedandinterwoventhroughoutthenovel.

　　Thereisalsoastrongelementofrealisminthenovel,which,marriedtotheromanticaspect,enhancesthenovel'sstrength.Thesenseofplaceisverystrong;weareabletoexperiencebothexteriorandinteriorsettingswithstartlingclaritythroughoutthestory,inaseriesofvividdeivepassages.Thecentralcharactersarealsorealisticandtheirconfrontationsandsufferingschangetheminabelievableway.

　　Eventheunlikelyismadeplausible,withauniqueblendofhighdramaandperceptivelowcomedy(theattackonMason,forinstance)

　　Themorefantasticromanticaspects;thecoincidences;thesecrets;thesupernaturaloccurrences,arebalancedbytherealism,andthisisofcourseamajorstrength.

　　TheGothicinfluencecannotbeignored,althoughCBhasrefinedthetechniqueconsiderablyfromthe"authentic"Gothicofthe1790's.Intheoriginalgenre,theheroinewouldtypicallybeabductedandthreatenedwithseduction,orworse!.Therewouldbealover-arespectable,well-bredyoungman-whowouldendeavortorescuetheheroineandwouldsucceedafterma