Jane Eyre

1
Jane Eyre

• XI-XIX Jane as a Governess in Thornfield --
  Service vs. Pursuit of Freedom and Love

2
Outline

• Review Chap I-X
• Jane as a governess
• Her desire
• Attraction between Jane and Rochester
• The Polite Society
• The Gothic Elements
• The Aliens Grace Poole and Mr. Mason

3
Review Chaps I-IV
Chap I Jane alone vs. The Reed family -- Reading and looking out of the window -- rebellion in frantic sort
Chap II Red room and her sense of injustice
Chap III Mr. Lloyds visit, gives Jane a choice between poverty or school -- Book Gullivers Travels, Bessies song sad
Chap IV The visit of Mr. Brocklehurst --Book Psalms are not interesting 28 --Mrs. Reed Jane a liar 28 Janes 1st victory speaking up against Mrs. Reed -- her remorse 
4
Review Chaps V-X
Chap V Departure (Jane clung to Bessie) Lowoodpoor food, sharing the same mug for drinking water. Helen Burns reading and explanation of the school and teachers Burns punished
Chap VI Helen Burns punishment (beaten with twigs, slattern) continues discussion with Jane (endure it denies her own merit Love your enemy)
Chap VII The visit of Mr. Brocklehurst Jane picked up as a liar
Chap VIII Helen conscience more important than the world Turning point 64 -65 Jane inspired by Helen and Ms. Temple Helen punished again 64
Chap IX Spring comes. Death of Helen Burns 71
Chap X Lowood reformed Ms. Temple married. Jane stays in Lowood for 8 years and then seeks a teaching position elsewhere. I desire liberty (74) Bessies visit before she leaves for Thornfield.
5
Discussion Questions

• Governess How is Jane positioned as a governess
  in Thornfield? Is she treated like a servant?
• Jane and Rochester How is Rochester related to
  Jane? How does she change her views of
  Rochester?
• What does Jane Desire? What are the function of
  the laugh she hears?
• The Polite Society How does Jane see the
  aristocratic friends Rochester brings home?
• What are the functions of charade and the gypsy
  woman?

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Jane in Thornfields

• Inexperienced
• Expected to be received coldly
• thought Mrs. Fairfax to be the owner
• 2. Hierarchy closer to housekeeper (84)
• 3. Knowledgeable (French)
• 4. Books in the library (90) limited to light
  readings

• The guests views of governesses (XVII)
• half of them detestable and the rest ridiculous,
  and all incubi

7
Janes Desire

• aspirations and regrets about her appearance
  (XI 86)
• Curious s Mr. Rochester an exacting, fastidious
  sort of man? (91)
• ? Mrs. Fairfaxs view of Rochester (XI 92)
• Restlessness vs. tranquility (95-)

• The laugh (XI 93, 94, XII 96 XV 130)

8
The Gothic Elements

• The house more like a church (chill and
  vaultlike 85)
• (XI 92) The third floor a shrine of memory
  like a Bluebeards castle (93)

9
Mr. Rochester

• XIII (109) giving orders -- Go into the
  libraryI mean, if you please. (Excuse my tone of
  command I am used to say "Do this," and it is
  done)
• (111) between orders and curiosity I had scarce
  tied the strings of the portfolio, when, he said
  abruptly,it is nine o'clock what are you
  about, Miss Eyre, to let Adèle sit up so long?
  Take her to bed.
• (112)-- Rochesters family history explained

10
Mr. Rochester and Jane- Intellectual Equals
Sympathy to Love

• XIV Exchanges of Their Equally Intelligent
  Minds, Sympathy Aroused
• do you think me handsome? (115) -- No
• Rochesters appearance denied, authority defined
  (117-18) and past seen as degenerate (119-20)
  impossible to be conventional with Jane
• XV Celine Varens // Bertha (the laugh) ? the
  fire drawing them closer. (calling her witch,
  sorceress)
• XVI Jane both fears and desires meeting him
  draws pictures of herself and Ingram to
  understand her own position.

11
Mr. Rochester and Jane- Growing Sympathy to Love
XVII governess discussed

• Jane

• Rochester

• End of XVII you are so much depressed that a
  few more words would bring tears to your
  eyesGood-night, my --'.
• XVIII-XIX the gypsy womans fortune-telling 173
  cold, sick, silly contradictions on her face

• XVII her attention on him (153) but he never
  turned his eyes (155)
• XVIII cannot unlove him (163)
• Jane reflects a while whether she forgives R
  serves him by offering him her shoulders 179

12
The Polite Society and Beyond

• XVII 145 Rich, well--adorned
• Rochester in the center, dull without him.
• Lady Ingram pompous, dogmatic
• Marriage (for money and class) with Ingram good
  French, showy, shallow, her mind was poor,
  (XVIII 163)
• Janes feelings from pain not jealousy?,
  despair, to becoming lenient to her master
  (163-65)

• Adeles mother
• (XI) opera dancer
• -- teach her to dance and sing,
• -- surrounded by a lot of gentlemen and ladies
• -- a song about a forsaken lady

13
The Odd Grace Poole Mr. Mason

• Grace Poole
• always alone (except for one hour)
• a mystery in Thornfield (145)
• Mason
• too relaxed
• eyes revealing a tame, vacant life (167)
• From West Indies (168)
• A big blow to Rochester

14
Turning Points Major Motifs

• The laugh breaking social bounds
• meeting Rochester outside Thornfield
• the fire
• Disguise a way to violate social norms?
• A. Charade a. bride and groom, b. Rebekah and
  Isaac, c. Bridewell (which is actually a prison)
  
• B. the gypsy woman
• Reader, I could not unlove him. direct address
  to Victorian readers