In this essay, I will try to explore the theory that Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847) was not written with the intention of being received as a feminist text. During the Victorian era in which the text was written, the role of women was considered, at best, only suitable for the domestic sphere (Hughes, 2014). However, after the publication of her poem "The Angel in the House" (1854), Patmore's poem coined the phrase that was to be adopted into it by any woman in the house deemed to be of the utmost piety and purity. Charlotte Brontë undoubtedly renounced society which refused to accept her for exactly the woman she was, the belief is that Brontë skillfully contradicted society through her writings and that her biographical portrayal of the character Jane Eyre is ultimately the opposite of how Patmore portrayed him his wife and his morality. Patmore describes his wife as an angel saying, “The perfect flower of love blooms only where noble manners veil the flaw, angels may be familiar” (p.140). Although Brontë initially published this text in 1847 under the pseudonym 'Currer Bell' in a masculine tone to disguise her femininity, the argument that will be made is not that this was performed in a feminist manner, but that of a person who feared retaliation and ridicule. . We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Firstly, this essay will look at the history of that period and compare it to the definition of feminism and indeed why it is not believed that Brontë wrote this novel with a feminist vision. During the Victorian era of 1837-1901 feminism began to emerge as a powerful political force, with a change of views and the beginning of charitable missions, the Victorian female consensus changed. Women began to believe that they no longer needed to be protected from the public sphere. The literature of the 19th and 20th centuries was developing, as well as in society, regarding the position of women, respect for equality with men, or more precisely as Martin Luther stated in the book (Luther's Table Speech, 1832 ) the following: “Women should stay at home, stay put, look after the house, give birth and raise children. A woman is, or at least should be, a friendly, courteous and cheerful companion in life, honor and ornament of the home, and inclined to tenderness, because for this they are created primarily, to bear children and to be the pleasure, the joy and the comfort of their husbands", the word feminism comes from the French word feminisme, according to the Cambridge online dictionary the definition of feminism is the belief that women should be afforded the same rights, power and opportunities as men and women. be treated equally same way or the set of activities intended to achieve this status. Feminist movement refers to campaigns for reform on issues such as voting rights, equal pay and reproductive rights. In response to Brontë's novel, Elizabeth's novel review Rigby is stern, advising in the Quarterly Periodical (1848) Rigby attacks the novel's morality, strongly disapproving of the novel and the way Jane Eyre is presented: "It is a most remarkable book: we remember none other than you combine such genuine potency with such horrendous taste.' Jane Eyre is widely considered to be one of the first feminist novels, however it is believed that in the context of Victorian England, Jane Eyre could be considered feminist, but only to a certain extent. The representation ofCoventry Patmore of what he considered the perfect Victorian woman was made clear in his poetry written to adorn his wife Emily (originally published 1854, revised until 1862). Who considered a perfect woman or an angel of the house, within this title the expectations of the woman are that she is devoted, understanding, pious and above all pure. The following excerpt provides insight into how the ideal relationship between man and woman is presented: the man must be satisfied; but pleasing him is the pleasure of the woman; into the abyss Of her condoled needs She throws the best of herself, she throws herself. How often does she throw herself for nothing, and yoke her heart to an icicle or a whim, of which every impatient word provokes another, not from her, but from him; While she, too kind even to force his penance with kind answers, waits, expecting his remorse, with forgiveness in her pitiful eyes[...] She leans and cries against his chest, and seems to think that the sin was his; Or whatever eye may see her charms, At all times, she is still his wife, Dearly devoted to his arms; Love with a love that cannot tire; And when, alas, she loves alone, Out of passionate duty love blossoms higher, As the grass grows taller around a stone. However, Carol Christ writes that "The Angel in the House is not a beautiful poem, but it is culturally significant for its definition of the sexual ideal." Although society has grown quite a bit in the last two hundred years, what may have seemed incredibly feminist in the nineteenth century is contradictory to twenty-first century feminism. Jane's actions are deeply rooted in her moral beliefs and ability to make conscious life choices for herself is unquestionably feminist, yet she fails to fully free herself from an oppressive, marriage-obsessed culture. The argument that Jane's character is not that of a feminist becomes clear on her wedding day, when at the altar about to marry her love Jane discovers that Rochester is already married to Bertha and Brontë writes that Jane, " that had been an ardent, expectation the woman, almost bride, was again a cold and lonely girl: her life was pale; her prospects were bleak' (Brontë, 2006, p.341). written that Jane was welcomed as a feminist character, this statement presented portrays Jane with the opposite intent. It is well known that for the 19th century woman, marriage was probably the most profound and far-reaching institution that would influence her path of. life; women who entered into marriage, however, in doing so abdicated any form of political freedom and financial issues. Gender conflict is a recurring theme in Jane Eyre, Jane is vulnerable to the patriarchal system and it is suggested that the fear of Jane Eyre's retaliation and mockery began at the cruel hands of the Master. John Reed, though only a schoolboy of about fourteen, Jane informs, "bullied me and punished me"; not two or three times a week[...] but continuously'. Jane, however, shows her contempt for his cruelty and self-imposed superiority by speaking to him in an equally derogatory tone: "You wicked, cruel boy!" I said, "You're like a murderer, you're like a slaver" (p.13). This is the first of many chapters in which Jane's battle against the patriarchal, male-centered, and controlling organization begins (Abrams, 1993). . Jane initially fights against John Reed and then faces further retaliation from other patriarchal figures within the novel. Throughout the text it is clear that there is an ideological division between the public sphere (male dominance, paid work, interested in politics) and theprivate (domiciliary role of the woman). Both of these ideologies had vast significance in the Victorian era and subsequent years. A Victorian woman residing outside her private sphere is implausible, or, as Dr. Theophilus Hyslop stated in 1905, "The removal of a woman from the natural sphere of domestic life to that of mental labor only makes her less fitted for maintain the virility of life." the race'. Jane makes a statement in chapter six, which is presented to the reader, saying that she would actually argue with that statement mentioned by Hyslop as he says that 'No one knows how many rebellions other than political ones brew in the masses of life [...] they should be very calm in general: but women feel exactly the same as men feel." Furthermore, Dr. Hyslop further states that 'Indeed, the higher the woman endeavors to hold the torch of the intellect, the dimmer will be the rays of light for the vision of her progeny.' It is argued that if Brontë truly intended to present Jane Eyre as a feminist model, why did the social constraints remain, the chains of oppression intact and the boundaries left accordingly? There is a clear indication in chapter six that Jane has an opinion and is taking a stand through her writings that women should not be confined to the home and allowed to work like their fellow men: "They need exercise to their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; [...] it is mean of their most privileged creatures to say that they should confine themselves to baking cakes and knitting socks, to playing the piano and to embroider bags. It is reckless to condemn or mock them if they try to do more or learn more than custom has deemed necessary for their sex." and Susan Gubar state that "it was Charlotte who provided the noms de plume which were deliberately ambiguous in the genre". They further state that Brontë had the power to create the characters the way she wanted, however, Rigby disputes Brontë's creation of the role. of the governess, the governess, a woman who is employed in a family to educate the children, in a way that describes that "A governess is not a real woman, but a burden on society" (Rigby, 1848, p.507 ). However, Eagleton presents that Jane and her role as governess must be considered as follows: 'She is a superior servant and therefore (unlike, presumably, other servants) [...] she lives at that ambiguous point in the social structure [ . ..] in which two worlds meet and collide'. From the beginning of the novel it becomes clear that Jane is an independent woman, this fact is not in dispute. Sent to live with her aunt, the cruel Mrs. Reed, Jane is forced to do everything alone, because she has no money or a real family of her own. The first introduction to women in the novel, such as the unfeminine woman that is Mrs. Reed, allows for a perception of her in such a way that she is not portrayed as a female character, but as a more masculine figure in chapter 1 "She was a woman of robust build, with square shoulders and strong limbs, not tall and, although robust, not obese". Mrs. Reed's assertion of masculinity is further confirmed by Jane, when she says that "her family and her tenants were completely under her control." This clearly indicates that Jane, although residing with a female relative, felt the strong patriarchal presence from an early age of just ten. That is, however, until she discovers through St. John Rivers in chapter 33 that her uncle, a Mr. Eyre of Madeira, has died and has, in fact, gifted his fortunes to Jane. St. John Rivers informs her in a few words.