Jane Eyre

Is "Jane Eyre" a feminist novel? Why or why not?

Yes, it most certainly is! Even though we meet Jane under the control of different men during her life, first at the Reed's, with Abbot, then Brocklehurst at Lowood, Rochester, her love, and St. John, a man "not likely to be refused," Jane still triumphs. She succeeds in making decisions that are morally right though they break her heart; she must travel through her life alone for all her early years, and when she is reunited with Rochester, it is her decision. Jane does not depend on her beauty or feminine charm to trick men and is never afraid to speak truthfully about matters whether they be painful or not. Jane can be viewed as one of the first 'career' women to make it in a man's world; when she marries, it is by choice. Jane Eyre becomes the strongest character in the novel.

This is one of those questions that can be debated either way. If we compare it to today;'s literature, obviously the women characters are not at all liberated. However, literature needs to be read in context. During this victorian era, women did take a back seat to men. They were expected to marry the right man for example. In this respect, Jane Eyre would be considered a feminist novel because she turned down marriage proposals that many at the time would be considered respectable proposals. She turned them down because she did not want to settle. She never took the easy road and ventured onto her own to find her own way. This was a bold statement for this time period though many women writers at this time were showing stronger women characters.