Discussion Topic
The portrayal of Romanticism and Victorianism in the romance of Jane Eyre
Summary:
In Jane Eyre, Romanticism is portrayed through the emphasis on emotion, individualism, and nature, as seen in Jane's passionate love and moral integrity. Victorianism is reflected in the social class structure, gender roles, and moral seriousness, evident in the constraints Jane faces and her journey towards self-respect and independence within societal norms.
How is Romanticism portrayed in Jane Eyre?
First, you could start by defining the elements of Romanticism on which you plan to focus in your paper. Several aspects of Romanticism relevant to Jane Eyreinclude first, an emphasis on the ordinary person, second, an emphasis on emotion over reason and third, an emphasis on the supernatural. You could talk about how Jane is an ordinary person, small, an orphan, a governess, not very attractive (she is described as "plain") and insignificant in the eyes of the world, yet like the mouse in Robert Burns "To a Mouse" poem pulses with life in her own sphere. You could then talk about the intense passions both Jane and Rochester feel--the eNotes quotes link has a quote about Jane's tendency to extreme emotions. Finally, you could focus on the scene near the end of the novel, where Jane has a supernatural experience and runs to Rochester when she hears...
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him calling out to her in a dream, only to find his home burned to the ground and Rochester in need of her. Picking out three aspects of Romanticism in the novel and finding quotes or examples to illustrate them is a good way to go about writing a two page paper.