Jane Eyre is a feminist novel written by Charlotte Bronte in 1847. The novel follows the life of Jane, an orphaned young woman who grows up in the care of her abusive aunt and later becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. Through her experiences, Jane learns to assert herself and to demand respect and autonomy in a society that often denies these rights to women.
One of the key themes of the novel is the oppression of women in the Victorian era. At the beginning of the novel, Jane is a poor and powerless orphan who is constantly mistreated by her aunt and cousins. Despite her intelligence and strong will, she has no control over her own life and is forced to endure constant abuse and neglect. As she grows older and begins to work as a governess, she finds that she is still treated as an inferior being, with little agency or autonomy.
However, as the novel progresses, Jane begins to assert herself and to demand respect and equality. She refuses to be treated as a subservient servant, and instead asserts her own autonomy and agency. This is seen most notably in her relationship with Mr. Rochester, the wealthy and mysterious owner of Thornfield Hall. Despite his initial attempts to control and manipulate her, Jane refuses to be treated as a mere possession and instead demands equal treatment and respect.
Another important theme of the novel is the double standard that exists for men and women in the Victorian era. Throughout the novel, it is clear that men are afforded more rights and privileges than women. They are able to own property and inherit wealth, while women are often left penniless and dependent upon the men in their lives. This double standard is exemplified in the character of Mr. Rochester, who is able to marry and divorce at will, while Jane is punished for her independent choices.
Overall, Jane Eyre is a powerful feminist novel that highlights the oppression and double standards that women faced in the Victorian era. Through the character of Jane, Bronte demonstrates the importance of assertiveness and autonomy in the fight for gender equality. By refusing to be controlled and demanding equal treatment and respect, Jane is able to gain a measure of independence and agency that was often denied to women in her society.
My Last Duchess Summary & Analysis
One of the most famous poems in this collection is My Last Duchess. This is a hint of modesty in the persona of the Duke which we previously thought to be consumed by arrogance. Thus, he decides to lesson her on loving everything so easily. Without elaborating, the Duke beckons the envoy to accompany him downstairs and on the way, points at the bronze statue of the God, Neptune taming an innocent sea horse thereby, providing him an obvious hint of his authoritative personality. The Duke in this poem uses his power to control a woman, his duchess. Even art objects serve as tools of demonstrating power; the portrait of the Duchess seem to endow the Duke the uncanny feat of controlling the lifeless duchess.
My Last Duchess Poem Summary And Line By Line Analysis By Robert Browning In English • English Summary
Everything made her glad and impressed. The Duke was, it seems, desperate to get special attention and appreciation of his Duchess for his costly gifts and his rank, but in vain. It is a rare statue specially carved out on bronze for the Duke by Claus of Innsbruck, Austria. Even if he could tell her what she could change, she might give excuses or might not agree with the Duke to change herself. Her smiled stopped forever. The Duke of Ferrara Towards the end as well, he moves on to showing the other paintings in his collection to his listener as if murdering his wife was not a big deal at all. She did not distinguish among some costly ornament given by the Duke, the beauty of the sunset, a branch of cherries brought by a subordinate and the mule on which she rode around the terrace.
My Last Duchess Section IV (Lines 35
However, he clarifies that, as he told them earlier, the beautiful daughter of the count is his main object. She rode with round the terrace—all and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, This explains how all of the things that the Duke has listed in the previous 4 lines all seem to give the Duchess equal satisfaction. But, he also says that her deep and zealous glance was not just for the Duke and her nature was quite jovial. The effect created by the tension between sympathy and judgment is a striking characteristic of dramatic monologues. The Duke responds to everyone before they ask since he can read their faces and anticipates their questions.
