For a long time now, children around the world have found themselves captivated by the big, fluffy, and extravagant dresses that seem to characterize the idea of women of the Victorian era. However, many people overlook the implications of being a woman during this time, much like the tight corsets also worn by women. Victorian society was divided into three social classes: lower, middle, and upper. These classes were further divided into race, religion, occupation, and gender, determining an individual’s character and potential in life. Charlotte Bronte’s Gothic novel, Jane Eyre, critiques the Victorian era’s social and gender structures through Jane’s rejection of prejudice, gender inequalities, and societal norms, highlighting her journey toward independence and equality.
Bronte portrays Jane, the orphaned daughter of a clergyman, and her dehumanizing experiences throughout her childhood to highlight how they shape her views against a class divided society. When Jane is forced into the red room, she protests against Bessie and Miss Abbot who were ordered to lock her in after defending herself against her cousin’s abuse. The red room, with its cold and oppressive atmosphere, symbolizes the barriers Jane faces both emotionally and socially, as an orphan of the lower class during the Victorian era. Miss Abbot, remaining loyal to the mistress of the house, Jane’s aunt, expresses her belief that “[Jane] ought not to think [herself] on an equality with the Misses and Master Reed” as they had “a great deal of money, and [Jane] will have none”(Bronte 14). Bronte establishes Jane’s place in society through a portrayal of events from her early childhood. More specifically, although Jane is related to the Reed family, she inherited no money from her late parents, creating a social and economic gap between herself and her extended family. Being in a separate social class meant that she was treated differently than her aunt and cousins, no less than a servant. Here, Bronte illustrates that in Victorian society, money was a symbol of status, something clearly demonstrated when Mr. Lloyd is brought in to treat Jane after she faints. Mr. Lloyd was an apothecary who was “sometimes called in by Mrs. Reed when the servants were ailing” (Bronte 21). When Mrs. Reed and her children were sick, “she employed a physician” (Bronte 21) instead. From Reed’s perspective, Jane’s lower social status in contrast with those of her cousins made her unqualified to receive treatment from their family doctor. Jane, who was treated with the same respect as a servant could expect to receive, “would work extra diligently to make sure the servants were constantly aware of their inferiority” (Oneill 221). As Jane’s social status automatically determined her worth, this treatment was inevitable due to the fact that she had no other family or income, meaning she would either live on the streets or be sent to an orphanage. The treatment she received as a member of the lower class altered how Jane perceived the ethical nature of societal norms.
Further, Bronte illustrates how people of a higher class expected their employees to act with class while treating them inadequately, causing Jane to be aware of the inequality in society. When Rochester tells Jane to go to the library, he orders her to “sit down to the piano and play a tune” and after to “fetch [him her] portfolio” (Bronte 146). This indicated that Rochester is testing Jane to see if she had the education needed to be Adele’s governess, belittling Jane. It is also shown that Rochester does not believe Jane’s portfolio is her original work, conveying that he does not think someone of the lower class can teach. Bronte demonstrates that lower and middle class women were usually “not educated for a life beyond marriage and child-rearing” (Stone Sanders 51), and even if they were educated, aristocrats rarely approved of them due to their status. Even if governess met the social and educational standards of the high class to teach, they were not treated fairly. Additionally, certain aristocrats thought that they “suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice” (Bronte 206), even calling them detestable, ridiculous, and incubi. They thought this while admitting that they never “suffered much from them; [taking] care to turn the tables” (Bronte 207). This illustrated that people of higher class disrespected the lower classes, showing prejudice towards their ability and character. Rochester’s initial prejudice to Jane’s education required to be a governess emphasizes the dismissal of working women in the Victorian era, even when they had the qualifications. Bronte critiques the double standard, revealing the social tensions between needed skills and underestimating those who possess them. People in the higher class expected a lot from their governesses, yet they played tricks on them. To aristocrats, an individual’s social status and gender determined their worth, but they still expected high performance. Bronte expresses the treatment of a governess and their position in high society. Jane faced prejudice from her standing in social class, which caused the doubting of her abilities, and how people behave towards her. When Jane keeps being undermined, she realizes it is because of her social status and solidifies her stance on social classes.
When Jane is introduced to money through inheritance and joins high Victorian society, Jane marries Rochester, feeling comfortable as his equal, breaking Victorian gender ideals and social norms of the upper class. At Thornfield Manor, long before Jane and Rochester’s official marriage, Jane thought that she could have a bit of independence, now that Jane had a relationship with her Uncle John. Having a source of independence was important to Jane as “[she] never [could] bear being dressed like a doll by Mr. Rochester”(Bronte 314). Jane is hesitant to marry Rochester because she wants to be treated as an independent woman. By refusing to marry Rochester until after she received her inheritance, Jane expresses her independence. Without her Uncle, Jane felt burdened with using Rochester’s money, but with her uncle in the picture, Jane had a source of money that brought her a step closer to being Rochester’s equal, something unheard of in Victorian society. Although Bronte emphasizes that true equality in relationships comes not from wealth, but mutual respect and independence, Bronte shows that it was nearly impossible for a husband and a wife to be equal due to the strict Victorian culture. Men were expected to be wealthy, loyal, moral, and intelligent, whereas women were presumed to be beautiful, submissive, motherly, and second to their men. Jane, being loyal, moral, and intelligent, met the ideal for men instead of women, which broke social norms. When Jane leaves Thornfield, she becomes rich inheriting thousands of pounds, she becomes someone of high class due to her newfound money, making Rochester and Jane in the same social class. When she comes back to Rochester and gets married, Jane believes that “[she is her] husband’s life as fully as he is [her’s]” (Bronte 526). It is acceptable for them to be married, however, having an equal relationship of two people was not. Males were supposed to be the head of the household, while women were always to be second to their husbands. Women were told to be wise, “not for self-development, but for self-renunciation: wise, not that she may set herself above her husband, but that she may never fail from his side” (Stone Sanders 90). Jane married Rochester as his equal which defied social norms. Bronte, being a feminist, believes that marriage should happen as each other’s equals. This doesn’t mean that they have to be in the same social class, instead, it means that both partners should treat each other the same. The breaking of social norms is seen through Jane’s want to be treated as equals, no matter the situation, and her ability to fight for her ideals.
While Bronte’s Jane Eyre presents a critique of Victorian social and gender norms, some might argue that the novel reinforces the era’s social structures. Jane’s inheritance and rise in social class allowed Jane to achieve equality with Rochester, implying that wealth was the reasoning behind her marriage rather than her character or love. However, Jane’s experience throughout the novel shows that her integrity and morality are what make her Rochester’s equal, not her wealth since the inheritance simply removes the barriers that come with society. Additionally, while Jane’s independence is emphasized, her choice to have a traditional marriage where she takes on the role of a wife and caregiver of her disabled husband suggests that the ideals of Victorian women are still at play. Yet, by recognizing that the marriage between Jane and Rochester is out of mutual respect and choice, with Jane’s role as a caregiver is rooted in love and equality, and not submission, Jane still rejects the social norms of the Victorian era.
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre criticizes the Victorian social and gender norms through the struggles Jane faces of inequality and prejudice based on her gender and social class, which persists in various forms today. As our world is still struggling with inequalities, Bronte’s depiction of Jane’s morality and independence emphasizes the importance of challenging societal expectations and advocating for equality. It is crucial to prioritize education, destroy bias, and create opportunities that allow individuals to pass the limitations imposed by class, gender, and background. Bronte’s work invites readers to reflect on past injustices, but also suggests creating a future where one’s worth is determined by character, not society.
Annotated Bibliography
Oneill, Therese. “10 Being a Good Wife: How to Avoid His Eventual Resentment for as Long as Possible.” Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners, Little, Brown and Company, New York, New York, 2016, pp. 193–238.
Oneill’s main focus in chapter 11 is to introduce how the upper class in the Victorian era treated servants like pieces of furniture. Oneill explains that servants were often regarded not as individuals with their own rights but as an extension of the household. They were expected to be invisible and always aware of their inferiority in status. However, Oneill also highlights the perspective that while servants should recognize their inferiority, they should be treated with a sense of benevolence by their employers. Oneill reflects the complex and hierarchical Victorian society, where kindness was extended within the boundaries of class.
I am analyzing Bronte’s Jane Eyre with the critical lens of gender and societal roles. Oneill’s focus to inform her readers on the role of the wife and the servant in chapter 11 of Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners, clearly illustrates what was expected of Jane during her whole stay at Rochester’s Thornfield Hall, especially regarding her social limitations and expectations. Jane, when fulfilling her responsibilities as a governess, originally is given standard treatment of a servant, but throughout the novel, her role transforms as she becomes Rochester’s lover, breaking the expectations traditionally given to household workers.
Stone, Pamela Kendall, and Lise Sanders. “3 Girlhood, Adolescence, and Sexuality.” Bodies and Lives in Victorian England: Science, Sexuality, and the Affliction of Being Female. Routledge, 2021, pp. 49-87.
Stone and Sanders in the section Girlhood, Adolescence, and Sexuality of chapter three, The Good Mother and the Proper Wife, highlights the Victorian era’s women education. Stone and Sanders talk about the differences between a working, middle class, and upper class women’s education. A woman would be educated in the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic, and more for upper class women. An upper class woman would be taught for the purpose of increasing a young woman’s attractiveness to male suitors. Working and middle class girls in the Victorian era would be educated at home and upper class women would have governesses.
The chapter Girlhood, Adolescence, and Sexuality in the book Bodies and Lives in Victorian England, Science, Sexuality, and the Affliction of Being Female will be used in my essay to analyze Jane Eyre’s education and role as a governess in the Victorian era. In Jane Eyre, it would have been odd that Jane, a middle class woman, would have been educated so deeply. However, many governesses were from the middle class. Stone and Sanders explain that women in the upper class were educated for attractiveness, which differs greatly from the education of middle-class women, who were often taught practical skills to support themselves financially. This distinction highlights Jane’s role as a governess, viewed as inferior by both the upper class.
Stone, Pamela Kendall, and Lise Sanders. “4 The Good Mother and the Proper Wife.” Bodies and Lives in Victorian England: Science, Sexuality, and the Affliction of Being Female. Routledge, 2021, pp. 88-91.
Stone and Sanders in the section Marriage and the Construction of the Family of chapter four, The Good Mother and the Proper Wife, highlights how in the Victorian era a woman should never fail from her husband’s side, not setting herself above her husband. A wife is said to be a source of wisdom for her husband and children. In the middle and upper class, women had significant effects on economics, society, and culture. Stone and Sanders specify that both Victorian men and women struggled to grasp the idea of gender differences in marriage, especially as science evolved and the idea that education would disrupt the women’s role as wives continued.
This chapter in the book Bodies and Lives in Victorian England: Science, Sexuality, and the Affliction of Being Female will be used in my essay to analyze Jane Eyre’s attitude towards her marriage in the Victorian era. Jane, although she never fails from her husband’s side, clearly has the upper hand in her marriage to Rochester, especially as he is disabled. However, I believe her education is also a factor. Being a governess, Jane is clearly educated, and as Stone and Sanders state in their book, education might be a cause of disruption in a woman’s role as a typical wife.