An Analysis of Jane Eyre`s Character in Jane Eyre.doc

本科生畢業(yè)論文（設(shè)計(jì)）題目An Analysis of Jane Eyres Character in Jane Eyre 姓名 學(xué)號(hào) 院系外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)院 專(zhuān)業(yè)英語(yǔ) 指導(dǎo)教師 職稱(chēng) 教授 曲阜師范大學(xué)杏壇學(xué)院教務(wù)處制An Analysis of Jane Eyres Character in Jane EyreA ThesisSubmitted toXingtan CollegeQufu Normal UniversityIn Partial Fulfillment of the RequirementsFor the Degree of Bachelor of ArtsBy Zhang WeidongUnder the Supervision of Sun Huaxiang - 13 -ACKOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebted to Sun Huaxiang, my supervisor, who has given me constant and valuable advice, read my drafts through meticulously and offered incisive comments on them. Without his help, the thesis could never have reached its present form. I am also grateful to the Professor who has provided me with useful materials, given me valuable advice and polished the thesis as well. My sincere gratitude also goes to all my teachers who have given me excellent lectures and great help, which are indispensable to the completion of this thesis. I also give my hearty thanks to all my classmates who have offered generous help and useful suggestions in the process of writing this thesis. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to all the writers whose works have been referred to in this thesis. ABSTRACTThis thesis deals with the character of Jane Eyre in Charlotte Brontes novel Jane Eyre. The thesis is mainly divided into five chapters. The first chapter briefly introduces Charlotte Brontes life, literary achievements and her famous novel Jane Eyre. Chapter two mainly analyses the different characters of Jane Eyre. Chapter three mainly analyses the development of Jane Eyres character. Character four mainly analyses the typical character of Jane Eyre. The fifth chapter deals with the conclusion of the thesis. Through Jane Eyres noble character, we can find a new female who enjoys noble quality that involves self-respect, and independence，and we can also find her character of self-consciousness, quietness, rebellion. Key word: Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, character, independence, rebellion摘 要本文主要論述了英國(guó)女作家夏洛蒂勃朗特的小說(shuō)簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)中女主人公簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)的性格特征。本文主要包含五個(gè)章節(jié)，第一章主要介紹了夏洛特勃朗蒂的生平，文學(xué)成就及她的代表作簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)。第二章主要分析了簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)是復(fù)雜性格的結(jié)合體；第三章主要分析了簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)性格特征的發(fā)展；第四章主要分析簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)的性格特征的典型性，包括對(duì)平等、獨(dú)立和真愛(ài)的追求。第五章主要概括總結(jié)了論文中的觀點(diǎn)，透過(guò)簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)的人格魅力，我們看到了一個(gè)新時(shí)代女性身上所具有的高貴品質(zhì)自尊自愛(ài)自立自強(qiáng),同時(shí)也看到了她的安靜、自卑和反叛等性格特征。關(guān)鍵詞：夏洛蒂勃朗特；簡(jiǎn)愛(ài)； 性格特征；獨(dú)立自由；反叛； CONTENTSAcknowledgments.iAbstract (English). ii Abstract (Chinese).iii0. Introduction.11. Charlotte Bronte and her literary achievements.11.1 Charlotte Brontes literary career and reputation.21.2 Jane EyreCharlotte Brontes masterpiece.3 1.2.1 The subject of Jane Eyre.31.2.2 The plot of Jane Eyre.31.2.3 Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre.4 2. Jane Eyre-a combination of different characters.42.1 Jane Eyres character of independence. .52.2 Jane Eyres character of equality.52.3 Jane Eyres character of rebellion.6.3. The development of Jane Eyres characters.63.1 At Gateshead.7 3.2 At Lowood Institution.73.3 At Thornfield.74. Jane Eyrea typical “pursuing” woman.84.1 Jane Eyrea woman who pursues equality.8 4.1.1 Economic equality.8 4.1.2 Emotional equality.94.2 Jane Eyrea woman who pursues independence. 94.3 Jane Eyrea woman who pursues true love. 105. Conclusion.11.Works Cited.13 0. IntroductionCharlotte Bronte, a famous English writer noted for her novel Jane Eyre which was published in 1847, sister of Anne Bronte and Emily Bronte. The three sisters are almost as famous for their short, tragic lives as for their novels. In the past decades Charlotte Brontes reputation has risen rapidly, and feminist criticism has done much to show that she was speaking up for oppressed women of every age.Jane Eyre is a novel written by Charlotte Bronte that was published in 1847. It is a novel about a girl who lost her parents and grew up in her aunts family where she suffered a lot. We can say that she grew up in a repressing environment before she finally married with Mr. Rochester at last. Different from many ordinary women, she is very brave to express her love to others frankly. In her eyes, independence, freedom and dignity is of great importance for the woman.Charlotte Bronte made herself as a prototype, created successfully a new woman, her name is Jane Eyre, who was plain but constantly strived to become stronger, she had courage to fight for freedom and equality in the male world. To some degree, Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre shared some similar experience with each other. So through analyzing Jane Eyre, we can see the miserable predicament of the women in the time of capitalist society in Britain, we can also see their strong desire of seeking for equality, independence and freedom. 1. Charlotte Brontes life and her literary achievements Charlotte Bronte was born in 1816 in Yorkshire, England. She is a typical female who is rather independent and tough in character. Her father was an Irish Anglican clergyman, and her mother was a housewife, who was dead of cancer when Charlotte Bronte was only five years old. In 1824, she was sent with three of her sisters to the Clergy Daughters School in Lancashire. In 1831, she became pupil at the school at Roe Head, but she left school the following year to teach her sister at home. In 1842, she went to Brussels to complete her studies. After a trip home to Haworth, Charlotte Bronte returned alone to Brussels, where she remained until 1844. Upon her return home the sisters embarked upon their project for founding a school, which proved to be a failure. In 1848, Charlotte Bronte and Anne visited their publishers in London, and revealed the true identities of the “Bells.” In the same year Branwell Bronte, by now an alcoholic and a drug addict, died, and Emily died shortly thereafter. Anne died the following year. In 1849, Charlotte Bronte, visiting London, began to move in literary circles, making the acquaintance. In 1850, she edited her sisters various works, and met Mrs. Gaskell. In 1851, she visited the Great Exhibition in London, and attended a series of lectures given by Thackeray. In 1854, she married Arthur Bell Nicholls, whom she did not love. She was expecting a baby in the same year, but she caught pneumonia. It was an illness which could have been her life, and after a lengthy and painful illness, she died along with her unborn child in 1855.Her literary achievements mainly includes Jane Eyre which was published in 1847, Shirley, which was published in 1849, Villette, which was published in 1857 and The Professor, which was published in 1857, when she died after two years because many publishers refused to publish The Professor.1.1 Charlotte Brontes literary career and reputationIf we want to have a better understanding of Charlotte Brontes fictional world, we must look briefly at the similar world in which she was, perhaps less voluntarily, herself confined all her life. Her world always consisted so largely of the family and its connections.Charlotte Brontes living environment played an very important role in her literary career, her family was poor but her father played the teachers role when she was young. From then, Charlotte Bronte and her sisters “fell in love” with literature, poems and writing. Although without enough good opportunities and money to receive better education, she succeeded in writing many novels and poems with the effort of learning by themselves and others help.Her first novel, The Professor published under the name Currier Bell, was based on her experiences of teaching in Brussels, but never found a publisher in her life time. However, Charlotte Bronte did not give up, she began Jane Eyre, which came out as an success. The novel was described as “the masterwork of a great genius.” 1.2Jane EyreCharlotte Brontes masterpieceJane Eyre was finished in 1846, it was published in 1847, which was considered Charlotte Brontes masterpiece.1.2.1 The subject of Jane Eyre All men are created equal. Women should share the same rights with men. In Jane Eyre, the writer Charlotte Bronte successfully builds a feminine image named Jane Eyre who is born to be mean and live a path winding. The heroine Jane Eyre grows up in a complicated environment, without parents care, she has to protect herself. Jane Eyre forms her unique character in her complicated life experience. In the novel, by the description of Jane Eyres life experience and her complicated love with Mr. Rochester, we can see a women image who keeps a positive attitude which maintains independence and keeps initiative in love, life and society, and dares to struggle, and dares to strive for the free standing. 1.2.2 The plot of Jane EyreThe novel begins with little Jane as a despised orphan in the house of her uncles widow. Being rebellious, she is packed off to a charitable boarding school, which administers harsh discipline with especial vigor. Jane Eyre sets herself to learn, qualifies herself as a teacher, advertises for a post, and is employed as governess of the illegitimate French daughter of Rochester in his country mansion, Thorn field. Dramatically, Jane and Rochester have affections and they fall in deep love with each other. When they prepare to get married, Jane unfortunately gets the news that Rochester has a legal wife. Without any complains, Jane leaves, After rescued by the River family, Jane happens to get a sum of heritage. When John proposes for Janes love, she hears a supernatural cry from Rochester, without hesitation, she rushes back to Thorn field only to find the house has been burnt down and Rochester has been maimed and blind. However, Jane decided to marry him in the end because she thinks they are in equal.1.2.3 Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte lives in a male chauvinism society, when people look down upon females, women have no rights as men, Charlotte Bronte grows up under this circumstance, so she is desirous to pursue equality.When Mr. Southey says to her that literature is not the business of women, she does not give up writing in order to prove women can do what men do. She writes Jane Eyre the name Currier Bell and when the novel turns out to be a great success, there is no doubt that Charlotte Bronte is wining, she gains the equality as men. In the novel, Charlotte puts her dream or pursuing equality on Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre is an imaginative feature of Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre is a realistic masterpiece in 19th century, which has a strong romanticism color. People usually consider that the work is based on its authors life story. 2. Jane Eyrea combination of different characters2.1 Jane Eyres character of independenceThe independent spirit is an important aspect embodying Jane Eyres character of independence. Traditionally, women are expected to play a role of “family angle”，but Jane Eyre is exposed to a hostile environment but continuously and fearlessly strugggling for her ideal life. In Jane Eyre, knowledge and worthwhile work provide Jane with enough economic supply to gain independence. With a good education, Jane gets a chance to be a tutor and gains financial independence. Economic independence is the first step toward identity independence. In Thornfield, She makes acquaintance with her master, Rochester and gradually falls in love with him, but just on the wedding day, she is informed that Rochester already has had a wife. Angering at Mr.Rochesters deed, Jane speaks out: “Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am automation?a machinewithout feeling?” At this time, her character of independence becomes obvious.2.2 Jane Eyres character of equalityJane Eyre distinguishes herself for her character of equality, and this character can be analysed in her love to Rochester. Jane Eyre falls in love with Rochester is not because his property, because she thinks Rochester is her true love. In her eyes, “ all men are created equal”, at least people should have the equality of soul. She thinks she has the right of “equality” to love anybody. She does not give up loving Rochester until she knows Rochester has a wife. The intense love between Jane and Rochester represents a new concept of love and equality, the love based on the combination of soul and body, the love fostered by mutual respect and equality, the love founded on mutual understanding. This kind of love is beyond the recognition of fortune.2.3 Jane Eyres character of rebellionJane is employed as a tutor of the illuminate daughter of Rochester in Thorn- field. It is a new beginning for Jane, she works very hard there and adapts to the environment and new job easily, as a tutor, Jane knows what status and dignity she is in, she professes herself as an independent worker, when facing the master, she is so calm and unhurried in Thorn field. Gradually, she attracts the attention of the wise and honest Rochester. Janes character, which is out of the ordinary and intelligence, like a spring wind on his face, gives Rochester a shake for heart and soul, As for Jane, “Mr. Rochester is my relation rather my master. During the day in Thorn field, my thin crescent destiny seemed to enlarge, the blanks of existence were filled up, my bodily hearty improved, and I gathered flesh and strength.”They soon fall in love with each other. Though Janes emotion for Rochester is so deep, she feels bitterly disappointed, because she must reminds herself continuously that there is always a chasm between them. Rochester is an upper class gentleman while Jane is a poor tutor, Rochester possess a high social status and a great sum of fortune while Jane has nothing. She encourages herself “I care for myself, the more solitary, the more friendless, the more uncontained I am, then more I will respect myself.” So, when she hears that Rochester has a legal wife, Jane leaves him without hesitation. It is astonishing fir a plain woman who has no social status. However, this is decided by Jane Eyres character of rebellion.3. The development of Jane Eyres characters3.1 At GatesheadJane Eyre is born an unfortunate girl. She is orphaned after birth. She lives an unhappy life with her cruel cousins and aunt at Gateshead. She is maltreated by her cousin and aunt. Because of the lack of any familiar affection, Gateshead is merely a shelter, not a home. After all, she is a little girl, it is hard for her to be economically independent. But she decides to be independent and selfsufficient in her mind.3.2 At Lowood InstitutionAt Lowood she meets Helen who is deeply influenced by religion and dies because of illness. Jane Eyre comes to face to face with real humility and genuine religious faith in the person of Helen Burns, but Jane Eyre can t accept the idea of humility. When Helen reminds her that the Bible tells us to return good for evil, Helen urges her not to waste time or energy in hatred, but to endure suffering patiently and to prepare for eternity. At this point Jane Eyre can not accept most of these ideas, but she learns one lesson from Helen.Though she suffers from shame and anger when punished before the whole school, she does try to endure her punishment stoically. She gains strength and encouragement from Miss Temple who is an independent woman, the superintendent of the Institution. Miss Temple is a responsible teacher and kind to the students, even the low students. Consequently, she gets respect and popularity from the students around her. From Miss Temple, Jane Eyre learns that independence is very important for her. We can find her independent character at Lowood Institution, where she learns to live independently.3.3 At ThornfieldAt Thornfield, Jane Eyre develops her independence fully by working as a governess to support herself. She completely earns money with her own hands. She does not need to rely on others. She is young, but she is self-sufficient. When she falls in love with Rochester, she attempts to control her passion, but when she thinks Rochester is about to marry Miss Ingram, she tells him her feeling directly. Jane Eyre had been inwardly independent all the time. She is trying to defend her self-respect. Although Jane Eyres social position is below Rochesters, she is neither humble nor pert, and always looks on herself as equal to him. She never looks down upon herself because of her low position and lack of