Who would think that a female fictional character from 1847 would still be inspirational today? Is it possible that the modern woman can find Charlotte Brontë’s Victorian heroine Jane Eyre a role model? In an era when women were expected to be demure, Jane stood her ground and fought for her beliefs. She is truly an unforgettable character.
Jane Eyre came into my mind one evening a few weeks ago as lightning flashed from the dark sky. Soon heavy rain pounded against my windows. Instead of groaning, the torrential showers made me smile. Yes, I am one of those people who love the rain. I adore walking in it, under an umbrella of course, watching it pool outside my windows as it runs in rivulets down the street and I delight in curling up on my couch with a good book while it storms in the background.
On this particular night I sat down next to my husband with a big smile on my face. He peered at me and sighed.
“Ok, we’re either watching Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre this evening, right?” He stated more than asked.
The man knows me well. He is also a good sport. His favorite thing to watch is tennis, and the US Open was on the television. Slowly, he handed the remote over to me so I could press the DVD button. This is how I know he truly loves me. My own Mr. Rochester.
What is it about the book, the films or the various mini-series of Jane Eyre that is so captivating? Let’s put aside the fact that I happen to be one of those hopeless romantic types. Put on the back burner that Jane “gets the guy.” The most amazing thing about Jane is that she was a new type of literary heroine.
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Strong words! When Charlotte Brontë penned these lines she created quite a stir. The Victorian Era was a patriarchal society and starring in this amazing novel is a lowly governess attempting to assert her equality. She expresses her desire to be independent, her love for a man above her class and her clearly voiced opinion.
At a turning point in the story, Jane tells the married Mr. Rochester that she respects herself too much to become his mistress. She loves herself even more than she loves him. Jane understands that no matter what, at the end of your own life-story, you must have your dignity.
Of course she does end up with Mr. Rochester. However, it is after much contemplation and soul searching, and it is HER decision to return to him. Jane decides that she wants to be with him. This is even after she has become an heiress and self-sufficient; she does not need him, she wants him. Our romantic heroine decides to go after the man of her dreams. She will not hide out. She will not wait in a remote village and see if he searches for her. She will not spend one more minute adhering to strict Victorian morals. No, she decides to forgo convention and grab the life and the love she wants. On her own terms. Now that was one gutsy gal.
As the rain pattered against my windows, my husband and I snuggled together on the couch, our twin daughters sound asleep in their room, and lost ourselves in my favorite version of Jane Eyre. Cary Fukunaga’s film opens up with Jane running through the lush grounds of Thornfield Hall and into the lonesome moors toward self discovery.
