浅析《简爱》中的女权主义

ChapterOneIntroductionOverviewofFeminism“Feminism”originatedinFranceattheendofthe19thcentury,andthenspreadtoBritaingraduallypopular,andhadaprofoundinfluenceonpeopleatthattime,promotingthewesternwomen’sliberationmovement,withacertainpoliticalsignificanceandcriticalcolor.Startingfromthepoliticalequalitybetweenmenandwomen,feminismliquidatedandcriticizedthemalpracticesofmale-centereddoctrineinthefieldofliteratureandart,affirmedthestatusofwomeninthehistoryofliterature,andtriedtoestablishtheindependentaestheticvaluesystemofwomen.Withthepromotionofthefeministthoughttrend,someuniquecharacteristicsoffemaleliteraturebegantoappear.Itcanbedividedintothefollowingaspects:firstly,itoverturnstheviewsandconceptsofwomenintraditionalliteraryworks;secondly,theauthorpaysmoreattentiontofemaleconsciousness,treatsthesocietyfromtheperspectiveofwomen,andfocusesonshowingfemaleconsciousness;thirdly,shepaysattentiontotheexpressionofwomen’semotionsandrevealstheiruniqueemotions.Sincethen,feministthoughthasfoundaplaceandbecomeoneofthebranchesofliterature.1.2TheStoryBackgroundofJaneEyreInthe19thcentury,withthefurtherdevelopmentoftheIndustrialRevolution,alargenumberofdemocraticandscientificthoughtsemergedinBritain,andadvancedideassuchasdemocraticandscientificthoughtsgraduallyinfluencedtheliteraryindustry.AlargenumberoffemalewritersemergedintheBritishliterarycircle,andthesefemalewriterswrotearticlesonsomesocialphenomenafromauniqueperspective.ThethreeBrontesistersarewell-knownfemalewritersinthisperiod.CharlotteBronteistheoldestsister,whoserepresentativeworkisJaneEyre,andthetwosisters’representativeworksarerespectivelyEmilyBronte’sWutheringHeightsandAnneBronte’sAgnesGrey.Inthesocietyatthattime,women’sstatuswasrelativelylow,fewjobopportunitieswereprovidedforwomen,womendidnothavethesamerightsasmen,letalonetofightfortheirownsocialstatus.SomeofthespookyelementsinJaneEyre,suchasghostsandnightmares,comefromCharlotte’stragicchildhood.TheBrontesisters’fatherwasapoorvicar.Aftertheirmother’sdeath,theBrontesistersweresenttoacharityschoolforthechildrenofpoorvicars.Lifeatthecharityschoolwasbrutal,anditwasthemodelfortheLowoodschoolthatJaneEyreattendsinthework.Whileatthecharityschool,Charlotte’stwooldersisters,MariaandElizabeth,diedoflungdiseaseduetoextremelypoorlivingconditions,whichdealtablowtoCharlotte.WhenCharlottegrewup,sheworkedasagovernessforaperiodoftime,duringwhichshefacedalotofdiscriminationandvitriol.Aftertheliterarysuccessofthethreesisters,AnneandEmilyleftherbecauseoftuberculosis.Charlottehadaveryindependentviewoflove.Attheageofthirty-eight,sheovercameherstubbornoldfather’sstrongoppositionandmarriedapriest.Althoughlovecamealittlelate,itbroughtCharlottegreatcomfortandhappiness.However,intheyearofhermarriage,Charlottediedbecauseofwindandcold.TheroughlifeexperiencewasthesourceofinspirationforCharlotte’screation,whichalsotrainedhercharacterofstrongself-esteemandresistanceconsciousness.ItalsomadehergiveherspiritualqualitytoJaneEyre,whichmadeherstillfirmlypursueequalityandfreedominthetragiclifeexperience,andmaintainedthecharacteristicsofindependenceandself-improvementincharacter.Thismakestheworkmoredeeplyrootedintheheartsofthepeople,andmoreembodiesfeminism.1.3IntroductiontoCharlotteCharlotteBronteisanEnglishfemalewriter.Charlottewasbornintoacountryparson’sfamilyinHowworth,Yorkshire,inthenorthofEngland.Attheageoffifteen，sheenteredMissWooler’sschoolandafewyearslatershebecameateacherhere.Shelaterbecameagovernessandeventuallydevotedherselftowriting.In1847,CharlotteBronte’snovelJaneEyrewaspublishedandcausedagreatdealofdiscussionatthetime.Unfortunately,herbrotherandtwosistersdiedoneafteranother.Intheshadowandconfusionofdeath,sheinsistedonfinishingShirley,whichexpressedhersorrowforEmilyanddescribedthelabormovementinearlyEngland.ShealsowroteVilletteandTheTeacher,bothbasedonherownlifeexperience.ChapterTwoTheDevelopmentandEmbodimentofJaneEyre’sFeministThoughtThe

development

of

Jane

Eyre’s

feminist

thought

is

divided

into

three

stages,

namely

the

initialformation

stage,

the

stable

development

stage

and

the

mature

and

stereotyped

stage.2.1TheDevelopmentofFeministThoughts2.1.1Feminist

Ideas

Initially

FormedTheVictorianerainthe19thcentury,whenJaneEyrelived,itwasanageofmenadvocatingwealthandstatus,andtheconceptofmalesuperiorityandfemaleinferioritywaswidelyacceptedinthesocietyatthattime.JaneEyrelostherparentsandlivedinheruncle’shomewhenshewasveryyoung.Fortheideasadvocatedbythesocietyatthattime,JaneEyreshouldshowthe“virtue”ofrestraint,patienceandobedience,butherinbornspiritofresistancemadeherchoosetobreakoutinthefaceofvariousinjusticesinlife.JaneEyreopenlyopposedherauntwhowasdifficultandoppressingher,aswellasherspoiledCousinswhowereviolentincharacter.AfterbeingsenttoLowoodSchool,JaneEyre’srebelliouscharacterwaspartlyinfluencedbythequietMissTemple.JaneEyrethoughtthatMissTemplewaslikean“angel”,whosewayofthinkingandfeelinggraduallybecameclosertoher.Forsometime,JaneEyrethoughtthatshehadacceptedherfateandlearnedtomakepeacewithit.SheadvisedBurnstostanduptoinjusticebravely,“Ifwegethitfornoreason,weshouldfightbackstrongly,andIpromisethatifwefightbackhardenough,thepersonwhohituswillneverbeabletodoitagain.”WhileworkingasagovernessatThornfieldManor,JanefellinlovewiththemasterRochester,buttheirisabiggapatthattime.Ordinarygirlswouldhavebeenafraidofseculareyes,butJaneEyrechosetobravelyexpressherlove,hopingbreaktheconstraintsofthehierarchyandpursuespiritualequalitybetweenthetwosidesoflove.OntheoccasionofhermarriagewithRochester,JaneEyrelearnedthattheinsanewomanintheatticwasRochester'swife.SheknewRochester’sloveforherisreal,butshecannotgetthestatusoflegalwife,soJaneEyrefinallychosetoabandon.ItwasalsothepeakoftheconcentratedoutbreakofrebellionconsciousnessinJaneEyre.2.1.2StableDevelopmentofFeministThoughtJaneEyre’swordsanddeedsallshowedherdeterminationtofightforequalstatuswithmen.AfterfallingintoherfeelingsforRochester,JaneEyretriedherbesttostandonanequalfootingwithRochester,unwillingtofatterandyieldtoRochester,whohadadvantagesinsocialstatus,wealthandgender,andalwaystookcarefulprecautionstoprotectherself.WhenRochestermarriedanotherlady,JaneEyre’sfeelingsbrokeoutinearnest.Iamnottalkingtoyouthroughcustom,custom,orevenadecayingflesh,butmyspiritistalkingtoyourspirit,asifwehadallrisenfromthegrave,standingbesideGod,equal,becauseweareallequal.Inlove,shestatusofmenandwomenhasalwaysbeenunequal.Menseemtohavealotofpowerandwomenarerelegatedtoalowerposition.However,JaneEyreisnotwillingtoacceptthissocialfact.Shetriedherbesttoshowthevalueofwomen,hopedtorealizethesocialprincipleofequalitybetweenmenandwomen,andsupportedwomentomaintaintheirdignityandindependence.ShedidnotwantallofRochester’smaterialgifts.Shedidnotliketo“letMr.Rochesterdressmeupasadollandshowergoldenrainaroundmeeveryday.”DuringherloveaffairwithRochester,sheinsistsonbeingagovernesstomaintainherfinancialindependence.JanewasdevastatedafterlearningthatthemadwomanwasRochester’swife,butshesooncametohersensesanddecidedtoleavethemanor.CharlotteBrontemadeRochesterloseThornfieldManorandhiseyesinafireintheending,andJaneEyregotanunexpectedinheritanceright.Thismadeheratrulyindependentperson,andfromthenon,shewasabletoachievetrueequalitywithRochester.JaneEyrereturnedtoRochesterbravelyandfoundtheequalloveshecravedinhersolitarypassion.2.1.3TheMatureStageofFeministThoughtJaneEyrelivedatatimewhenfreedomwaselusiveforwomen.However,JaneEyrefinallysucceeded.Accordingtothesocialnormsofwomen’sbehavioratthattime,someofJaneEyre’sbehaviorscouldevenbecalleddeviant:oneistoexpressherlovetoRochester,theotheristorefusetheproposalofSt.JohnRivers.JaneEyrehadcarefullyconsideredthequestionoftruefreedom.InRochester’sfeelings,Rochestercouldprovideherwithmaterialsatisfactionandemotionalcomfort.Fromacertainpointofview,JaneEyrecouldobtainfreedomaboutthereleaseofpassionandthesatisfactionofdesire.However,thefoundationofthis“freedom”istobecomeRochester’smistress.ItrequiresJaneEyretosacrificeherowndignityandintegritytogain.Shewasstilluncompromisinginthelovebetweenthedifferentsocialstatus,fullydemonstratingherownpersonality.AfterJaneEyreleftSt.Field,shewonthefavorofSt.John,thepriest,whoappreciatedthestubborn,strongandself-respectingfeaturesofJaneEyre’scharacterverymuch.JaneEyreandSt.Johnhaveacompletelydifferentviewoflove,heunderstoodthatSt.John’sproposalisjusttofindapartnertolivewith,inordertoworkinIndiatohavealonelycolleague.JaneEyreinsistedthatloveshouldbethebasisofmarriageanddidnotwanttobeusedasatoolbySt.John,whodidnotsubmittohisappealtoherinthenameofreligion.EventhoughSt.Johncouldofferheranotherkindoffreedom,thefreedomtoliveandworkinIndia,toshowhertalentswithoutreservation.Butthiskindoffreedomstillneedsaprice,akindofrestrictionlikeimprisonment，whetherJanelovesSt.Johnornot,herfeelingsforRochesterwillberepressedinherheartforeverwhatshelosesisthefreedomtoexpresshertruefeelings.AlthoughJaneEyrebecauseofRochester’sproposalandfeelfullofhappiness,butheisstillworriedaboutmarriage,sheisafraidofhismindbecomeconfusedinlove,becomeaman'splaything.Therefore,sherefusedRochester'sexpensivegifts,andinsistedonworkingasatutor,tomaintainherowneconomicindependenceJaneEyreisbothsimpleandproud,worriedthatmarriagewillmakehertrappedinthefamilyandloseherpreciousfreedom.JaneEyreissimpleandarrogant.Sheworriesthatmarriagewillmakehertrappedinherfamilyandloseherfreedom.JaneEyreisoneoftheclassicworksinthehistoryofliteratureandtheleaderoffemaleliterature.Itisspiresmanywomentopursuetheirownfreedomequalityandhappiness.ThecreationofJaneEyre’simageistosupportwomenwhohavethecouragetoresistthepatriarchalsociety,andtopointoutthedirectionforthoseconfusedwomentorealizetheirownvalue.Itfullydemonstratesthebeautifulwishofwomen:womencanbeequalwithmenandrealizetheirownvaluetogether.Suchagoodwish,inspiredthoseoppressedwomentoriseupandpromotetheawakeningofwomeninfeudalcapitalistsociety.ThesenseofresistanceadvocatedbyJaneEyreandthepursuitoffreedomandequalityhaveguidedcountlesswomentolearnfromJaneEyre'sself-respect,self-reliance,strengthandcouragetoresist.Asaresult,thestatusofwomenhasbeensignificantlychangedundertheeffortsofcountlessoutstandingwomen.Intheeraofadvocatingequalitybetweenmenandwomen,women'sstatusisgettinghigherandhigher,andgraduallyattractingwideattention.However,withthefurtherdevelopmentofmateriallife,somewomengraduallylosethemselvesinlife,especiallyinthetreatmentofmarriageandlove,somewomenvaluewealthandstatus.Over-attachmenttoothers,parasiticunderthemalepower,feminismwilleventuallydisappearcompletely.2.2TheEmbodimentofFeministThought2.2.1TheSpiritofDefianceInADifficultSituationJaneEyre’srebelliouscharacterwasformedaftershewassenttoLowoodSchool,simpleJaneEyrethoughtthatenteringtheschoolwasthebeginningofhernewlife,andherheartwasfullofexpectationsandyearningforschoollife.Butwhensheenteredtheschoolonlytofindthattherealityisnotliketheirownthought,thereisahellofgeneralterror,seeminglyinthenameofthecharityoftheschool,shouldbecorporalpunishmentasroutine,so,Janeeverydayliveanon-humanlife,oncedidnotmeettherequirementsoftheschool,lightisnotallowedtoeat,heavypunishmentwasbeaten.Buteveninsuchanenvironment,JaneEyreheartforfair,freedom,happinessstilldoesnotreducetheyearning,stillwithakindhearttofacelife,andwiththesamefateofHelenbecomegoodfriends,atthesametimewillbetheirownheartforabetterlifetopasstoHelen.ShehadtoldHelen“ifsheusedthatsticktohitme,Iwillgrabthestick,infrontofherfacebroken”,encourageHelentobebraveagainsttheunfairreality.SuchaspirithasbeenaccompaniedbyJaneEyre,inSonnfieldManorlife,JaneEyredoesnotrecognize.Rochestersuperiorauthority,stubbornlyresisttheviewofmaleinferiority,andinRochesterisgoingtosendherabroad,hadsaidsuchaclassicwords“youthinkIampoor,low,small,notbeautiful,Ihavenosoul?Youarewrong!Mysoulisasgoodasyours,myheartisassoundasyours,westandunderGod’sfeetaswell,wearecreatedequal.”JaneEyre’sspiritofresistance,sothatfeminismhasbeenacertainspreadandextension,andaccompaniedlaneEyre’slife.2.2.2Economically

Independent

ConsciousnessOnlyanindependentwomancanhaveasayinlove.Marx’sstatementissobering:“Theeconomicbasedeterminesthesuperstructure.”InJaneEyreisstillthepoororphangirl,herlovewithRochesterisnotequal,JaneEyreisthevulnerablepartytobepitied,sheisinferiorinfrontofRochester,becauseoftheidentityandmoneyandgap,andJaneEyrehastobecometheLingxiaoxiaoclingingtoRochester.InthetraditionalChinesethoughtisthemalemasteroutsideandthefemalemasterinside,womenshouldnotgoouttomakemoney.Butarewomenwholeavetheworkforceforthehomefaringwell?Therealityisthattheyfailinrelationshipsbecausetheydon'thaveasayintheeconomy.Domesticabuseandcheatingbymenarealljustifiedbythefactthatwomenaredependentonthembecausetheycan’tearnmoney.JaneEyre’sideaofpursuingindependenceineconomyisworththeadvocacyandlearningofthemajorityofwomen.

2.2.3OnLoveandMarriageandEqualitySurprisingly,JaneEyrewasnotblindtolove.Unlikeothergirls,sheplungedintothehugenetofloveandwaskilledbyloveasthenetgraduallyshrank.JaneEyrestillmaintainedherduesenseanddignitywhenshemetthedoomedloverRochester.Idonotspeaktoyounowthroughcustom,custom,orevenmortalflesh--butmyspiritspeakstoyours.ThisisthemostobviouspartofJaneEyre’sconceptoflove-thatweareequal.Eveninlove,JaneEyrealsostressedthispointwithRochester,ifRochestercannotaccept,thenJaneEyreisabsolutelynotagreedtocontactwithRochester.Evenfromthecurrentstandardsofmarriage,Rochesterisalsoaqualifiedwealthyhusband,therearecountlessgirlswillingtomarryher,orevenbecomehismistress.ButJaneEyreisnotlikethis,shefirstwasagovernessfellinlovewithRochester,andhelivedinthesamecastle,ifyouwanttopursueRochestergirls,supposedlyshouldbeveryeasy.JaneEyre’sloveisrestrainedandrational,inthefaceofhandsomeandwealthyRochester,shefirstdeterminedthatthetwoofthemarethesameconceptoflove,Rochesterisagreedwithherpursuitoffreedomandequalityofconfidant,andthentheyhavelaterdevelopment.Intheend,JaneEyremovedRochesternotbyherappearance,butbyherownfreeandequalsoul.Thisisdifferentfromotherladieswhohavebeautifulappearancebutemptysoul.ItisalsoaprofoundexpressionoffemaleconsciousnessinJaneEyre.ChapterThreeLimitations

of

Feminist

Thought

in

Jane

EyreThe

limitations

of

feminist

thought

in

Jane

Eyre

mainly

include

three

aspects.

First,

women

have

inferiority

complex

and

female

image

is

masculine.

Second,

he

has

not

got

rid

of

the

bondage

of

male

power.

Third,

the

problem

of

female

survival

and

outlet

can

not

be

solved.3.1Inferiority

Complex

and

Feminist

of

Female

ImageJaneEyrecanberegardedasanautobiographicalnovelbytheauthor.Theheroineinthenovelhasasimilargrowthexperiencetothatoftheauthorinreallife.Theauthorisawomanfullofloveforhumanbeings,fullofconfidenceinwomen,andobsessedwithromanticandnoblelove.Especiallyintherelationshipwithmen,theemphasisisonreconcilingwithmenratherthanagainstwomen,eveninthenovelalsoreflectstheheroine’sdesireforloveanddependenceonmen,quitealittle“littlebirddependingonpeople”non-femaleindependence.However,afteracarefulanalysisofthefemaleimagesinJaneEyre’snovels,itisnotdifficulttofindthatthewomeninthenovelsarelivinginthemalesociety,malepoliticsandmalecultureoftheappendage,theynotonlydonotsurviveindependent,butalsodonothaveindependentpersonality.Eventheheroineinthenovel,althoughshewasagoverness,hadeconomicindependenceandwasaprofessionalwoman,whichwasquiteradicalinthewomen’sliberationmovementatthattime.Atthattime,Britishwomenbasicallydidnottakepartinsocialwork,andoftenlivedaclosedfamilylifeparasitesonmen.However,fromherextremedependenceontheemotionallifeofthemaleprotagonist,itisnotdifficulttofindherpsychologicalimmaturityasawoman.Althoughherdependenceonmenhasbeenbeyondthesecularmaterialdependence,withoutthehero,hermateriallifewillnotbeaffectedatall.However,spirituallyandemotionally,shecan’tlivewithoutthehero.Therefore,thefemaleindependenceadvocatedbyJaneEyreinhernovelsisnotthe“feminist”independenceagainstmen.Atbest,itcanonlyberegardedasthe“improvementbehavior”ofwomen'sindependencemovement,anditcannotbecalledthe“conscious”revolutionarybehaviorofwomenatall.Therefore,someresearchersconcluded:Charlotteisnotasociologist,doesnotunderstandpoliticaleconomy,letaloneMarxisttheory.Butsheclearlysawthatwomen’sproblemswerepartofthewholesocialproblem,andmanyevilsweredeeplyrootedinthesocialsystemitself.However,shebelievedthattheproblemsofsocialsystemcouldonlybethoughtandsolvedbyphilosophersandpoliticians,notbyherself.Shewasalsonotafeminist.Herdemandsforequalitybetweenmenandwomenandwomen’sliberationweremainlyrelatedtoemployment,education,marriageandfamily,andneverinvolvedwomen’spoliticalparticipation.3.2TheConfinementofBeingUnabletoGetRidofPatriarchyThefigureofJaneEyrehasepoch-makingsignificanceforwomeninthe19thcentury.ThevalueofherexistencehasalreadybrokenthelimitoftheexistencevalueofwomenintheVictorianperiod.Everythingshesought,fromindividualfreedomanddignitytoequalitybetweenmenandwomen,wasaheadofitstime.However,shestilldoesnotgetridofthebondageofmalesupremacy.Becausethepatriarchalculturehasbeenformedalongwithhumandevelopmentforalongtime,themalediscoursepowerhasdominatedthewholesocietyforalongtime,andthisbadsocialenvironmentanditslongtermnegativeimpactcannotbeeliminatedsoon.AlthoughJane’sloveandmarriagearebeautifulafterallthehardships,sheisstillinabigsocialenvironment,andSt.John,whooncepursuedher,isatypicalexampleofthiskindofpatriarchalsociety.Mr.Rochester,asamanwhogrewupinsuchanenvironment,inevitablyhadpatriarchalthoughts.Rochesterhasafierceface,andwhenheisangry,hisfaceisalmostdemonic.AndBerthaMason,hisformerwife,actuallyassumestheimageofthedevilinthenovel.Rochesterhidesthefactthatheismarried,andJane,wholearnsthisnews,doesnotblameanyonebutbearthesuddenblow,andchoosestoleave.Finally,Rochesterrepentedandbecamepureinheart.Unfortunately,helosthissightwhensavinghisexwife,buthewassavedandfinallywonJane’slove.ShedidnotdislikethephysicaldisabilityofRochester,andwaswillingtobehisarmrestandguide.Sofar,wehavetoquestion,Jane’sangelincarnation,intheendhasbeengivenwhatkindofconnotation?Mustamanberedeemedbyawomaninordertorealizehisownmalady?Whattomakeofasuddeninheritance?Haditnotbeenforthis,couldJanenothavemarriedherbelovedRochester?Becauseofafire,Rochesterbecamedestituteanddisabled,andhisstatuswasrapidlyreducedtoalmostlessthanJane.Wehavetosaythatthefinalpartofthenovelisfullofdrama.Ofcourse,thenovelitselfisliterarycreation,andthereisnothingwrongwiththeauthorsettingsuchaplot,butitisalsoanexpressionofthelimitationsofhisfeministthought.Intheend,thenoveldramaticallypullsthetwounequalpeopletoaplatform,usinginheritanceofafortunetoenhancethevalueofJane’sexistence,andusingafiretoendRochester’sreputation,statusandwealth.Theequalitybetweenmenandwomenpursuedbyfeminismreferstoequalityinpersonality,equalityinrightsandequalityinthought.Itistoestablishathoroughlydemocraticintimaterelationshipbetweenmenandwomen.Ifattheendofthestory,Janedidnotinherittheinheritance,Rochesterdidnotloseeverythingandhiseyeswerenotblind,butthesetwopeoplecanstillbetogether,thismaybebreakingthroughthemoralandsecularloveandmarriage.3.3UnabletoSolveTheProblemsofSurvivalandWayOutThethemeofJaneEyreiswomen’spursuitofliberationandequalloveandmarriage.Butthebookdoesnotreallytouchontheessenceofwomen’sproblems,nordoesitfindawayoutforwomen’splight.Jane’sultimatedestinationismarriage.Women’ssurvivalandoutletproblems,notonlyrelyonmarriagecanbesolved.Women’sliberationmustbebasedonthefullrealizationofwomen’svalue.Inthestory,Janetakesmarriedlifeasthebasisforrealizingherlifevalue,whichisaninappropriatepath.Acenturyhaspassed,womenstillbeartheyokegivenbymenandliveinthecategoryofothers,nevergettingridofthebondagebroughttothembygender.Charlotte,theauthor,wasabletoperceivethepressureofwomen’ssurvivalandconsciouslyadvocatedandconveyedtheideaoffemaleindependence.However,shecouldnotgetridofthelimitationsofthetraditionalconceptsofTheTimes.Finally,shefailedtorisetothetheoreticalheightandgofurtheronwomen’sissues.ChapterFourThe

EnlightenmentSignificanceofTheHeroineImageInContemporaryTimesThe

limitations

of

feminist

thought

in

Jane

Eyre

mainly

include

three

aspects.

First,

women

have

inferiority

complex

and

female

image

is

masculine.

Second,

he

has

not

got

rid

of

the

bondage

of

male

power.

Third,

the

problem

of

female

survival

and

outlet

can

not

be

solved.4.1TheActofResistingWithAnAwarenessofEqualityAtthebeginningofthenovel,youngJaneEyreandbullyhercousinJohnhadaconflict,arrogantandbrutalJohncousinJaneEyreasaslave,butJaneEyreisnotafraidofrape,rageagainstthepersecutionofherlittledevil.Thentherewasascufflewithhim.Ofcourse,itwasJaneEyrewhowaspunishedandputintheredroom.Butthethingirlattractedthereadersbecauseofherbraveperformance.JaneEyrehitbackhard,andthefirstobjectwasJohn.Thenthereishercoldandunjustaunt,Mrs.Reed,whotakesherselfasherbenefactor.Inthefourthchapter,JaneEyreandMrs.Reedquarrel,Mrs.Reedthoughtthatwithherstatuscanfrightentheniece,butonthecontrary,JaneEyrebuttitfortitback:“othersthinkyouareagoodwoman,butyoubadyoucruel.”Mrs.Reedwillactuallyfeelafraid.JaneEyre’slifeinheraunt’shomeonlyaccountsforfourchaptersofthebook,theauthordidnotusetoomuchinktodescribethissection,buttheplotofthesestoriesletusinitiallyseethecharacteristicsofJaneEyre’scharacterofresistance,alongthisdirectiontheauthorwillshowJaneEyre’sspiritofresistancestepbystep.JaneEyrecametoLowoodSchoolafterleavingheraunt’shome.TheLowoodSchoolisthemostrevealingpartofthebook.Itisaschoolwherechildrenarestarved,exposedtocoldandabusedinvariousways.Thefoodwaspoorandthelivingconditionswereunsanitary.“Halfhungryandhalffull,andthecoldwasnottreatedintime,whichdoomedmostofthestudentstobeinfected.Eightygirls,forty-fiveofthemfellillatonce.”Itwasnotacharityatall,andtheauthorstronglycriticizessuchacrueleducationsystem.ItisinthiscriticalspiritthatsheportraysBrocklehurstasasanctimonioushypocrite,aswellasHelenBurnsasavictim.However,theauthordoesnotwritethesetoshowpeopletheso-calledcharityschooldark,theauthorwrotethesecontenttousesuchabadenvironmenttohighlightJaneEyre’sresistancetotheaunt’sfamilyhadformed.JaneEyreisnotafraidofhardlife,butshehatesthisschool.SheespeciallyhatedBrocklehurst.IftheobjectofJane’sresistanceinheraunt’shomewasonlyheraunt’sfamily,thentheworldofJane’sresistanceinLowoodSchoolwasevenwider.Here,herspiritofresistancehasbeenpreliminarilyformed.AlthoughJaneisplainandhersocialstatusisnothigh,sheneverfeelsinferior.Sheisself-respectingandself-loving,andpursuesfreedom,equalityandtruelove.Sheisnotwillingtoacceptthingsastheycome.JaneEyrecausedashockintheBritishliteraryworld,exposedthedrawbacksofreallife,broughtanewsenseoftruthtotheVictoriannovels,andchallengedthestereotypeofwomenaspassive,dependentandirrationalinthetraditionalconcept.4.2

Independenceand

StrongCharacter

Independenceandexcellencecoexist:JaneEyreinterpretstheconceptofloveinauniqueway.Theestablishmentoftrueloveshouldhaveacorrectconceptoflove.Theauthorbelievesthatifyouwanttosucceedinlove