The Economic Factors and Feminist Thinking in Jane Eyre.doc

the economic factors and feminist thinking in jane eyrecontentscontents .1abstract .2acknowledgements .3 1. introduction .4 1.1. brief introduction to the author charlotte bronte .4 1.2. brief introduction to the novel jane eyre .42. the times in which the writer lived and creation background .5 2.1. in the early-mid period 19 century，the british industrial revolution .5 2.2. the chartist movement .5 2.3. charlotte bronte trained her eyes on the issues the women were facing .63. analysis of the relation between economic factors and feminist spirit and thinking 6 3.1. jane eyres characters .6 3.2. the feminist spirit and thinking has affected by the economic factors .6 3.21. on one hand, restraining action .6 3.22. on the other hand, promoter action .84. conclusion 9bibliography 11abstractjaneeyre is a world-wide renowm and immortal work. the heroine of the novel - jane eyre, is superior to the destiny, struggles against the reality and pursues individual life , independence, freedom and so on. which is right the performance of the female strived to be personally independent as well as various aspects fair rights, before the emergence of the feminist movement as a kind of social movement on the rise. this article tries to discuss the relation between economic factors and feminist spirit and thinking. the feminist spirit and thinking she displays in the novel affected by the economic factors when jane eyre stands up for herself, struggles against the reality and seeks personal happiness and equal rights for women. so as to show the economic factors has a vital bearing on feminist spirit and thinking which is mainly characterized by the pursuit of the equal rights for women. key words: feminist /spirit and thinking/ economic factors affect/ charlotte bronte/ equal rights for women freedom摘 要简爱)是一部闻名世界的不朽名著，小说中的的女主人公简爱不屈服命运，与现实抗争的精神，追求个人独立与自由的精神，正是女权运动作为一种社会运动兴起之前，女性为争取个人独立以及各方面公平权利的表现。文章试图从经济因素的角度出发，来讨论简爱在与现实抗争，追求个人的幸福与平等权利时，她表现出来的女权思想所受到的经济因素的影响，从而说明经济因素对女性追求以平等权利为主要特征的女权思想有重大影响。关键词：女权思想 经济因素影响 夏洛蒂勃朗特 女性平等权利 自由the economic factors and feminist thinking in jane eyre 1. introduction1.1. brief introduction to the author charlotte brontecharlotte bronte (april 21, 1816 march 31, 1855) was an english novelist, whose novels had become enduring classics of english literature. charlotte bronte was born at thornton, in yorkshire, england. in august 1824, base on her experience, she created the novel jane eyre 1.2. brief introduction to the novel jane eyrejane eyre ranked as one of the greatest and most popular works of english fiction. although the heroine jane eyre was poor and plain, she possessed an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit and great courage. the novel was also a great kindness and a warmth epic love story.2. the times in which the writer lived and creation background2.1 in the early-mid period 19 century, with the development of the british industrial revolution, the industrial revolution modified the whole structure of english society, while spawning a thriving domestic economy. 2.2 the chartist movement began to emerge characted by realism.2.3 charlotte bronte, as one of the most outstanding female writers of her time. she trained her eyes on the issues the women were facing.3. analysis of the relation between economic factors and feminist spirit and thinking. 3.1. jane eyres characterscharlotte bronte created successfully a typical women character that had the courage to fight for her freedom and independence. anyone who had read the novel would remember the heroine jane eyre and was greatly impressed by her strong personality. 3.2. the feminist spirit and thinking has affected by the economic factors. 3.21. on one hand, its bounded by the later. (illustrate by examples and support the opinions)3.22. on the other hand, the economic factors have improved jane eyres pursuit of the feminist spirit to some extent.4. conclusions the development of the feminist spirit and thinking once states that the economic factors has played a very important, if not decisive, role in the development of the feminist spirit and thinking.the economic factors and feminist thinking in jane eyre1. introductionwhat reflected in jane eyre is the impact of societys change upon people behavior at that time, especially upon the general women. all of these were expressed by heroine jane eyre.1.1. brief introduction to the author charlotte brontecharlotte was born in thornton, yorkshire in 1816, the third of six children, to maria (ne branwell) and her husband patrick bront (formerly patrick brunty), an irish anglican clergyman. in 1820, the family moved a few miles to haworth, where patrick had been appointed perpetual curate. mrs bront died of cancer on 15 september 1821, leaving five daughters and a son to be taken care of by her sister elizabeth branwell. in august 1824, charlotte was sent with three of her sisters, emily, maria, and elizabeth, to the clergy daughters school at cowan bridge in lancashire (which she would describe as lowood school in jane eyre). its poor conditions, charlotte maintained, permanently affected her health and physical development and hastened the deaths of her two elder sisters, maria (born 1814) and elizabeth (born 1815), who died of tuberculosis in june 1825 soon after their father removed them from the school on 1 june.3charlotte bronte lived in early-mid period of the l9 century, charlotte bronte, as one of the most outstanding female writers in her time, using her unique feminism perspective paid attention to the common problem the female were facing, i.e. the influence societys changes of the economic as well as civilization have an effect upon the female.she personally experienced the tremendous changes in her time. and so she had a thorough understanding of the influence upon the female. she described the womans pursue in this period and the kinds of difficulties facing the women. when they were seeking freedom and equal rights, whats more, she had focused on the struggle against the injustices exerted on the women whom demanded for fair treatment.1.2. brief introduction to the novel jane eyrejane eyre was the first governess novel in the history of english literature. and in this novel charlotte bronte created a new woman for those days. unlike other romantic novels, there were no handsome and beautiful characters in jane eyre. we just had a poor, plain, little governess who began her life all alone. she had no family or friends, no wealth or position, nobody to care for her and nothing attractive. jane eyre is a first-person narrative of the title character. the novel goes through five distinct stages: janes childhood at gates head, where she is emotionally abused by her aunt and cousins; her education at logwoods school, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations; her time as the governess of thorn field manor, where she falls in love with her byronic employer, edward rochester; her time with the rivers family at marshs end (or moor house) and morton, where her cold clergyman-cousin st john rivers proposes to her; and her reunion with and marriage to her beloved rochester. partly autobiographical, the novel abounds with social criticism. it is a novel considered ahead of its time. in spite of the dark, brooding elements, it has a strong sense of right and wrong, of morality at its core. there are several christian aspects underlying the plot that mold its character and essence.2. the times in which the writer lived and creation background2.1. in the early-mid period 19 century，the british industrial revolutionas the development of the industrial revolution the british domestic economy had rapidly developed thus english presented a picture of prosperity. meanwhile, an unbalanced economic development sharpens the polarization between the rich and the poor. the relations were becoming strained in all sectors of society while the contradictions were becoming increasingly acute.2.2. the chartist movementultimately the industrial revolution resulted in the chartist movement aimed at equal rights.at this moment chartist movement literature came into being. the novelists in this time “faced directly the social reality, displayed the intense sense of mission, the moral intention and the sense of hardship, extended the brushwork to societys aspects, and describes a victoria time social life picture scroll.” 2.3. charlotte bronte trained her eyes on the issues the women were facingthe victorian age was men-centered and men-controlled times. women were discriminated against by men at that time. however, the ahead-of-age female consciousness of jane eyre, the main character of jane eyre written by charlotte bronte, challenged mens authority. in this novel of the victorian age, charlotte exposed and denounced mens oppression of and discrimination against women. on the other hand, charlotte is remarkable in portraying jane eyre as a self-respecting and rebellious girl, desiring equality.charlotte bronts reputation has risen rapidly, and feminist criticism has done much to show that she was speaking up for oppressed women of every age.charlotte bronts reputation has risen rapidly, and feminist criticism has done much to show that she was speaking up for oppressed women of every age. her book had sparked a movement in regards to feminism in literature. the main character, jane eyre, in her novel jane eyre, was a parallel to herself, a woman who was strong.3. analysis of the relation between economic factors and feminist spirit and thinking3.1. jane eyre created by charlotte bronte represents the ordinary women. she is a poor but aspiring, small in body but huge in soul, obscure but self-respecting girl, after having a long journey of the spirit, jane eyre, a marvelous figure, has left us so much to recall and to think. we remember her pursuit of justice. its like a companion with the goodness, her self-respect and the clear situation on equality, also remember her striving for life, her toughness and her confidence. by using super artistic skill, charlotte bronte vividly described jane eyres unyielding spirit in her miserable life and her bold pursuit for true love and ideal marriage. all of her qualities show early females pursuit of feminist spirit and thinking. however, inflection by the society and the concepts of her times, which made such pursuit become extremely difficult.3.2. the feminist spirit and thinking has affected by the economic factors 3.21. her parents died when she was a little girl and she was farmed out on her auntie. orphaned as a baby, jane eyre is placed in the care of a cold-hearted aunt, mrs. reed of gates head hall. however, her auntie as well as her cousins is bad to her, and she suffers from cruelties frequently. which inspires jane eyres unbending of the nature of mind in sub consciousness and makes her rise up in resistance and refuse to take such dilemma in which was bullied. the most classical scene is janes indictment for her auntie. “how dare i, mrs. reed? how dare i? because it is the truth that you think i have no feelings and that i can do without one bit of love or kindness; but i cannot live so: and you have no pity. i shall remember how you thrust me backroughly and violently thrust me backinto the red-room, and locked me up there, to my dying day; though i was in agony; though i cried out, while suffocating with distress, have mercy! have mercy, aunt reed! and that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck meknocked me down for nothing. i will tell anybody who asks me questions, this exact tale. people think you a good woman, but you are bad, hard- hearted. you are deceitful!” all her feelings of resentment just came pouring out. she was tired of raw treatment by her aunt and her cousins. she was desirous of fair treatment. however, when she calmed down and realized that she was farmed out to her aunt, she was regretful for what she had done. “after half an hours silence, reflection had shown me the madness of my conduction and the dreariness of my hated and hating position.” the reason for causing this situation is janes inconsistent emotion. the former is that she was discontented with her present situation, she was so desirous to be treated fairly by her aunt and the family as a whole. even she was only a little child, but the frustrations of life make jane eyre ask for fair treatment. then the later is that jane worries about her situation. she was afraid of being driven away by her aunt. the dialogue between jane and the doctor fully embodies her worry of state of economy.“no; i should not like to belong to poor people,” was my replyno, i was not heroic enough to purchase liberty at the price of caste.” all of these fully demonstrate jane struggles against the unfair treatment and wants to strive for a fair although; she is limited by her present economy situation. because of an orphan, jane has no economic ability to support herself. which makes her behaviors remain a desired outcome, rather than an actual outcome, going for freedom and fair and so on, like such feminist behaviors? there is no question of success because of the economic factors in reality. and jane eyre has no scruples to strive for what she longs for before she becomes financially independent. eventually, jane was sent to logwoods school, where mr brocklehurst said that jane eyre is a liar in front of all the teachers and students. “let her stand half-an-hour longer on that stool, and let no one speak to her during the remainder of the day.” jane affirmatively, for her character, cant bear brocklehursts such insults. but she doesnt do anything in resistance. why? if jane opposed violently just like she did in her aunts family. then she is most likely to be discarded by logwoods master- naomi brocklehurst. and she also cant go back to her aunts house, jane can do nothing but tramp the streets to be a poor. which situation is jane unwilling to face. which is the reason why jane keeps silent and doesnt struggle facing insults? in the living present, jane, in her heart, wants to struggle, wants to strive for feminist spirit and thinking, but unfortunately, all of her intention is replaced by the actual economic situation. in other words, present economic situation jane is facing determines what she will act in the near future. later, jane goes to thorn field to be a governess where she falls in love with mr. rochester-her own master. as we all know that at the end of the eighteenth century, social status was very important in conditioning a marriage. at that time, it was almost impossible for a girl who had low social status to marry a man who had high social status. the great economic gap between both of them makes jane eyre hide the love deep in her heart. yet when rochester falsely claims that he is going to marry with miss ingram and when jane has no choice but to leave, jane felt deeply sad, “which makes me saddest is thinking of border ocean- obstruct of property, status and habitude between me and the lover who i fall in love with inevitably and in the course of nature” and later jane said to rochester, “and if god had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, i should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. i am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh.” because of disparity in economic status, jane dare not lay bare her true affection to mr. rochester.from above, we can see the economic state determine her behavior once again, and determine how she should choose, which also proves economic factors have great effects on the womens pursuit for feminist spirit and thinking.3.22. when jane received inheritance from her uncle, as she finds it hard to part with mr. rochester, she makes her mind to return to him. at this time, for the improvement of economic situation, jane has a lot of confidence when she speaks and does things more firmly. she seeks for her kind affections full of confidence. for this, we can see from the conversation between jane and rochester after greetings in the manor-house of fern dean. “i told you i am independent, sir, as well as rich: i am my own mistress.”in comparison with janes distrustful and suspicious attitudes when rochester pursues a courtship, there was a world of difference between them. and all of these changes results in janes economic condition improvement. therefore jane behaves more confidently and firmly in a search for feminist, the pursuit of fair, freedom and independence. which proves that economic factors have made a very deep influence on the feminist from the right side?4. conclusionsas we know, from political economy, material determines consciousness. economic factors belong to material, and feminist spirit and thinking belong to consciousness. when charlotte bronte created jane eyre, britains economic was in the high speed development. besides that, english society just underwent the ten-year-long chartist movement, the spirit advocated by the movement had strike root in the hearts of the