毕业论文-浅谈简爱的反抗精神（BriefCommentonJaneEyre’sRebellion）.doc

毕毕 业业 论论 文文 Brief Comment on Jane Eyres Rebellion 浅谈简爱的反抗精神浅谈简爱的反抗精神 教务处教务处 制制 2 Abstract：“Jane Eyre” is one of the greatest masterpieces of the 19th century in the English literary world. Many people considered it as a wonderful works; because it formed an obvious comparison with the social value in British and furthermore it was written by the feminine, for the phenomenon of male superiority dominated the whole society at that time. Almost all persons thought literature was not the womens career, and women could not regard it as their jobs, neither. So the birth of “Jane Eyre” was a shocking works. This paper aims at commenting briefly on Jane Eyres characteristics of rebellion. The heroine in the novel bore all different kinds of oppressions from the feudalistic society, but she was strong, with her intelligent, kind and pure getting respect, freedom and a piece of great love. Believing that most of readers especially women in untoward circumstance get much encouragement from this classic. This essay is accomplished with examples to state her rebellion in detail and combine with the practical cases to let people know what enlightenments we can get from. Key words: Jane Eyre; rebellion; enlightenments 3 CONTENT INTRODUCTION.5 1. BACKGROUND.6 2. IN THE GATESHEAD (RESOURCE OF REBELLION) .6 2.1 REBELLION UNDER THE ILL-TREATMENT FROM JOHN READ7 2.2 REBELLION IN THE RED ROOM8 2.3 REBELLION IN THE FRONT OF MRS. REED8 2.3.1 Characteristics of Mrs. Reed9 2.3.2 Through Rebelling against Mrs. Reed to See Today10 3. IN THE LOWOOD (DEVELOPMENT OF REBELLION).10 3.1 ANALYZING THE REBELLION OF JANE EYRE THROUGH BURNS.11 3.2 REBELLING AGAINST MR. BROCKLEHURST.12 4. IN THE THORNFIELD (CLIMAX OF REBELLION) .13 4.1 LOVE REBELLION.13 4.2 VIEWS OF THEIR LOVE.14 5. IN THE MOOR HOUSE (ANTI-CLIMAX OF REBELLION) .14 CONCLUSION .15 BIBLIOGRAPHY .16 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.17 4 Introduction Jane Eyre, a very classic heroine of a famous novel written by Charlotte Bronte, was a typical rebellious feminine in 19th century. She was a successful figure under the authors works. In the novel, she was self-respect, independent and kind-hearted. Jane Eyre was a greatest masterpiece in the world not only shocked the whole literary at that time but also encouraged many persons who were on the lower rungs, especially for women. Since women had no opportunity, no right, no position at that time. This novel was born in 19th century which was a turbulent age and the Caste System was quite strict. Women in that British time had little independent voice. They had no choice but to bear all different kinds of oppressions from feudalism. In the Capitalists eyes, they were only the tools for machines, let alone freedom and independent. People who have read this novel may have strongly felt that the author is the prototype of Jane Eyre. The story of this novel is fictional, but the heroine and many other figures living environment, characteristics and other details are all from the author and her relative persons experiences. (廖洪中2003:108) With a story about the life of an orphan, Charlotte showed us the miserable situation for British women at that time, reflecting women on how to get rid of the request from males oppressions and discriminations. It was the great pioneering creation in British literature, which resulted in a tremendous response. In this works, we can see the authors silhouette everywhere. Just like what Charlotte Bronte said, Jane was not pretty, not rich, not pride, but she was intelligent, enthusiastic, humble, just like herself. After finishing this novel, the enlightenment from it is we should not yield to any evil forces. Everyone in this world is equal and we enjoy the same rights with other persons. Also we should not be timid; inversely we have to be brave to pursue the truth, honesty and beauty. Jane Eyre suffered from a great deal of insult and contemptuous look, especially in Gateshead. But she was not an ordinary girl. When bullied by them, she would hit it back powerfully. So from this novel, we can easy to see at the bottom of Janes heart how strong she was. 1. Background Charlotte, one of three Brontes sisters who were all quite famous in British literature, was born in Yorkshire, England. Her father was a clergy but knowledgeable, and her mother died when she was five. After three years, Charlotte was sent to a boarding school together with her sisters. But unfortunately, her two sisters were infected the tuber and later they were dead. So they back home. Charlotte lived through a hard childhood that affects her future life greatly. She put her characteristics into Jane Eyre and let readers know what hardship not only she had suffered from but also the British women had lived through. In her novel, Jane Eyre was a poor girl. She was no money and not beautiful; nevertheless, Jane was pure, noble, self-respect and independent. When being a private teacher, she loved Rochester gradually who was once her master. The experience of Jane was the same with Charlotte. When Charlotte was studying French in Brussels built by Ella couple, she was also loved her French teacher. But the pity was that he had got married. There was little possibility for Charlotte to get married with him. So she hoped that Jane could finally come true her dream and be together with her lover. We are so happy to see that the final destiny of heroine under authors writing had a good ending. For my eyes, it was only authors fantasy and she hoped this fantasy could be realized on Jane Eyre. Depressing sorrowful mood, Charlotte was back to her hometown and decided to prepare to establish the school, but at last she failed. However, she didnt give up. In reverse, she was striving for herself. Just the same with Jane, though the road was full of thorns, she was always 5 insisting on. There was no vestige of backward. The spirits of independent, rebellion, self-respect showed up in every corner, especially the rebellion. Just because Jane wanted to be independent and free, she had no choice but to rebel. It was these spirits that Jane Eyre got the purest and noblest love. 2. in the Gateshead (Resource of Rebellion) At this part, I will talk something about the rebellion spirit of Jane Eyre in Gateshead. Generally speaking, the purpose of any defiance is to get oneself freedom and equality. The reason why they have rebellions is that these people are under ill-treatment. In this classic novel, the rebellion is always companying with Jane that is formed by the complicated environments. Jane Eyre was an orphan who lost her parents after her birth and lived with Family Reed in the Gateshead where she suffered from much imaginable ill-treatment. Jane Eyre had to depend on her aunt for support, but unluckily her aunt disliked her and looked up down her. (Cong Xiao2010:106) Also her brother and sisters distained her, thinking that she was just a poor girl and had nothing. Only a ten-year-old girl should bear such pain, it was really an amazing thing. However, what comforted our readers was that Jane held on it. She was so strong that nothing could be easy to strike her down. In the Gateshead, the characteristic of rebellion was gradually grown up. Jane was a successful figure, because she dared to break through the traditional thoughts, never thinking of herself as a slave and always trying her best to escape from the constrained freedom. She was kind-hearted, humble and honest. Despite her shortness and plain-looking, she was often full of confident. But her relative, Mrs. Reed, was a rude and uneducated woman who had never treated Jane well. She was a snobby woman and never thought of others. In her eyes, there was only a word that was money. She did not like Jane and often abused her. But Jane was not easy to be bullied. When Mrs. Reed scolded Jane excessively, Jane would talk back to her powerfully. And if John, the son of Mrs. Reed, abused her, she would resist it crazily, either. The rebellion in front of Mrs. Reed was obvious. The days in the red room lit up the spark of Jane Eyres rebellion further. She thought if she didnt have defiance, then she would be dead. As Matthew Arnold suspects that Jane Eyre is such a woman who yearns to escape entirely from drawing rooms and patriarchal mansions. (Li Zhou2010:163) From the rebellion in Gateshead, we can learn from that the respect was a mutual thing. If you want to get others respect, the first thing is that you should learn to respect others. No matter who are you. 2.1 Rebellion under the Ill-treatment from John Read From the beginning of the first chapter, we can know that Jane Eyres living was unhappy, for the writer pointing out that a heart suddenly by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed. (Charlotte Bronte2008:1)Since Jane has lived with family Reed together, she did have a good life until her uncle died. From then on, everyone in Reed house started to bias her and bully her. Later, she was even abused by them. At Gateshead, the one who always abuse Jane Eyre was John Reed. John Reed, elder four years than Jane, was Mrs. Reeds only darling son. So no matter what he had done, no one would scold him, instead, all of them would think that it must be the Janes fault. At the initial stage, maybe Jane had a little frightened to John when she was abused by him. For example, as Jane Eyre said:” every nerve I has feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near. ” (Charlotte Bronte2008:6) However, Jane Eyres heart was strong, since she was not scared with any half step. On the contrary, the seeds 6 of the rebellion were gradually growing up. It is known to all that people who were only under the great oppression will break out their enormous power. Thats it. The tolerance of everybody is limited. When the tolerance reaches a certain point, of course, it will have a massive explosion. Just like what Luxun said:” to explore in silence, or to die in it. ” Seeing from that you can know it was full of the rebellion spirit in Jane Eyres heart, which was her own unconscious that hadnt shown apparently. Jane didnt think that she should resign to such an uneducated and rude boy. She desired freedom and independent. Fair was also her inner calling. But it was impossible for her to get these things at that time. Gradually, the rebellion consciousness was much stronger than before. As for John, both of his intelligent quality and emotional quality were inferior to Jane. He had not much affection for his mother and sisters, let alone the sympathy to Jane Eyre. Furthermore, he always insulted Jane with fouled words that to the great extent hurt Janes respect. For instance, he once said: “you have no money, you ought to beg. Ill teach you to rummage my bookshelves, for they are mine, all belongs to me, or will do in a few years.”(Charlotte Bronte2008:7) From this point we can see that the author gave a bright comparison between Jane her brother, John, because at the end of the story, Jane had got decent money which was left by her uncle Eyre, and she shared all her money with her family. The love of family was the best gift for her. In our readers view, Jane was just like a straw, looking weak, (王红莉 2010:52) but in fact, it was quite hardy. The more difficulties there were, the more she was strong. When John Reed lift and hurled the book to Jane, she shouted out without any hesitation: “wicked and cruel boy! You are like a murder-you are like a slave driver-you are like the roman emperors! ” (Charlotte Bronte2008:7) Even she thought she would declare it aloud, although Jane once often thought of John as these evils. This point has been shown clearly that the tolerance limitation of Jane Eyre has saturated. But for the Johns continuously attack, the rebellion wont break out. In our view, Jane Eyres choice was exactly right. At least, her defiance has our readers hatred give a vent. Believing that as Jane shouting out to John, she must be very joyful. From then on, as long as John thrust his tongue in his cheek or even attempted abuse, Jane would instantly turn against him. We were so glade to see that there was mighty power in Janes heart. 2.2 Rebellion in the Red Room Mrs. Reed hated to see Jane Eyre, because of Janes ceaselessly rebellions. It seemed that Jane was challenging the power of Mrs. Reed. So finally she could not escape from the tragedy of being sent to the red room. The room was a spare chamber that was seldom used. Mr. Reed, the uncle of Jane Eyre on her mothers side was dead in this room for about 9 years. Dear friends, you can imagine that how horrible the red room is. Everything in this room was guarded with a sense of dreary atmosphere, which made people stifling. So was Jane. She was so afraid that there were all the terrifying images that almost occupied her all mind. She said, “although there was a superstition with me at that moment, it was not yet her hour for complete victory: my blood was still warm, the mood of the revolted slave was still bracing me with its bitter vigor” (Charlotte Bronte2008:13) each time, as long as she though of John Reeds violent tyrannies, Eliza and Georgiana Reeds pride and Mrs. Reeds merciless and hard-hearted, at that time, Jane would cause a feeling of hatred. There was only one word would come up her, that was the rebellion. Only through the rebellion, Jane could feel a sense of triumph; only through the rebellion, she would get the satisfactory. Only through the rebellion, she could have the chance to get freedom and independence. The days living in the red room was just like the days living in the hell. During that time, Jane thought lots of things. She deemed that it was not the life she 7 wanted. Everything around her was unfair. Locked in that gloomy and cold red room all afternoon, Janes mind was filled with terror, and all her heart was tumultuous. Jane was a strong girl and never gave up striving and rebelling. At sometimes, she even thought of a new means to escape from these disgusting days. She knew it was pointless in pleasing them, since the family Reed didnt like her from their heart. Each of them looked down on her, considered that she was poor and not pretty. So it was meaningless to integrate her into these persons. They were not worth getting any respect and sympathy from Jane. She thought it was she that did not fit to associate with them, but they had no qualifications to associate with her. The thinking of Jane Eyre was obviously contrary to the current of thought at that time. The ideological trend in the 19th century of British was male priority. Women had not the equal right to men. And the only thing which they could do was to obey, to yield and to resign them. In the terms of Janes rebellion, it was like a joke for women, even though someone having such idea, they could not put it into practice. However, Jane, we have seen that, was a different girl. She dared to think and act. Persisting all the way, she was rather out of herself. She had conscious that now that, it was impossible to please them, then she would rather to become rebel slave. The novel had pointed out that “they had got me by this time into the apartment indicated by Mrs. Reed, and had thrust me upon a stool: my impulse was to rise from it like a spring(Charlotte Bronte2008:9) ” you can imagine, at that time, if someone laid upon you, do you dare rebel? However, looking at Jane Eyre, she jumped up instinctively. So the consciousness of the rebellion in the red room was more and more strong. 2.3 Rebellion in the front of Mrs. Reed From chapter 1 to chapter 4, the author described the Janes living in family Reed. And in Gateshead, the dialogue between Mrs. Reed and Jane Eyre could well display her rebellions. In Gateshead, Jane suffered from lots of difficulties. While when faced with so many different kinds of revilement, Jane had not shown any sign of fright. Instead, she gave the powerful words to hit back. Her reason told her that it was not the time that she would be yielded. As Jane cried out as leaning over the banister, “they are not fit to associate with me.” (Charlotte Bronte2008:33) Mrs. Reed was so angry when hearing it, and then dragged her into the nursery, pressed her on the edgy of the bed and said” dared me in an emphatic voice to rise from that place”(Charlotte Bronte2008:33) then, Jane talked it back immediately, “what would uncle Reed say to you, if he were live?” These words shocked Mrs. Reed; her eyes were tangled with terror. She did not think that such little girl had so great power and courage to speak to her. In Mrs. Reeds heart, there was also a slight of fright, and also just like people living at that period. People who dare to defiant are usually hardy and study. We should respect them. In the days of nursery, Jane was always striving. Often, she was thinking about how to say her inner thoughts out. She had been abused mercilessly for a long time. But unfortunately, there was no any good idea for her to escape from it. The only thing that she could do was to rebel, which was the best way that could protect her. If not do so, the rest of the world for her was only the death. When thought of this point, she would gather all her energy and gave Mrs. Reed a forceful hit- back. She said to Mrs. Reed” I am not deceitful: if I were you, I should say I love you: but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except the John Reed: and this book about the liar, you may give your girl, Georgiana, for it is she tells lies, and not I” (Charlotte Bronte2008:46) how joyful and comfortable for Jane as she was saying these words. Afraid as she was, Jane still continued to say “I am glad you are no relation of mine, I will never call you aunt as long as I live, and I will never come to see you when I am grown up.” (Charlotte