How Are Governesses Used By The Brontë Sisters?

Governesses do not belong to any one class or role, which in the nineteenth century - a time of very clear class divides, made governesses rather controversial. Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman and it is Jane's progression that is integral to the plot and in illustrating Brontë's predominant portrayal of governesses being marginalised.

The idea that the marginalising nature of being a governess prevented them from being able to effectively carry out their role is omnipresent. Very little is seen of Jane being scrutinised or obstructed in her role as Adele's governess, perhaps due to Rochester's favourable treatment towards her, in turn influencing Adele's treatment. We do however see through the Ingram family, an example of a typical upper-class family, how many governesses were treated. Blanche describes her and her sister to have turned their governesses' "drawers inside out" and how the fact "she never got cross" was a favourable feature of the governess. This rebellion to being taught by a woman of a lower class highlights the strong class prejudice those in upper-class families possessed. Blanche saying one of their "dozen" governesses was "not worth the trouble of vanquishing" has connotations of nobility and honour with the use of the verb "vanquishing", reflecting the students' pre-determined class perspectives even from a young age - they are purposefully raised to treat the lower classes with contempt. Children are greatly influenced by their parents - Lady Ingram synecdochically says of Jane "All I see is faults of her class", with "All I see" connoting that Lady Ingram is blind to anything other than class, suggesting appearance takes precedence over personality to the Ingrams. Lord Ingram describing a governess with the adjective "ignorant" due to her objection to the appalling behaviour of her pupils suggests that the family view themselves as morally superior regardless of context, placing the fault seemingly on the governess and preventing the children from ever seeing the fault of their actions. Similarly in Agnes Grey, Mr and Mrs Bloomfield's lack of respect for Agnes influences the children`s' attitudes towards Agnes, and the children due to their privileged lives, have little incentive for attaining a full education. We see the children being "naughty" on purpose, encouraging each other to "throw her desk out of the window". Tom embodies all that Anne Brontë deems to be wrong with the class system - he is extremely class prejudiced and will not submit to Agnes. These factors in turn with the fact Agnes's class forbids her from disciplining the children, prevent Agnes from being able to effectively fulfil her role. This all suggests the intermediary role governesses assume and the marginalisation they endure alienates them, affecting their ability to carry out their role.

Governesses in Jane Eyre could be read as a feminist statement, their marginalisation highlights the patriarchy of the time. Jane tell the reader she believes "women feel just as men feel", showing Jane's, and in turn, Brontë's very perceptive critiques of gender dynamics at the time - Jane has both the moral capacity to acknowledge and passion to then disregard society's creation of gender and its homogeneity with sex. Jane's dilemma is that to marry out, she must fit the mould of a lady for Rochester, but she at first rejects his control. It is in her nature to reject men who control her, as seen earlier with St. John. She refuses despite her love of St. John when he tells her she "will be a missionary's wife" with the imperative statement "No, St John, I will not marry you", showing she objects to becoming his "assistant", as when paired with "wife" this is an oxymoronic pairing."Assistant" connotes that Jane is subsidiary to St John, however marriage is the "equal" coming together of man and woman. Jane already "came" and "went" as St John asked, but she tells the reader "I did not enjoy my servitude: I wished [...] he had continued to neglect me" - Jane sees becoming a "missionary's wife" - a title that by nature is possessive to the missionary as officially sealing her existence as one of servitude to her own husband. Jane saying "I abandon half myself" if going to India, shows that she still has perceptive views on the patriarchy and her non-gender specific self-worth. The quotation "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will." illustrates to the reader that Jane holds some very atypical views for the time. Jane is addressing Rochester at this point, proving that she is no longer emotionally dependant upon him and that she cares more for her morals than for her wellbeing as a dependant. Alternatively, "free" could be read as separated and not belonging, maybe making the point that to be an independant woman in the context, one must be marginalised. Agnes Grey, unlike Jane, said "I should like to be a governess" and chose to empower herself as a woman by making money herself, defying the gender conventions of the time. Agnes marginalises herself, however Jane is already marginalised. They both wish to live their lives on their own terms, regardless of how much of an aberration they become - defying the patriarchy serves to marginalise them.

Jane Eyre being a Bildungsroman conveys Brontë's message that for Jane to cease being marginalised, she must change her very character and marry out of being a governess. At the beginning of the novel, Jane is described as "passionate", which was seen as wrong. Bessie saying "But you are passionate, Jane, that you must allow" portrays the characteristic Jane "must allow" as something to hide. One could read Bertha as an embodiment, that "snarls" and "growls", of what Jane must suppress in order to marry Rochester. We see repeatedly at Thornfield that when Jane becomes passionate or shows emotion, Bertha acts out. When Rochester tells Jane of his former "grande passione" Celine, Bertha engulfs Rochester's bedroom in "tongues of flame". When Jane is anxious about the wedding, it's Bertha who took the "veil from its place" and "rent it in two parts". A lady would suppress her misgivings about her marriage as she knows it is what is expected, Bertha ripping the veil is symbolic of Jane's passionate thoughts and feelings. Jane facing the dilemma of either suppressing her nature and embracing life as a lady or staying morally intact and continuing a marginalised life outside of societal conventions. It has been suggested that Jane deserves her happy ending because she is morally superior to every other character in the novel. However, this is clearly a limited view. Jane is previously at her best when defying the same conventions she marries into, so by fulfilling the narrative of her Bildungsroman by 'coming-of-age' and having a "happy ending" according to Victorian social conventions, Jane has compromised her morality and integrity by abandoning the "passionate" girl she started the novel as, becoming a fundamentally different protagonist to the one the reader first sympathises with. This, however, shows maturity as through abandoning her sexuality, she finds romantic fulfillment. As a governess she was marginalised and marriage was her only escape.

Agnes Grey, on the other hand, is a text that looks at circumstantial change, rather than ideological change and one cannot regard Agnes Grey particularly as a Bildungsroman due to the little progression seen in Grey's character. She always loves Mr Weston, but can only marry him when he changes and has "nothing but a companion to wish for". Jane, conversely, is the one who must change before marriage. Elevation in class, however, for Jane as a woman is arguably only made possible by money, and Poovey would agree. She writes "Brontë's 'resolution' of the governess's dilemma can be seen to underscore - not dismiss - the problem of women's dependence. That only the coincidence of a rich uncle's death can confer on a single woman autonomy and power". I would disagree with this however, as Jane marries for love. Rochester saying "I summon you as my wife" from the onset of their engagement foreshadows his controlling nature with the verb "summon". Jane continues rejecting his control by continuing to act as a governess and calling him "Sir" with the hope that through the act of marrying, they will become equals. It is likely then that had Bertha not been discovered, Jane would have married into a controlling relationship. Only when Jane moves to Moor House she finds what she wants from marriage as through denying St. John with "I have a woman`s heart, but not where you are concerned", she learns that she desires true love, she desires Rochester. During Jane's progression, Bertha dies and subsequently Rochester changes as a character. Jane returns to a changed, humble Rochester and finds the kindred spiritual true love she requires. Governesses being marginalised puts them in the position of requiring to constantly be adapting, often towards a non-marginalised life of marriage.

To conclude, governesses do not occupy any clear position in society - they are marginalised and scrutinised due to both their class and gender. Their independance and exception from the patriarchy could suggest that they are an early feminist statement. In Jane Eyre we see our protagonist progress in a way typical of Bildungsromane, her progression as a character may be perceived by a modern reader as abandoning her morality, but within the context of the Victorian social conventions, she found the most fulfilling love she could ever hope to find. Many will view Jane marrying as a shallow victory, but she does so on her own terms for the betterment of her own life. It is understandable for one to mourn the Jane at the start of the novel, but the improvement in her circumstances and reduction in her marginalisation should be something to inspire.

References Bronte?, A. (1994). Agnes Grey. Ware: Wordsworth Editions. Bronte?, C. (1992). Jane Eyre. Ware: Wordsworth Editions. Regan, S. (2001). The nineteenth-century novel. London: Routledge.