To What Extent Can The Narrator Of A Novel Make The Reader See The World Afresh?

This essay will discuss the extent to which a novel can make the reader see the world afresh using Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It will focus on how readers at the time it was published would have been led to see the world afresh, through the narration chosen and used by Bronte. Published in 1847, this would have been a male-dominated time where women would have had no liberty, freedom, dignity or independence. "Under the common law, a wife was in many ways regarded as the property of her husband." (Shanley, 1989, p8). The protagonist, Jane, would have been regarded as an unconventional woman considering the Victorian attitude at that time. This is because of her treatment of Lord Rochester, teamed with her opinion of marriage and her education. A typical Victorian woman would have approached her relationship with Lord Rochester extremely differently, and would have had very different opinions of marriage and education. It could be said that the novel was used by Bronte as a mouthpiece for her views on feminism which at the time was beginning its first wave. Not only this, it could be said that Bronte wrote Jane Eyre in an attempt to make the reader at the time see the world in a new and modernised way. Victorian times were dominated by issues of class. Within this, despite what class a woman would have been, she was still faced with having to live in a male dominated world. At that time, women were seen to be needed for maintaining the home, whether that was done themselves, or done through organising servants. The other need for women at that time was for producing male heirs. It was also seen to be unnecessary for them to be educated, as long as they knew how to look after their children and their homes. Regarding marriage, it was seen to be unconventional to marry a member of a lower class. When considering these points, Jane Eyre turns into a book extremely ahead of its time. Jane is seen to 'fend for herself' from a very young age. The first signs of this when she is living with her aunt and is ill-treated. Then from when she moves to a boarding school and on from that point, she is seen to be independent and strong. When she begins to work for Rochester, we see them talking for hours into the evening. Primarily, Rochester is seen to make Jane unable to express her thoughts. "I rose, deeming it useless to continue a discourse which was all darkness to me" (Bronte, 1847, p162). Their relationship is similar to that of her relationships with John Rivers and Mr Brocklehurst. Although Jane and Mr Rochester's conversations begin with an obvious opinion on both parts of inferiority, Jane slowly begins to raise her own opinions and ideas, which Rochester is seen to admire. At the time set, people reading the novel would have been new to the idea of men and women of different classes partaking in intellectual conversation. Jane Eyre is set at a time in which the first waves of feminism were being noticed. Other authors such as Louisa M Alcott and Elizabeth Barrett Browning were beginning to incorporate feminism into their novels, for example, Louisa M Alcott's Little Women. Chow (Unknown date, cited Bolt 2008) states that Jane Eyre has come to be considered as "one of the first major examples of a woman overcoming patriarchal and class domination in modern times". The reader at the time the novel was published may have been surprised to find the female protagonist narrates her story, rather than a male narrating it for her. Alongside this, Jane's 'plainness' is a high focus throughout the novel, which at that time would have been a problem in real life, but is not deemed to be a problem for Jane. Beauty was seen to be highly important in Victorian times, but was not a focus for Jane at any point. It could be suggested that Bronte uses Jane as a mouth piece for her ideologies. Seeyle (2005, p23) states that Jane Eyre is "aimed at young female readers in which an adolescent woman attempts to gain maturity and ascendency over the terms of her world". It could be said that Bronte wanted to introduce the idea of feminism to the world and to make readers see the world afresh. The question is raised of whether Jane herself is a feminist; the feminist being someone who advocates the rights of women. The relationship between Jane and Lord Rochester is very interesting to study. They are not seen to have a typical relationship of the time, both before and after they marry. Their working relationship is seen to be atypical, with their aforementioned late night talks. It is also interesting to note that Jane continually refuses Rochester's gifts and then eventually leaves him. This would not have happened at this time. Someone seen to be as 'plain' as Jane would not have refuse gifts and a marriage proposal from someone of a higher class. She then agrees to marry him but as his equal. This could be seen to have revolutionised this period of time. It could have changed people's views of marriage. There is also a reversal of need experienced by the reader. Rochester loses his sight and is deemed disabled. He is then highly dependent on Jane. "I should not have left him, ...:he would have given me half his fortune without demanding so much as a kiss in return"(Bronte, 1847, p507). This narration by Jane shows her to be independent and also shows changing times. The readers of the time would have picked up on the fact that Jane is going back to Rochester on her own terms. In conclusion, it is interesting to look at Jane Eyre with the view that it is a novel ahead of its time. It appears that Bronte uses the character of Jane to voice her own opinions regarding feminism and the treatment of women. Jane is not a typical character and Jane Eyre, not a typical novel for the Victorian period. It came at the same time as the first wave of feminism, which meant that Bronte was able to create an atypical protagonist to voice her views, without being slandered by the reader. Instead, her aim was to focus her attentions on the younger female readers to change their views of the world around them. In my opinion, Bronte's Jane Eyre is a prime example of how the narrator of a novel can make a reader see the world afresh. The authors that followed were similarly as focused on ideas of feminism, and feminism itself was seen to become more and more prominent. Bronte seemed to revolutionise the novel by using the female protagonist as her narrator, instead of opting for a background male character which had been done continuously in the past. Therefore, in my opinion, the narrator of a novel is one of the primary ways of making the reader see the world afresh.

References

Bolt, D., 2008. The Blindman in the Classic: feminisms, ocularcentrism and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre". Textual Practise. 22 (2), 269-289. Bronte, C., 1847. Jane Eyre. 15th edition. London: Penguin Classics. Shanley, M., 1989. Feminism, Marriage and the Law in Victorian England. Linatron Sabon: Princeton University Press. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pldVMWQf-p0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq= women+freedom+Victorian+england&ots=hIzKJdIIGd&sig=GAbbV _1yXriN0dRBX04n6loIyH4#v=onepage&q=women%20freedom%20victorian%20england&f=false