A Study About The Love In Jane Eyre

Summary：I led a discussion in my class-do you think it is true love in Jane Eyre and what contributed to their love in the Victoria time. And after reading this passage we can understand their love in that time in England

Keyword：Jane Eyre ；true love；Victoria age

Jane Eyre is my second favorite book and I almost read it once a year because I always can find different feelings about their love during different periods of my life.

Jane Eyre originally published as Jane Eyre：An Autobiography is a novel by English writer Charlotte Bronte. So you can find it very similar to the writer's life experience. At first， Jane spent a tough childhood at Gateshead ， where she was emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins. Then after her revolt，she received education at Lowood School， where she met friends and role models but also suffered privations and oppression. When she came to Thornfield as a tutor， the love story happened， she fell love with her Byronic employer， Edward Rochester. After the appearance of his wife Bertha Mason， they broke up and Jane came across her earnest but cold clergyman cousin， St. John Rivers who proposed her but failed. Finally Jane and Rochester reunited， Jane married to her beloved Rochester.

When I first read this book I feel it's very unfair for Jane at about 12 because she desperately fell in love with Rochester but he still thought too much about their different class and status. When they decided to get married， Rochester broke Jane's heart twice. And when he lost everthing， his supreme position， his grand house and the women pursued him， Jane Eyre went back to his life and looked after him who almost lost his arm and an eye.

But after several years ， I gradually understand their love. I begin to know love is great，more important than the status and money . And when I grew up to about 16， I believe in love， I think love is pure and so grand and nothing can destroy it. I was touched by the love story of Jane and Rochester.

And when I came to the university and have some experience， I became confused and began to suspect their love. Then I led an discussion about"what is the true love？--after reading Jane Eyre"in my class. At first， I asked them： Do you think the love between Jane and Rochester is true love？My classmates have very different opinions from each other just as Shakespeare said： There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes. They all admitted that Jane and Rochester both loved each other but some thought this was true love some thought not. 'I have to say their love is touched and great but Rochester was disloyal to Jane because he hadn't told Jane he had a wife and Adele was his daughter.' Amy said. Luna refuted' Rochester cheated her because he loved her so deeply and he didn't dare to tell her the truth.' They discussed excitedly and I concluded it. They centered the conflict in the points as follow. Firstly， Rochester cheated Jane he had no family and this led to their separation directly but some thought it showed the love to Jane of Rochester. Secondly Rochester had a girlfriend who was beatiful and had the same class with him and he almost married her. Thirdly， Jane decided to keep away from Rochester until the bad things happened to him.

After thinking about the three points and doing some research I find it's true love between them. Firstly， the marriage law in 19 century was so different from today's both in China and foreign

countries：'Upon the historical and cultural context have been laid down， further attempts are made to explore the mid-and late characteristics of marriage legal system. The law description in Jane Eyre， as an immortal classic works， exerting great influence on both social movement and literature progress， which could be treated as a stimulus to promote the refinement in the public attitudes towards marriage as well as finally in theatre a of the marriage legal system.' So we can tell it is hard for Rochester to divorce with his wife with mental problems. He didn't tell Jane because they can't solve this problem properly.

Secondly， as an adult， Rochester can't just think about love. And the love itself need a lot of things to keep includes money position and so on. At that time， it is very dauntless not to think about the socia surrounding： The novel contains elements of social criticism， with a strong sense of morality at its core，

but is nonetheless a novel many consider ahead of it time given the individualistic character of Jane and the novel's exp；oration of classism，sexuality， religion， and proto-feminism.'

Thirdly， at last they know that love is the most important things in their relationship so the reunion is an inevitability. Whether Jane heard the news or not， they would meet again and marry each other.

Love is complex but I still think there is true and pure love between Jane and Rochester . I hope this thesis will be helpful if you are confused by their love story the same with me.

References：

[1]The introduction of Jane Eyre in Wikipedia.

[2]《由<簡爱>中的法律描写看维多利亚时期的英国婚姻法律制度》孙麟，上海外国语大学，2007年硕士毕业论文.

[3]Gilbert， Sandra & Gubar， Susan（1979）. The Madwoman in the Attic. Yale University Press.

[4]Martin Robert B.（1996）. Charlotte Bronte's Novels： The Aceents of Persuasion. NY： Norton.

作者简介：李敏怡（1998-），女，江苏南京，河南大学大一学生，研究方向：商务英语。