Emancipation and Suppression in "Jane Eyre". An Emancipated Heroine or the Slave within a Relationship?

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2016 im Fachbereich Didaktik für das Fach Englisch - Literatur, Werke, Note: 1,7, Universität Konstanz, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The aim of this paper is to critically examine how Jane Eyre adapts to the conventions of the Victorian Age in order to oblige Rochester. This essay will examine how far Jane Eyre is an emancipated woman regarding her relationship with Rochester. In order to achieve this aim topics as equality and gender within the relationship will be discussed, but also the subtle suppression Rochester exercises over Jane will be a central theme. Additionally, it will be discussed how far Jane can be considered the 'Angel in the House' at the end of the novel. The relationship to be discussed in this essay tells a story, which is set in the Victorian Age and therefore, the circumstances for female emancipation to develop were probably more challenging than nowadays. Still, a bildungsroman with a female protagonist was probably as unusual as the protagonist (Jane Eyre herself) during that era. Throughout "Jane Eyre" it is quite outstanding that Jane is different from the other female characters in the novel and the female stereotype of the Victorian Age does not quite fit her. She cannot be defined as the 'Angel in the House', which does of course not mean that there are not characteristics of that stereotype to be found in Jane's character. Despite the fact that Jane Eyre is such a unique and specific character, her relationship to Rochester evokes some ambivalence in her. Also, the relationship between those two characters leads to the discussion of equality of the sexes and gender and relationship constructions. Nevertheless, even though Jane Eyre's character tends to be more emancipated than the other female characters in the novel, Jane behaves reluctant regarding her relationship to Rochester. Therefore, I assume that even though Jane Eyre is not exactly the stereotype of a conventional Victorian woman, or the 'Angel in the House', her strong and emancipated character is suppressed by her relationship with Rochester.