Examples Of Bildungsroman In Jane Eyre

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Ellen McNiff 3/18/15 A life of fulfillment A bildungsroman is a coming of age novel that reveals a psychological or moral development of its protagonist as they mature. Jane Eyre is an example of a character who grows from a poor mistreated orphan to a powerful woman who controls her own life. In the end of the novel Jane matures when she realizes her true desire to be with Rochester. Jane finally realizes what she wants and goes after it by returning to Rochester’s estate, Thornfield. In Jane Eyre, a bildungsroman, the pivotal moment in the psychological development of Jane is her return to Rochester to live with him in the woods, which reveals Jane’s growth from a misunderstood young girl, into a dominant and self-fulfilling…show more content…
In the end of the novel Jane returns to Rochester with money and a higher status, allowing her to have some dominance over Rochester. Rochester has recently lost his sight and money due to Bertha setting Thornfield on fire. Jane states that, “[she] is [her] husband’s life as fully as he is [hers]” (Bronte 384). This statement conveys that in a sense Rochester and her are on equal ground in the relationship based on needs. Jane needs to love Rochester and he needs Jane to take care of him. This equality Jane describes is nonexistent and somewhat edged out by a seemingly “complete overthrow of gender identities brought about by the theatrical excess and sexual threats inherent to marriages between older men and younger women” (Godfrey 3). Jane has a certain control over her relationship because she is the young woman with the hold on an older man. She gains more control when Rochester reveals that, “[he] asked a question, expecting John’s wife to answer him, and [Jane’s} voice spoke at [his] ear” (Bronte 372). Rochester is describing his call to Jane and questioning whether or not Jane’s voice was what he heard in response to his call. Jane did…show more content…
Jane grows from a torn down Orphan into a dominant woman. Her untraditional dominance over her life and husband is established through their marriage. The pivotal moment in the novel in which Jane decides to return to Rochester is also the moment when Jane truly matures. Jane fulfills her dream of marriage with Rochester but on her own terms, when Bertha is no longer in the picture. Jane Eyre is a coming of age novel, ultimately following the development of a self-conscious young girl into a sure and dominant young
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    This movement is reflected through Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre that was published under the pseudonym Currer Bell in 1847. Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman; it is a novel that narrates the story of Jane’s life chronologically from childhood to adulthood and how she experiences some form of moral development. There are two interesting issues raised in this novel, the first one is how Jane, a Christian woman, develops her religious

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