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I will be your neighbor, your nurse, your housekeeper. I find you lonely: I will be your companion—to read to you, to walk with you, to sit with you, to wait on you, to be eyes and hands to you. Cease to look so melancholy, my dear master; you shall not be left desolate, so long as I live (Bronte 413).

I was really moved by this passage from chapter 37, in which Jane so passionately describes her unconditional love for Rochester. Despite his injuries that were inflicted upon him from the fire, Jane was still clearly attached to him and wanted nothing more than to be his wife. For Jane to claim that she would be the "eyes and hands" to Rochester, really showed me how committed she was to him as her romantic partner. Jane is now a guide and also a servant to Rochester, but she created a family with him as their love for each other grew. I was a little surprised that Jane was willing to make some sacrifices or exceptions to her independence by marrying Rochester. I figured that after her self-discovery journey, that she would not want to make these certain trade-offs, but Jane found the balance that she was seeking for.
I think that this specific passage also shows the role in which gender-roles play in marriage during the Victorian era. This ceremonial gesture of marriage might suggest that Jane will have to again find balance, or to be seen as equals.

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We have finally approached the end of Jane's grueling journey. Within these last several chapters, there were many twists and turns that I quite honestly was not expecting to take place. For example, the entire arson fiasco and Bertha's suicide was surprising to say the least. I thought it was  unfair for Jane to see Bertha's death as an opportunity to have a better relationship with Rochester. Bertha's absence allowed Jane to have the relationship with Rochester that she longed for, but at what cost?
I think that Bertha's use of fire to destroy Thornfield was symbolic of the rage and fury burning within her. Those feelings had been repressed for years, and she did not get the psychiatric help that she so desperately needed. I felt that Bertha's death was far more meaningful than it might have been portrayed.
Apart from these unfortunate events, I was pleased that Jane got her happy ending, after so many turbulent ups and downs throughout her life. It was refreshing to have a happy ending, when everything seemed so bleak for Jane's future in the beginning. I hoped that Jane would end up marrying someone that she truly loved, even if she had to make some sacrifices along the way.

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Voices In My Head [Chapters 27-33 (3/15)]

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Voices In My Head [Chapters 27-33 (3/15)]

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"She broke forth as never moon yet burst from cloud... It spoke to my spirit; immeasurably distant was the tone, yet so near, it whispered in my heart, 'My daughter, flee temptation!'
'Mother, I will'(Brontë 307).

The idea of nature combining with the Supernatural is not new to Jane. Jane experiences a rather prophetic dream in which her mother visits her in in the form of a moon, sharing her wisdom and encouraging her to flee Rochester. These occurrences with nature throughout the novel are symbolic of much more than just random lightning strikes or a gust of wind. These voices within Jane's head I believe are just reminding her of her self-worth, desperately telling her to leave behind her temptation. Jane leaving behind her temptation is possibly symbolic of her leaving part of herself in the past, she can now truly find herself and find meaning in life. It was not uncommon for Jane to have several influential voices along her journey, and her dreams just further reiterated the importance in Jane developing as a person. This dream in which her mother presented herself as a spirit of sorts, could also be seen as a reflection of Jane's inner conscious. She is realizing that a life with Rochester is indeed a life that she must run away from. She learns to prioritize herself and her independence and follows this biblical reference and leaves behind her temptation to stay with Rochester.

I included another painting from The Armory Show at 100 that reminded me of what Jane's mother would look like when she appeared in her dream.

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Walt Kuhn was inspired when he saw Munch's work at the Cologne Sonderbund exhibition in fall 1912 and commented that the artist "paints big wild things, very crude but extremely powerful." Kuhn wrote that he had secured "a couple" of Munch's "pictures" for the Armory Show, presumably paintings. In the end, Munch did not send any paintings, but Kuhn did secure four of his lithographs and four of his woodcuts for the exhibition.

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Walt Kuhn was inspired when he saw Munch's work at the Cologne Sonderbund exhibition in fall 1912 and commented that the artist "paints big wild things, very crude but extremely powerful." Kuhn wrote that he had secured "a couple" of Munch's "pictures" for the Armory Show, presumably paintings.

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Female Role Models For Jane [Chapters 27-33 (3/15)]

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Female Role Models For Jane [Chapters 27-33 (3/15)]

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In these following chapters, we encounter new characters, Mary and Diana Rivers. These young women finally serve as great female role models for Jane, as she admires their intelligence and kind hearts. I believe they could possibly be seen as mirror images or doubles for Jane. They share similar interests, and both encountered conflict with their occupations as governesses. These kind sisters, Mary and Diana, share a great friendship with Jane and they create a strong intellectual bond. I think that the sisters also serve as a strong contrast compared to their brother, St John, who is much more cold and stern. I believe that this change in scenery and change in hospitality will do wonders for Jane in her rediscovery of her self, once she was stripped of any of her past troubles.

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An impulse held me fast—a force turned me round. I said—or something in me said for me, and in spite of me—“Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home—my only home.”

Jane and Rochester have quite the tumultuous relationship. In our first exposures to their relationship, it is unclear whether Rochester is genuine with his intentions, and he seems to have trouble with being honest and straightforward. Jane soon admits how she feels strongly towards Rochester, and professes her love, in a sudden burst of passion. I included this picture below that I thought perfectly depicted this rather confusing situation Jane was unfortunately placed in. Rochester brought up his engagement to Blanche just to create jealousy and envy within Jane, in hopes of winning her over. I was surprised that after all of these events, Rochester was able to convince Jane to accept his marriage proposal. I believe that the concept of love was much different in the Victorian Era, it was much more challenging with all of the proper "etiquette" necessary.

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Exploring Gothic Elements [Chapters 20-26 (3/5)]

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Exploring Gothic Elements [Chapters 20-26 (3/5)]

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There was an overwhelming amount of gothic elements as we ventured further into this novel. The eerie mansion is riddled with several gothic elements such as the strange supernatural events Jane experiences, and the shrieks heard throughout the night. Women in distress is particularly relevant in this novel and in this specific portion. In chapter 20, the mysteries of the secretive Mr. Rochester continue to deepen. Suspense builds and there is a sense of fear that lingers among the inhabitants of the chilling mansion. The secrets of Rochester and his troubled marriages are later revealed, and soon there are explanations given for these curious instances.
Doubles are also common among gothic elements, and Bertha can be seen as a dark double to Jane's character. Bertha represents fear and anger, after all she had been locked up and kept away from the world for so long. Bertha has been repressed and hidden, and her actions are justifiable under these conditions.

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General Musings - Jane's Romantic Endeavors [Chapters 11-19 (2/22)]

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General Musings - Jane's Romantic Endeavors [Chapters 11-19 (2/22)]

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As we continued our reading, we are introduced to the stern Rochester, and Jane finds herself falling head over heels for this complex man. Jane’s first encounter with Rochester reveals his rather layered personality; he is used to being the superior and having power. Immediately, Jane senses a deep connection between her and Rochester, despite his tendencies to conceal information from her. I was pleasantly surprised that Jane had romantic interest in Rochester and was excited to see her romantic endeavours unfold throughout the novel. I found it interesting that Bronte depicted the ways in which Victorian England revolved around social rankings and hierarchical relationships. Jane feels that she is unfit to even imagine herself being with a man such as Rochester due to her social status. Competition arises when Jane finds out that Blanche, a beautiful aristocrat, boldly shows interest in Rochester. Jane then cannot help but feel inferior in this situation, and even just her plain clothing shows her feelings of inadequacy when compared to the flashiness of Blanche. I am curious to see how else Jane’s social ranking might influence her relationship with Rochester and those around her.

I chose to include a painting from the Armory Art Show that reminded me of the artwork that Jane showed to Rochester.

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Albert Pinkham Ryder (1847-1917)
Moonlight Marine, 1870-90
Oil and possibly wax on wood panel, 11 ½ x 12 inches (29.2 x 30.5 cm)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1934

The "reclusive visionary"
Though touted as one of the "discoveries" of the Armory Show, Albert Pinkham Ryder was a well known painter in New York artistic circles by 1913.[1] In fact, articles about the "reclusive visionary" had been published in the New York press as early as the mid-1870s. [2]

At the Armory Show
Ryder was well represented at the Armory with ten paintings. His work was displayed in the same room as examples by then-deceased Americans James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Theodore Robinson, and John Henry Twachtman.[3] The display was intended to demonstrate pre-modernist tendencies in the United States and visually narrate a native art historical lineage, positioning Ryder as an "Old Master" to whom younger American artists could look for inspiration. [4]

The subject
Moonlight Marine represents some of Ryder's most iconic imagery. A two-masted sailboat, now barely visible, perches atop dark, swirling waves, with multiple cloud masses glowing in the moonlit sky above. The palette is somber, focused mainly on tones of blue-green and white. While Ryder chose to flatten the elements of the painting into two-dimensional shapes, the canvas itself undulates with waves of layered paint and wax. [5]

The inspiration
Though Ryder claimed that such images derived solely from his imagination, his friends observed him taking midnight strolls to get the moonlight effects. Ryder lived in New York City for his entire artistic career but he chose to depict the opposite of the rapidly urbanizing world around him in these paintings-cows on grassy fields and quiet visions of the sea under the light of the moon.

The response
Ryder's works were well received by critics of the Armory Show. One, referring to the artist as "Old Man Ryder," praised the "quality of his work" and noted that "he is much nearer to the modern expression of intellectualized emotion than all but a few of the young men" in the exhibition.[6]

[1] Milton Brown, The Story of the Armory Show, 2 nd ed. (New York: Abbeville Press, 1988), 98. Ryder had shown at New York venues such as the National Academy of Design, the Society of American Artists, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Union League Club during the 1880s and 1890s. The network of patronage and Ryder's role in artistic circles at this time has also been analyzed by Saul Zalesch, "Ryder Among the Writers: Friendship and Patronage in the New York Art World, 1875-1884," Ph.D. diss, University of Delaware, 1992.

[2] Roger. E. Fry, "The Art of Albert P. Ryder." Burlington Magazine 13 (April 1908): 55, 59, 62-64. See also Sadakichi Hartmann, "A Visit to Albert Pinkham Ryder," ArtNews 1 (March 1897): 1-3.

[3] Brown, 116. Ryder was still alive, but he had generally stopped producing new work after 1900.

[4] Arthur B. Davies, a key organizer of the exhibition, was a friend and champion of the artist. Contemporary observers described Davies delightedly leading Ryder through the exhibition in New York. Elizabeth Broun, Albert Pinkham Ryder, exh. cat. (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1989), 4.

[5] Unfortunately, Ryder often created his paintings without regard for technical precision and permanence, so that some have darkened considerably over time, losing much of the original nuance in tone and color that attracted early admirers. See conservation report notes included in object file for Moonlight Marine, Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 34.55.

[6] Charles H. Caffin, "International Still Stirs the Public," New York American, March 10, 1913, 8.

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Moonlight Marine | The Armory Show at 100

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Albert Pinkham Ryder (1847-1917) Moonlight Marine, 1870-90 Oil and possibly wax on wood panel, 11 ½ x 12 inches (29.2 x 30.5 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1934 The "reclusive visionary" Though touted as one of the "discoveries" of the Armory Show, Albert Pinkham Ryder was a well known [...]

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Exploring the Supernatural [Chapters 11-19 (2/22)]

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Exploring the Supernatural [Chapters 11-19 (2/22)]

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"the last sound I expected to hear in so still a region, a laugh, struck my ear. It was a curious laugh; distinct, formal, mirthless. I stopped: the sound ceased, only for an instant; it began again, louder: for at first, though distinct, it was very low. It passed off in a clamorous peal that seemed to wake an echo in every lonely chamber; though it originated but in one, and I could have pointed out the door whence the accents issued." (Bronte 91)

It is apparent that throughout the novel Jane, being her curious self, continues to have these strange and mysterious encounters with the "supernatural". Upon her first encounter with Rochester, she is reminded of a ghost story that Bessie previously mentioned to her; a story about Gytrash, a spirit or sorts. The supernatural is a recurring theme in this novel, causing Jane to be quite observant of her surroundings. I believe these seemingly supernatural or spiritual embellishments add suspense to the novel, keeping the reader engaged and intrigued by the oddities Jane encounters. With the burning of Rochester's bed curtains, and the strange sounds from the third floor, Jane is suspicious of any supernatural activity going on. Thornfield seems to be flowing with unexplainable events. Within this theme of supernatural events, there also seems to be a theme of false appearances. For example, Rochester is disguised as a gypsy, and later reveals his true identity which causes Jane much distress.

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Jane Eyre Blog Post Chapters 1-10 (2/11)

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Jane Eyre Blog Post Chapters 1-10 (2/11)

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'I am very happy, Jane; and when you hear that I am dead, you must be sure and not grieve: there is nothing to grieve about. We all must die one day, and the illness which is removing me is not painful; it is gentle and gradual: my mind is at rest. I leave no one to regret me much: I have only a father; and he is lately married, and will not miss me. By dying young, I shall escape great sufferings. I had not qualities or talents to make my way very well in the world: I should have been continually at fault.'
'I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is good; I can resign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend: I love Him; I believe He loves me.' (Bronte 69)

I would like to discuss the conversation held between Jane and her dear friend Helen during the last moments of Helen's life. Helen became deathly ill from "consumption" and left Jane with a profound interpretation of death and afterlife. Throughout these first several chapters, Jane learns how she must follow the teachings of Christianity and becomes strong in her faith. I believe that Helen served as a form of religious teaching to Jane. Helen is so kind and pure, the perfect embodiment of a devout and faithful follower of God. Her very optimistic approach to religion and the promise of an afterlife provided Jane with a different outlook on life. It seems as if Helen is comparable to Christ, Bronte creating her character as an almost Christ-like figure. I believe that Jane and Helen held very different beliefs on the concept of death; Helen does not fear death, rather she is grateful that she will have possibly a better chance for happiness in the afterlife. Meanwhile, this conversation emphasized how Jane continues to struggle with placing her faith completely in God, she seems to be uncertain with what the future may hold.

I have included an interesting TEDx video that provided insight on life and the final moments before death.

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From life to death, beyond and back | Thomas Fleischmann | TEDxTUHHSalon

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Upon reading the introductory chapters to this novel, I was pleasantly surprised by the pace, it did not seem to drag on, unlike some other similar pieces of literature. I was expecting a slow progression of the plot, possibly one similar to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, or even The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I find Jane Eyre's personality admirable. I appreciate how Jane fights conformity and seeks to find meaning from her interactions with others. After reading about Jane's rather unfortunate family-life situation, I immediately was reminded of the Disney Princess Cinderella, and her infamous step-sisters and step-mother. Similarly, Jane receives terrible treatment from the Reeds, which feeds into her feelings of inferiority. Jane is subjected to cruel punishments and has to live with family members that see her as less than. This connection then led me to create some predictions or inferences about the plot of the novel. I am curious to see if Jane's story is limited to one that relies on a man, or her own Prince Charming to swoop in and "save her".