Bertha's Anger And Passion Towards Mr Rochester example essay topic

Bertha represents the old empire, one that is savage. She belongs to an undomesticated origin. She signals the corruption, deterioration, and dangers of that past from which Jane distinguishes her present. Through Charlottes eyes these dangers include submissiveness and lack of individuality.

Contrary to Jane's beliefs, Bertha has lived a submissive life-style, with self-denial. Those have controlled all aspects within her life around her. First, she was forced into a binding marriage: a marriage to Mr. Rochester, one that her father had bonded her to. Secondly, she was locked away and forced to commit a suttee. Berthas imprisonment at Thornfield leaves her feeling helpless and angry, thus, she expresses her passion and anger through the act of suicidal burning.

Jane subverts from such submission, not because she opposes overweening power and authority, but because she discharges people that practice such horrible things. In Berthas case, a man controls her. In contrast, Jane refuses to submit to a life of self-sacrifice until she is on an equal level with Mr. Rochester. Bertha's anger and passion towards Mr. Rochester is prevalent in her attempt to reverse the act of suttee on Mr. Rochester.

Jane describes the scene as following: Tongues of flame darted round the bed: the curtains were on fire. In the midst of blaze and vapor, Mr. Rochester lay stretched motionless, in deep sleep (ch. 15). This scene is very provocative because it conveys an image of a suttee. This act, implemented by Bertha, is committed with passion and rage, which Jane is unable to act out.

This scene conveys Bertha as the barbaric woman of the past, who is unable to repress her rage. Bertha is seen as a bad wife in her furious anger. Jane, on the other hand, is the one who puts out the flames. This could represent her savior role in the text. Jane saves Rochesters life, thus correcting the barbaric act that Bertha has just committed. This whole scene is a preparation of the later occurrences in which Bertha burns down Thornfield and kills herself.

Jane, as a representative of the Western society, runs to be the cure for this arrogant situation. One of the most important limitations that come up as a result of Bertha's death deals with Rochesters remarriage. In the 1800's, the act of divorce was not acceptable and one could not remarry until one's spouse was dead. Berthas act of self-sacrifice restores Rochester and Jane from this condition. Bertha must act as she is transforming herself into another person, so that Jane Eyre can become the feminist individualist heroine of British fiction.

Bertha is seen as the mad wife, and Jane represents the hero. Bertha could not suppress the passion and anger within her and she succumbed to the situation. The lack of sympathy felt towards the death of Bertha signifies the reality of such occurrences during those times. In Janes case, an obstacle is removed from her path. The lack of sympathy that Jane expresses towards the act that Bertha commits also holds significance to Janes past. The way that Bertha reacts to her imprisonment is somewhat different to the way Jane acted, while she was living with her step-aunt.

Through conditioning Jane has learned to repress the passion and the anger that she had expressed as a young girl, due to the fact that her society does not accept it. These anger that she once held inside is prevalent in Berthas act. This igniting energy and flow of feelings are very similar to those that Bertha realizes at Thornfield. With the death of Bertha, Jane is now able to live with the man she loves. Berthas death precedes a successful union between Rochester and Jane. When Rochester and Jane finally get together, their relationship succeeds due to the fact that he has learned how it feels to be helpless and how to accept the help of a woman.

And finally, we may conclude that this is an outstanding novel. Its issues happen in the past but play an important role in nowadays society education. The roles of Bertha and Jane show the distinction between different people souls and natures..