2024年5月29日发(作者：秘景龙)
摘要
《简爱》是19世纪英国批判现实主义文学作家夏洛蒂勃朗特的代
表作。作者所处的时代正是英国社会动荡的时代，随着资本主义迅速
发展，阶级斗争不断激化，爆发了英国历史上著名的宪章运动。本文
对作者所处的社会背景和家庭背景进行了探讨，作者正是在这样的背
景下创作了简爱。作品中简爱既无财产又无姿色，但她顽强、勇敢、
真诚、热情，追求独立、自由、平等，捍卫个人的价值，维护自我尊
严，可以说她是一个既自尊、自爱又自强、自立的时代新女性。本文
着重从简爱的生活经历以及所处的环境，阐述了简爱如何在环境的影
响下，如何由一个软弱的小女孩，变成一个敢于向命运挑战，并且通
过自己的努力，实现自我价值的成功女性。作品成功地塑造了一位在
社会的不公面前，敢于反抗、敢于争取自由和平等地位的女性形象，
从而为女性争取平等、自由吹响了第一声号角。体现了十九世纪西方
妇女已经开始觉醒的女性意识。作品所倡导的女性追求自主自强的精
神在当代社会仍然具有深刻的影响，这种不向压力屈服，敢于向挫折
挑战的精神在今天看来都是难能可贵的。自尊 自强 自立的简爱应
该永远是我们学习的榜样.
1．1社会背景
《简爱》这部小说是十九世纪中叶英国女作家夏洛特勃朗蒂的成
名作和代表作。十九世纪三十到四十年代之间，工人运动在北方工业
地区蓬勃开展起来。在蔓切斯特和它附近的工厂城市里发生了在革命
口号下进行的、人数众多的集会和示威游行；当时的英国，虽然实行
了资产阶级民主改革，政府部门表面上采取了某些改革的措施，比如
通过了女工实行十小时工作
在劳渥德学校制的法案,但是妇女在社会上的地位并没有得到改善,并
没有获得平等的权利,即使是经过了三次高潮的宪章运动,吸引了成百
万的工人和劳动群众参加争取自身权利的斗争,也没有能提出男女平
等问题,但是资产阶级社会的矛盾同时也激发了妇女摆脱男子的压迫
和歧视的要求。在当时的英国，女性是难以取得一席之地的。尤其是
不少处于小资产阶级范畴的妇女，她们受过文化教育，但没有财产，
在婚姻市场上缺少竞争能力，往往不得不因贫穷而遭受冷遇，落到寄
人篱下、身无分文的境地。对于那些上流社会的女子来说，结婚或终
生陪伴父母成为了她们的最终选择。而那些处于社会底层的女性，不
管结婚或者未婚，都要在农场，客栈，商店等地方工作，当工业发展
初步具有规模后，她们也可以到工厂去工作，除此以外，做女佣也是
她们通常的选择。这就是十九世纪英国严酷的现实。
1．2家庭背景
夏洛蒂生于英国北部约克郡哈沃斯一个穷苦的家庭，她的家庭处
于上下阶层之间，父亲是约克郡哈沃斯的一个圣公会穷牧师，毕业于
剑桥圣约翰学院，学识渊博，喜爱创作，他亲自教子女读书，给他们
讲故事，指导他们看书报杂志，母亲是个可爱，善解人意，并且善于
用文字表达内心情感的人。兄弟姐妹共六人，都爱好文学，从小最大
的乐趣是坐在一起读书。幼年丧母，父亲变得沉默，更经常与书为伴。
照顾她们的姨妈不允许她们吵闹，而母亲在时，因为生病，她们也需
要保持安静。尽管家庭不富裕，她们还是被送往寄宿女校。三姐妹长
大以后，有的留人教校，有的去做家庭教。1842年为了开办自己的
学校，夏洛蒂与艾米丽来到布鲁塞尔学习外语。然而就在这愉快的时
刻，不幸接踵而来，三姐妹中的两个妹妹与兄长都相继染病去世，只
剩下夏洛蒂继续创作。
2.1在舅妈家的生活
简爱从小失去父母，寄居在舅舅里德家，过着寄人篱下的生活，
不久舅舅也离开人世。而舅母是一个自私、冷酷的人，对自己的孩子
百般溺爱、娇纵，而对简爱舅母和孩子们却极端仇视她、虐待她，视
她为眼中钉，甚至连保姆和侍女都看不起她这个吃白食的穷人。舅母
一家对她在精神上和肉体上的双重虐待使她内心充满了愤怒与怨恨，
她无法在忍耐，她要反抗。
在那儿，可怜的简受尽了羞辱，仆人对她有偏见，舅妈讨厌她。上天
对简是不公平的。但她并没有在绝望中放弃。相反，对于简来说，舅
妈家好像培养她性格的沃土。使她更加独立和反抗。当她被表哥打的
时候，她敢于站出来还击他。出此之外，她还反抗她的舅妈，揭露她
的虚伪和残忍。舅妈和表哥的虐待，使的简与他们越来越疏远。由于
担心她没有家的感觉，她想找一个属于她自己的地方。这种想法更加
深了她对平等和对自由的渴望。里德夫人也不喜欢简，就把她送到了
专门接受贫穷孩子的慈善学校—劳渥德学校。
2.2在劳渥德学校
在劳渥德学校，简爱性格中的反抗因素得到进一步的发展。这个
孤儿院哪里是一个慈善机构，这是一个人间地狱。督学布洛克赫斯特，
是个伪善的清教徒，他以办慈善机构为名，而以吸取孤儿血为实。学
校的围墙高得把什么风景都遮蔽了。她们每天吃着简单而不饱肚的食
物，两人睡一张床，六个人用一个脸盆，穿着不合身的单薄的衣服，
轻易不能出学校半步。生活条件如此恶劣，人人都面黄肌瘦，一旦有
人病倒，半饥半饱，感冒又没有及时治疗，这就注定了大部分学生要
受到传染；在这儿，简目睹了在孤儿这么艰苦的条件下，受尽折磨。
在这样的环境下，简爱更容易表现出自己的个性。在落伍德，作者创
造了另一个角色。海轮的性格完全不同简，这样安排的目的是为了暴
露学校的残忍和黑暗。作者并没有太多的直接描写简的 性格，而主
要是通过海伦这面镜子，将简的想法和性格展现在读者面前，我们可
以看出简的倔强的性格。
2.3在桑菲尔德
简想要新的生活，她找到了一个家庭教师的工作，主人是非常富
有的庄园主。在那儿，他教一个可爱的叫做alele的法国小女孩。简
的雇主有一个非常迷人的名字，叫罗切思特。简爱发现她自己已经爱
上罗切思特了。当罗切思特带回一个漂亮但心肠不好的小姐时，简感
到很失望。简爱以为罗切思特钟情于这个小姐，然而，使简爱惊奇的
是罗切思特喜欢她。于是简答应了。在婚礼的那天，当简爱和罗切思
特正要交换戒指的时候，有人大喊到罗切思特已经有一个结发妻子，
罗切思特也很吃惊，但他并没有否认这一切，他解释到他年轻的时候
的确和一个叫Bertha的女人结过婚，但是她现在已经疯了。他们去
了Thornifield，亲眼看见了那个疯女人 bertha 她被藏在三楼的一个
房子里。当简爱觉得她不可能呆在罗切思特身边的时候，他离开了
Thornfield。简没有吃的，也没有钱，她只能在外边过着流浪的生活。
2.4在约翰家
简爱被救了.其中有一个人叫约翰，他是一个教士，而且是她的
亲戚。约翰帮助简在morton的一个慈善学校找了一份工作。有一天
约翰告诉简爱他是简的表哥，简的叔叔约翰.简已经去世了，并且给
她留下200000 pounds。简很惊奇，然而她却决定和她的这三个亲戚
均分这笔财产。约翰决定去印度传教，并且他要求简爱和他结婚，一
块去印度。他答应给简爱自由，原则的自由。简爱最终意识到这种表
面的自由就像是监禁，因为她并不爱约翰。简答应了去印度，但她并
没有答应结婚。她心里仍然惦记着她最爱的罗切思特。当她匆匆赶到
桑非尔德的时候，这儿已经是一片废墟了。疯bertha 一把火烧了一
切，她自己也在大火中丧生了。罗切思特虽然没有死，却失明了，并
且一只手残废了。他们在罗切思特的新家 和好了，不久，他们就结
婚了。在故事的结尾。简描述了他们的幸福生活：两年后，罗切思特
的一只眼睛又重见光明了，他用他的一只左手幸福的抱着他们的第一
个儿子。
3.夏洛蒂的生活经历
Bronte (1816-1855)， 出生在应个英格兰北部的约克郡上的一
个贫穷的神职人员家里。在当时阶级斗争的情况下，出现了一种新的
批评现实注意文学。19世纪四五十年代的英国，批评现实主义盛行。
现实主义作家以生动和艺术的写作技巧，从民主的角度批判了资本主
义制度。她和她的三姐妹被送去了一个慈善学校。在那儿，他们受到
了残忍的虐待，她的两个姐姐在那儿去世了。1835年到1855年，她
在学校当教师，后来她又去当了家庭教师。在1842年，她和她的妹
妹艾米丽去Brussels 的一个学校去学习语言。在1843年，她在那
个学校当了老师。在这的经历启发了在小说中写到的落伍德学校。
1847年出版的简爱，一经出版，就获得了巨大的成功。内心渴望平
等，现实却让她“竭力恪尽一个女子应尽的职责”。但是成功的写出
了作品《简爱》。小说塑造了一位敢于反抗、敢于争取自由和平等地
位的女性形象，与众多普通女性不同，她敢于大胆表白自己的爱情，
鄙视以金钱为基础的婚姻，同时又具有善良的品质。这也正如她本人，
身上体现出不平凡的气质和人格美的魅力，全身心的付出不为名利，
外表平凡和内心的美丽完美的结合。才气，坚强，智慧，反抗。敢于
反抗和揭露剥削妇女平等权利的社会。尽管曾回信告诉她：文学不能
成为也不应该成为女人的终生事业。但她依然没有停止创作的脚步。
4.联系现代生活,女性,总结,启示
作者通过描述女主人公对爱情的执着追求，表达了争取独立自由
平等的价值观。简爱虽身处逆镜，仍自尊自强，努力追求自身在社会
上的独立和尊严。她的精神品格使读者得到道德净化和精神的升华。
通过简爱的爱情故事，作者大胆提出了具有资产阶级民主主义的进步
思想，建立在平等、独立、自主基础上的伦理观念和爱情理想，抨击
了一切世俗的陈规陋习，因而在当时的英国社会引起了极大的反响，
使那些与作者处于社会上同一层面的女性深受鼓舞。指出了妇女谋求
自身幸福的道路，她们从《简爱》中吸取无穷力量，确立起生活的目
标，展望到如何摆脱从属地位，争得自由、平等、独立、幸福的前景。
简爱一直想自己开办学校，她认为当教师是为了培育“美德、聪明和
仁慈感情的胚芽”。最后，简爱尽管未办成学校，但她已在许多人（小
阿戴勒和莫尔顿谷的农民女儿等）身上培育了美德的胚芽，由此可见
简爱对人生真谛的探索并未停留在精神自立和心灵契合的爱情上，而
是在于她对崇高事业的追求，简爱虽然是一个相貌平平的弱女子，由
于她性格中的敢于反抗，敢于争取自由和平等地位的精神，她不断地
超越世俗、自己，最终得到了自己的幸福；
《简爱》充分塑造了一个对爱情、生活、宗教都采取了积极进取
态度的、敢于斗争的平凡而伟大的女性形象。《简爱》是英国文学史
上一部伟大的著作，流传至今，以让许多人爱不释手。很多人喜欢《简
爱》，都是因为她传奇般浪漫动人的爱情故事。但是，如果单单只看
到爱情的话，只能说你还停留在浅层的表面,并没有体会到爱情下的
实质。难道夏洛蒂仅仅只为写这段缠绵的爱情而写《简爱》吗?作者
也是一位女性，生活在波动变化着的英国１９世纪中叶，那时思想有
着一个崭新的开始。而在《简爱》里渗透最多的也就是这种思想——
女性的独立意识。这种独立意识在简爱的身上表现的淋漓尽致。让我
们试想一下，如果简爱的独立，早已被扼杀在寄人篱下的童年生活里；
如果她没有那份独立，她早已和有妻女的罗切斯特生活在一起，开始
有金钱，有地位的新生活；如果她没有那份纯洁，我们现在手中的《简
爱》也不再是令人感动的流泪的经典。所以为什么《简爱》让我们感
动，爱不释手——就是她独立的性格，令人心动的人格魅力。这种女
性的独立意识正是现代女性所需要的重要品质。因此，这部《简爱》
才被越来越多的现代女性所喜爱，因为她们能从这里找到成功的秘
诀。如今女性的地位越来越高，我们不能再依赖男性。以为自己只要
找到“金龟婿”便可高枕无忧。事实说明，要想自己得到真正的幸福，
不能依赖任何人，必须要独立。从简爱身上，我们看到了“独立”，
看到了“坚决”看到了“斗争”看到了“不屈服”看到了“敢追求”。
所以，她是成功的，幸福的。简爱已作为独立女性的经典，希望阳光
下，鲜花里有更多的简爱走出来，不管是贫穷，还是富有；不管是美
貌，还是相貌平庸，都有美好的心灵和充实的心胸，都能有独立的人
格和坚强的个性生活。
What the environment does give her?
--- Jane Eyre’s successful load
Candidate:
Major:
Supervisor:
University：
J
April,2006
Contents
Abstract ………………………………………………………………4
1 Background …………………………………………………………5
1.1 Social backgrounds………………………………………………5
1.2 Family background………………………………………………6
2 Jane’s experience…………………………………………………7
2.1 In Gateshead ………………………………………………………7
2.2 In Lowood school…………………………………………………8
2.3 In Thornfield ………………………………………………………9
2.4 In Morehouse ……………………………………………………10
3. Charlotte Bronte ‘s life experience………………………11
4 . The influence on our modern times ……………………12
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………16
Abstract
“Jane Eyre” is the representative masterpiece of Charlotte Bronte, a
literature writer of the 19th century British Critical Realism. The time the
writer was in a period of great social unrest when the capitalism gained
its rapid development, the class struggle became more acute and it is
during that period of time that the chartist movement, a very famous
event in the British history, broke out. The article discusses from the
background of the social and the family of the author, under the
background, Charlotte Bronte wrote “Jane Eyre”. The protagonist of the
novel, Jane Eyre, has neither property nor beauty at all, yet she is
tough-willed, brave, sincere and zealous, and besides, she is in hot
pursuit of independence, freedom and equality, defending her personal
value and maintaining her self-esteem. So it follows that she is a new
female featuring self-respect, self-love and self-reliance and
independence. This article emphatically from the environment which
Jane located and her life experience, elaborates how Jane Eyre from a
weak little girl, growing into a successful female, who dares to challenge
to fate, and through own endeavor, realizes the self- value. The novel
successfully shapes an image of a woman who defies tradition and
bravely takes up challenges to strive for freedom and equal social status,
thus sounding the trumpet of the battle for the female freedom and
equality. This novel demonstrates the fact that the western women in
the 19th century have awakened to the female consciousness. Viewing
Jane Eyre from all respects, we can see a new female image: the
incarnation of self-esteem, self-respect, self-support and self-reliance.
Furthermore, the spirit of not submitting to the pressure, darling to
challenge, strongly advocated in the novel is still of great significance in
our modern society.
Key words: Background Experience Character Independence
modern times
1 .Background
1.1 social backgrounds
The novel “Jane Eyre” is the fame-winning work and masterpiece of
the 19th century British writer, Charlotte Bronte. During the period from
1830s to 1840s, the labor movement was vigorously forging ahead in the
Northern Industry Zone. There appeared gatherings and demonstrations
with numerous participants who yelled the revolutionary slogans in
Manchester and its neighboring factories and urban areas; then England
practiced the reform of the bourgeois democracy under which the
government departments seemingly carried out a series of measures for
democratic reform. For instance passed the bill, the females worked to
ten hours. However, it was far from the acquisition of the so-called right
of equality even if the chartist movement didn’t come up with the
proposal for equality of the opposite sexes. So in the then England, it was
impossible for females to find a niche in the society, particularly the
women falling within the category of the petty bourgeoisie though they
was educated, yet they had no proprieties, so they lacked the very
competitiveness in the marriage market and tended to suffer from snubs
and poverty, having depending on other persons for support and being
left stranded penniless. For those female of upper society, the marriage
or life-long accompanied the parents became their finally choice. For the
poor female in the society, no matter marries or unmarried, all must in
the farm, the inn, store and so on. T After the industrial development
initially, they can work in the factory, Except for this, maid is also their
usual choice. This is a cruel picture of the reality of the 19th century in
England.
1.2 Family background
The novel “Jane Eyre” is the fame-winning work and masterpiece of
the 19th century British writer, Charlotte Bronte. During the period from
1830s to 1840s, the labor movement was vigorously forging ahead in the
Northern Industry Zone. There appeared gatherings and demonstrations
with numerous participants who yelled the revolutionary slogans in
Manchester and its neighboring factories and urban areas; the then
England practiced the reform of the bourgeois democracy under which
the government departments seemingly carried out a series of measures
for democratic reform. For instance passed the bill, the females work to
ten hours. However, it was far from the acquisition of the so-called right
of equality even if the chartist movement didn’t come up with the
proposal for equality of the opposite sexes. So in the then England, it was
impossible for females to find a niche in the society, particularly the
women falling within the category of the petty bourgeoisie though they
was educated, yet they had no proprieties, so they lacked the very
competitiveness in the marriage market and tended to suffer from snubs
and poverty, having depending on other persons for support and being
left stranded penniless. For those female of upper society, the marriage
or life-long accompanied the parents became their finally choice. For the
poor female in the society, no matter marries or unmarried, all must in
the farm, the inn, store and so on. T After the industrial development
initially, they can work in the factory, Except for this, maid is also their
usual choice. This is a cruel picture of the reality of the 19th century in
England.
2． Jane’s experience
2.1 In Gateshead
Jane Eyre’s parents died, leaving her as a poor orphan and living in her
uncle’s home as a helpless orphan but very soon her uncle died, leaving
her to her wealthy aunt, a selfish and cruel woman, who spoils her own
children with tenderness but extremely hates her, mistreats her as a
source of growing annoyance together with her children, so even the
nurse and housemaids in her house look down on such as a poor sponge.
Her aunt’s whole family gives her double brutality, physical and spiritual,
so much as that hatred and malice are thus nurtured in the deep
recesses of her heart, which drives her out of endurance, so she comes
out against them. In there Jane is a wretched little girl who often was
humiliated . The servants are biased .Mrs Reed detested her. Jane life
was very unfair .But Jane didn't perish in the despairing and didn't
submit in spirit .Mr Reed's family like a special soil for Jane Eyre. Making
her resistant character and independent disposition .When Jane was hit
badly by her cousin John young master. She dared to beat against him in
crazy .Moreover, she also dare to resist her aunt and exposed her
hypocrisy and viciousness. The cruel treatment she receives from her
aunt Reed and her cousins only exacerbates her feeling of alienation.
Afraid that she will never find a true sense of home or community, Jane
feels the need to belong somewhere. This desire tempers her equally
intense need for autonomy and freedom. Mrs. Reed doesn’t like Jane
and sends her to a charity school for poor girls in Lowood.
2.2 In Lowood school
At Lowood boarding school, Jane further develops the rebellious
element in her personality. Though the orphanage is a charitable
organization, it is a sheer hell on the earth. The school is run by Mr.
Brocklehurst, is an inspector of the school but a hypocritical Puritan. In
the name of running a charitable organization, he actually intends to
bleed the orphans for his own benefits. The enclosing walls of the school
are so high that they shroud the views of whatever kind. The orphans are
given the simple and meager food every day, two orphans sleeping on a
small bed, six for a wash basin. The orphans are singly clad and badly
fitted. Besides, the children are not allowed to leave the orphanage
without permission. The living conditions are so abominable and every
child is fragile with sallow complexion. Once someone contains a
disease，semi-starvation and neglected colds had predisposed most of
the pupils to receive infection. 后边未译 In here
Jane saw the bad living condition and all the orphans are devastated by
the harsh despotic system. The life proposed more questions to her .In
this bad condition just like another "fertile soil "let Jane's character easily
to show .She can dare to struggle with the person who encroacher
her .In Lowood ,the author created another model role ,Helen Burns,
Helen's character is very different and sharply comparison with Jane.
This arrangement's goal is to exposed Lowood school's hypocrisy and
dark .Moreover it reflected Jane's character very much from anther way.
In the article author didn't describe Jane's character much in directed
action but through Helen this mirror, how Jane's thoughts and character
to the reader .We can see the stubborn individuality.
2.3 In Thornfield
Jane wants to new experiences. Jane gets a position of governess in
the family of Mr. Rochester, a rich squire called Thornfield. There she
teaches a lively French girl named Adele. Jane’s employer is an
impassioned man names Rochester. Jane find herself fall in love with him.
Jane becomes depress when she see Rochester bring home a beautiful
but bad woman. Jane believes that Rochester will propose to the women,
but to her surprised, Rochester propose to Jane, and Jane agrees. The
wedding day arrives. When Jane and Mr. Rochester prepare to exchange
their rings, a man comes and cried out that Rochester already has a wife.
Rochester is very surprised, but he does net deny the man’ claim. He
explains he does marry a woman named Bertha when he is young, but
Bertha has gone mad. He takes the wedding party back to Thornifield,
and they witness the mad women, bertha, who is hidden on the third
floor of the building. Knowing that it is impossible for her to stay with
Rochester, Jane escapes from Thornfield. Jane can not get money so she
begs for food and sleeps outdoors.
2.4 In Morehouse
She is saved by three persons, who are relatives and live together. On
of them named John, who is a priest, finds a job for Jane at a charity
school in Morton. One day he tells Jane he is Jane’s cousin, and Jane’s
brother, John Eyre has died and left her a large fortune: 200,000 pounds.
Jane is very surprised and decides to share this fortune equally with her
three found relatives. John decides to travel to India as a missionary and
he asks Jane to go with him as his wife. St John Rivers offers Jane another
kind of freedom: the freedom to act unreservedly on her principles. Jane
eventually realizes that this freedom would also constitute a form of
imprisonment, because she would be forced to keep her true feelings
and her true passions always in check. Jane agrees to go to India but
refuses to marry his cousin because she does not love him. Jane still
remembers the man she loves very much-Rochester and hurries back to
Thornfield. She finds that Thornfield has been burned to the ground by
Bertha Mason, the mad women, who lost her life in the fire. Rochester
does not die but lost his eyesight and one of his hands. Jane and
Rochester rebuild their relationship at Ferndean, Rochester’s new
residence, and soon they marry. At the end of the story, Jane describes
that she lives a very happy life and after two years of blindness,
Rochester regains sight in one eye and is able to hold their first son with
left hand.
3. Charlotte Bronte ‘s life experience
Bronte (1816-1855) was born in the family of a poor country
clergyman at Haworth, Yorkshire, in northern England. In this period of
tense class struggle appeared a new literary trend-critical realism.
English critical realism of the 19 th century flourished in the forties and
in the early fifties. The critical realists described with much vividness and
great artistic skill the chief traits of the English society and criticized the
capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. She and three of her
sisters were sent to a charity school where they were cruelly treated, and
where her two elder sisters died. In 1835-1838 she worked as a school
teacher, and later as governess. In 1842 she went with her sister Emily to
study languages at a school in Brussels, where during 1843 she was
employed as a teacher. This experience inspired the later portrayal of
Lowood School in the novel “Jane Eyre”, which was published in 1847
and achieved immediate is long for the perfect love
actually not to be able to run away the affection by the destiny. She
hopes equality. She succeed in writing the work《Jane Eyre》.The novel
molded a great female who dare to strive for the freedom and the equal
standing .she was different with the multitudinous ordinary female, and
she dared boldly to vindicate own love, who despised the marriage that
based on the money. She also has good quality. This also just like she, on
the body manifests the extra ordinary makings and the personality
beautiful charm, the entire body and mind pays is not for the fame and
fortune, the semblance is ordinary and the innermost feelings beautiful
perfect union. She was Ability, strong, wisdom, revolt. She dares to revolt
against and the exposition exploits the woman equal rights of the society.
Although Soughey writes to her: The literature cannot become and
should not become woman's life-long enterprise. But she didn’t give up
the road leading to the writing.
4 . The influence on our modern times
By depicting the persistent pursuit of love by the heroine, the author
gives a strong expression to the value of striving for freedom and
equality. Jane is poverty-stricken yet she is self-reliant and seeks social
independence and dignity by making unremitting efforts. Her spiritual
quality purifies the readers’ morality and sublimates their spirit to a
height. By means of the love stories of Jane, the author boldly presents
the readers with the progressive ideology of the bourgeois democratism,
the ethics and love ideals based on equality, independence and
self-reliance, lashes out at the worldly outmoded conventions, thus
evoking great response from the British society in that period of time
and giving great encouragement to the females in the same social
hierarchy. The author points out a happy path which the females should
get self-motivated to strive for and they can draw on the supernatural
force from “Jane Eyre” by establishing their own life targets and looking
hopefully forward to how to break away from the position of
subordination so as to strive for the prosperous freedom, equality,
independence and happiness. Jane nurtures a dream to set up her own
school, because she thinks being a teacher is to cultivate “the embryo
combined with virtue, intelligence and kindness”. Her dream does not
come true as eagerly expected, yet she has already fostered a virtuous
embryo in the hearts of so many people (farmers’ daughters, such as,
Little Adèle and Morton Vale), Thus it goes without saying that Jane’s
exploration for the truth and essence of life does not rest on the spiritual
independence and love of the heartfelt union, but consist in her
persistent pursuit of lofty undertakings. Plain-looking and fragile as Jane
is, she dares to strive for her freedom and equality in terms of her
personality and continuously transcends herself and the secularity, so
she gets the true happiness in the end; she is always loyal to her feelings,
intellect and dignity. She is a feminist with the remarkable distinction
from other females.
"Jane Eyre" fully molded a great and ordinary feminine image, to the
love and the life, the religion has express the positive enterprising
manner, and dared to struggle. "Jane Eyre" is a great work in the English
history of literature, which spreads until now, and lets many people be
unable to put down. Many people like "Jane Eyre", all is because of her
legend romantic moving love story. But if only seeing the love the,
maybe you only pause in the shallow layer surface, certainly have not
realized the essence under the love. Doesn’t write "Jane Eyre" because
of the love? The author is also a female, living in the changable 19th
century, at that time thought has a brand-new start. But in seeps many in
"Jane Eyre" is also this kind of thought -feminine independent
consciousness. This kind of independent consciousness which displays on
Jane Eyre's body. Let us consider, if Jane Eyre's independence, is already
strangled in lives under subjugation in childhood life; If she does not
have that independence, she already has lived with Rochester and
owned money and status, If she does not have that chastity, now "Jane
Eyre" also no longer is the classics which moving and bursting into tears.
Therefore why "Jane Eyre" let us be moved, is unable to put down - is her
independent disposition, this personality charm which makes person
move. This kind of feminine independent consciousness is precisely the
important quality which the modern female needs. Therefore, this "Jane
Eyre" is liked by more and more modern female, because they can find
the successful secret from here. Now the feminine status is more and
more high, we cannot again rely on the male. Don’t think that so long as
found "the tortoise son-in-law" then to be possible to have no more
worries. The fact showed, if you want to own the true happiness, cannot
rely on any person, and have to be independent. From the Jane Eyre, we
saw "independent", saw " firm" saw "the struggle" saw" not submitted"
saw " pursue". Therefore, she is successful and happy. Jane Eyre, as a
independent feminine classics, hoped there are more Jane Eyre to go out
under the sun light and in the fresh flower, no matter poor or rich; No
matter beautiful or mediocre, all has the fine mind and the enrichment
heart, all can own the independence personality and the strong
individuality life.
Bibliography:
陈嘉. A College History of English Literature [M]. 北京: 商务印书馆, 1996. 67~70
黄源深. Jane Eyre [M]. 上海: 上海外语教育出版社, 2001. 212
胡迎春. Character Analysis of Jane Eyre [J]. 宿州教育学院学报, 2002, 5(2): 108~111
刘炳善. A Short History of English Literature[M]. 郑州: 河南人民出版社, 1993. 374
王文惠. 从作者夏洛蒂—勃朗特看简—爱[J]. 齐齐哈尔大学学报, 2002,1: 86~88
吴伟仁. History and Anthology of English Literature[M]. 北京: 外语教学与研究出版社, 1988.
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2024年5月29日发(作者：秘景龙)
摘要
《简爱》是19世纪英国批判现实主义文学作家夏洛蒂勃朗特的代
表作。作者所处的时代正是英国社会动荡的时代，随着资本主义迅速
发展，阶级斗争不断激化，爆发了英国历史上著名的宪章运动。本文
对作者所处的社会背景和家庭背景进行了探讨，作者正是在这样的背
景下创作了简爱。作品中简爱既无财产又无姿色，但她顽强、勇敢、
真诚、热情，追求独立、自由、平等，捍卫个人的价值，维护自我尊
严，可以说她是一个既自尊、自爱又自强、自立的时代新女性。本文
着重从简爱的生活经历以及所处的环境，阐述了简爱如何在环境的影
响下，如何由一个软弱的小女孩，变成一个敢于向命运挑战，并且通
过自己的努力，实现自我价值的成功女性。作品成功地塑造了一位在
社会的不公面前，敢于反抗、敢于争取自由和平等地位的女性形象，
从而为女性争取平等、自由吹响了第一声号角。体现了十九世纪西方
妇女已经开始觉醒的女性意识。作品所倡导的女性追求自主自强的精
神在当代社会仍然具有深刻的影响，这种不向压力屈服，敢于向挫折
挑战的精神在今天看来都是难能可贵的。自尊 自强 自立的简爱应
该永远是我们学习的榜样.
1．1社会背景
《简爱》这部小说是十九世纪中叶英国女作家夏洛特勃朗蒂的成
名作和代表作。十九世纪三十到四十年代之间，工人运动在北方工业
地区蓬勃开展起来。在蔓切斯特和它附近的工厂城市里发生了在革命
口号下进行的、人数众多的集会和示威游行；当时的英国，虽然实行
了资产阶级民主改革，政府部门表面上采取了某些改革的措施，比如
通过了女工实行十小时工作
在劳渥德学校制的法案,但是妇女在社会上的地位并没有得到改善,并
没有获得平等的权利,即使是经过了三次高潮的宪章运动,吸引了成百
万的工人和劳动群众参加争取自身权利的斗争,也没有能提出男女平
等问题,但是资产阶级社会的矛盾同时也激发了妇女摆脱男子的压迫
和歧视的要求。在当时的英国，女性是难以取得一席之地的。尤其是
不少处于小资产阶级范畴的妇女，她们受过文化教育，但没有财产，
在婚姻市场上缺少竞争能力，往往不得不因贫穷而遭受冷遇，落到寄
人篱下、身无分文的境地。对于那些上流社会的女子来说，结婚或终
生陪伴父母成为了她们的最终选择。而那些处于社会底层的女性，不
管结婚或者未婚，都要在农场，客栈，商店等地方工作，当工业发展
初步具有规模后，她们也可以到工厂去工作，除此以外，做女佣也是
她们通常的选择。这就是十九世纪英国严酷的现实。
1．2家庭背景
夏洛蒂生于英国北部约克郡哈沃斯一个穷苦的家庭，她的家庭处
于上下阶层之间，父亲是约克郡哈沃斯的一个圣公会穷牧师，毕业于
剑桥圣约翰学院，学识渊博，喜爱创作，他亲自教子女读书，给他们
讲故事，指导他们看书报杂志，母亲是个可爱，善解人意，并且善于
用文字表达内心情感的人。兄弟姐妹共六人，都爱好文学，从小最大
的乐趣是坐在一起读书。幼年丧母，父亲变得沉默，更经常与书为伴。
照顾她们的姨妈不允许她们吵闹，而母亲在时，因为生病，她们也需
要保持安静。尽管家庭不富裕，她们还是被送往寄宿女校。三姐妹长
大以后，有的留人教校，有的去做家庭教。1842年为了开办自己的
学校，夏洛蒂与艾米丽来到布鲁塞尔学习外语。然而就在这愉快的时
刻，不幸接踵而来，三姐妹中的两个妹妹与兄长都相继染病去世，只
剩下夏洛蒂继续创作。
2.1在舅妈家的生活
简爱从小失去父母，寄居在舅舅里德家，过着寄人篱下的生活，
不久舅舅也离开人世。而舅母是一个自私、冷酷的人，对自己的孩子
百般溺爱、娇纵，而对简爱舅母和孩子们却极端仇视她、虐待她，视
她为眼中钉，甚至连保姆和侍女都看不起她这个吃白食的穷人。舅母
一家对她在精神上和肉体上的双重虐待使她内心充满了愤怒与怨恨，
她无法在忍耐，她要反抗。
在那儿，可怜的简受尽了羞辱，仆人对她有偏见，舅妈讨厌她。上天
对简是不公平的。但她并没有在绝望中放弃。相反，对于简来说，舅
妈家好像培养她性格的沃土。使她更加独立和反抗。当她被表哥打的
时候，她敢于站出来还击他。出此之外，她还反抗她的舅妈，揭露她
的虚伪和残忍。舅妈和表哥的虐待，使的简与他们越来越疏远。由于
担心她没有家的感觉，她想找一个属于她自己的地方。这种想法更加
深了她对平等和对自由的渴望。里德夫人也不喜欢简，就把她送到了
专门接受贫穷孩子的慈善学校—劳渥德学校。
2.2在劳渥德学校
在劳渥德学校，简爱性格中的反抗因素得到进一步的发展。这个
孤儿院哪里是一个慈善机构，这是一个人间地狱。督学布洛克赫斯特，
是个伪善的清教徒，他以办慈善机构为名，而以吸取孤儿血为实。学
校的围墙高得把什么风景都遮蔽了。她们每天吃着简单而不饱肚的食
物，两人睡一张床，六个人用一个脸盆，穿着不合身的单薄的衣服，
轻易不能出学校半步。生活条件如此恶劣，人人都面黄肌瘦，一旦有
人病倒，半饥半饱，感冒又没有及时治疗，这就注定了大部分学生要
受到传染；在这儿，简目睹了在孤儿这么艰苦的条件下，受尽折磨。
在这样的环境下，简爱更容易表现出自己的个性。在落伍德，作者创
造了另一个角色。海轮的性格完全不同简，这样安排的目的是为了暴
露学校的残忍和黑暗。作者并没有太多的直接描写简的 性格，而主
要是通过海伦这面镜子，将简的想法和性格展现在读者面前，我们可
以看出简的倔强的性格。
2.3在桑菲尔德
简想要新的生活，她找到了一个家庭教师的工作，主人是非常富
有的庄园主。在那儿，他教一个可爱的叫做alele的法国小女孩。简
的雇主有一个非常迷人的名字，叫罗切思特。简爱发现她自己已经爱
上罗切思特了。当罗切思特带回一个漂亮但心肠不好的小姐时，简感
到很失望。简爱以为罗切思特钟情于这个小姐，然而，使简爱惊奇的
是罗切思特喜欢她。于是简答应了。在婚礼的那天，当简爱和罗切思
特正要交换戒指的时候，有人大喊到罗切思特已经有一个结发妻子，
罗切思特也很吃惊，但他并没有否认这一切，他解释到他年轻的时候
的确和一个叫Bertha的女人结过婚，但是她现在已经疯了。他们去
了Thornifield，亲眼看见了那个疯女人 bertha 她被藏在三楼的一个
房子里。当简爱觉得她不可能呆在罗切思特身边的时候，他离开了
Thornfield。简没有吃的，也没有钱，她只能在外边过着流浪的生活。
2.4在约翰家
简爱被救了.其中有一个人叫约翰，他是一个教士，而且是她的
亲戚。约翰帮助简在morton的一个慈善学校找了一份工作。有一天
约翰告诉简爱他是简的表哥，简的叔叔约翰.简已经去世了，并且给
她留下200000 pounds。简很惊奇，然而她却决定和她的这三个亲戚
均分这笔财产。约翰决定去印度传教，并且他要求简爱和他结婚，一
块去印度。他答应给简爱自由，原则的自由。简爱最终意识到这种表
面的自由就像是监禁，因为她并不爱约翰。简答应了去印度，但她并
没有答应结婚。她心里仍然惦记着她最爱的罗切思特。当她匆匆赶到
桑非尔德的时候，这儿已经是一片废墟了。疯bertha 一把火烧了一
切，她自己也在大火中丧生了。罗切思特虽然没有死，却失明了，并
且一只手残废了。他们在罗切思特的新家 和好了，不久，他们就结
婚了。在故事的结尾。简描述了他们的幸福生活：两年后，罗切思特
的一只眼睛又重见光明了，他用他的一只左手幸福的抱着他们的第一
个儿子。
3.夏洛蒂的生活经历
Bronte (1816-1855)， 出生在应个英格兰北部的约克郡上的一
个贫穷的神职人员家里。在当时阶级斗争的情况下，出现了一种新的
批评现实注意文学。19世纪四五十年代的英国，批评现实主义盛行。
现实主义作家以生动和艺术的写作技巧，从民主的角度批判了资本主
义制度。她和她的三姐妹被送去了一个慈善学校。在那儿，他们受到
了残忍的虐待，她的两个姐姐在那儿去世了。1835年到1855年，她
在学校当教师，后来她又去当了家庭教师。在1842年，她和她的妹
妹艾米丽去Brussels 的一个学校去学习语言。在1843年，她在那
个学校当了老师。在这的经历启发了在小说中写到的落伍德学校。
1847年出版的简爱，一经出版，就获得了巨大的成功。内心渴望平
等，现实却让她“竭力恪尽一个女子应尽的职责”。但是成功的写出
了作品《简爱》。小说塑造了一位敢于反抗、敢于争取自由和平等地
位的女性形象，与众多普通女性不同，她敢于大胆表白自己的爱情，
鄙视以金钱为基础的婚姻，同时又具有善良的品质。这也正如她本人，
身上体现出不平凡的气质和人格美的魅力，全身心的付出不为名利，
外表平凡和内心的美丽完美的结合。才气，坚强，智慧，反抗。敢于
反抗和揭露剥削妇女平等权利的社会。尽管曾回信告诉她：文学不能
成为也不应该成为女人的终生事业。但她依然没有停止创作的脚步。
4.联系现代生活,女性,总结,启示
作者通过描述女主人公对爱情的执着追求，表达了争取独立自由
平等的价值观。简爱虽身处逆镜，仍自尊自强，努力追求自身在社会
上的独立和尊严。她的精神品格使读者得到道德净化和精神的升华。
通过简爱的爱情故事，作者大胆提出了具有资产阶级民主主义的进步
思想，建立在平等、独立、自主基础上的伦理观念和爱情理想，抨击
了一切世俗的陈规陋习，因而在当时的英国社会引起了极大的反响，
使那些与作者处于社会上同一层面的女性深受鼓舞。指出了妇女谋求
自身幸福的道路，她们从《简爱》中吸取无穷力量，确立起生活的目
标，展望到如何摆脱从属地位，争得自由、平等、独立、幸福的前景。
简爱一直想自己开办学校，她认为当教师是为了培育“美德、聪明和
仁慈感情的胚芽”。最后，简爱尽管未办成学校，但她已在许多人（小
阿戴勒和莫尔顿谷的农民女儿等）身上培育了美德的胚芽，由此可见
简爱对人生真谛的探索并未停留在精神自立和心灵契合的爱情上，而
是在于她对崇高事业的追求，简爱虽然是一个相貌平平的弱女子，由
于她性格中的敢于反抗，敢于争取自由和平等地位的精神，她不断地
超越世俗、自己，最终得到了自己的幸福；
《简爱》充分塑造了一个对爱情、生活、宗教都采取了积极进取
态度的、敢于斗争的平凡而伟大的女性形象。《简爱》是英国文学史
上一部伟大的著作，流传至今，以让许多人爱不释手。很多人喜欢《简
爱》，都是因为她传奇般浪漫动人的爱情故事。但是，如果单单只看
到爱情的话，只能说你还停留在浅层的表面,并没有体会到爱情下的
实质。难道夏洛蒂仅仅只为写这段缠绵的爱情而写《简爱》吗?作者
也是一位女性，生活在波动变化着的英国１９世纪中叶，那时思想有
着一个崭新的开始。而在《简爱》里渗透最多的也就是这种思想——
女性的独立意识。这种独立意识在简爱的身上表现的淋漓尽致。让我
们试想一下，如果简爱的独立，早已被扼杀在寄人篱下的童年生活里；
如果她没有那份独立，她早已和有妻女的罗切斯特生活在一起，开始
有金钱，有地位的新生活；如果她没有那份纯洁，我们现在手中的《简
爱》也不再是令人感动的流泪的经典。所以为什么《简爱》让我们感
动，爱不释手——就是她独立的性格，令人心动的人格魅力。这种女
性的独立意识正是现代女性所需要的重要品质。因此，这部《简爱》
才被越来越多的现代女性所喜爱，因为她们能从这里找到成功的秘
诀。如今女性的地位越来越高，我们不能再依赖男性。以为自己只要
找到“金龟婿”便可高枕无忧。事实说明，要想自己得到真正的幸福，
不能依赖任何人，必须要独立。从简爱身上，我们看到了“独立”，
看到了“坚决”看到了“斗争”看到了“不屈服”看到了“敢追求”。
所以，她是成功的，幸福的。简爱已作为独立女性的经典，希望阳光
下，鲜花里有更多的简爱走出来，不管是贫穷，还是富有；不管是美
貌，还是相貌平庸，都有美好的心灵和充实的心胸，都能有独立的人
格和坚强的个性生活。
What the environment does give her?
--- Jane Eyre’s successful load
Candidate:
Major:
Supervisor:
University：
J
April,2006
Contents
Abstract ………………………………………………………………4
1 Background …………………………………………………………5
1.1 Social backgrounds………………………………………………5
1.2 Family background………………………………………………6
2 Jane’s experience…………………………………………………7
2.1 In Gateshead ………………………………………………………7
2.2 In Lowood school…………………………………………………8
2.3 In Thornfield ………………………………………………………9
2.4 In Morehouse ……………………………………………………10
3. Charlotte Bronte ‘s life experience………………………11
4 . The influence on our modern times ……………………12
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………16
Abstract
“Jane Eyre” is the representative masterpiece of Charlotte Bronte, a
literature writer of the 19th century British Critical Realism. The time the
writer was in a period of great social unrest when the capitalism gained
its rapid development, the class struggle became more acute and it is
during that period of time that the chartist movement, a very famous
event in the British history, broke out. The article discusses from the
background of the social and the family of the author, under the
background, Charlotte Bronte wrote “Jane Eyre”. The protagonist of the
novel, Jane Eyre, has neither property nor beauty at all, yet she is
tough-willed, brave, sincere and zealous, and besides, she is in hot
pursuit of independence, freedom and equality, defending her personal
value and maintaining her self-esteem. So it follows that she is a new
female featuring self-respect, self-love and self-reliance and
independence. This article emphatically from the environment which
Jane located and her life experience, elaborates how Jane Eyre from a
weak little girl, growing into a successful female, who dares to challenge
to fate, and through own endeavor, realizes the self- value. The novel
successfully shapes an image of a woman who defies tradition and
bravely takes up challenges to strive for freedom and equal social status,
thus sounding the trumpet of the battle for the female freedom and
equality. This novel demonstrates the fact that the western women in
the 19th century have awakened to the female consciousness. Viewing
Jane Eyre from all respects, we can see a new female image: the
incarnation of self-esteem, self-respect, self-support and self-reliance.
Furthermore, the spirit of not submitting to the pressure, darling to
challenge, strongly advocated in the novel is still of great significance in
our modern society.
Key words: Background Experience Character Independence
modern times
1 .Background
1.1 social backgrounds
The novel “Jane Eyre” is the fame-winning work and masterpiece of
the 19th century British writer, Charlotte Bronte. During the period from
1830s to 1840s, the labor movement was vigorously forging ahead in the
Northern Industry Zone. There appeared gatherings and demonstrations
with numerous participants who yelled the revolutionary slogans in
Manchester and its neighboring factories and urban areas; then England
practiced the reform of the bourgeois democracy under which the
government departments seemingly carried out a series of measures for
democratic reform. For instance passed the bill, the females worked to
ten hours. However, it was far from the acquisition of the so-called right
of equality even if the chartist movement didn’t come up with the
proposal for equality of the opposite sexes. So in the then England, it was
impossible for females to find a niche in the society, particularly the
women falling within the category of the petty bourgeoisie though they
was educated, yet they had no proprieties, so they lacked the very
competitiveness in the marriage market and tended to suffer from snubs
and poverty, having depending on other persons for support and being
left stranded penniless. For those female of upper society, the marriage
or life-long accompanied the parents became their finally choice. For the
poor female in the society, no matter marries or unmarried, all must in
the farm, the inn, store and so on. T After the industrial development
initially, they can work in the factory, Except for this, maid is also their
usual choice. This is a cruel picture of the reality of the 19th century in
England.
1.2 Family background
The novel “Jane Eyre” is the fame-winning work and masterpiece of
the 19th century British writer, Charlotte Bronte. During the period from
1830s to 1840s, the labor movement was vigorously forging ahead in the
Northern Industry Zone. There appeared gatherings and demonstrations
with numerous participants who yelled the revolutionary slogans in
Manchester and its neighboring factories and urban areas; the then
England practiced the reform of the bourgeois democracy under which
the government departments seemingly carried out a series of measures
for democratic reform. For instance passed the bill, the females work to
ten hours. However, it was far from the acquisition of the so-called right
of equality even if the chartist movement didn’t come up with the
proposal for equality of the opposite sexes. So in the then England, it was
impossible for females to find a niche in the society, particularly the
women falling within the category of the petty bourgeoisie though they
was educated, yet they had no proprieties, so they lacked the very
competitiveness in the marriage market and tended to suffer from snubs
and poverty, having depending on other persons for support and being
left stranded penniless. For those female of upper society, the marriage
or life-long accompanied the parents became their finally choice. For the
poor female in the society, no matter marries or unmarried, all must in
the farm, the inn, store and so on. T After the industrial development
initially, they can work in the factory, Except for this, maid is also their
usual choice. This is a cruel picture of the reality of the 19th century in
England.
2． Jane’s experience
2.1 In Gateshead
Jane Eyre’s parents died, leaving her as a poor orphan and living in her
uncle’s home as a helpless orphan but very soon her uncle died, leaving
her to her wealthy aunt, a selfish and cruel woman, who spoils her own
children with tenderness but extremely hates her, mistreats her as a
source of growing annoyance together with her children, so even the
nurse and housemaids in her house look down on such as a poor sponge.
Her aunt’s whole family gives her double brutality, physical and spiritual,
so much as that hatred and malice are thus nurtured in the deep
recesses of her heart, which drives her out of endurance, so she comes
out against them. In there Jane is a wretched little girl who often was
humiliated . The servants are biased .Mrs Reed detested her. Jane life
was very unfair .But Jane didn't perish in the despairing and didn't
submit in spirit .Mr Reed's family like a special soil for Jane Eyre. Making
her resistant character and independent disposition .When Jane was hit
badly by her cousin John young master. She dared to beat against him in
crazy .Moreover, she also dare to resist her aunt and exposed her
hypocrisy and viciousness. The cruel treatment she receives from her
aunt Reed and her cousins only exacerbates her feeling of alienation.
Afraid that she will never find a true sense of home or community, Jane
feels the need to belong somewhere. This desire tempers her equally
intense need for autonomy and freedom. Mrs. Reed doesn’t like Jane
and sends her to a charity school for poor girls in Lowood.
2.2 In Lowood school
At Lowood boarding school, Jane further develops the rebellious
element in her personality. Though the orphanage is a charitable
organization, it is a sheer hell on the earth. The school is run by Mr.
Brocklehurst, is an inspector of the school but a hypocritical Puritan. In
the name of running a charitable organization, he actually intends to
bleed the orphans for his own benefits. The enclosing walls of the school
are so high that they shroud the views of whatever kind. The orphans are
given the simple and meager food every day, two orphans sleeping on a
small bed, six for a wash basin. The orphans are singly clad and badly
fitted. Besides, the children are not allowed to leave the orphanage
without permission. The living conditions are so abominable and every
child is fragile with sallow complexion. Once someone contains a
disease，semi-starvation and neglected colds had predisposed most of
the pupils to receive infection. 后边未译 In here
Jane saw the bad living condition and all the orphans are devastated by
the harsh despotic system. The life proposed more questions to her .In
this bad condition just like another "fertile soil "let Jane's character easily
to show .She can dare to struggle with the person who encroacher
her .In Lowood ,the author created another model role ,Helen Burns,
Helen's character is very different and sharply comparison with Jane.
This arrangement's goal is to exposed Lowood school's hypocrisy and
dark .Moreover it reflected Jane's character very much from anther way.
In the article author didn't describe Jane's character much in directed
action but through Helen this mirror, how Jane's thoughts and character
to the reader .We can see the stubborn individuality.
2.3 In Thornfield
Jane wants to new experiences. Jane gets a position of governess in
the family of Mr. Rochester, a rich squire called Thornfield. There she
teaches a lively French girl named Adele. Jane’s employer is an
impassioned man names Rochester. Jane find herself fall in love with him.
Jane becomes depress when she see Rochester bring home a beautiful
but bad woman. Jane believes that Rochester will propose to the women,
but to her surprised, Rochester propose to Jane, and Jane agrees. The
wedding day arrives. When Jane and Mr. Rochester prepare to exchange
their rings, a man comes and cried out that Rochester already has a wife.
Rochester is very surprised, but he does net deny the man’ claim. He
explains he does marry a woman named Bertha when he is young, but
Bertha has gone mad. He takes the wedding party back to Thornifield,
and they witness the mad women, bertha, who is hidden on the third
floor of the building. Knowing that it is impossible for her to stay with
Rochester, Jane escapes from Thornfield. Jane can not get money so she
begs for food and sleeps outdoors.
2.4 In Morehouse
She is saved by three persons, who are relatives and live together. On
of them named John, who is a priest, finds a job for Jane at a charity
school in Morton. One day he tells Jane he is Jane’s cousin, and Jane’s
brother, John Eyre has died and left her a large fortune: 200,000 pounds.
Jane is very surprised and decides to share this fortune equally with her
three found relatives. John decides to travel to India as a missionary and
he asks Jane to go with him as his wife. St John Rivers offers Jane another
kind of freedom: the freedom to act unreservedly on her principles. Jane
eventually realizes that this freedom would also constitute a form of
imprisonment, because she would be forced to keep her true feelings
and her true passions always in check. Jane agrees to go to India but
refuses to marry his cousin because she does not love him. Jane still
remembers the man she loves very much-Rochester and hurries back to
Thornfield. She finds that Thornfield has been burned to the ground by
Bertha Mason, the mad women, who lost her life in the fire. Rochester
does not die but lost his eyesight and one of his hands. Jane and
Rochester rebuild their relationship at Ferndean, Rochester’s new
residence, and soon they marry. At the end of the story, Jane describes
that she lives a very happy life and after two years of blindness,
Rochester regains sight in one eye and is able to hold their first son with
left hand.
3. Charlotte Bronte ‘s life experience
Bronte (1816-1855) was born in the family of a poor country
clergyman at Haworth, Yorkshire, in northern England. In this period of
tense class struggle appeared a new literary trend-critical realism.
English critical realism of the 19 th century flourished in the forties and
in the early fifties. The critical realists described with much vividness and
great artistic skill the chief traits of the English society and criticized the
capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. She and three of her
sisters were sent to a charity school where they were cruelly treated, and
where her two elder sisters died. In 1835-1838 she worked as a school
teacher, and later as governess. In 1842 she went with her sister Emily to
study languages at a school in Brussels, where during 1843 she was
employed as a teacher. This experience inspired the later portrayal of
Lowood School in the novel “Jane Eyre”, which was published in 1847
and achieved immediate is long for the perfect love
actually not to be able to run away the affection by the destiny. She
hopes equality. She succeed in writing the work《Jane Eyre》.The novel
molded a great female who dare to strive for the freedom and the equal
standing .she was different with the multitudinous ordinary female, and
she dared boldly to vindicate own love, who despised the marriage that
based on the money. She also has good quality. This also just like she, on
the body manifests the extra ordinary makings and the personality
beautiful charm, the entire body and mind pays is not for the fame and
fortune, the semblance is ordinary and the innermost feelings beautiful
perfect union. She was Ability, strong, wisdom, revolt. She dares to revolt
against and the exposition exploits the woman equal rights of the society.
Although Soughey writes to her: The literature cannot become and
should not become woman's life-long enterprise. But she didn’t give up
the road leading to the writing.
4 . The influence on our modern times
By depicting the persistent pursuit of love by the heroine, the author
gives a strong expression to the value of striving for freedom and
equality. Jane is poverty-stricken yet she is self-reliant and seeks social
independence and dignity by making unremitting efforts. Her spiritual
quality purifies the readers’ morality and sublimates their spirit to a
height. By means of the love stories of Jane, the author boldly presents
the readers with the progressive ideology of the bourgeois democratism,
the ethics and love ideals based on equality, independence and
self-reliance, lashes out at the worldly outmoded conventions, thus
evoking great response from the British society in that period of time
and giving great encouragement to the females in the same social
hierarchy. The author points out a happy path which the females should
get self-motivated to strive for and they can draw on the supernatural
force from “Jane Eyre” by establishing their own life targets and looking
hopefully forward to how to break away from the position of
subordination so as to strive for the prosperous freedom, equality,
independence and happiness. Jane nurtures a dream to set up her own
school, because she thinks being a teacher is to cultivate “the embryo
combined with virtue, intelligence and kindness”. Her dream does not
come true as eagerly expected, yet she has already fostered a virtuous
embryo in the hearts of so many people (farmers’ daughters, such as,
Little Adèle and Morton Vale), Thus it goes without saying that Jane’s
exploration for the truth and essence of life does not rest on the spiritual
independence and love of the heartfelt union, but consist in her
persistent pursuit of lofty undertakings. Plain-looking and fragile as Jane
is, she dares to strive for her freedom and equality in terms of her
personality and continuously transcends herself and the secularity, so
she gets the true happiness in the end; she is always loyal to her feelings,
intellect and dignity. She is a feminist with the remarkable distinction
from other females.
"Jane Eyre" fully molded a great and ordinary feminine image, to the
love and the life, the religion has express the positive enterprising
manner, and dared to struggle. "Jane Eyre" is a great work in the English
history of literature, which spreads until now, and lets many people be
unable to put down. Many people like "Jane Eyre", all is because of her
legend romantic moving love story. But if only seeing the love the,
maybe you only pause in the shallow layer surface, certainly have not
realized the essence under the love. Doesn’t write "Jane Eyre" because
of the love? The author is also a female, living in the changable 19th
century, at that time thought has a brand-new start. But in seeps many in
"Jane Eyre" is also this kind of thought -feminine independent
consciousness. This kind of independent consciousness which displays on
Jane Eyre's body. Let us consider, if Jane Eyre's independence, is already
strangled in lives under subjugation in childhood life; If she does not
have that independence, she already has lived with Rochester and
owned money and status, If she does not have that chastity, now "Jane
Eyre" also no longer is the classics which moving and bursting into tears.
Therefore why "Jane Eyre" let us be moved, is unable to put down - is her
independent disposition, this personality charm which makes person
move. This kind of feminine independent consciousness is precisely the
important quality which the modern female needs. Therefore, this "Jane
Eyre" is liked by more and more modern female, because they can find
the successful secret from here. Now the feminine status is more and
more high, we cannot again rely on the male. Don’t think that so long as
found "the tortoise son-in-law" then to be possible to have no more
worries. The fact showed, if you want to own the true happiness, cannot
rely on any person, and have to be independent. From the Jane Eyre, we
saw "independent", saw " firm" saw "the struggle" saw" not submitted"
saw " pursue". Therefore, she is successful and happy. Jane Eyre, as a
independent feminine classics, hoped there are more Jane Eyre to go out
under the sun light and in the fresh flower, no matter poor or rich; No
matter beautiful or mediocre, all has the fine mind and the enrichment
heart, all can own the independence personality and the strong
individuality life.
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