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Jane Eyre. XI-XIX: Jane as a Governess in Thornfield -- – Service vs. Pursuit of Freedom and Love. First encounter: 3-3 (0:27 -) 2006 23:58 2011 – 31:25. Outline. Review: Chap I-X— Jane between rebellion & submissiveness Jane as a governess Her desire
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Jane Eyre XI-XIX: Jane as a Governess in Thornfield -- – Service vs. Pursuit of Freedom and Love • First encounter: • 3-3 (0:27 -) • 2006 23:58 • 2011 – 31:25
Outline • Review: Chap I-X—Jane between rebellion & submissiveness • Jane as a governess • Her desire • Attraction between Jane and Rochester • The Polite Society & Their Games • The Gothic Elements • “The Aliens”: “Grace Poole” and Mr. Mason
Discussion Questions • (G3 G4 )Governess: How is Jane positioned as a governess in Thornfield? Is she treated like a servant? • (G1, G7) Jane and Rochester: How is Rochester related to Jane? How does she change her views of Rochester? (G10, G2 ) Desire: What does Jane desire? What are the function of the laughers she hears? Jane’s paintings (XXIII pp. 110; XVI 141) (G6 G5 )The Polite Society: How does Jane see the aristocratic friends Rochester brings home? (G8, G9 )What are the functions of the charade and the gypsy woman (XVIII 161-XIX) on the one hand, and on the other? 3. Commentator 6. Recorder 7. Illustrator/ Performer
Jane as Governess in in Thornfield 0. Jane, taught to play the piano, to draw and read; but she is not beautiful (80) • Inexperienced— • Expected to be received coldly • thought Mrs. Fairfax to be the owner 2. Hierarchy: closer to housekeeper (84) 3. Knowledgeable (French) 4. Books in the library (90) –limited to light readings The guests’ views of governesses – (XVII: 115-16) “half of them detestable and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi”
Jane’s Desire • “aspirations and regrets” about her appearance (XI : 86) • Curious: “s Mr. Rochester an exacting, fastidious sort of man?” (91) • Mrs. Fairfax’s view of Rochester (XI: 92) • Restlessness vs. tranquility (95-) • See Rochester as her intellectual equal fire (XV) wish to see him and fear it (XVI) self-restraint stronger desire and pain in front of the guest • The laugh (XI 93, 94, XII 96; XV 130)
Mr. Rochester • XIII (109): giving orders -- Go into the library—I mean, if you please. (Excuse my tone of command; I am used to say "Do this," and it is done…) • (111): between orders and curiosity: I had scarce tied the strings of the portfolio, when, …he said abruptly,”—it is nine o'clock: what are you about, Miss Eyre, to let Adèle sit up so long? Take her to bed.” • (112)-- Rochester’s family history explained
Mr. Rochester and Jane- Intellectual Equals’ Sympathy to Love • XIV: Exchanges of Their Equally Intelligent Minds, Sympathy Aroused– • Jane’s independent thinking: • “do you think me handsome?” (115) -- No; Rochester’s appearance denied, • Rochester’s authority defined (117-18) and • R’s degenerate past discussed (119-21); impossible to be conventional with Jane • XV: Celine Varens // Bertha (the laugh) the fire drawing them closer. (calling her “witch, sorceress 131) • XVI: Jane both fears and desires meeting him; draws pictures of herself and Ingram to understand her own position. Jane feels for R when observing him with the guests
Mr. Rochester and Jane- Growing Sympathy to Love XVII – governess discussed Jane Rochester XV: (122) impossible to be conventional with you. End of XVII: “…you are: so much depressed that a few more words would bring tears to your eyes—Good-night, my --'.” XVIII-XIX – the gypsy woman’s fortune-telling 173 – cold, sick, silly; contradictions on her face • XVII – her attention on him (153); “…but he never turned his eyes” (155) • XVIII – cannot unlove him (163) • Jane reflects a while whether she forgives R; serves him by offering him her shoulders 179
Jane’s Psychological Struggles and Understanding of Rochester • 1) XV: No longer ugly: “No, reader: gratitude, and many associations, all pleasurable and genial, made his face the object I best liked to see; his presence in a room was more cheering than the brightest fire. “ (129) Still aware of his mean attitude to others. • 1) XVI:I knew the pleasure of vexing and soothing him by turns. (138) • 2) XVI: self-restraint: (140-42; XVII- 153) two portraits;
Jane’s Psychological Struggles and Understanding of Rochester (2) • XVIII (163) • the future bridegroom, Mr. Rochester himself, exercised over his intended a ceaseless surveillance; and it was from this sagacity—this guardedness of his—this perfect, clear consciousness of his fair one’s defects— this obvious absence of passion in his sentiments towards her, that my ever-torturing pain arose.
Rochester vs. Jane • Still domineering? • Jane, refuses to be dominated, sympathetic with him and serving him • Jane: self-expression through paintings (110) and the two portraits. --- more to come…
The Polite Society and Beyond • XVII: 145 Rich, well--adorned • Rochester in the center, dull without him. • Lady Ingram: pompous, dogmatic • Marriage (for money and class) with Ingram: good French, showy, shallow, her mind was poor, (XVIII: 163) Jane’s feelings: from pain [not jealousy?], despair, to becoming lenient to her master (163-65) Adele’s mother (XI): opera dancer -- teach her to dance and sing, -- surrounded by a lot of gentlemen and ladies -- a song about a forsaken lady
Social Games: Revealing its hypocrisy & Orientalism • Charade: Wedding & • An Oriental couple: • He –an Eastern emir, an agent or a victim of the bowstring. • She—an Israelitish princess • Gypsy fortune-telling: telling the truth under disguise
The Gothic Elements • The house – more like a church (“chill and vaultlike” 85) • (XI: 92) The third floor – a shrine of memory; like a Bluebeard’s castle (93)
The Odd: Grace Poole & Mr. Mason • Grace Poole • always alone (except for one hour) • a mystery in Thornfield (145) • Mason • “too relaxed” • …eyes revealing “a tame, vacant life” (167) • From West Indies (168) • A big blow to Rochester
Turning Points & Major Motifs • The laugh – breaking social bounds • meeting Rochester outside Thornfield • the fire • Disguise – a way to violate social norms? • A. Charade: a. bride and groom, b. Rebekah and Isaac, c. Bridewell (which is actually a prison) • B. the gypsy woman • “Reader, I could not unlove him.” –direct address to Victorian readers
References • http://mrsrochester.hubpages.com/hub/translation-of-french-in-jane-eyre