Post by echeng on Nov 18, 2015 22:03:23 GMT
Why is it that Bertha's voice is silenced while Jane's is fully expressed (even to the point that she is the first person narrator)? We know basically nothing about Bertha, aside from the animal-like, insane woman Bronte paints her as; it took a whole new story, Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea, to fully understand and explain Bertha. Surely Bronte meant to "hide" Bertha for a reason. One possibility is to illustrate the stark contrast between the two women: one who defies societal standards versus one who is defeated by society and whose opinions are locked up and downgraded. By highlighting Jane's success in rising above these standards, the meaning of the novel as a whole may be that you should be comfortable with yourself, speak out for what you think is right, and most of all, don't let others shut you down because you are a woman. The contrast also may serve as a beam of hope: Bertha symbolizes the normal, restricted Victorian woman, but there is hope that women like Jane will emerge and become more prominent.
Plot-wise, if Bertha's voice were heard, it may have hindered Jane's eventual relationship with Rochester. Though Bertha's presence and relationship with Rochester alone makes Jane re-consider her decision of marrying Rochester, by hearing Bertha's side of the story, Jane may have come to the conclusion that Rochester's treatment to Bertha will translate to his treatment of her in their marriage, possibly causing her to permanently call off the wedding. Though the consequences may not have turned out that serious, Bertha's account would no doubt have soiled Rochester's image even more.
How else would elaborating on Bertha's side of the story have effected Jane?
Essentially,the muffling of Bertha's voice in Jane Eyre, reflects the general pattern of silencing the female opinion during the 19th century. By ignoring these persistent but powerless voices, society in a sense, was blocking out all of the truths it did not want to acknowledge. These women had the first-hand accounts of being suppressed, truly representing the downward spiral of an equal, ethical balance of power. By ignoring these problems, men ignored these vital truths that had the potential to transform society for the better. Not only were these Victorian women's opinions snuffed, but their writings, through which they silently communicated, were also viewed as "lower-ranking" and irrelevant.
Today, however, these writings have re-surfaced, making up a significant portion of studied literature. Authors such as Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Christina Rossetti, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning have tackled this gender discrepancy head on. Rossetti's poetry was largely impelled by the emergence of feminist criticism, focusing on gender issues and inequities. Browning's Aurora Leigh received much attention from feminist critics, for its portrayal of the difficulties that a woman must overcome if she is to achieve independence in a world mainly controlled by men. These themes have transcended through time, serving as a reminder of the long, but winning struggle against gender assumptions.
Plot-wise, if Bertha's voice were heard, it may have hindered Jane's eventual relationship with Rochester. Though Bertha's presence and relationship with Rochester alone makes Jane re-consider her decision of marrying Rochester, by hearing Bertha's side of the story, Jane may have come to the conclusion that Rochester's treatment to Bertha will translate to his treatment of her in their marriage, possibly causing her to permanently call off the wedding. Though the consequences may not have turned out that serious, Bertha's account would no doubt have soiled Rochester's image even more.
How else would elaborating on Bertha's side of the story have effected Jane?
Essentially,the muffling of Bertha's voice in Jane Eyre, reflects the general pattern of silencing the female opinion during the 19th century. By ignoring these persistent but powerless voices, society in a sense, was blocking out all of the truths it did not want to acknowledge. These women had the first-hand accounts of being suppressed, truly representing the downward spiral of an equal, ethical balance of power. By ignoring these problems, men ignored these vital truths that had the potential to transform society for the better. Not only were these Victorian women's opinions snuffed, but their writings, through which they silently communicated, were also viewed as "lower-ranking" and irrelevant.
Today, however, these writings have re-surfaced, making up a significant portion of studied literature. Authors such as Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Christina Rossetti, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning have tackled this gender discrepancy head on. Rossetti's poetry was largely impelled by the emergence of feminist criticism, focusing on gender issues and inequities. Browning's Aurora Leigh received much attention from feminist critics, for its portrayal of the difficulties that a woman must overcome if she is to achieve independence in a world mainly controlled by men. These themes have transcended through time, serving as a reminder of the long, but winning struggle against gender assumptions.
