Post by Stephen Eubanks on Nov 19, 2015 3:34:25 GMT
Women in the Victorian era were defined as either being an "angel" or a "monster". The characters of Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason help to show the difference between these types of women through the idea of either being trapped or being free in society. Later in the lives of Jane and Bertha, they are shown as possessing different character traits of women. Jane, after her rough childhood has become to be a women looked at as an angel, but at the same time possess traits to show her as a "monster". Although Jane only contained a few angelic traits such as Self-Sacrifice and contained more traits of being a "monster" such as being passionate, strong, and independent, she is seen as being free and not trapped or isolated from society, like other women with monstrous traits were. On the other hand Bertha can be seen only containing traits of being a monster in this time and era. Bertha possesses the characteristics of being selfish as she wanted Rochester for herself, being a whore as she only wanted Rochester for his money other than his love, and strong in as physical sense as she alone was able to escape being trapped in the room and cause mass destruction at Thornfield leading to the burning of Rochester's manor. Through Bertha Mason's characteristics of being a monster she is isolated from the world shown by her being kept in an upstairs room, locked away by Rochester as he was ashamed of her since those who were seen as being a monster were shameful in this time period. The character traits of Jane Eyre showed her of being in between and angel and a monster, because of her having these angelic traits she is free at the end of the story, she finally settles down with Rochester and starts her own family. This shows how she is a regular woman in Victorian era society. In contrast, Bertha's traits show her as being a monster, because of this she is isolated from society and bring shame upon those close to her because of her different traits than other women. This distinctly shows how women in the Victorian era were either free in society and looked at as a typical and prominent women for being an angel where as other women were segregated and removed from social environments as they were looked at as a monster for their "horrible" traits.
