 Jane refuses to go live with Rochester in the south of France as his mistress, choosing instead to lose him forever. Do her reasons have to do with her Christian morality, or with the lack of equality and respect she foresees in such an arrangement? He is older than she, and a member of the landed aristocracy, while she is young, penniless, and has no friends or family in the world. Discuss the complicated chapter in which he tries to explain himself for attempting to lure her into a bigamous marriage, and the scene in which she takes leave of him (Ch. XXVII).
In your Primary Blog Entry, you should respond to the questions above in a single entry. Your Secondary Blog Entry should respond to two of your colleagues' entries that are especially interesting to you. Part One Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, 2 quotes from the novel, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class PLEASE FINISH BY FRIDAY NIGHT! Part Two Expectations (read everyone's first responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. FINISH BY SUNDAY NIGHT!
39 Comments
2
4/4/2014 08:23:58 am
I do not believe that Jane refuses to live with Rochester for either of the reasons given. Instead, I think she refuses because she feels betrayed. Perhaps this could feed back into the idea of a lack of respect, but I feel it is different enough to warrant my initial stance. Jane felt betrayed after it was revealed that Rochester still had a wife and “there was no explosion of passion, no loud altercation, no dispute, no defiance” (Bronte 343). Rochester merely accepted what was happening; he never tried to “save” her from it in some way. When proof was given, Jane’s hopes were shattered. At this point, Jane has decided she cannot tolerate this betrayal and her decision is clear: she must “Leave Thornfield at once” (Bronte 345). This sparks another issue, explaining this decision to Rochester. I feel like his reaction helps to crystallize Jane’s resolve. I suspect that maybe if he had merely explained the story of the mad-woman, accepted the situation, and apologized for misleading her, she may yet have yielded to him. However, he instead opted to try to still say “oh, that woman’s not my wife. You can still be my wife, regardless of what the others said.” This attempt to ignore the fact of the matter is what solidifies Jane’s decision and makes her take leave of Thornfield under the cover of the darkness before dawn.
Novendecim
4/8/2014 02:39:28 pm
I agree that Jane feels betrayed, but I think that ties a lot into her Christian values. It might not just be the fact that Rochester lied which makes her think she should run away, but also that the Bible probably denounces such behavior as his.
13
4/9/2014 09:36:37 am
I agree with you spot on that Jane does feel betrayed. The man that she loves has another wife. It is fascinating to know that men really didn’t change after all these years. Of course not all men do this but still today we see men lying and cheating on their significant other just to get another woman. It also makes you wonder was marriage vows hold to high expectations as we think. I used to think it was but when while reading I learned that people marry in their social rank. Did we really change as a people?
6
4/9/2014 10:07:58 am
I think that you have a valid point. However I do think that it was her beliefs that lead her to leave. Regardless of how Rochester felt about her, she loved him and Adele. I think that her love would have blinded her from the insult that would be ordinarily seen in Rochester's nonchalant effort to marry Jane. I do agree with you that Rochester is to blame in her leaving, and that he is an extremely creepy person.
Twenty thousand pounds minus nineteen thousand nine-hundred and ninety five.
4/9/2014 12:40:16 pm
I like your original interpretation of the question and you make plenty of good points to support it. I now agree that Jane probably felt a lot of betrayal with this situation. After becoming so close to Mr. Rochester, Jane must have expected honesty and openness between them. However, after the discovery of Bertha, she sees that Rochester is not exactly on the same page. Jane does forgive Rochester, but she still cannot bring herself to stay with him because she would be his mistress, and that would make her feel disrespected, no longer his equal.
21
4/9/2014 03:39:09 pm
I agree with your proposal but I feel like it does have to do with her Christian morals only because if she didn't have some sense of morality Jane would have probably gotten over it because of the strong love she has for Rochester. Yes, Jane was betrayed because she didn't know that Mr. Rochester had a wife...better yet didn't even know she was the women in the attic, but in my opinion Jane I believe that Jane would've just let that thought fly right out of her mind because of her deep infatuation with Mr. Rochester. I think it's because of the fact that he has a wife that makes it much harder for Jane to be with him on a more sensual and romantic way because she knows how wrong it would be to run away with a man who was already engaged to someone else.
3
4/9/2014 04:16:26 pm
I like that you didn’t disagree or agreed but rather stated your own distinct opinion. I also believe that a great reason why she left was because she felt betrayed. Jane gave all of her love to that man, and it was very unfair for him to hide his wife from her. If Jane knew from the start, she probably wouldn't get involved with him in the first place. I also agree that Rochester’s persuading attempts fueled her parting. He tried to softly convince her to leave, but she was smart enough to catch it. I think this made her feel inferior from his part towards her.
5
4/6/2014 08:38:17 am
When Jane leaves Rochester, it seems to be mostly due to her Christian morals. She does not believe it is right to marry a man who already has a wife, despite how much love they feel for one another. Jane is extremely tempted to stay with Rochester, but fights the temptation because it is sinful to her. A dreaming vision of her mother says, “My daughter, flee temptation!” and Jane responds, “Mother, I will,” (Brontë 371). Besides this, there are dozens of other quotes that express Jane’s genuine faith in God. Jane may have felt disrespected but she forgave Rochester wholeheartedly: “Reader!-I forgave him at that moment, and on the spot… I forgave him all; yet not in words, not outwardly; only at my heart’s core,” (Brontë 347). This does not mean Jane still did not feel disrespected, but it was not the force that pushed her away from what she so longed to stay for. It was her religious beliefs, which she holds more important than anything else.
2
4/6/2014 12:14:04 pm
You make a very good argument, I must say. I agree that Jane feels disrespected and that there is something within her moral compass that makes her resolute in her decision to resist Rochester. I wouldn’t say religious because I don’t seem to recall her saying anything specifically stating “this is against Christianity” or whatnot, but then again…if there was a statement like that the original blog post for this week’s set of chapters wouldn’t exist as it is, would it? I feel like there’s a lot more here with the ghost of Jane’s mother than has been spoken, though. I’m just wondering why it would be her mother, for starters. After all, I’d almost expect to see a vision of Helene telling Jane to flee something sinful, since she is far more characterized as devoutly religious than Jane’s mother (although in fairness, she’s not really characterized much at all to begin with).
Novendecim
4/8/2014 02:49:13 pm
Yeah, nicely said. I wonder why her dead mother suddenly shows up here when Jane has barely even thought of her previously, and whether she could also be a sort of mother nature or an angel. Why does Jane imagine someone she's never met giving her orders, and seem so ready to follow them?
7
4/9/2014 03:26:05 pm
I also found it curious that Jane’s mother just pops up out of nowhere at this point in the novel. The fact that she appears as more of a ghost rather than an angel weakens what I perceived Jane’s Christian beliefs to be. I feel that it symbolizes the desperation in her decision to leave and further emphasizes the fact that she has absolutely no idea what to do and she will look for an answer anywhere she can, even if she has to imagine it. I feel that this is her way of trying to do the mature thing, this is what she thinks a mother figure would advise her to do.
Dezanove
4/6/2014 12:58:19 pm
Jane's refusal seems mainly based on her Christian ideals. If she didn't feel equal and respected by Rochester, she probably wouldn't still love him. After all, his encouragement for her to speak her mind seems to have drawn her to him.
2
4/7/2014 08:32:10 am
I agree with your views, I feel like the tree is more a symbol of how they are split up, though. A sudden, unstoppable force drives the tree into two parts, only held together by a very small portion of the original. That seems quite like Jane and Rochester, does it not? Two people, seemingly intertwined without possibility of separation, are suddenly wrenched apart by an unforeseen event, leaving only a husk of the love that once existed. While it still exists – as the subsequent chapters in this section (and I suspect onwards) suggest, it is nowhere near as potent as it once was.
6
4/9/2014 10:13:42 am
I agree with you. I think that Jane's leaving is a direct result of her beliefs. I think that the fact that she loved him almost to the point of worship was also something that offended her beliefs. This alone could have been a significant reason for her to not want to be with Rochester anymore. I agree that she chose her convictions over Rochester.
7
4/9/2014 03:34:55 pm
Your post really got me thinking. Reading what you wrote really altered my opinion from my original response. I agree with your statement that she held Rochester up on a pedestal as she referred to him as “master” and in a way did worship him. With Rochester having these God-like qualities in Jane’s eyes, it makes it that much more traumatic that he would betray her trust as he did. In doing so, I would think that Jane would naturally feel betrayed by Godly beings, rather than turn to them for guidance in her time of need. On the other hand, maybe she did turn to God and religion because that would make him the only person left for her to rely on.
13
4/9/2014 09:20:28 am
Jane refuses to go live with Rochester because of the absence of equality and respect she sees in this relationship. When Rochester offers the proposals to Jane she seems sensible and in control. She feels this way because Jane sees Rochester as her equal. As in Jane doesn’t have to hold how she feels or think back to Rochester just because she is a woman she can speak freely. Jane says “The present the passing second of time was all I had in which to control and restrain him” this shows how Jane is actually Rochester equal. Compared to the other women like Blanch it is as though Jane Eyre is higher than her. However in actuality she is lower because of her class. What also confirms Jane’s decision to leave Rochester was that Rochester blamed Jane for taking away his happiness and love by not accepting his proposal. Rochester says “Then you condemn me to live wretched, and to die accursed? Then you snatch love and innocence from me? You fling me back on lust for a passion--vice for an occupation”. This quote shows that Rochester is trying to make Jane feel bad for Rochester. Fortunatley Jane strong still rejects his proposal.
5
4/9/2014 12:11:13 pm
After reading your blog post, I can now understand this side of the argument better. I see why there are reasons for Jane’s rejection of Mr. Rochester that relate to a lack of equality in their relationship. Jane probably feels this way because she previously thought she and Mr. Rochester were on the same level and they kept nothing secret from each other. After all, Rochester told Jane the whole story with Celine Varens. She was disappointed in him for not sharing the secret of his marriage with her. Jane likely expected to share everything with Mr. Rochester because they loved each other.
6
4/9/2014 10:02:35 am
In my opinion Jane does leave Rochester because of her beliefs. I think that Jane started to worry a lot about loving Rochester too much. Rochester was replacing God in her life, and that frightened her. “wherever you are is my home—my only home.” Without even totally realizing it, she is unreservedly giving herself to something other than God which her beliefs would see as wrong. This lead her to be faced with the extreme ultimatum symbolized in a lightning struck tree. “I faced the wreck of the chestnut-tree; it stood up black and riven: the trunk, split down the centre, gaped ghastly … their great boughs on each side were dead, and next winter's tempests would be sure to fell one or both to earth: as yet, however, they might be said to form one tree—a ruin, but an entire ruin.” At this moment Jane is trying to believe that they are not meant to be, and that they won’t last long even if they do elope. I think that Jane’s beliefs stopped her from continuing to pursue a relationship with Rochester.
18
4/10/2014 05:17:26 pm
I agree that she was worried of loving him to much. She doesn't seem like the type to really like professing her emotions towards people anyway (which could be due to her rough child hood of where she didn't recieve much love or kindness) and could also be the reason why she doesn;t really know how to handle/control her emotions either. Rochester put his cool points out the window because she had him all twisted up in the game. And plus she can't just run away with him like that she's more practical than that and she realizes that she was to wrapped up in trying to throw it back and she should be worried about Jesus and the Lord that's the only one she should throw anything for. Not Rochester. GOD>Swag>Rochester is what Jane is thinking here.
8
4/22/2014 12:41:15 pm
I agree with your response. Jane does seem to be pulling herself away from Rochester, but I believe she's afraid too. She has never felt that way for someone so she doesn't know how to handle the emotions that have overcome her. She definitely is putting it back onto her Christianity, but I believe she's only doing so since she doesn't know what to do or where else to go from here. She's caught between her pride (and what she knows) and what she feels.
16
4/9/2014 10:29:01 am
I think that Jane refuses to marry because of her beliefs in the lack of equality and respect area. There are many little situations that hint at this. For example, when Rochester gives her more fancier clothing, she gets angry and feels, in a way, like a doll. Jane is a very headstrong woman, and when she feels like she's being treated unequal, she won't hesitate to follow her values.
3
4/9/2014 04:21:55 pm
I feel like you are the only one that chose the disrespect, so I clearly agree w you. I believe that even though she is quite religious, her self-respect was what influenced her the most. If you really loved the man you might sin for him. BUT she didn’t sin because she respects herself, and also wants that respect from him. Even if that means that she will lose him. She will not be seen as “the other woman”. She would rather be poor and suffer, than be with a man that doesn't value her enough over money.
18
4/10/2014 05:21:33 pm
Exactly as I was saying. Even though he says she's the main one she just doesn't want to feel or be the side chick anymore. They could've ran away and she could've been the main then, but what does he really think this is? A free for all? No she has things she needs to do to and morals and what not. He's just so disrespectful thinking she's a going to make like the earth when he's the sun and revolve around him.
20
4/9/2014 11:13:53 am
Jane's refusal is extremely personal for a few reasons, the guy is married and it is considered a sin to live/be with a married man. In the time era that the book took place at least. Also it has a lot to do with her religion, a reoccurring dream, "My daughter flee from temptation." As well as this quote supporting the religious values, "Do as I do; trust in God and yourself. Believe in Heaven. Hope to meet again there" (367). Rochester does not respect her in the way she wants to be respected, a women! There is no equality between the two people. She feels even more disrespected when Rochester gifts her with expensive items, in a way spitting on her image, hinting that if you don't step up your game, I'll have to reconsider kind of thing.
10
4/10/2014 01:44:10 pm
I have to disagree with you I don’t think they are unequal. Yes there are religious undertones in the reasoning behind Jane’s decision to leave Rochester, but not being equal isn’t one of them. Jane is a well educated governess, which is a respectable job for single young women of her time. No she doesn’t necessarily have status or money due to her being orphaned but she is well paid and can take care of herself on her own. She’s a strong and independent women and she don’t need to man lol. Rochester sees that about her and it attracts him to her, that she wasn’t only likening him for his money. Therefore, I doubt she was ever offended by him and I doubt she left because she felt they were unequal because intellectually they are.
4
4/9/2014 01:31:11 pm
Jane seems to refuse to marry because of her firm Christian ideals. She still does love him greatly, but she won't let those emotions come in between what she knows is ethically right. Rochester is married and to live as a mistress was frowned upon immensely in society and within the Christian faith.
7
4/9/2014 03:21:00 pm
Jane chooses to lose Rochester forever despite the fact that she clearly still loves the guy. It almost seems to me like stubbornness to the extreme because she is only doing what is will in turn break her heart even more so. She is clearly pained by her decision to do what she thinks is right, “My hand moved towards the lock: I caught it back, and glided on.” (390) I think that the reason Jane leaves is not based on her Christian views nor her sudden lack of equality from Rochester. Although I think those points are both valid, I think the main reason she leaves is because through this drama, she has come become confused with herself. I don’t think she knows what the right thing to do is. She is caught between having to follow her heart and stay with the one person who truly loves her, or leave him forever because her mother tells her to “flee temptation!” (388) I understand that social pressures were heavy during this time period but in reality Jane has no family left to judge her. There was no compelling outside reason for her to leave. By running away she is chasing the pain she has always known and is choosing to suffer because that is what is familiar to her, so in her head, it must seem like the right choice.
21
4/9/2014 03:30:14 pm
The last couple of lines you wrote were so deep! It seriously makes so much sense. I feel like Jane does know what's the right thing to do, being said that everyone back in the days had to follow protocol such as marrying into the same status, and basically how shameful it is for a women to be with a married man, but like you said she's torn from her decision on whether or not she should just listen to her heart because there is no one really important left for her to be judged by. With your statement I can really see why she would turn away from something so good because she was never really exposed to this sort of environment and she's never really felt real love until now.
21
4/9/2014 03:23:59 pm
In my opinion I think Jane refuses to go live with Rochester in the south of France as his mistress because of her Christian morality. I don’t really think it has much to do with the lack of equality and respect because despite everything and the differences in their social statuses, Jane still managed to love him. If her reasoning was because of the lack of equality and respect then she would’ve never gave into her emotions and simply just reject them. It is Jane’s Christian morality that comes in the way of Jane’s future with Rochester. After finding out that Rochester has had a wife all along, things start to spiral and Jane starts to feel betrayed and hurt. The fact that Rochester was hiding this significant news all along is really heartbreaking because in a way he sort of led her on without the intentions on telling her the first day that his very own wife was living in the house they both walked in. With how smart Jane is, it makes a lot of sense to think that her morals came into play. She decided to listen to her mother’s advice, “My daughter, flee temptation!” responding with a clear, “Mother, I will,” (Bronte pg 371). This decision to “flee temptation” is sort of like the metaphor, “If you love something set it free.” Although Jane still loves him deeply, she knows how wrongful it is to be with a “married man.”
3
4/9/2014 04:09:47 pm
I believe that Jane chose to leave Rochester not so much because of religion, but mainly because of the lack of respect. It is clear that Jane feels highly embarrassed and betrayed. She loved this man unconditionally and now he has placed her in this un-pure position. Although she leaves because of the lack of respect, she already feels inferior. She let go of the only man that has truly and feels completely lonely, “Who in the world cares for you?” she says to herself. Even though he tried to explain himself blaming his current wife, “in safety and comfort: [to] shelter her degradation with secrecy, and leave her”, she still won’t accept. She knows that she is different and will not reside to end up like the rest of the women. Even though she has nothing, she will heartbreakingly pick herself up. She has a lot of pride, which is also another reason why she left. Jane wants to be equally respected. Rochester had clearly dismissed that idea. Nonetheless, he presented great temptation. However what really helped her was the dream in which her mother told her to flee. She knows she was not raised in such a way and should protect her honor.
10
4/10/2014 01:50:16 pm
I agree with your observations. Jane has a lot of pride and self respect, she’s always stayed true to herself and for the most part is a standup Christian women. She is a woman of substance and value. Jane deserves a man that is her equal, well off, and shares similar views. Rochester is such a man. But then he just had to ruin the perfect allusion buy keeping a huge secret from her and being dishonest to her. He lied to her, disrespecting her and made her feel like a fool for putting her feelings out there in vain.
10
4/10/2014 01:21:41 pm
Jane would never leave to another country to become someone’s mistress regardless of how she felt for them and what the situation was like. Jane is standup Christian women with strong values and morals, being with Rochester without being rightfully in a valid marriage would be her only desire. It is evident that Jane loves Rochester and leaving him, in my opinion, is because he betrayed her and she would not be an honest women to not be his wife. He wasn’t upfront with her about his previous relationship and the fact that he was still actually married. He would have married Jane illegally and made a mockery of her. Therefore they would have no future together and she has to “Leave Thornfield at once” (Bronte 345). I think the primary reasons they were attracted to each other in the beginning is because they understood each other and they had mutual respect for one another and could have intellectual conversations. Jane was an unusual girl to Rochester because she was “on his level” regardless of her lack of status and money. They truly loved one another and I think that they can work it out despite his disseat and Jane’s doubts about their relationship. "...wherever you are is my home- my only home."
18
4/10/2014 05:07:55 pm
I also believe she chooses not to go off with Rochester for either choices, but because she felt betrayed. Had it been christianity or equality than that would've made it easier to fun away because not many would know much of whether they're from different classes or etc because they'd be getting away. She just feels betrayed like she thought she was so much more to him than the side chick here, she thought she could be the main for a second but as she thinks it over and sees how he has a whole wife and what not she's just like "Wait, I am not going to be getting sloppy seconds here" so you know she feels all betrayed like every side chick who thinks they're the main chick because they never really understand their role/place. That's why she goes off and when she finds possible hubby material she's like all trying to get into her new bae. However she thinks she hears Rochester and just like listening to Drake's music gets all into her feelings again. It was like "my boo" cause "there's always that one person that will always have your heart" and she's realizes she needs him. It's funny how to finally get him he has to go through a fire and become blind and lose a arm. Like really the struggle of the side chicks come up.
15
4/13/2014 05:53:51 am
I believe that she left for all of the reasons listed. Her Christianity beliefs lead her to stray away away from any adultry sins and not be a mistress to anybody. However she grew up as this christian so her mindset was developed with these beliefs. So when this came up that he was married already, she didnt feel equal to him anymore. She was just a lowly "mistress" and thats not what she grew up believing. Whats also not listed but was definitely in her mind was betrayel. She genuinely loved this guy and gave him her all but then it just pops up that he's married. Like really? Man what a playa. Anybody would feel betrayed because he never let bertha go. If he didnt love her he would've let her go. So it gets to people and thats what happened to Jane. She wasnt going to go down this road and she got off a better person.
22
4/21/2014 10:22:06 am
Now my girl Jane has been chillin with Rochester for a while now. so long these hooches is about to tie the knot. Now during the wedding ceremony, where my girl was looking mighty fine in her wedding dress and my boi rochester was straight pimpin it, they were joining alliances between each other even though they were complete opposites(financially). when the priest was about to pronounce the newly weds, so playa by the name of Richard Mason, objected the marriage and throws my boi Rochester under the bus, saying, "yo homie my boi rochester already got some arm candy." Jane was livid in wich she wanted to put her foot up Rochester's pooper shoot, for his betrayal. Rochester kept it G and pronounced his love for jane and wants her to move to FRance with him and forget his past. Jane was like, " chill out bruh, with all that noise, i aint no one's side chick. its all or nothing."
8
4/22/2014 12:59:11 pm
I really liked that you mentioned Jane respects Rochester too much to run away with him and be with a married man, I never even thought of it that way. Jane loves Rochester so dearly and think it'd be wrong to mess with his life that way. She also does not want to be on the side and wants to be his main chick. Jane does feel betrayed but she has a lot of respect for him and herself to allow Rochester to take her to France to be his mistress.
8
4/22/2014 12:34:44 pm
I believe Jane refuses to go live with Rochester in the south of France as his mistress, choosing instead to lose him forever because of the lack of equality and respect she foresees in such an arrangement. She feels some sort of betrayal when she finds out that all this time Rochester had a wife. It made her feel inferior and almost as if he wasn’t being real with her. It embarrasses her to think that she could be looked at as stupid. Though Rochester is the first person to ever truly love Jane, she can’t allow herself to feel that way since she knows she deserves better. She wants to feel the same way as someone who is “better” than her and not like how the world perceives her to be. She wants to keep her pride and not lose it by staying with someone who wants to hide her. Jane doesn’t want to be a mistress, but wants to be Jane and if Rochester isn’t willing to allow that or be true with her she will keep it moving and deal with the pain like she always has.
Julie (sorry I don't know my number lol)
5/16/2014 03:35:18 pm
Honestly, I think that Jane chooses to leave him for both of the reasons--she doesn't see equality and the man is already married. They are unequal in many senses--there's the ridiculous age gap of twenty years, there's the gender roles of that time period, the social class differences, and lastly but certainly not least, there's the way that he treats her. My interpretation is that Mr Rochester, if he is ever a little condescending to her whether it was just playful banter or a serious moment regarding any of the above listed topics, it was for his own amusement.
11
5/19/2014 01:18:24 am
Who would leave there own way of life to move to France as a mistress? Not Jane. "My daughter flee from temptation." Jane Eyre’s Christian beliefs kept her distant from an action that will degrade her. And Jane leaves Rochester for good. Rochester lied about his past relationship and tried to deceive Jane about his wife at the time. Jane knew that if she was going to be with Rochester illegally then Rochester can mock her and leave her whenever. So Jane held in her heart that” If you love something set it free,” because she knew that being with a married man would be a sin and I would cost her a consequences. Jane is an upright woman, she has a great formal education and she has great talent. Jane grew up as a Christian woman who has values of being with a man and being pure till marriage. Honesty is important Jane and Rochester betrayed her trust by deceiving her. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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