Jane Eyre is one of the most famous novels by Charlotte Bronte. The novel is Jane’s story, and it details her life from childhood through adulthood. One of the major themes in the novel is the role that nature plays in Jane’s life.
Nature is often seen as a symbol of hope and freedom for Jane. When Jane is living with her aunt and cousins, she feels trapped and unhappy. She longs to be outside, in nature, where she can breathe freely and be herself. Nature is also a refuge for Jane when she is experiencing difficult times in her life. Whenever she feels lost or alone, she turns to nature for comfort.
In many ways, nature represents Jane’s true self. Jane is a passionate, independent woman, and these qualities are often associated with the wildness of nature. Jane is constantly drawn to the moors, which are wild and untamed places. She feels a deep connection to them, and they serve as a reminder of her own strength and power.
Charlotte Bronte uses nature to show how Jane Eyre grows and changes over the course of the novel. Jane starts out as a young, naïve girl who is easily influenced by those around her. However, as she matures, she becomes more independent and confident. She learns to trust her own instincts and follow her heart. In the end, Jane is able to find happiness because she has stay true to herself.
Jane Eyre’s life was influenced by nature in much the same way that many people’s lives are. I can’t possibly count the number of days I’ve had a horrible day and the weather outside has been utterly dismal. Often, days began bright but later turned gloomy, and my temperament mirrored this. Nature spoke to Jane throughout her childhood; it affirmed beliefs and emotions for Jane, as well as providing insight to the reader about characters. Little Jane was treated harshly as a youngster. Mrs. Reed showed little regard for Jane, which was frequently reflected in her behavior.
The winter days at Gateshead were long, dreary, and Jane was locked away in the nursery. One day, while looking out the window she saw a robin trying to get into the house and she felt a kinship with it, “That little bird…I loved it so, because it was happy.” (Bronte 78) The robin represented Jane’s desire to be free and have happiness in her life.
As Jane grew older, and left Gateshead for Lowood School, she found contentment in nature. The school was often harsh, but Jane had friends there and they would go on walks together during which Jane would find solace. After leaving Lowood, Jane went to work for Mr. Rochester. Jane and Rochester had a complicated relationship, but Jane found happiness in the company of Adele and in her walks around Thornfield.
Jane would often go to the forest to sit and think. It was during one of these walks that Jane had an encounter with a gypsy woman. The woman told Jane her fortune and said that Mr. Rochester would marry someone who wasn’t wealthy, which Jane took to be herself. This interaction with the gypsy woman further solidified Jane’s feelings for Rochester.
Mrs. Reed did not punish her own mischievous children instead she blamed Jane for all of it. One day, Jane was sent to the red-room, where she curled up with a book. While studying Bewick’s History of British Birds , Jane took particular notice of “the lonely rocks and headlands.” (Bronte 2) Miss Eyre’s feelings of desolation and isolation were clearly understood by the reader. After sleeping on the sofa for a sleepless night, Jane looked outside to see if it was raining yet.
The “staircase window” Jane is referring to is her only source of light, and it too is covered in raindrops. This symbolizes how Jane feels inside, dark and alone with no hope of anyone coming to help or comfort her. However, Jane soon spots a singing bird perched atop the staircase window. The bird Jane saw was most likely a robin, which traditionally symbolizes comfort.
This creature brought Jane some relief from her sorrowful thoughts. Seeing the bird also helped Jane remember a time when she found solace in nature. When Jane was 10 years old, she ran away from Gateshead after Mrs. Reed locked her in the red-room as punishment. Jane got lost in the “gloomy wood” (Bronte 23) and fainted from exhaustion. Fortunately, Jane was found by a young gypsy boy named Hob.
Jane then went back to Gateshead, but the experience left her feeling scared of nature. After Jane ran away a second time, she got lost in the moors and almost died from cold and hunger. Jane was again saved, this time by Mr. Rochester. This time, instead of being scared of the natural world, Jane found comfort in it. She realized that nature could be both beautiful and terrible, but it was always there for her.
Charlotte Bronte uses nature to show how Jane Eyre grows as a person. In the beginning, Jane is scared of the natural world and finds no comfort in it. But after Jane goes through some tough experiences, she starts to see the beauty in nature and finds solace in it. Jane Eyre is a classic novel that shows how important nature can be in our lives.
Jane’s depression was deepened when the weather was so gloomy. (Bronte 9-10) Jane’s house, Gateshead, looked to have an evil spell on it that prevented the days from being sprinkled with sunshine and happiness. When Jane was accepted into Lowood Institution, her terrible days at Gateshead came to a halt.
Jane’s second home, Thornfield, was Jane’s favorite place. Jane basked in the comfort and happiness that Thornfield provided her; however, all good things must come to an end. Jane’s time at Thornfield came to a close when Mr. Rochester proposed to Blanche Ingram instead of Jane. Jane was so distraught that she ran away from Thornfield in the middle of the night during a terrible thunderstorm.
Jane felt that God had forsaken her because she could not understand why He would allow such horrible things to happen to her. As Jane is running away from Thornfield, she stumbles and falls unconscious. When Jane finally regains consciousness, she is being cared for by the Rivers family. The Rivers family takes Jane in and hides her from Mr. Rochester until Jane is well enough to travel.
While Jane is staying with the Rivers family, she takes many walks in the moors. The moors were Jane’s favorite place to go because she felt free when she was there. The moors allowed Jane to escape her problems and to clear her head. Jane often went to the moors when she was feeling lost or confused. The moors were Jane’s refuge, and she found solace in their beauty.