Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Bronte. It was first published in 1847. The novel is set in England in the early 19th century.
The novel tells the story of Jane Eyre, a young woman who grows up in a difficult situation. She is orphaned and has to live with her aunt and cousins. They treat her poorly and she is unhappy. Jane runs away from home and becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. There she meets Mr Rochester, the owner of the house. They fall in love but their relationship is complicated by Mr Rochester’s dark secret.
One of the things that makes Jane Eyre such a great novel is the way that weather is used to create atmosphere and mood. The weather is often used to reflect Jane’s emotional state. For example, when Jane is feeling happy and excited, the sun is shining and the weather is bright. But when Jane is feeling sad or angry, the weather is dark and stormy.
The use of weather in Jane Eyre helps to create a vivid and atmospheric setting. It also adds to the tension and suspense in the novel. Weather plays an important role in the characters’ lives and it helps to express their feelings and emotions.
The weather in the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is used by Bronte to foreshadow good events or emotions and to set the tone for negative ones. This technique is employed throughout the book, informing readers about the approaching mood. In Janes case, the weather mentioned has a certain degree of impact on her disposition.
Bronte often uses phrases such as, the sun was setting in splendour or the wind was moaning in the night to create a specific image in the readers mind.
The weather is also used to foreshadow events. For example, when Jane is on her way to Lowood school, it starts to rain heavily and she gets lost. This event foreshadows her time at Lowood school, which is filled with many difficult challenges.
Similarly, when Jane is walking home from Thornfield Hall after she discovers that Mr Rochester is married, the sky is dark and it is raining. This scene foreshadows Jane’s future life, which will be very unhappy. In conclusion, Bronte uses weather as a tool to set the tone and mood for specific scenes throughout the novel Jane Eyre, and to foreshadow future events.
After Jane was falsely accused of being a liar by Mr. Brocklehurst, an anticipated good event occurred when she spoke about her surroundings: Some heavy clouds swept from the sky by a rising wind had left the moon bare; and her gentle streaming in through a window near, shone full both on us and on the approaching figure, which we at once recognized as Miss Temple (62). In fact, Miss Temple invited the two girls to her room and served them cake and tea, giving Jane some comfort from the public embarrassment.
Nature is often used as an indicator of Jane’s emotional state. For instance, after Jane was sexually assaulted in the red-room by Mr. Rochester, she spends a great deal of time outside, under the sky: “I sat down on the turf…I leaned my back against the cool grey trunk of a tree, and looked up at the stars.
I repeated over and over again those words that had been spoken to me by Mr. Rochester as he left me locked in the red-room: ‘It will come; it will come. And when it does come, I shall be ready'” (334). Jane feels closer to God and more connected to the natural world during this time, which allows her to find some peace and eventually to forgive Rochester.
The weather is also used to contrast the different settings in Jane Eyre. For example, when Jane is living with the Reed family at Gateshead, the estate is described as dreary and cold, with Jane often feeling trapped indoors: “I was shut up in a room where there was a dead man” (15).
In contrast, when Jane arrives at Thornfield Hall, she is immediately struck by the beauty of the setting and the mansion: “Thornfield! that word brought back to my remembrance a square red brick house standing alone in a park…It was three storeys high, of proportions not vast…The front was dark brown” (85). The change in Jane’s surroundings reflects her emotional state, with Jane feeling more free and happy at Thornfield.
We dined well that night, as we had done on our nectar and ambrosia; and the smile of satisfaction with which our hostess regarded us as we sated our lusty appetites on the delicate cuisine she freely offered was not the least pleasure of the entertainment (65). Janes first morning at Thornfield is another illustration.
When Jane spoke of the weather, she stated, “It was a lovely summer’s day,” and her tone gave it away: The chamber appeared to me such a bright little enclosure as the sun streamed in between the brightly colored chintz curtains and carpeted floor, contrasting so markedly with the plain planks and strained plaster of Lowood that my spirits rose (90).
Jane’s positive attitude is again mirrored when she notes the weather while on her way to Gateshead:The day was fine…I walked a long time, and with pleasure. The objects around me were too much changed from the home I had left behind to allow me to feel at all forlorn (148). Jane’s appreciation of natural beauty is also clear when Rochester speaks of Adele in an insulting way, and Jane remembers:”,the bleak wind howled” (337). Jane’s mood rapidly changes upon hearing this, signifying that Rochester has some sort of power over her emotions.
Weather can be used as a symbol to represent different aspects of Janes life. For example, the gloomy and dark weather during Janes time at Lowood School may symbolize the darkness and coldness of her life during that time. In contrast, the sunny and bright weather during Janes stay at Thornfield may symbolize the happiness and warmth she feels during that time. Jane Eyre is a novel full of symbols, and weather is just one of the many ways Charlotte Bronte uses to enhance her story.
