Throughout Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses the weather to reflect the mood of her characters and to advance the plot. The novel opens during a cold, dreary winter, which mirrors Jane’s feelings of loneliness and isolation. The weather improves when Jane goes to Lowood School, signifying the positive changes in her life. However, Jane’s happiness is short-lived; after she returns to Thornfield Manor, a stormy night foreshadows Rochester’s marriage announcement and Jane’s subsequent heartbreak.
After Jane leaves Thornfield, the harsh winter conditions reflect her own inner turmoil. It is not until she arrives at Moor House and finds warmth and acceptance from St. John Rivers that Jane finally begins to heal. The sunny days that follow Jane’s recovery signify her newfound happiness. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses weather to create a mood and to further the plot, ultimately revealing Jane’s growth and transformation from a lonely, isolated girl into a confident young woman.
The opening scene of Jane Eyre is set during a cold, dreary winter. Jane feels trapped by the endless gray days and longs for something more. The bleakness of the winter mirrors Jane’s feelings of loneliness and isolation. However, the arrival of Mr. Rochester changes everything. Suddenly, Jane has someone to talk to and look forward to seeing each day. The bleak winter days begin to seem not so bad after all.
In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, as well as in other works of fiction, weather is a character device for foreshadowing positive events or moods and weather is a device for establishing the tone for negative ones. This technique is used throughout the book, warning readers about the upcoming mood. The weather mentioned in the novel has an effect on Janes temperament to a certain extent.
Jane often remarks on the weather, making connections to her current mood or state of mind. Bronte also uses the weather to foreshadow events. For example, when Jane is about to leave for Lowood, it is blustery and rainy, foreshadowing the hard journey she is about to embark on (Chapter 2). Jane is also happy in Chapter 15 when the sun shines after a long period of bad weather; this good weather foreshadows Janes reunion with Rochester.
In contrast, dark and stormy weather often precedes unfortunate events. For example, Jane suffers a mental breakdown after seeing Rochester with his new wife at Thornfield Hall during a thunderstorm (Chapter 34). Ultimately, Bronte uses the weather as an effective tool to set the tone and atmosphere for certain scenes in Jane Eyre.
Consider how the novel’s plot enhances its theme. For example, after Jane was falsely accused of being a liar by Mr Inman, an anticipated good event occurred when she described her surroundings.
The moon was left bare as some heavy clouds swept from the sky followed by a rising wind; and her light streaming through a window near lit up both of us and the approaching figure, which we instantly recognized as Miss Temple (62). Of course, Miss Temple invited the two young ladies to her room and served them with cake and tea, which provided Jane comfort in light of her public disgrace.
The use of light and darkness is also often used to show good and evil. A great example of this is when Rochester tells Jane that he will not give her up to Mr. Mason, even if it means being dragged down to hell with him. The appearance Jane had in this moment was so dark and demonic that Rochester looked like a saint in comparison, Jane had then transformed herself into something all together different from the Jane who Rochester first met (267).
This novel is full of Charlotte Bronte’s thoughts on society, religion, and most importantly, love. The way she uses weather effects to further the plot and characters creates a reading experience that is truly unique.
We partook of our supper that day, as we did on nectar and ambrosia; the smile of gratification with which our hostess regarded us as we quenched our ravenous appetites on the delicate fare she generously provided was not the least pleasure of the entertainment (65). Another illustration is Janes first morning at Thornfield.
Jane’s sunny disposition was emphasized when she described the weather: When the light streamed in between the vivid blue chintz window and carpeted floor, contrasting with the barren planks and straining plaster of Lowood, my spirits soared at the sight.
I joyed to see the sun shine; I was glad when its light fell on me (98). Jane experiences both good and bad weather during her time at Moor House. The harsh, cold, and dreary weather mirrors the dark mood that Jane feels while living there. In contrast, the warm and sunny weather is representative of the happiness Jane experiences after she moves to Thornfield.
The novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte uses weather to reflect the mood of the characters. For example, when Jane is living with her cousins at Moor House, the weather is often dreary and cold. This reflects Jane’s own dark mood during this period of her life. However, when Jane moves to Thornfield and begins to experience true happiness, the weather is often sunny and bright. This contrast between dark and light, cold and warm, helps to create a more vivid picture for the reader and allows them to feel Jane’s emotions more deeply.
When Jane was still in Gateshead, she was reading while an unpleasant visit from John Reed was foreshadowed: A scene of wet lawn and storm-beat shrub emerged after it gave a pale blank of mist and cloud: listen, a scenario of damp grass and rain (2). Jane confronted John Reed, and she was sent to the red room, which she dreaded. When Mr. Rochester proposed to Jane later in the book, the pair’s parting was remarkably predicted when half of the tree had been hit by lightning.
Jane and Rochester were forced to separate for a time. Later in the novel, when Jane had to leave Thornfield because Mr. Rochester was going to marry Miss Ingram, the weather again played an important role: Jane looked out of the window and saw that it was a wild evening; darkness had no sooner overwhelmed the dreary scene than a violent storm of wind arose (296).
The darkness and storminess of the night Jane left Thornfield created a sense of foreboding for her future. And finally, at the very end of the novel, when Jane and Rochester are reunited and married, the weather is once again significant: They were now nearing the lawn; where madame sat at her window, she could see them coming (414).