《简爱》男主人公罗切斯特读解
Analysis of Hero Rochester in Jane Eyre
摘要
本文主要分析罗彻斯特的人物特征及形象内涵。罗彻斯特是英国传统婚姻制度的受害者，也是英国男权社会的典型代表；此外，作者赋予罗彻斯特的人物形象浓厚的宗教彩。通过分析男主人公的人物形象，使读者更好地了解当时英国社会的现实以及作者的创作思想。
关键词：性格；形象内涵；男权文化
Abstract
Jane Eyre is the master work of Charlotte Bronte. In the novel, the author creates the image of Jane Eyre with independent female consciousness and also gives the image of Rochester with special exi
stence. The author endows the image of Rochester with abundant cultural connotation, which reveals the social and cultural connotation.
This thesis mainly analyzes the characteristics and connotation of image of Rochester. Rochester is the victim of British traditional marriage system and he is also the representative of British patriarchal society. In addition, the author endows the character image with profound religious characteristics. By analyzing the image of Rochester, it is helpful for readers to better understand the reality of British society and the thought of author’s creation.
Key Words: characters; connotation of image; patriarchal culture
I Introduction
Jane Eyre is the master work of British famous female writer Charlotte Bronte. Since its publication, it causes great sensation in the literary world and is popularly loved and appreciated by the readers all over the world. This work successfully creates a female image that holds a kind of independent and positive attitude towards love, life, society and religion and dares to fight for freedom and equal status. The image of Jane Eyre is widely accepted by readers and produces resonance. Many domestic and overseas scholars have made comprehensive analysis and interpretation on the heroin
e Jane Eyre from many perspectives such as feminism, female consciousness, philosophy and comparison of characters and so on. However, there are few researches on the hero Rochester. People universally consider that the image of Rochester is subordinate, which is to provide service for highlighting the heroine. However, in fact, the image of Rochester is deep and abundant, which has the same important status with heroine. The existence of Rochester provides Jane Eyre with a stage to represent the female consciousness reveals the darkness of British patriarchy and patriarchal culture in the 19th century and represents the growth up of rising middle class in the Great Britain in the period of industrial revolution, which has significant meaning of times and value of literary researches.
This thesis mainly analyzes the characteristics and images of Rochester. It is helpful for readers to understand the creative thought of author. The image of Rochester plays an important role in representing the connotation and thought of the novel.
2. Analysis of Rochester in Jane Eyre
In Jane Eyre, the existence of Rochester has special meaning, which plays an important role in deepening the thought and connotation of novel. Rochester has special characteristics and the autho
r endows his image with abundant cultural connotation. By analyzing his characteristics and connotation of image, it is helpful to understand the thought and connotation of the novel.
2.1 Characteristics of Rochester
Rochester is a contradictory character. On one hand, he is always constrained by the social discourse right and he is the victim of patriarchal culture. On the other hand, he is an oppressor towards his wife Bertha and his lover Jane Eyre and becomes the accomplice of patriarchal culture. He is a complicated and contradictory character with cultural brand.
2.1.1 Ambitious
In the Victorian age, British society experiences great changes. In 1846, the society abolished Law of Grain and replaced it with free trading policy, which creates sound conditions for the commercial development. At that time, the queen realizes the threat on the dominant status of the Great Britain caused by the rising industrial countries—America and Germany. Thus, those industrialists, businessmen, churchman, colonists and soldiers become the power highly praised by the society. The “manliness” with aggressiveness and expansion is universally advocated. Jane Eyre is just created in this period so that Rochester is granted with such kind of cultural characteristics. Rochest
er is the representative of men with manliness. He has travelled in many countries, approves and positively makes expansion. He has his industries and villa in France and Germany. Even his marriage is transnational. He gets married with the daughter of planter in the West Indies. In addition, Rochester owns the physical body as a gymnast and he is just like “a lion--like creature with long hair and a with strange The caged eagle, whose gold--ringed eyes cruelty has extinguished, might look as looked that sightless Samson.” (Bronte: 2002: 73) With such kind of power, Rochester can positively devote himself to the Chartist Movement for requesting equal voting right and bravely pursues his happiness of marriage.
Rochester is an ambitious man and he wants to make excellent accomplishment. In such a society where the industrial revolution greatly promotes the social development, men with broad vision and eyesight are universally advocated by people. Rochester is such a man. He is interested in overseas expansion so as to get outstanding achievement. In such a male-dominated society, he hopes to make achievement via his power.
2.1.2 Braveness in Pursuing True Love
Though Rochester acts as the oppressor for women under the patriarchal society, his braveness to c
hallenge the unfair marriage system and pursue true love gets much sympathy and agreement. “He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow; his eyes and gathered eyebrows looked ireful and thwarted his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty.” (Bronte: 2002: 78) The power of his inner and external characteristics can make up his defect in appearance. By these descriptions, it can be seen that Rochester is not handsome, even ugly for someone. But he has enough braveness to pursue the true love.
Rochester suffers a lot from the misfortune marriage and becomes decadent and dissipated in his life. During the journey in Europe, he keeps some concubines. But he is cynical and he is still full of eagerness for true love. In the family dancing party, he receives those ladies and misses in upper class but he looks down upon their behaviors. Miss Ingram is beautiful and noble but Rochester can know her lust for wealth. Until he meets with Jane Eyre, a homely private teacher,
he finds the hope for future life. He discovers the wisdom, braveness and sincerity from Jane Eyre. They can make communication equally and they understand each other very well. In this sense, regardless of the convention and concept of family status of aristocracy, he falls in love with Jane Eyre crazily. In such a society, he can get affection from many noble misses with his property and personal charm. But he is loyal to his true feeling and dares to challenge the unfair marriage system
(Lian & Zhao, 2012). In addition, at the risk of committing bigamy, he decides to get married with Jane Eyre, which represents his sincere and deep love to Jane Eyre. Though Rochester has suffered misfortune caused by the unfair marriage system, he does not lose her conscience. He sincerely loves his lover and also takes care of his crazy wife. Arete is the illegitimate daughter of actress of Paris opera. When her mother and lover elope and abandon her, Rochester adopts her and provides her best life conditions. Even when Jane Eyre leaves Thornfield and Rochester sinks into desperation, he insists on sending Arete to school. He respects and trusts Mr. Fairfax. “He sent Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper, away to her friends at a distance; but he did it handsomely, for he settled an annuity on her for life”. (Bronte: 2002: 288) Even for his crazy wife, he also takes good care of her with kindness and sympathy. When the Thornfield manor is on fire, he wakes up all servants in the loft and helps them go downstairs and then moves his wife out of the loft. In such an emergency, he is willing to save his wife, the biggest obstruction between him and Jane Eyre. In such a heavy fire, Rochester loses one eye and an arm. Though Rochester is disabled, he has great braveness and will, which should be highly praised.
When he meets with Jane Eyre, Rochester finds his soul destination. They can make psychological communication with each other. “I have now been married ten years. I know what it is to live entirely f
or and with what I love best on earth. I hold myself supremely blest--blest beyond what language can express; because I am my husband's life as fully is he All my confidence is bestowed on him, all his confidence is devoted to me; we are precisely suited in character--perfect concord is the result.” (Bronte: 2002: 306) From the statement of Jane Eyre, it can be seen that they have a happy marriage because their marriage is established on love and spiritual communication. In order to pursue the true love, Rochester even dares to challenge the traditional marriage system and traditional ethics and morality, which fully represent his great braveness.
2.2 Image Connotation of Rochester
In the novel, Charlotte Bronte endows the image of Rochester with abundant connotation. He gradually changes from the victim of traditional British marriage system to an oppressor to women. Living in the society dominated by patriarchal culture, he is the representative of patriarchal society.
2.2.1 From the Oppressed to Oppressor
Rochester becomes oppressor from the oppressed. In the novel, it can be seen that Rochester is not the nobleman and he has not inherited the title of nobleman and property and he also has no elegant behaviors and noble temperament. He has no beautiful appearance and his behaviors are rude but
with passion. He has wide vision and acute eyesight and he is interested in industrial revolution and overseas expansion. The psychological oppression of nobility forces Rochester produces strong consciousness of resistance. He attacks the oppression of noble quality with the approach of playing love game. However, Rochester is a penniless man. He has no right to inherit
the property and finally accepts an arranged marriage made by his brother. Though he becomes the owner of thirty thousand pounds’property, he is not happy at his marriage. He always considers that his marriage is a transaction and he is a man being sold in this transaction (Wang & Zhang, 2004). He lives in an oppressed life, which makes him become irritable and sensitive. Due to the traditional marriage system, Rochester has no way to divorce Bertha. In this sense, it can be seen that he is the oppressed of unfair marriage system. In order to resist against such kind of unfair marriage system and get rid of Bertha, he unexpectedly imprisons her in the loft and then takes his journey. In Europe, he constantly seeks for his love but fails. His dissipated behaviors are reflection of resistance against the unfair traditional marriage system.
However, Rochester gradually changes into an oppressor. After getting married with Bertha, he becomes the owner of thirty thousand pounds’ dowry and becomes a rich man from a penniless man. In this sense, Bertha becomes his accessory. He has the right to control his wife. When he tries
to get rid of the depressive marriage life, he even imprisons Bertha in the loft and takes his journey to pursue new love and marriage. Though he has kept several concubines, he looks down upon those noble women. He just regards them as play things and does not devote any affection. Until he meets with Jane Eyre, he seeks for the true love, which is established on spiritual association. He loves Jane Eyre very much and takes good care of her. However, in the 19th century, the traditional feudal thought is still deep-rooted in the society of the Great British. In such a male-dominated society, man has the absolute discourse rights. Women are always constrained by men in various aspects of the society. For example, in the early period of 19th century, women’s occupations are limited only in private teacher, school teacher or cotton spinner (Li Qiong, 2009). They have no opportunity to participate in other fields of work. Once getting married, women become the property of men and they no longer have the right to pursue their life and fate. Even women with female consciousness will gradually lose their independence under the influence of patriarchal culture. Jane Eyre is such a woman. She has strong female consciousness and spirit of independence. However, under the power of Rochester’love and patriarchal culture, she gradually loses herself and loses her female consciousness and independence. In such a society dominated by patriarchal culture, Rochester also has strong male chauvinism. Though he loves Jane Eyre very much, he does not regard Jane Eyre as an independent individual. He does not fully respect the personal dignity of Jane Eyre. In this
sense, Rochester is an oppressor for Jane Eyre. By analyzing the change of Rochester, author reveals the unfairness of traditional marriage system and the deep influence of patriarchal culture in British society on men and women.
读简爱有感2.2.2 Representative of British Patriarchy
From the end of the 18th century to the 19th century, the Great Britain has experienced a series of political, social and economic things. The development of capitalist industry promotes social reform and industrial revolution. However, the laboring people live an extremely miserable life and the contradiction between labor force and capitalists has become the primary contradiction of the society. British society experiences great changes. However, at that time, the Great British is still a country in which the traditional feudal thought is deep-rooted and male chauvinism still constrains women. Various aspects of the social life can reflect the influence of male power. In terms of marriage, the status and development of women are seriously limited. Once getting married, woman should give all her dowry to his husband and her husband has the right to control her property. In family, women must completely submit to husbands. Rochester just lives
in such an era so that he is deeply affected by the patriarchy and becomes the representative of British patriarchal society.
After getting married with Bertha Mason, Rochester possesses her dowry for thirty thousand pounds and becomes a rich man from a penniless man. He not only forcibly occupies Bertha’s property but also imprisons her after being tried of her as well as names her as a crazy woman. He cruelly deprives Bertha from her discourse right and the right of freedom. Bertha becomes the victim of the patriarchal culture. After establishing relationship with Jane Eyre, Rochester gradually leads Jane Eyre to the passive position with the power and passion of love and at the same time wants to completely control Jane Eyre with wealth and domination of manus. As a male chauvinist, he does not regard Jane Eyre as an independent individual (Li Yanrong, 2010). He loves Jane Eyre ardently but always holds a gesture as a master. He spends money like water to purchase Jane Eyre gold and jewelry but always constrains the Jane Eyre’s independently personal dignity. Though Jane Eyre has strong female consciousness, she lives in the society where the patriarchal culture is dominant culture and is affected by the educational system dominated by patriarchy. After falling in love with Rochester, Jane Eyre has realized that she is fully occupied by Rochester’s love. “My master's colorless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth,--all energy, decision, will,--were not beautiful, according to rule; but they were more than beautiful to me; they were full of an interest, an influence that quite mastered me, --that took my feelings from my own power”. (Bronte: 2002: 115) “My future husband was becoming to me my whol
e world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven”. (Bronte: 2002: 186) It can be seen that Jane Eyre gradually loses herself under the authority of Rochester’s love. Under the constraint of patriarchal consciousness of Rochester, Jane Eyre gradually loses her independence and female consciousness and has become the anger in the house. Rochester lives in the era when the patriarchal culture is in the dominant position and he inherits the social tradition. In this sense, he is the representative of British patriarchy.
2.2.3 Victim of Failed Marriage
Rochester is also a victim of failed marriage. Jane Eyre is created in the British Victorian Age. At that time, the discourse right that dominates British society is to determine everyone’s position in the society by wealth, social status and gender. The law provides that the elder son has the right of inheritance, which deprives younger son and daughters from right of inheriting the property. It leads Rochester to a penniless man and loses his social status, which cannot be accepted by Rochester and his brother. In order avoid Rochester becoming a poor man; his brother arranges a marriage with thirty thousand pounds dowry before his graduation. Then, unsophisticated Rochester accepts this marriage and becomes a bridegroom. According to the legal provision in the 19th century, after getting married, Robert becomes the owner of the dowry. But this marriage is just a transaction (Zha
o Yanmei, 2012). Rochester is young and full of amazing dream and pursuit so that he feels frustrated about this transacted marriage. In this transaction, he always considers that he is sold. When he finds the defects of Bertha, he wants to dissolute the marriage. However, in that society, it is difficult to ask for a divorce. In Marriage and Morality, Russell has pointed that “In England, couple could not divorce due to psychiatry, so the husband or the wife of the patient would be reduced into an unbearable situation. In this case, the restrained one easily became irritable and even lost his temper.”(Russell, 2009: 12) Thus, under the oppression of the patriarchy in the society with patriarchal culture, he gives up this
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