An Analysis on Jane Eyre from the Perspective of Feminist---开题报告

Background and meanings of selected topic

Jane Eyre is the representative of the famous British writer Charlotte Bronte in the nineteenth century. It is generally believed that Jane Eyre is Charlotte Bronte’s poetic life portrayal and it is an autobiography.

Jane is the heroine of the novel, although she was born humble, looks ordinary, but she didn’t feel inferior. When she was ten years old, her parents died. Then, she had to live in her aunt’s home. There, she suffered with peers varying treatment: her aunt’s disgust, her cousin’s defiance and insult. Despite this, she didn’t despair, nor self-destruction, more did not sink into the insult. Conversely, all of these mishaps, in exchange for Jane’s unlimited confidence, and it created indomitable spirit with invincible strength. Jane had a rational understanding on her own ideals and personality, also had a firm pursuit on her own happiness and feelings.

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre gave us some of today’s new interpretation of the image of women: self-esteem, self-respect, self-reliance, and self-improvement. This is a mental model worth to people study. 

Domestic and foreign research present situation

Since Jane Eyre was published, many critics at home and abroad from the main aspects of feminism, colonialism, Marxism, narrative methods carried out or praise or derogatory comments. For example, in foreign critics, some people think that Jane Eyre is not a feminist novel. 1966, Robert Martin in his “The Accents of Persuasion: Charlotte Bronte’s Novels” believed that Jane Eyre is not a feminist novel, but a religious novel, involving religions significance for men. Moreover, he believes that women should not only be limited to the view cook darn requirements cannot be considered on an equal division of labor, but only understanding of the nature of the woman temperament.

Similar to the overseas comments, domestic literary critics comment on the novel differences. At first, the image of Jane was regarded as an example of the spirit of being unwilling to humiliation, pursuing equality, and fighting for the maintenance of the dignity of women’s personality. But then, there are some comments believed that Jane Eyre was a failure, not a powerful weapon to denounce patriarchal society. Lu Yu ling (1996) through the various details of the novel, the language, in –depth analysis of psychological description, pointing out that the novel cannot be ignored in the shaping of the characters omissions that exist behind the strong character of Jane Eyre inferiority and patriarchal society obedience and compromise. This is the failure of the “female pioneer” Jane Eyre.

The above are only part of the researches on this novel and the character, and of course, there are many other researches make analysis from other perspectives. As a proverb says: “One thousand readers, there are one thousand Hamlet”. New idea also comes from different people.

Research Content

The earliest feminist began in France, slowly spread to the United Kingdom and the United States and the whole world. Gender equality is the basic goal of feminism, in the fight for equality with men at the same time, women should pay attention to the performance of self-expression, show the unique charm of women, and tap into the social forces of women, for the social strata of women’s thinking and behavior, and strive to liberate.

Charlotte in the novel successfully created an appearance is not beautiful, but has a fiery passion, unyielding character image of women. Jane grew up without parents, living in her aunt’s home, in there she suffered all sorts of abuse. Her aunt was so angry that she got rid of Jane by sending her to a charity school for poor girls in Lowood. Jane stayed there for eight long years, six years in studies, and two years in the capacity of a teacher. The she got the position of governess to the daughter of Mr. Rochester, a rich squire. Where, Jane opened the road to the love. In love, Jane dared to express her love to a man, and he dared to reject the proposal of another man. All of these experiences are reflected feminist deeply. In particular, Jane with the manor master Rochester from love to the combination of the tortuous process, to express and criticize the social reality of the darkness of the United Kingdom, which reflects the equality of women and men in society and family, and to defend the persistent spirit of independent personality.

From a feminist perspective, Jane Eyre is far beyond his own era, really setting up the independence women’s consciousness in literature. It is not only male oppression complaint, praised the excellent women, but really on the ground reflects the women’s true feelings.

II.Outline

1. Introduction

1.1. Life and Background of Charlotte Bronte

1.2. Introduction to Jane Eyre

1.2.1. Summary of Jane Eyre

1.2.2. Distinctive Features and Comments

2. Feminism and Its Reflection 

2.1 Development of the Feminism

2.2 Feminism Evidence in Jane Eyre

2.2.1 Development of Jane Eyre’s Resistance

2.2.1.1 Confrontation between Jane Eyre and Her aunt at Gateshead

2.2.1.2 Jane’s Resistance at Lowood Institution

2.2.1.3 The perfection period at Thornfield and Moor House

2.2.2 Jane Eyre’s Attitude towards love

2.2.2.1 Love Based on Equality

2.2.2.2 Marriage Based on Pure and True Love

3. The Influence of Feminism on Modern Society

4. Conclusion

III. References

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