Examples Of Courtship In Jane Eyre - 1699 Words

Courtship was a game with rules that demand to be followed. Traditions had to be upheld. The rules of courtship dictated what someone could do with another person. The rules dictated when those things could be done. They established lines that are not to be crossed. It was a game, like any other, with winners and losers. The society and setting we find in Jane Eyre demands that those who hope to win the game of courtship follow the standards of courtship as closely as they can if they desire to ever have the hope of what would be considered a â€Å"happy ending†. A â€Å"happy ending† is defined as a marriage between two suitable figures that would be full of contentment and last for the rest of their lives. A man with wealth and status would†¦show more content†¦The paradox that Mr. Rochester only receives what he was promised when he does not do what he was told to receive it provides shows us the meaninglessness of the rules altogether. The novel undermines the social norms of courtship by rewarding Mr. Rochester with a happy marriage even though he is not seen as having deserved it by the rules of courtship. By doing this, the novel accomplishes the championship of the idea that it is not archaic rules that determine if someone will be happily married with someone else, but the way those people develop in love. In his first marriage, Mr. Rochester followed the rules of courtship. He does what society told him to do to gain a prosperous marriage and the â€Å"happy ending† he sought. He describes the person he was when he walked into the situation as â€Å"a wild boy indulged from childhood upwards† (Bronte, p. 413). He paints himself as someone who began his first courtship with little maturity or genuine experience with the world he was stepping into because of the spoiling he received growing up. Like a child that’s wandered into the forest thinking he is preparing himself for an adventure, he only realizes when it is too late the dangers of the situation he has found himself in. Yet even in this first courtship, there were intentions at play. Mr. Rochester claims that he â€Å"must be provided for by a wealthy marriage† (Bronte, p. 582),Show MoreRelatedEdward Rochester: The Byronic Hero Essay742 Words   |  3 Pagessort of experience. For example, when Edward Rochester married Bertha Mason, he was totally unaware that madness ran down her family line. Eventually, when he found out he had no option but to take her to his country house – Thornfield Hall and lock her up. Due to this dilemma his wedding with Jane Eyre had been affected, as he already has a wife, he could not marry Jane. Another factor that is linked to a Byronic Hero is ‘rude’. Rochester is often snappy and terse with Jane. Such as when she is calledRead More The Language of Slavery in Jane Eyre Essay2609 Words   |  11 PagesUnfortunately, Bronte goes too far. She creates a narrator, Jane, who exploits images of slavery, using them to obtain personal gain and dismissing them when convenient. It is obvious that Bronte makes use of the experiences of the British colonies throughout the text of Jane Eyre. In an effort to make her readers more comfortable Bronte chooses not to address the issue of British dominance and colonization directly. 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It poses crucial questions as to why the ‘Other’ is always represented negatively in main-stream western narrative as in the case of Bertha Mason who is portrayed asRead MoreEssay on Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice1903 Words   |  8 PagesWuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice Wuthering Heights presents the theme of love within and outside of marriage. This book has a major female character whose marriage conflicts in some way with her ideal of love. Catherines first love is Heathcliff. She falls in love with him as both grow up together. Yet she finds a different kind of love with Edgar Linton. Catherine decides to marry Edgar, who can satisfy her civilized side. When Heathcliff returnsRead MoreEssay on Outline of Marriage in the Victorian Era895 Words   |  4 PagesWomen married because they had a lack of options; they were not formerly educated, and were only instructed in domestic duties. They needed someone to support them, and were encouraged to marry and have children (The Rules of Marriage). The Courtship * Marriage was a carefully contemplated subject for a woman; since she would lose control over any possessions once married, it was not something entered into lightly, and a woman was not required to accept her first proposal. * The financialRead More Reactions to Patriarchal Oppression by Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason3826 Words   |  16 PagesReactions to Patriarchal Oppression by Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason Missing Works Cited    Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason are both oppressed by the British patriarchal system were men are the makers, interpreters, and enforcers of social and political rules. However, these two women differ greatly in the ways that they accept and cope with the reality of their place in society, and it is these differences that ultimately determine their fate. Jane Eyre follows the rules. 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