The Analysis of Jane Eyre's CharactersAcknowledgementsI would like to express my sincere thanks to all the people who supported me during the process of writing this thesis in the last few months.First of all, I am greatly indebted to my teacher Wang Kai, for his patience and helpful advice that come all along during the period of time of writing the thesis. He has helped me through all the stages of the writing of this thesis. Without his help, I could not complete this thesis in the present form.Secondly, Hearty thanks should also be given to all my teachers and professors in Nanjing Normal University. During the four years, they have instructed and helped me a lot in acquiring knowledge. I could not know how to search for relevant materials and organize them without their patient guidance.Thirdly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my friends and family for their spiritual supports. My friends are sincerely thanked, who have always been helping me out of difficulties and supporting without a word of complain. My family members who support me all the time and made me believe that I can accomplish the tough task should also be given the appreciation.Finally, I hope that my thesis will be of value to those who continue to do researches in the novel Jane Eyre, which will be a great honor for me and a reward for all that have helped me during the thesis writing process.摘要英国著名女作家夏洛蒂•勃朗特的小说《简•爱》写于19世纪，这部小说在英国文学史上占有重要的地位。
小说中,作者成功地塑造了一个在那个时代具有独立,叛逆,明智和坚强精神的伟大女性形象——简•爱。
简•爱作为那个时代独特的女性,她灿烂的女主人公形象给许多国内外读者留下了深刻的印象。
简虽然贫穷但有抱负；身材矮小但精神强大；外表一般但心灵美好。
在小说中,不同时期我们看到不同的简•爱。
在盖茨黑德府,我们看见一个小的、勇敢的和自我尊重简爱;在劳渥德慈善学校,我们看到一个聪明,正直和诚实的简爱;在桑菲尔德府,我们看到一个冷静的,独立的和有才的简•爱;在泽庄,我们看到一个成熟的、自由的、经验丰富的简。
我们可以说,简爱是一个为了追求幸福生活而坚持和不幸、不公命运抗争的女英雄。
本论文主要侧重于分析《简•爱》中女人公的积极性格。
在《简•爱》这个故事的基础上,本文首先呈现给读者简爱的主要性格特征,以及作者夏洛蒂•勃朗特和小说《简•爱》的简介。
接下来,本文主要描述简•爱的每个性格特征,如简•爱的独立,反叛和自尊。
在每个性格特征中,本文将更加注重描写简•爱的成长以及她逐渐显示出的性格特点。
这也包括了简•爱性格形成的原因。
除此以外,人们也应该学习简爱的每一个性格特点。
最后,总结简•爱的主要性格特征。
本文将帮助人们更加深层次的理解简•爱性格并给人们带来更多的现实意义。
关键词：简爱；性格；独立；叛逆AbstractThe novel Jane Eyre which was written by the famous author Charlotte Bronte in 19th century occupies an important status in English literature. In the novel, the author successfully portrayed a great female image---Jane Eyre, who was an independent, rebellious, wise and recalcitrant in that era. As Jane Eyre is a unique woman on that time, the brilliant female protagonist in the novel gives many readers home and abroad a deep impression. Jane was poor but aspiring; small in body but huge in spirit; unlovely in appearance but pure in soul. In the novel, different periods we see different Janes. At Gateshead, we see a little, brave and self-respected Jane; in Lowood Orphanage, we see a smart, just and honorable Jane; in Thornfield Hall, we see a silent, independent and brilliant Jane; at Gates head, we see a mature, free and experienced Jane. We may say that Jane Eyre is a heroine who struggles with misfortune and unfairness to seek a happy life.This present thesis mainly focuses on the positive character of the female leading role in the novel Jane Eyre. Based on the novel Jane Eyre, the paper first gives readers the summary of Jane Eyre’s main character, the brief introductionsof the author Charlotte Bronte and her novel Jane Eyre. Next, it mainly describes the respective character of Jane Eyre, such as independence, rebellion and self-respecting. On each character, the present thesis will pay more attention to the growth of Jane Eyre and the character that is showed by her gradually. This also include s the reasons of Jane Eyre’s development of her character. Besides, people should learn something from the respective character of Jane Eyre. Finally, the conclusion of Jane’s main character will be given. This paper will help people understand Jane Eyre’s character deeper and give people more realistic significance.Key Words：Jane Eyre; character; independence; rebellionContents Acknowledgements........................................... .. (1)摘要......................................................... (2)Abstract................................................... . (3)Contents................................................... (5)1.Introduction............................................. (6)2.The Introduction of the Author and Jane Eyre (7)2.1 The Introduction of the Author..............................................................72.2 The Introduction of the Jane Eyre................................................................. (8)3.Jane Eyre’s Character.................................................. .. (9)3.1 Jane Eyre’s Independence (10)3.2 Jane Eyre’s Rebel....................................................... .. (11)3.3 Jane Eyre’s firm will....................................................... . (12)3.4 Jane Eyre’s Self-Respect................................................. . (13)3.5 Jane Eyre’s Pursuit of Equality and Liberty (14)3.6 Jane Eyre’s Spirit of Pursuing True Love (16)4.Conclusion............................................... . (17)Bibliography............................................... . (18)1. IntroductionIt is no doubt that the heroine Jane is the most attractive to readers in the book Jane Eyre. The unique woman, whose independent personality and the spirit of rebellion is beneath emaciated figure and ordinary appearance, is one of the most attractive and conquering images in the world literature. When she is in dependent situation, she is unafraid to face all kinds of sarcastic remarks and tries hard to get equitable treatment; When she is in Lowood Orphanage, she fights with dark and unfair things; when she comes to Thornfield Hall, she is quiet and natural in front of Mr. Rochester, and she feels neither aggressive nor conciliatory in the presence of upper-class ladies. Even when she becomes Rochester's fia ncée, she still keeps steady and sober. It is so despairing that Rochester has already married. Thought Jane loves Rochester deeply, she can’t tolerate that she wouldn't have a legal marriage and leaves Rochester determinedly.It is so wise for her to realize that she should struggle for her own independence of spirit and equal rights on many aspects in the social life. She is independent, self-respected and resistant. She is a woman who dare to deal with troubles and problems with calmly and frankly mentality. Facing with unequal treatment, she shows her strong spirit of revolt and keeps her dignity; facing with bumpy fate, she never complains and keeps struggling for happy life; facing with marriage and wealth, she is silent and thoughtful.Jane has so many individual traits of character that is well worth learning by us. In that society, it was uneasy for a woman to own such advanced views and independent spirit. We should pay more attention to her beautiful character and considerate profoundly of our own attitude toward life.2. The Introduction to the Author and Jane Eyre2.1 The Introduction to the AuthorCharlotte Bronte was born in a poor country priest's family at Haworth, Yorkshire, in northern England on April 21, 1816. Her mother was a housewife. Charlotte Bronte was the third child of the family. Her sisters Emily Bronte and Anne Bronte were also famous writers. In the history of English literature, they had been called "Bronte Sisters".Charlotte Bronte had an unfortunate childhood. In 1821, when she was only 5, her mother died of cancer. Her Father had very little income, so they had hard lives. In 1824, Charlotte's sisters Maria and Elizabeth were sent to Cowan Bridge, a school for clergymen's daughters. It's really hard for girls to live in that school. They were not only treated badly, but also didn't have enough food to eat. Soon, Charlotte and her younger sister Emily were sent to Cowan Bridge too. Unlike Charlotte and Emily, Maria and Elizabeth were died of an outbreak of tuberculosis. Charlotte and Emily were brought home and weren't sent to that school again. When Charlotte came back home, she learnt and played with her sisters. Fortunately, her father was a graduate of St John's College, Cambridge. He was knowledgeable and used to teaching his children to read. This brought Charlotte and her two sisters the initial impact and made them develop interest in literature. In 1842 she went with her sister Emily to study languages at a school in Brussels, where during 1843 she was employed as a teacher. The Professor, Charlotte’s first novel, was rejected by different publishers, and it was not published till after her death. She didn’t feel despair and went to write another novel, Jane Eyre, which was published in 1847 and achieved immediate success.In the 19th century, with the rapid development of the industrial revolution，the thought of democracy and the progress of science had gradually affected the British Culture. As a result, a batch of great women writers sprang up in English literature. Charlotte Bronte was one of therepresentatives. She was a famous realistic female writer for her representative workJane Eyre. The novel Jane Eyre is the substantial description of Charlotte Bronte's life experience. The author used many thoughts of reality to describe a new female character Jane---one of the most attractive and conquering images in the world literature.Charlotte Bronte also wrote many other books, such as Shirley and Villette.In 1854 she married her father's curate Arthur Bell Nicholls, but she died at the age of only 38.2.2 The Introduction of the Jane EyreJane is an orphan who knows little about her family and lodges at her aunt's house. Her aunt, who is her only relative, resents her and her cousins bully her. She is treated with less consideration than the servants. When she rebels against her unfair treatment, her aunt is ruthless in sending her to an orphanage school. Since Jane's education in Lowood Orphanage begins, she doesn’t get what she has expected. She is simply regarded as a common person, just the same as the other girls around. Life is hard in Lowood, she meets all kinds of cruel things, but Jane tries her best to survive. She also meets her first and the best friend Helen Burns in Lowood Orphanage and Helen's death makes her rethink life profoundly. As Jane grows up, she succeeds in becoming a teacher in Lowood Orphanage. After teaching for two years at Lowood, Jane gets a chance to be a tutor for lovely Adele in Thornfield Hall. At that time, she is acquainted with the Hall's owner, Mr. Rochester, a man with warm heart despites a cold face outside. They get to know each other, fall in love and get ready to get married, however, Rochester has already had a legal wife. Though Jane knows how much Rochester loves her and it is not Rochester's fault, she decisively leaves the Thornfield Hall on knowing that she can't get married with Rochester's. Jane begs in the endless desert a few days later, she finally is taken in and cared for by the Rivers family, who helps her get a job as teacher in a village school. A year later, Jane inherits a large number of legacies from her uncle and coincidently know that the Rivers’ families are her cousins. Jane shares the heritage with her cousins, and then she refuses her cousin St. John Rivers' proposal. Meanwhile, Mr. Rochester loses his sight during a fire set by his mad wife. When hearing that Mr. Rochester was penniless and disabled, Jane hurries to him and becomes his wife at last.3.Jane Eyre’s Character3.1 Jane Eyre’s IndependenceAs we all known, Jane is a poor orphan of ten and is not a pretty girl who attracts people’s attention. She can’t depend on her family, let alone her aunt and cousins. Having enough of her aunt’s unfair treatment and cousins’ tease and violence especially her cousin John Reed’s maltreatment, Jane despises them and devotes herself on reading books. But continually, Jane realizes that it is not a way to tolerate them all the time and she begins to fight for her own freedom and equality. It is the first time for her to deeply understand the importance of independence when she is shut up in a horrible house. She begins to clear that dependence and incompetence invites nothing but scorn．The cost for Jane’s pursuit of independence is being sent to the Lowood Orphanage. What she experiences in the Lowood Orphanage carved her into a more strong-mined girl. At Lowood Institution, Mr. Brocklehurst, the cruel, intolerant, overzealous and money-pinching master of Lowood Institution, a pastor, who humiliates Jane in public, when she comes to Lowood Orphanage. He also tells Miss Maria Temple and all the students that Jane is a liar. But Miss Maria Temple gives a chance to Jane to defendherself. She believes what Jane says and it gives her great consolation. In the Lowood Orphanage, Jane is luckily consoled by the kindness of a teacher Miss Maria Temple and the friendship of Helen Burns. Miss Maria Temple often encourages her students by precept and examples to keep their spirits and behaviors move forward like stalwart soldiers. Jane learns the value of independence from her. After Jane’s 10 years being in the Lowood Institution, she is not only skilled at French, but also has attainments to music and painting. Jane completely realizes the importance of independence.If we say that the first two periods of Jane’s independence is the independent from her so-called family, we can say that Jane’s independence at Thornfield Hall is the independent in the aspects of money and marriage. Jane chooses to leave the Lowood Orphanage and finds a job of governess to support herself. It means that Jane has the ability of living on her own. However, on that time, it is hard for a humble tutor to realize that she can poses herself as an independent worker. Jane is silence, graceful and bright. Even when she is in front of aristocrat, she still keeps her consistent style. She wants to be herself and independent. Though Jane is from humbler backgrounds, her distinct, strong-willed, independent and extraordinary character attracts Mr. Rochester and gives him a very big impact. It is Jane’s special personality that makes the owner of the Thornfield Hall be well disposed towards her. When Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochester, her personality shows obviously. She treats Mr. Rochester as equal as herself and never cares more about his wealth, status and appearance but his freedom and independence of spirit. Though Jane loves Mr. Rochester so deeply, she still keeps her own independent and keeps fighting with different thoughts. Jane is in pursuit of happiness, but all the endeavor to happy life is not based on attachment. On the contrary of losing herself in love, she finds her own dignity and confidence. When they are ready to getting married, Jane finds Rochester has already had a wife. It is a big suffering for her to face the truth. Her inner heart is filled with contradictions. If she stays and becomes Rochester’s mistress, she will still enjoy the splendor; if she leaves and breaks Rochester’s heart, she will still keep her dignity. It is hard for her to choose. When Mr. Rochester refers to sending her to Ireland, Jane is angry and says, “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!— I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal — as we are!”[3]（chapter 23 P244-245）Jane is impervious to money. After drastic ideological struggles, she leaves Thornfield Hall in order to refusing unfair love. From that time on, Jane’s character becomes more independent and she begins to be the true master of herself.At Gates head, Jane’s rejection to St．John’s offer of marriage also shows her spirit of independence. She doesn’t want to live as a tool to serve God or become St. John’s nominal wife. She has the strong awareness of independence. Later John proposes repeatedly but Jane gives the firm rejection, because she can not accept the marriage which d oesn’t have love to be used as the basis. She is also not willing to live with him without happiness, equality and freedom for a lifetime．Of course, the real and final independence owes to Jane’s uncle. After inheriting a large number of legacies from her uncle, she is rich. It’s more important that she is her own mistress. At last she marries Rochester and lives a happy life.3.2 Jane Eyre’s RebellionAs a saying goes, wherever there is oppression, there is resistance. Jane’s character of rebel lion for equality goes through the novel from the beginning to the end．Jane is not born with rebel. At Gateshead, she knows her own position and tires hard to let Mrs. Reed and her children accept her. Besides pleasing her aunt and cousins, she does her best to bear their discrimination and obstacles. However, she only gets the opposite of what she wants. Mrs. Reed still can’t accept Jane and goes out of her way to embarrass Jane. It is Jane’s first time to resist her cousin’s savage treatment when her cousin John beats her. She gets thrills from pain and fulminates against her cousin, “Wicked and cruel boy! You are like a slave driver---you are like the Roman Emperors!” [3]（chapter1 P5）Then, she fights with her cousin. Although Jane is caught in a horrible red house, it is really the sprout of Jane’s rebel. In the horrible red house, Jane begins to think why Mrs. Reed and other people in the house treat her badly. When she comes to the conclusion that she is treated unfair, she chooses to rebel but nothing. One day, as John smashes her over the head with books again, Jane doesn’t think much about her broken head and attacks John with a small heavy box bravely even madly. The unfair judgment by her aunt Mrs. Reed lets Jane pay more for her rebel. Mrs. Reed embellishes and twists the truth. She tells the visitor Mr. Brocklehurst that Jane is bad-tempered and likes lying to people. Jane can’t endure such slander and libel, she bravely tells her aunt that, “I am glad you are no relation of mine: I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to see you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty”[3]（chapter 4 P30）This is her firs victory for her rebelling Mrs. Reed and the only ten-year-old Jane has already owned the character of rebel.Jan is sent to Lowood Orphanage when her aunt Mrs. Reed no longer can hold her. If we say that in Gateshead the goal of Jan e Eyre’s resistance is the whole family of her aunt, in Lowood the circumstance she fights for is wider. Jane’s spirit of rebell ion has been well developed in Lowood.Jane feels longing for happy life after being sent to Lowood Orphanage, but it is so luxurious for her to think so. Lowood School is a hel1, not a real benevolent institution. In this school which advertises an absurd theory that punishing save the soul, Jane sees inhuman treatment with her own eyes and experiences it by her own. The headmaster of Lowood Orphanage is a pure and simple hypocrite. He not only deducts funds illegally to riches his own pocket but also treats the children and teachers in school as slaves. In Lowood Orphanage, students don’t have enough food and leave in an insanita ry environment. Everyday, they have to recite dull bible. Even the hungriest children will reject the food. What’s worse, children will be punished, humiliated and even beaten at any time. Jane’s dream has been broken by little and little, which pushes her rebel forward. Because of bad living condition, death becomes regular visitor. In front of such misfortune, Jane keeps rebelling instead of giving up all hope. Compare with Jane’s good friend Helen, who tells Jane that things in your life should be borne, Jane can’t understand Helen and tells her that, “If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way, they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would worse and worse. When we are stricken without a reason, we should strike back again very hard. I'm sure we should----so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again.”[3]（chapter 6 P51-52）The other important character in Lowood Orphanage is Miss Temple---Jane’s teacher，friend and mother. Jane looks to Miss Temple as her role model. As Jane learns abundant knowledge, she becomes more eager for resisting the unfair things.When Jane comes to Thornfield Hall as a tutor, her spirit of rebellion becomes more and more mature. Jane shows her self-respect and modesty when she sees Mr. Rochester at first time. As she doesn’t know much about Mr. Rochester, she keeps her consistent spirit of rebellion. As a tutor, she knows her states but she keeps herself as a independent worker. When she first faces the master, she is neither obsequious nor supercilious. She protects her human dignity and talks to Mr. Rochester, “I don’t think, sir, you have a right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.”[3]（chapter 14 P128）These words adequately demonstrates that Jane dares to speak truth to against power. When Mr. Rochester pretends to get married with Lord Ingram, Jane thinks her poor statue is not the obstacle of true love but people is equal in spirit. Jane rebels and expresses her deep love to Mr. Rochester, “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!—I have as much soul as you,—and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you.”[3]（chapter 23 P244-245）Jane rebels for her own equality and the right to pursue true love. She is so care for her fairness and keeps fighting with unfairness. Even when she gets ready to marry Mr. Rochester, she holds her attitude as before. She doesn’t compromise on her deep emotion for Mr. Rochester while knowing he has already had a wife. Instead of staying to became Mr. Rochester’s mistress and enjoying splendor, she uses leaving away to keep her dignity. Jane’s rebel spirit overcomes her irrational emotion for Mr. Rochester.Jane leaves away without money and becomes a famished beggar. Suffering from physical and emotional pains, Jane has walked alone in a vast wasteland for whole 3 days. She fights with unfair destiny as forceful as she fights with wind and rain. Eventually, she has been taken in by Rivers’ family. Jane pays back to Rivers’ family and learns to rebel with wisdom. She is mature enough to face different texts. However, when St. John Rivers proposes to her, Jane knows St. John Rivers just wants her to be his assistant, so she refuses and comes back to her true lover Mr. Rochester. Jane’s rebel spirit reaches its climax at this time.Jane is a representative of rebellion. We can see her rebel spirit beneath her Sharp words and decisive behavior. Her rebel spirit for happy life is well worth praising.3.3 Jane Eyre’s firm will“One of the great man’s obvious characters is a strong will.” Jane, who confronts hard life with her firm will, tells us this theory.Jane’s firm will has been developed at a n early age as her unfair treatment by her cruel aunt. At Gateshead, Jane is a weak, ugly, eccentric and timid girl, who is at the mercy of anyone else in the family. She suffers all kinds of insult and maltreatment. For her puny power, she tires to revolt but it comes to nothing. Gradually, she comes to realized that it is her strong will that will give other people a powerful revolt. The experience in Mrs. Reed’s family has steeled Jane’s tenacious spirit.In Lowood Orphanage, the miserable practice shows Jane’s strong character more clearly. Like other children in Lowood Orphanage, she often bears terrible hunger and cold. What’s worse, she is punished to stand and beaten frequently. Besides physical suffering, she is always being insulted by the headmaster Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane becomes more and more eager for adamancy to protect herself. She learns tolerance from her good friend Helen and knowledge to empower herself from her teacher Maria Temple.Infectious diseases catch many girls’ lives in Lowood Orp hanage, but Jane relies on her tenacious vitality to live in Lowood Orphanage for 10 years under difficult living conditions. After several years’training, Jane becomes a girl who is independent and adamant. As she finds a job in Thornfield Hall, her firm will of pursuing equal statue with other people has conquered the master Mr. Rochester. On that time, tutor was a job that didn’t be respected. However, Jane doesn’t care what other people say and keeps her behavior on her own way. It’s really lucky for Jane be ready to get marry with Mr. Rochester. While Jane knows that Mr. Rochester has already had a mad wife, she grapples with her moral dilemma and eventually she chooses to leave. Jane is suffering a big lose when her marriage has failed. At the same time, it is not excessive to say that Jane lost all her hope to live a happy life. The brave of choosing to leave her deep lover shows her firm will. During her wandering in a wide field, she still has a strong will to live on. Her heart is deeply hurt by Mr. Rochester and she has only one thing---her life, but nothing is a block for her to move on.As a woman, Jane’s firm will makes us think of a brilliant image. No matter how hard the condition is, she keeps fighting with difficulties and never gives up a glimmer of hope. Jane is such a tough-minded woman who makes us fill with deep esteem and unforgettable. We should learn from her.3.4 Jane Eyre’s Self-RespectIt is no doubt that Jane is self-respecting. She places self-respect above everything even love and life. In order to keep her hallowed self-respect, she determinedly gives up her available love even when she has already got everything ready to marry Mr. Rochester. In the voice of her deep lover’s detainment, she restarts her life to roam freely all over the world.Jane’s strong self-respect begins to show at the early period of staying at Gateshead. Under Mrs. Reed and her family’s unfair treatment, she uses her words and behaviors to get her self-respect back. When Mrs. Reed slanders Jane is a liar and a bad-behavior girl, Jane is brave enough to protect her self-respect in front of this senseless accuse. She tries hard to refute her aunt,“People think you a good woman, but you are bad, hard- hearted. You are deceitful!” [3]（chapter 4 P31）When Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochester, she refuses to receive Rochester’s property as love must be first. In fact, Mr. Rochester’s charity touches Jane’s deep self-respect. Jane doesn’t want to be inferior to her lover and money couldn’t buy her soul. Wh en Jane knows Mr. Rochester has a mad wife in the weeding, she determines to leave thought Mr. Rochester begs for her staying. She says to Mr. Rochester, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” [3]（chapter 27 P308）Jane’s self-respect is relates to her life experience and she keeps her self-respect all the time. Thought she is poor and unlovely, she doesn’t forget to become strong in mind to maintain her self-respect.3.5 Jane Eyre’s Pursuit of Equality and LibertyJane pursues equality and liberty from the beginning to the end. As she is placed in foster care with her bad aunt, she dooms to be treated unequally. Under the cruel treatment, Jane is deeply longing for equality and liberty. As she is been sent to Lowood Orphanage, she has thought the terrible life in her aunt would end. She can’t believe that there is an even worse situation waiting for her. The teachers in Lowood Orphanage treat students brutally and unequally. Under this circumstance, Jane。