Gothic Elements in the Victorian Novel
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The Meaning of Mystery and Suspense in Jane Eyre
1 Introduction
Undoubtedly, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre was one of the most successful and influential novels published during the era of Victorian England, which lasted from 1837 until 1901 , and even today, Jane Eyre is regarded as one of the most important masterpieces in the history of world literature. Although Brontë’s novel primarily fulfills features of the romance novel – certainly a very popular and widespread genre among Victorian writers - Jane Eyre can be accounted a hybrid of three literary genres, which not only shares romantic elements, but also characteristics of the Bildungsroman and the Gothic novel.
However, Brontë’s novel basically follows “two traditional plot lines” (Heller 1993: 49) of Victorian women writing. On the one hand, Jane Eyre comprises a love story between a man and a women, represented by the relationship between Jane and Rochester, which clearly corresponds to romance elements, whereas, on the other hand, the story of Jane’s personal and psychological development, which is expressed by her different encounters with the external world over a large range of time, corresponds to the female Bildungsroman.
Nevertheless, in Jane Eyre, both plots are strongly interrelated with each other, what makes each plot rather complex and difficult to analyse (cf. Heller 1993: 49). Moreover, Charlotte Brontë repeatedly utilised several mysterious and horrific incidents - which are clear indicators for a Gothic influence - throughout the whole novel. The question may be raised, how and for what purpose did Brontë implant Gothic elements in her novel, although the period of ‘classic’ Gothic writing had already come to an end in the early 19th century. Was it just for the cause of catching the reader’s attention and making the story more interesting to read, or was there even more behind it?
In order to find a suitable answer to that question, this essay will first point out a couple of striking and important scenes which represent typical Gothic features in Jane Eyre, and then, it will try to analyse the causes for the application of these Gothic elements and their effect on the novel’s message which is aimed to be delivered.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Gothic Elements in Jane Eyre
2.1 'Classic' Gothic vs. Victorian Gothic
2.2 Important scenes and images representing Gothic elements in Jane Eyre
2.3 Reasons and causes for the application of Gothic elements in Jane Eyre
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the integration of Gothic elements within Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, aiming to analyze how these stylistic choices serve as a vehicle for criticizing Victorian societal structures, specifically regarding gender, isolation, and marriage.
- Analysis of the hybrid genre nature of Jane Eyre (Romance, Bildungsroman, and Gothic).
- Examination of 'classic' vs. Victorian Gothic traditions in the novel.
- Investigation of key Gothic locales and incidents, such as the red-room and the presence of Bertha Mason.
- Discussion of how Gothic atmosphere serves as a critique of Victorian patriarchal hierarchies and social suppression.
Excerpt from the Book
Important scenes and images representing Gothic elements in Jane Eyre
The novel’s first important scene which is predominantly influenced by Gothic elements already emerges in chapter two, when Miss Abbott and Bessie Lee escort Jane to the red-room - a terrifying and frightening chamber - in order to punish her for the scuffle she had with her cousin John in the previous chapter. As it is typical for Gothic settings, the red-room is dark, and it emits strange and weird noises. Outside it is raining and “the wind [is] howling in the grove behind the hall” (Brontë 1847: 18). The name of the chamber - the red-room - also arouses deathly associations - and indeed, her Uncle Reed passed away at this place nine years ago. Now, his deceased body lies buried in a vault under the Gateshead Church. However, the Gothic influence in this scene becomes even more intense and terrifying when Jane suddenly sees a ray of light entering the red-room. She believes that a ghostly appearance of Uncle Reed haunts across the room in order to take revenge on Mrs. Reed, who promised to treat Jane righteously, but did not do so. Consequently, Jane cries out in panic to free her, but her wishes are ignored. At this point, Jane suffers considerably, and finally, she also faints at the end of chapter two. Nevertheless, Jane shows a strong will to struggle for her rights and to fight back against her oppressors. Since the red-room scene is settled at the novel’s very beginning, it is also indicated that further mysterious incidents and Gothic locales will accompany the plot of Jane Eyre.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Jane Eyre as a hybrid literary work that incorporates elements of the romance, Bildungsroman, and Gothic novel to address Victorian societal issues.
2. Gothic Elements in Jane Eyre: This section defines the transition from 'classic' to 'Victorian' Gothic and examines specific plot points and settings that function as Gothic manifestations to reflect Jane's internal struggle and external oppression.
3. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes how the application of Gothic elements allows Brontë to provide a powerful critique of Victorian hierarchy and the suppression of women.
Keywords
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, Gothic Novel, Victorian Era, Bildungsroman, Romance, Red-room, Bertha Mason, Social Prejudice, Victorian Marriage, Gothic Elements, Literary Criticism, Female Gothic, Patriarchal Hierarchy, Oppression.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on identifying and analyzing the Gothic elements present in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and how these elements serve the thematic critique of Victorian society.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The core themes include the intersection of different literary genres, the Victorian woman’s social status, the critique of repressive marriage, and the representation of psychological struggle through Gothic imagery.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks how and for what purpose Brontë integrated Gothic elements into her novel, despite the genre's popularity having waned by the 19th century.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The essay utilizes a literary analysis approach, focusing on textual evidence, scene interpretation, and reference to established literary theories regarding the Gothic and the Bildungsroman.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the distinction between 'classic' and 'Victorian' Gothic, analyzes specific scenes such as the red-room and the presence of Bertha Mason, and interprets the symbolic function of these elements.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
Key terms include Jane Eyre, Gothic novel, Victorian era, social prejudice, female Gothic, and literary critique.
How does the author interpret the role of the red-room?
The author interprets the red-room as a symbolic prison representing the social suppression and physical/emotional restriction of women in Victorian society.
Why is Bertha Mason considered the "dark counterpart" to Jane?
Bertha is analyzed as a radical embodiment of suppressed female rage and discontent, reflecting the consequences of Victorian isolation and the repressive nature of marriage.
Does the author classify Jane Eyre as a Gothic novel?
No, the author clarifies that while it features significant Gothic influences, it is a hybrid work that ultimately transcends a singular genre classification.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Thomas Schachtebeck (Autor:in), 2006, The Meaning of Mystery and Suspense in "Jane Eyre", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/165045
