Jane Eyre Background Information

1. Jane EyreBackground Information

2. The Romantic Movement The Romantic Era was an era in literature where nature rather than civilization is emphasized and celebrated. Despite its name, it has nothing at all to do with physical attraction toward another person. Components of Romantic Literature: • Argued for the rights of the individual over the demands of society • Believed that all humans are inherently good • Valued imagination over reason • Inspired (greatly) by nature

3. The Victorian Age The Victorian Age was from 1837-1901, during the reign of (imagine that!) Queen Victoria. It is a period of British history in which the queen’s personal conduct and character restored morality nationwide. • The number of people living in Britain more than doubled, causing a huge demand for food, clothes and housing. • Factories and machines were built to meet this demand ad new towns emerged, changing the the landscape and the ways people lived (from rural to urban) • Railroads are built to transport goods and people easily around the country for the first time It is also during this time that Britain became the most powerful country on earth, ruling over one-fourth of the world’s population. It was said that “the sun never sets on the British Empire.”

4. Child Labor Children were employed for three reasons: • There were plenty of them in orphanages, and they could easily be replaced if accidents occurred • Child labor is more cost effective than adult labor • Children are small enough to crawl under machinery to tie up broken threads/wires

5. Governesses A governess is a woman employed to teach in a private household (the two best governesses were Mary Poppins and Maria from Sound of Music). Poor females with little or no marriage prospects would go to school to learn how to become governesses. Illness was common in these poorly run schools and, some students perished as a result. The pay for a governess was poor, and the respect was even worse. Governess were treated worse than servants and looked down upon.

6. Bildungsroman A bildungsroman is a novel in which the main character goes through a maturation process. The main character is a child in the beginning and, if not an adult by the end, very close to becoming one. Themes of a bildungsroman: • Orphan or some form of parental abandonment • Protagonist is at odds with society, but will learn to adapt to its rules • Psychological, as well as physical, maturation • Discontent or loss will spur the protagonist on a journey

7. The Gothic Novel A Gothic novel is a genre of fiction popular in the 18th-19th centuries characterized by an atmosphere of mystery and a medieval setting Features of Gothic Literature • The supernatural: ghosts, ghouls and all things spooky are often used in literature as signs of warning/danger • Architecture is a key element in the Gothic as it reflects the type of atmosphere and themes in the novel. • A return to medieval past: castles, manors, monasteries, etc. • Female suffering: either imprisonment, rape or murder at the hands of an authoritative figure

8. The Byronic Hero The Byronic hero is named after Lord Byron, a very famous English poet famous for depicting “bad boys”. The Byronic hero will not be the model citizen, but he will have good qualities deep within. He is often called a hero-villain. A typical Byronic hero will be • Secretive • Intelligent • Charming but moody • Cynical and emotionally wounded • Irresistible to women (very handsome)

9. Themes in Jane Eyre • The Gothic novel • Romance • Superstition • Dreams and Paintings • Religion • Nature • British Nationalism

10. A New Type of Heroine Jane Eyre is not your typical heroine; she is the first to emerge of her kind. Several components of her structure had never been seen before. • The heroine is small, plain and poor • She is the first female character to claim the right to feel strongly about her emotions • She advocates for equality amongst men and women