Reason vs. Passion in Jane Eyre Essay

Reason and offense be two emotions that are shown by most of the fictional characters in Jane Eyre. Some peoples behaviour is governed by rationality and they think carefully about all what they do. The opposite happens with impulsive people who hail their feelings, prevailing honey to agreement. Passionate people do not think before performing their actions, because of that they are considered more real than people who act head by cause. However, some generation warmth must(prenominal)iness be left behind and people have to act consort to movement and consciously. This authority is all the way shown in Jane Eyre, the novel written by Charlotte Bront, in which the two most important characters show strong peevishness and reason in their personalities. Through conflict, allusion and symbolism the author tells the story of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. bank line is used by the writer to show the collision and disagreement in the midst of two persons and similarly t he inside conflict in a person. In the novel a conflict between two human beings is clearly expressed in the relationship that Jane has with her evil aunt Mrs. Reed. Jane feels humiliated and denigrated by her aunt, she cannot bear any more the cruel treatment and she feels dominated by fury. The writer describes Janes behaviour as ..shaking from head to foot, thrilled with fractious excitement (29), uncontrollable and irrepressible as all kinds of fretfulness. The conflict between them is clearly shown by the writer when Jane says, I am glad you are no relation of mine I allow never chitchat you aunt again so long as I live. (29). The insufficiency of love and the difficult relation between them is evident in those lines. Moreover, Janes look is almost always a fight between reason and passion, in the novel the author shows how women in Victorians clocks were not allowed to guide their decisions by feelings or emotions. Restrictions and limitations were ordinary in womens li fe and those restrictions were the cause of many internal female conflicts. An example of this occurs with Jane when she says,I must renounce love and idol. One darling word comprised my impermissible duty- Depart(279). In this situation Jane has to fight against her passion against her love and forecast to stay with Mr. Rochesterdespite knowing that he was already married. Jane says, ..Mr. Rochester I must leave you. (268) she is concerned about what she must do, even when it does not concurs to what she wants. channelize by her reason she leaves Thornfield and she exclaims, Farewell Was the cry of my heart as I left him. Despair added, Farewell for ever. The author shows clearly, how reason and passion can produce conflicts with some other people and also internal ones.Allusion is also used by the writer to indicate the power that passion and reason have in the characters personalities. Allusion to paragon and the Bible are common in the novel. At that time peoples behaviour was governed by Christian duties and they had to struggle between those duties and their natural human passion. Jane Eyre is not the only character who shows passion in the novel and also Mr. Rochester has a strong and warm presence which is demonstrated by the writer in an example when he says, By god I long to exert a segment of Samsons strength, and break the entanglement like tow(267). The quality to Samons,(the man of the sun) who is mentioned in the Bible because of his supernatural strength disposed(p) by God, represents the violent and uncontrollable emotions of Mr. Rochester expressed when Jane tells him her will of leaving Thornfield and him. Furthermore, allusion to God is used many times in the novel and it denotes the importance of trust at that time and the strong belief in God and divine punishments. However, many times Janes behaviour is against will of God provided also against societys rules. An example of that is stated by the writer when she says I am no t talking to you now through the forte of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh-(223), it clearly shows Janes rebellion and impudence to talk to a man inappropriately. Besides, she says, ..it is my spirit that addresses your spirit just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at Gods feet, equal,-as we are (223) hither it is expressed a divine equality and at the same time the human passion which does not know about reason. On the other hand, allusion to God also expresses the power of faith in guiding Jane to follow her reason and an example of that is given when she says I will keep the rectitude given by God sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad- as I am now. (280). Janes madness is actually herpassion, her love and the law of God is the sensible behaviour that she has to have, and even which she used to have. That conscious and prudent carriage is her reason, which represents the will of God. Moreover, when she leaves Mr. Rochester her last words are blessings, she says, God bless you, my dear master (281). It states her strong belief in God and the peace of the honorable decision making. Those allusions to God represent the importance of piety in that expiration of time in which the novel was written and how it influences in peoples reason and passion.Central characters personalities are well veritable through blaze, symbolism of passion and water as symbolism of reason. shoot represents passion and sexual appetite in the character of Bertha Mason, Mr. Rochesters wife, who sets assoil to his bedroom. That scene is described by Jane, who says, Tongues of flame darted round the bed the curtains were on tin. In the midst of blaze and vapour, Mr. Rochester lay stretched motionless, in deep sleep. (130). The fire around the bed is a clear representation of sex and passion and it is reasserted when Mr. Rochester describes Bertha as intemperate and unchaste (270) which are adjectives related with uncontrollable passion and sex. Then another incident is the fire which destroys Thornfield and in which Bertha dies and Mr. Rochester goes blind. A troops tells Jane the story that happens two month after her departure and he says,she sets fire to the hangings of the room next to her own () and made her way to the chamber that had been the governess (378). It reflects Berthas intention to kill Rochester and Janes love and represents the risk of exposure of uncontrollable feelings. On the other hand, water symbolizes the extinction of fire and the reason that defeats passion. It happens when Jane saves Mr. Rochesters life in the bedroom fire and she says, I rushed to his basin and mound fortunately,() both were filled with water. I heaved them up, deluged the bed and its occupant It states Janes intention not to follow her feelings towards Mr.Rochester scarcely act guided by reason. Moreover, she says, by God aid, succeeded in extinguishing the flame s, which indicates Janes will of acting guided by religious rules and extinguishes her inappropriate love. Fire as imagery of the danger of unseemly feelings and water as representation of reason and death of passion tells the characters personalities.In conclusion, Charlotte Bront exposes through conflict, allusion and symbolism how passion and reason are the guide of characters behaviour at different situations in the novel. Jane as a child and when she is treated unjustly is guided by passion, but then when she grows up she learns how to control her passionate emotions. However, in some situation she is not able to do it and reacts with rage, for instance when Mr. Rochester tells her that she has to leave Thornfield. In contrast she follows her reason when she knows that he is already married, but it is possible because of her strength and religion belief. She takes the hard decision of leaving her love, faces an uncertain reality and only comes hold when Mr. Rochester is widow . He ends up being a partial dependent husband because of his disabilities and it could be interpreted as a punishment for his excessive and improper passion. It is not a classical romantic novel but the love affair genre is predominant and in the end love survives dangers and difficulties.