Representation of Femininity in Jane Eyre and Rebecca - Essay Example

Representation of Femininity in Jane Eyre and Rebecca Introduction Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier are two novels with the same elements and themes. Both the novels show suffering of women at a time when the male members of the society were thought to be superior to the female members. Although the two novels are set at a different era in time, the role and life of women is just the same. Women were mostly confined to their home and were asked to stay within the boundary of the walls. They were asked to perform domesticity. Those who revolted or pressed against the rules of men were often punished in the most shameful of ways. These novels were an effort made to realize men how their counterparts felt about being isolated from the world. Though both the novels show rebellion from women against the male dominated world, the manner in which freedom is sought is quite different. Discussion The 1830s was a period in England that saw major developments especially in cities. The invention of railways saw the rise of cities that established a new event for the early Victorians. Cannon (1978) describes how England was moving away from the monopolistic system and welcoming a more pluralistic society. Railway provided quick access to the cities and lot of more opportunities compared to the past. There was more hope for the middle class that looked more positive towards a brighter future. However, the old forces existed. Despite all the advancement made in communications there were elements of conservatism still persistent and present in the society. The rural and small town areas in England were still by large under traditional conservative influence and nearly after 30 years since the reform bill the landlord still had full control over the votes of his people. Women, however, were subjected to the same kind of treatment. The novel Jane Eyre is an effort made by Charlotte Bronte to elucidate the condition of women during the time technological changes were being made. Although a lot of developments were taking place, the role of women were restricted to their homes (Chancellor, 2007). The women were mostly dependent on men (in the form of father, husband or brother). The outside world was unknown to her. The males were the ones responsible to run the house and protect them. The more free time a women had, the better status she had in the society. If women had to work then it only came out of a necessity. Jane for example was an orphan and work was not an option but a necessity to her (Roberts, 2002). The Victorian society did not permit women to work. Jane was in contradiction to that society. Her unconventional way of working in the male dominated world is shown as a struggle by a woman for rest of the females in that era. Majority of women belonging to the middle class faced the same sort of impediments as did Jane. Gorham (2000) explains that it is very important to look at the state of middle class Victorian women after marriage in order to understand what Charlotte Bronte wanted to tell her readers. Women would generally ‘lose’ from marriage. They would be transported from one place (father/brother) to another (husband). They had the same rights, merely nothing. After marriage a woman was to submit herself both mentally and physically to her husband (Gorham, 2000). A woman was not allowed to own anything. Even the children belonged to the husband and were identified, related and acknowledged by his name. This made the sufferings of a woman rise very high. There was no escape from them as the concept of divorce did not exist before 1857. It was not possible of conceiving anything like splitting with the husband. If a woman tried to protest or go against her husband, she would be regarded as a mad woman and the husband had the authority to enslave her for life. The law promoted such cruel some activities upon women so that the status of men could be maintained. The rule was to keep the men superior and the women suppressed. Records show that during the nineteenth century, women as much as five times more than men were admitted to asylums or mental healthcare system. Gorham (2000) is of the opinion that most of them were ones who had dare to go against the will of their husbands and ended there. From this angle, Gateshead Hall is like a mental asylum for Jane where she abides her time like the Victorian middle class married woman used to do in mental healthcare centers. Jane is mistreated as she is simple in semblance and polite in her speech. Her aunt thinks “that unless she learns how to speak in a respectable way, she must not speak a word and remain silent” (Bronte, 2011, p. 9). She could not please the owner of the house Mr. Reed. For this she had to face both physical and mental torture. Jane tries to put up a fight for the abuses she gets and due to her revolt she gets imprisoned in the red room. The red room is a place for her what Gorham (2000) described as an asylum for the middle class women who revolted against the authority of men and would be labeled as mad. In Gateshead Jane gets this status. Jane tries to put up a fight and again revolt to the norms of society that has labeled her as a mad person. But the servant tells her “if you do not get hold of yourself we would have to tie you down” (Bronte, 2011, p. 14). She calms herself only in hope of a miracle that would rescue her. Mrs. Reed tells her “only if you remain still you have any chance to liberate yourself” (Bronte, 2011, p. 20). Jane has no clue like the typical Victorian women in those days and do not know what the society wants from her. When she is still she is abused and when she revolts she is isolated. She realizes that there is no place for middle class women in the society. When a doctor comes to see Jane and learns of her suffering he tells her “You would not want to go from a beautiful house like this.” (Bronte, 2011, p. 26). He says this as he knows that the only place for Victorian women is her house. Perkin (1995) in his book ‘Victorian Women’ writes that a Victorian woman would have to risk her social status and caste if she would ever think of escaping her house. A poor Victorian woman would not be sheltered and given food even out of pity. This law prevailed so to detest women from making any escape attempts. There wouldn’t have been any food or shelter for Jane if she tried to attempt an escape. The character of Bertha in the novel helps to explain more about the atrocities faced by women in Victorian times and helps to penetrate more of Jane’s character through her. Mr. Rochester describes Bertha as “a wife who is unchaste” (Bronte, 2011, p. 309). So this is an indication to the readers that she, in the Victorian days, is destined to isolation. She is confined to an attic something that draws comparison to the red room where Jane was confined at the Reed’s house. Rochester admits that Bertha is a “tall dark beauty but a kind of beauty that has lost her mind” (Bronte, 2011, p. 307). Rochester tells Jane how he was deceived in marrying the insane beauty and how helpless he has become as the law would not permit him to leave her. This shows the mockery made towards the Victorian law by the author. On analyzing the character of Bertha, Deneke (2007) goes into the mind of the author and the setting in the early Victorian era. Marriage was a joke back then and putting false claim on women was not a very difficult task. In present society a woman like Bertha would be regarded as an individual fighting for her rights. But asking for compassion and love was nor permissible and because she did she was called mad. In Lowood School Jane has learned to overcome feelings with the help of Miss Temple and this is what saved her. However, Jane’s life is incomplete as she has locked all her passion and emotions inside her while Bertha refused to do so. This makes Jane more desirable, a virgin who has the proper etiquettes. Charlotte Bronte shows exactly what marriage was like in those days when Bertha goes to Jane’s room to confront her a night before she is getting married. She gets hold of Jane’s veil and tears it apart. She then stamps on it to show how fruitless a marriage is for women. Deneke (2007) analyzes this scene from the novel and believes that Bertha was only trying to warn Jane. She had been in that situation before and as much happy Jane feels all women have the same horrible ending. They would be labeled mad and kept in isolation some place. This is a way of Charlotte Bronte telling her readers that how disgraceful a life for women is in society. Though Bertha acts as a savior for Jane, Jane has already made her decision and submitted herself to her man. However, Jane was able to find freedom. Freedom came to her when her husband, Mr. Rochester lost a hand and his eyesight. This made his physically dependent on Jane. Jane thought that they were now equal and in need of one another. Mr. Rochester would need Jane as he would need to be taken care of while Jane would be in the hands of a man who would not be in a position to abuse and harm her. Independence did come for Jane but only at the cost of disability of her husband. Rebecca, a romance novel was published just before the World War 2 started. It was the time when the British army was getting ready for the war. Men, mostly those who participated in wars were regarded as heroes and the entire society revolved around them. Movies, songs, novels and fairy tales were all made on war heroes that were risking their life for the country. It was one of the most difficult times for women as they had a limited role in society. Nicholson (2012) describes the role of women just before and during the Second World War. Women were mostly asked to sit at home and take care of children. This meant that their role was restricted to cooking, cleaning and washing. Just like in the early Victorian days, women in the 1930s and 1940s were restricted within the boundaries of their home. The First World War had opened opportunities for many women. As the war was over, women were encouraged to work and help their husband contribute towards running their home. There were many job openings and women worked in all sort of garment and automobile industries. The Second World War was a step back for women in society. It limited the exposure they previously had and made them act like obedient housewives. They could not speak against men in society as men were thought to be fighting for a much greater cause. The importance of women declined again and they started to play the role of the submissive and obedient wives (Beauvoir, 2012). Under these circumstances, the character of Rebecca was introduced by Daphne Du Maurier to give comfort to women and to remind men of how atrocious they can be if not given their due rights. The story is told from a narrator’s point of view. It is about the dead wife who stood against the principles of her husband and society. The narrator is innocent and less daring as Rebecca but she wants to be like her. This represents the desire women had during those days in society. They did want to rebel against the laws of society that suppressed them but they did not dare to. The narrator acts like the audience reading the novel while Rebecca acts as the women they want to be in reality under the male dominated world. The narrator describes Rebecca as someone she is not “Rebecca is a combination of bold and independent women who has a strong semblance with an alluring sexuality” (Maurier, 1997, p. 11). Rebecca breaks the rules of society in many ways by not abiding to her husband. She calls him Max rather than maxim. The word maxim stands for set of rules and principles and it is clear that when she cuts the name short the writer is trying to tell the audience that she is trying to cut the rules set by her husband. Maxim is the head of the family and the house runs on his orders. Rebecca looks to ignore those orders and likes to do things her way. Rebecca parties at her own will and she travels to different parts of city whenever it pleasures her. She commits adultery with unknown men and does care what society thinks about her. Moreover, she does not care what the head of the family thinks about her. There is a great difference between the character of Jane and Rebecca. Jane is a more tolerable wife who suppresses all her desires but Rebecca is someone who does what she wants to. When Rebecca tells Maxim that she is pregnant with someone else’s baby, Maxim kills her. He does not do it out of jealousy or because he is hurt but he does it because it ego is hurt. Rebecca broke all norms of society and thus she needs to be punished by the head of the household. As the fate of women lied in the hands of men it was conceivable to murder and get away with the crime. This acts as the state of lawlessness that prevailed during the war and the type of suffering women went through. They would be stopped by all means if they ever tried to stand against the word of men. They would even be murdered if the need arises (Gilbert, 1984). The readers, only late in the story discover that Rebecca is atrocious or is considered atrocious by her husband. The narrator of the story was made to believe that Maxim loved his wife. Then maxim suddenly reveals quite late that “Rebecca was a rotten wife who did not deserve to be loved. She was not even in a proper state of mind. She was not normal” (Maurier, 1997, p. 275). The husband termed her being in an improper state of mind. There is no other proof in the novel that she was not normal. This statement shows the power in the word of men. Men could say anything and get away at the time they were given a chance to protect their family. Schneider (1997) describes this situation taken very negatively by the women. Although men had a greater responsibility, it seemed to women that they took full advantage of it. They dictated their own terms made laws with which they were comfortable. Women were to just obey it and those who did not were regarded as mad. So the lack of sanity comes from here. Rebecca is considered insane because she threatened the authority of the man who dictated terms to her. Surprisingly it’s not the crime (getting pregnant by someone else’s child) that makes Maim kill her but actually it the ego and the system of the world that has to be maintained. If Rebecca is not murdered then other women would catch the same disease and look to rise against men which Maxim could not afford to see. Rebecca is the total opposite of Jane. She is all about freedom, someone who cannot be kept under guidance or certain set of principles. Unlike Jane who feared fleeing the home of Reeds so that her caste is not degraded, Rebecca does not think any of it. She does not care what happens to her and the price she would have to pay for her crimes (as thought by men for disobeying them). Mrs. Danvers described Rebecca as someone “who did as she wanted and lived like she wanted” (Maurier, 1997, p. 248). The death of Rebecca is a symbol of power and protest for women. Her death is a cause and sacrifice rather than a punishment. Earlier novels focused on how women would fit in society and when a woman penetrated that she could not she would often kill herself like in Madame Bovary and The Awakening. Just before the scene where she is shot to death by Maxim she says “I will be the best mother Max just like the best wife I was” (Maurier, 1997, p. 284). She actually entices Maxim to shoot her. Later the readers learn that the afternoon before she was shot she went to her doctor and was informed that she had cancer. Her death is shown as a moment of haunting in the novel. Though she is gone but she will be present to haunt her husband and remind him of the rebellion. Death for her is freedom. Conclusion Although both the novels have the same theme, the story is quite different with different outcomes. The main characters in the novel did find independence from their male counterparts and society but Jane found freedom in the world while Rebecca found freedom by leaving the world. Both the novels show the survival of women in a world where man has been superior in different times and needs. Though the times were different the atrocities were the same. The novels act as a reminder to the constant struggle of women and the unpredictable times that lie ahead of them. It shows that freedom comes with a cost and sometimes with the cost of life. The novels are a struggle made by women who dared to write and publish at a time when the work of women was not much appreciated. But because there was so much truth in the novels they became the bestsellers of their time. Time and time again these novels will remind women of the struggles that have been made and freedom attained. List of References Beauvoir, S. d., 2012. The Second Sex. Mason: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Bronte, C., 2011. Jane Eyre. New York: Saddleback Educational Publications. Cannon, S. F., 1978. Science in Culture: The Early Victorian Period. New York: Dawson Publications . Chancellor, E. B., 2007. Life in Regency and Early Victorian Times. New York: Jeremy Mills Publishing. Deneke, L., 2007. Rochester and Bertha in "Jane Eyre" and "Wide Sargasso Sea": An Impossible Match. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Gilbert, S. M., 1984. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. New Haven : Yale University Press. Gorham, D., 2000. The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal. Abingdon : Routledge. Maurier, D. D., 1997. Rebecca. London: HarperCollins. Nicholson, V., 2012. Millions Like Us: Womens Lives in the Second World War. London: Penguin. Perkin, J., 1995. Victorian Women. New York: New York University Press. Roberts, F. D., 2002. The Social Conscience of the Early Victorians. London: Stanford University Press. Schneider, K., 1997. Loving Arms: British Women Writing the Second World War. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. Read More