Reason vs. Passion in Jane Eyre Essay

Reason and ire atomic number 18 two emotions that are shown by most of the char portrayalers in Jane Eyre. Some spates demeanour is governed by rationality and they think carefully about all what they do. The mated happens with impulsive mountain who follow their feelings, prevailing hotness to sympathy. Passionate people do non think before performing their actions, because of that they are considered more authentic than people who act guided by reason. However, nearlytimes impatience must be left behind and people have to act according to reason and consciously. This situation is clearly shown in Jane Eyre, the novel scripted by Charlotte Bront, in which the two most important characters show knockout passion and reason in their personalities. Through impinge, allusion and symbolisation the writer tells the storey of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester.Conflict is used by the writer to show the collision and dissimilarity amidst two persons and also the inside conflict in a person. In the novel a conflict between two valet de chambre beings is clearly expressed in the relationship that Jane has with her evil aunt Mrs. Reed. Jane feels low-toned and denigrated by her aunt, she cannot bear any more the cruel treatment and she feels henpecked by fury. The writer describes Janes behaviour as ..shaking from head to foot, excite with ungovernable excitement (29), rebellious and irrepressible as all kinds of passion. The conflict between them is clearly shown by the writer when Jane says, I am blithesome you are no relation of mine I will neer call you aunt again so long as I live. (29). The lack of have intercourse and the difficult relation between them is evident in those lines. Moreover, Janes life is almost always a fight between reason and passion, in the novel the author shows how women in Victorians times were not allowed to guide their decisions by feelings or emotions. Restrictions and limitations were ordinary in womens life and those res trictions were the cause of many inbred female conflicts. An simulation of this occurs with Jane when she says,I must renounce love and idol. One dear interchange comprised my intolerable duty- Depart(279). In this situation Jane has to fight against her passion against her love and hope 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. Guided by her reason she leaves Thornfield and she exclaims, Fare comfortably 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 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 perfection and the Bible are viridity 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 wholly character who shows passion in the novel and also Mr. Rochester has a beardown(prenominal) and fervent presence which is demonstrated by the writer in an representative when he says, By matinee idol I long to exert a fraction of Samsons potency, and break the entanglement like pull(267). The reference to Samons,(the man of the sun) who is mentioned in the Bible because of his supernatural specialisation given by God, represents the violent and ungovernable emotions of Mr. Rochester expressed when Jane tells him her will of release Thornfield and him. Furthermore, allusion to God is used many times in the novel and it denotes the immenseness of religion at that time and the strong belief in God and divine punishments. However, many times Janes behaviour is against will of God only when also against societys rules. An example of that is stated by the writer when she says I am not talking to you now through and through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh-(223), it clearly shows Janes ascent and audacity to talk to a man inappropriately. Besides, she says, ..it is my spirit that addresses your spirit undecomposed as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at Gods feet, equal,-as we are (223) here it is expressed a divine equality and at the said(prenominal) time the human passion which does not know about reason. On the other hand, allusion to God also expresses the power of faith in channelise Jane to follow her reason and an example of that is given when she says I will financial backing the fairness 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 conscio us and judicious conduct is her reason, which represents the will of God. Moreover, when she leaves Mr. Rochester her last words are evokeings, she says, God bless you, my dear master (281). It states her strong belief in God and the pink of my John of the right decision making. Those allusions to God represent the importance of religion in that period of time in which the novel was written and how it influences in peoples reason and passion.Central characters personalities are well developed through fire, symbolism of passion and water as symbolism of reason. Fire represents passion and elicitual appetite in the character of Bertha Mason, Mr. Rochesters wife, who sets fire to his seatroom. That scene is described by Jane, who says, Tongues of flame darted round the bed the curtains were on fire. In the midst of blaze and vapour, Mr. Rochester lay stretched motionless, in mystifying sleep. (130). The fire around the bed is a clear representation of sex and passion and it is re asserted 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 host 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 domiciliate that had been the governess (378). It reflects Berthas intention to kill Rochester and Janes love and represents the danger 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 watershed and ewer 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 but act guided by reas on. Moreover, she says, by God aid, succeeded in extinguishing the flames, which indicates Janes will of performing guided by religious rules and extinguishes her inappropriate love. Fire as resource of the danger of improper feelings and water as representation of reason and termination 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 h er love, faces an uncertain reality and however comes back when Mr. Rochester is widow. He ends up being a partial aquiline husband because of his disabilities and it could be interpreted as a punishment for his exuberant and improper passion. It is not a classical romantic novel but the romance genre is predominant and in the end love survives dangers and difficulties.