Gothic forms in Jane Eyre

In the pre-1914 novel “Jane Eyre” the author Charlotte Bronte utilises a Gothic genre. Charlotte Bronte’s fiction (along with her sister; Emily’s) is seen by feminist critic Rosmary Jackson (1981) as a prime example of female Gothic, in which the author explores woman's roles within society and their home, which leads to the protagonists’ (in this case; Jane) dangerous attempts to challenge and undermine these roles. The female gothic genre, therefore, is a significant element within the narrative and Bronte applies the mysterious, the supernatural, the horrific and the romantic; to accentuate this. This blog will analyse the significance of the gothic forms used in Jane Eyre looking specifically at the use of; gothic paraphernalia, supernatural events, death scenes, the heroine, the male tyrant, other evil woman and good lover.

Gothic paraphernalia is first shown in the novel in the form of the red room. Imagery is used to represent this room as secret, prison like, but particularly to give the room an overall feeling of horror. Jane describes the red room as having “curtains of deep red damask” and “crimson cloth”. Jane could be using these descriptions as a metaphor for blood, linking the red room to death. The reader is then made aware that the late Mr Reed- Jane’s uncle died in there and Jane has images of him haunting the room. This supernatural event that Jane imagines adds to the gothic genre, which increases the feeling of horror that the room is already associated with. Jane's descriptions of the red room and her fear of it when inside, creates a feeling of empathy for her from the readers, especially considering her young age and circumstance.

Pathetic fallacy is used throughout the novel. It is particularly crucial in this scene as the “rain still beating continuously on the staircase window, and the wind howling in the grove behind the hall” gives the room a dark and unfriendly impression. All these elements are gothic traits and give the reader an insight into the future gothic themes in the plot.

Although the novel carries no evidence of supernatural occurrences, allusions of apparently supernatural happenings are frequently mentioned such as in the red room scene when she senses the ghost of her uncle, her ears fill with sound which she said she ”deemed the rushing of wings; something seemed near me…”. These all give the novel a lack of realism and a feeling of the supernatural, contributing to the gothic genre. Ghost like images are used later on in the novel, when the character Bertha appears, as when in Jane's room trying on the veil, she is described as pale and ghostly.

Whilst in the red room Jane glances into the looking-glass which distorts her appearance; she claims to see a “strange little figure” who is “half fairy, half imp”.  In her book “Gilbert and Gubar The Madwoman in the Attic After 30 Years”, Federico concludes the self-image presented by Jane in the mirror is in fact her division of perception and identity. (page 99)   At this stage in the novel, Jane is only a child therefore the audience can expect some her to imagine fantasies and unrealistic imagery, yet the use of fairies and elves continues through the novel, for example later on Rochester calls Jane a fairy. This makes it clear that Bronte’s use of these supernatural beings are not simply to show Jane's age, but relate it to the gothic element of the book.

Another example of the use of gothic paraphernalia is the description of Thornfield Hall. The idea of it being an ancestral home gives it a gothic feel. The décor is dark, dated and, laboured with secrets and memories of the past creating an archaic and enigmatic vision of a gothic castle image. Bronte again uses supernatural images describing the strangest human beings “strange, indeed, by pallid gleam of moonlight”, making the house seem almost haunted, certainly adding to the gothic effect.

Later in her description of the house, Jane comments on the passages and the house having trap doors “like a corridor in some of Bluebeard’s castle”. The illusion Bronte gives of the French fairy-tale provides a foreshadow of what Jane is to find behind the door later in the novel, whilst also using pre-gothic plot to deepen her novel, giving it a more intense gothic feel. Like Bluebeard who has one of wives dead body behind a secret door, the reader later becomes aware that behind one of the doors in Thornfield Hall, is Rochester’s mad wife Bertha.

Thornfield as a gothic castle is reinforced by the strange laugh from the attic door. The description of laugh by Jane makes the laugh appear unnatural as if it was coming from something that wasn’t human for example she says “the laugh was tragic, as preternatural a laugh as any I ever heard”, therefore even before Bertha is found, Jane is aware of the possibility of a supernatural being in the house, This foreshadows a more complex and disturbing explanation to come in the future, when Jane finally meets Bertha.

The end of the novel emphasises the gothic imagery used for Thornfield. The house being burnt down connotes a ruined castle a typical element of a gothic novel along with the use of fire also seen in the middle of the novel when Grace Poole sets alight Rochester’s bed sheet. This adds a very dark element which also foresees the end of Bertha by fire and almost the end of Rochester. Fire is used in gothic literature to play with human fears- fire is uncontrollable and unknown.

Contradicting gothic forms, the novel is set in England a setting that is not exotic which is not typical of gothic literature.

In Jane Eyre, the chestnut tree is mentioned several times. Between pages 284-319; when Rochester proposed below it, the Chestnut tree is portrayed to have supernatural powers; Jane speaks of it as if it is a person asking “what ailed the chestnut tree? It writhed and groaned”. The day following the proposal Adele makes Jane aware that it was struck by lightning, and that half of it had split away. Bronte indicates that the chestnut tree could have powers that foreshadow the separation of Rochester and Jane that followed the next day and the disaster and danger for the couple that lay ahead of them, almost as if nature is predicting human fate.

The appearance of the fortune-teller gives the novel a sense of the supernatural which is particularly gothic. A noticeable trait in Jane Eyre is that all that is supernatural in the book turns out to be nothing out of the ordinary for instance, in this situation the fortune –teller turns out to be Rochester and the unnatural events that occur end up being the mad woman in the attic and although this is strange, there is an explanation behind it. Bronte could have decided to oppose the gothic form of supernatural in her novel to remain a sense of realism, as large parts of the novel relate heavily to Bronte’s own life therefore she could see it as important to keep it realistic.

Bronte uses the gothic form; death throughout her novel, but the predominant example is the death of Helen Burns, Jane's friend at Lowood. The death if Helen contrasts with Jane's fears shown previously in the novel regarding ghosts, death and supernatural. The conversation Helen and Jane have previous to Helens death regarding God and afterlife is unlike any conversation Jane has had with anyone else in the novel. It adds an emotional thought provoking scene to the novel.

The idea of Jane being imprisoned in the red room is gothic and adds to part of the horror of the book. This imprisonment also mirrors Bertha being locked in the red room. Gilbert and Gulbar (1979) believe that the imprisonment of Jane is to give the reader insight into the end of the novel, again this foreseeing the future relates to the gothic genre.

In the novel, it is clear from the beginning that Jane is the heroine and upon her arrival it is clear that Bertha is one of the ‘evil other woman’ in the story.  When comparing the two characters, Jane becomes a symbol of purity and innocence in comparison to the deranged figure Bertha is portrayed to be.

Jane is portrayed as the damsel in distress in parts of the novel which is a gothic form, but also adds a fairy-tale feel. For example when Jane flees, John Rivers finds her and gives her a place to rest. Jane is domineered by the novel by Rochester upon their first introduction although throughout the rest of the novel, it is women not men who domineer her; Aunt Reed and Bertha, which is unusual for gothic novels.

Components within the narrative of Jane Eyre follow the conventional structure of a gothic novel. Starting with the romance between Jane and Rochester followed by her desperate flee to get away from him and Thornfield- the sight of the romance. This escape is needed in the novel so that at the end of the narrative, after many tests and horrific encounters the heroine is reunited with the person she loves and can return to her castle-Thornfield. The typical happily ever after is a conventional trait within gothic novels but in Jane Eyre, Bronte modifies this, as her character does not return to her castle but does her to her lover.

In the novel, it is clear that Rochester is the male tyrant who later in the novel becomes he good lover. The description Jane gives in the scene she first meets Mr Rochester is typical gothic. The pale moon against the road, the lit hills and valleys introduce the male hero against a this gothic. Rochester is further marked by dark red, purple or fire imagery later on.

Jane Eyre combines conventions of gothic literature and also romanticism. Like most romantic novels, initially the two protagonists hide their feelings and cannot be together. Rochester and Jane are attracted to each other but the obstructions in their love story are their conflicting personalities, Blanche-the other woman, and the norms of society which mean that a governess and her employer should not be together. The gothic twist to this is the mad wife; Bertha. Bronte’s twist to the narrative makes it different to any other gothic/romantic novel.

Jane Eyre uses may forms of the gothic genre in order to create emotion and get an audience reaction. The most common gothic form Bronte is uses is Jane's descriptions of Thornfield Hall, which creates gothic paraphernalia, giving the audience an image of a gothic castle, especially at the end after the fire when the image of a ruined castle is given. The use of supernatural is another gothic element Bronte uses a lot in the book, although as discovered, she has put her own twist on the use of gothic forms within the book and every supernatural event has an explanation. There are other twists within the novel evolving round Brontes use of gothic forms as discussed therefore I believe it is clear that although Jane Eyre is a gothic novel, the way Bronte uses and changes it makes the narrative very different from other gothic literature.

Bibliography

Brontë, Charlotte 1847. Jane Eyre, Hertfordshire, Wordsworth Edition Limited 1992.

Federico, Annette, R., 2009. Gilbert and Gubar The Madwoman in the Attic After 30 years, University of Missouri Press, Columbia.

Gilbert, Sandra and Gubar, Susan, 1979. The Madwoman in the Attic, London, Yale University Press.

Jackson, Rosemary, 1981. Fantasy: The Literature of Subversion, London, Routledge.