Gothis Elementa In Jane Eyre Essay Example For Students

Gothis Elementa In Jane Eyre Essay Gothic features are all through the novel Jane Eyre. Even though the novel is romantic, not gothic, metatonamy, references to the supernatural, and other gothic features can all be found in Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte uses metatonamy throughout her novel as a gothic technique, creating atmosphere. The novel begins with pathetic fallacy, with sombre clouds and penetrating rain, which reflects Janes sombre mood. This makes the reader immediately aware of the sadness of Janes childhood. Another example of this technique is in Chapter 5, where, on the journey to Lowood, it is wet and somewhat misty. The word misty gives the effect of insecurity and secrecy surrounding Lowood, and Janes future there. It also creates a gloomy atmosphere, which reflects Janes life at the school. The weather is also described as misty when Jane arrives at Thornfield in Chapter 11. This has the same effect, and also reflects Janes life at Thornfield, as it is where she discovers Mr.Rochesters secret. This use of pathetic fallacy to forewarn the reader of Mr.Rochester is also employed when Jane first meets him. The moon is pale yet as a cloud, but brightening momentarily. This brightening symbolises the brief time that Mr.Rochester and Jane are together as a couple. The moon is also used by Charlotte Bronte to give prior notice to the reader about the events on the night Mr. Mason was attacked. The moon is described as beautiful, but too solemn, which helps the reader to understand that something is about to happen which will stop it being so solemn. The word solemn also creates an effect because it is not a word that is usually used to describe the moon; this then sets the sombre mood for the rest of chapter 20. Another example of Charlotte Brontes use of metatonamy is in the final paragraph of chapter 23, when it is noted that lightening had split the horse chestnut tree in half. This symbolises Jane and Mr.Rochester, as they too are about to be split. Once again, the author has employed nature to forewarn the reader of upcoming events. The lightening has destroyed another aspect of nature, and therefore the elements are responding to the immoral position that Mr.Rochester has put Jane into. Metatonamy is one technique of using symbolism in a gothic way. Symbolism and imagery are also used at the beginning of chapter 1. Lots of spiritual imagery is used, with the haunted churchyard, marine phantoms and black horned thing. Words like haunted and phantom are very gothic words; they create a depressing and gloomy atmosphere for the beginning of the novel in which the reader is immediately thrown into. There are many spiritual references in the novel Jane Eyre. Mr.Rochester refers to Jane throughout the novel as a spirit, using terms such as sprite, changeling and fairy. The reader is constantly being bombarded with this sort of imagery, and therefore, all the way through the novel there is a spiritual element. Mid-way through chapter 23, Mr.Rochester says that there is a string connecting him and Jane, and that if the string was broken, he should take to bleeding inwardly. This is similar to the almost psychic bond that they share near the end of the novel, when Jane hears a known, loved, well-remembered voice-that of Edward Fairfax Rochester calling her name. Mr.Rochester later states in chapter 37 that at the same time, he heard Janes reply: I am coming; wait for me. Another spiritual link in the novel is presented in the relationship between Janes dreams, and the events that follow them. Whenever Jane dreams of a child, bad news follows. The supernatural is a key element in gothic novels. The first dream that Jane had involving a child lasted a week. She mentions she had been dreaming of the child on that moonlit night when I heard the cry; referring to the evening that Mr. Mason was attacked. She also receives bad news regarding the Reeds. A pattern develops that suggests that when Jane dreams of a child, bad news or events will follow. Compare and Contrast the Gilded Six Bits and the Passing of Grandson EssayThere is also a mystery of why Mr. Rochester thought someone would meddle with his and Janes marriage. Jane noted that his accent and look of exultation was savage, which adds even more mystery to the arcane character of Mr. Rochester. Savage is a word generally used to describe wild animals, and, Charlotte Bronte, in using it to describe Mr. Rochester, makes him appear as a monster, thus making the reader wary of the darker side of Mr. Rochester, and warning them in advance of the way he is likely to react when his wife is revealed. Most gothic novels contained a mysterious character. In Jane Eyre there are three: Mr. Rochester, Grace Poole and Bertha Rochester. Grace first comes under suspicion at the end of chapter 11, when Jane hears her laugh for the first time. The laugh is gothic because it is scary- Jane describes it as distinct, formal, mirthless. Just before she finds Mr. Rochesters bed alight, Jane hears a demonic laugh. This creates an atmosphere of suspense, which is an element of gothic novels, as you wonder what events will follow this demonic laugh. When the laugh is described as demonic, the reader immediately associates the laugh with the devil, and therefore as something evil. Also, it helps the reader to make an assumption that the owner of the laugh is also demonic, and, as is described in chapter 20, a fiend. There is a strong gothic feeling when Mr. Mason is attacked by Mr. Rochesters wife. Firstly, there is the mystery as to what is going on above Janes room with the fearful shriek and deadly struggle. These adjectives lead to the connotation that somebody is being murdered by someone else, and this builds up the mystery. Then, this feeling is intensified with the revelation that Mr. Mason has been attacked. A mysterious character enters again on the eve of Janes wedding, when someone enters her room and rips the veil. An aura of uncertainty is created as to who this person was, and why they were doing this. There is a gothic element of a monster in Jane Eyre. Bertha sucks the blood from Mr. Mason and said shed drain my heart. When looking back on this from the 21st Century, we can see this is typical of a vampire. Later, Jane explains that the woman who tore her wedding veil reminded her of the foul German spectre- the vampire. This imagery of the vampire is very supernatural, and therefore becomes gothic imagery. Bertha is repeatedly described as beast-like throughout the novel- when Jane is introduced to Bertha, she is unsure of whether she is beast or human being. She describes her as a strange wild animal. Her laugh is described as demonic and goblin-laughter. This use of supernatural imagery gives the effect that Bertha isnt human, and that she herself is a mystery. The gothic features used are similar to the many gothic novels of its time. These similarities lie in the plot, and literary techniques used by Charlotte Bronte. Gothic novels incorporated mystery and suspense into the plots. Jane Eyre has lots of these elements. The supernatural, and mysterious strangers are usually in the early gothic novels. Jane Eyre has many supernatural references, and three mysterious characters. Some of Jane Eyres plot is very similar to that of other gothic novels. For example, the revelation of who, and what Bertha is, is much less horrifying than the suspense that had been built up throughout the novel beforehand. This is similar to The Mysteries of Udolpho, in which a character faints after seeing something behind a veil. What it actually was was less scary than what the reader is led to believe.