Jane Eyre, a Progressive Christian, Not a Rebel
Foreign Language Department Wenzhou Teachers' College
Author: Chen Shuangmei
Supervisor: Li Xinde
[Abstract] Jane Eyre is often seen as a rebel in religion. Overall, she is a convert,
from an untaught, rebellious girl to a mature Christian. This article first analyses
the reasons why Jane Eyre cannot be a rebel, then illustrates what she really
criticizes, and at last gives clear process of Jane's progress as a Christian.
[Key words] Christian Christianity rebellious religion Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is noted for her rebellious spirit and thus is often labelled as a rebel
in Christianity. Child Jane is not so obedient to some orthodox Christian creeds,
but with the increase of age, she becomes increasingly like a Christian.
The author hopes this article can help readers to appreciate this fascinating
image
--Jane Eyre more accurately and draw more attention to the Christian effect on
Western countries' works.
I
Since it was first published, Jane Eyre has been considered as an anti-Christian
work. There are many criticism such as" Repetition of the comfortable life
of the rich and the poverty of the poor" ⑴ , "Jane Eyre returns fiercely
the unjust treatments with tooth for tooth" ⑵ .
II
Though Jane Eyre is not a rebel, she really mocks some kinds of people in Christianity.
So not all attacks on Jane Eyre's religious tendency lack of evidence.
III
In fact, Jane is not a Christianity attacker, instead, a diligent pilgrim who
makes progress in religion continuously in each stage of her life.
IV
So to say Jane Eyre is a rebel in Christianity is to see the trees without seeing
the wood. Jane is a rebel in religion as a child, but on the view of her whole
life, she is a continuous pursuer in religion.
Notes:
①.③. Reference to the Introduction to Jane Eyre by Margaret Smith.
②. The Christian Remembrance, April 1848.
④. Charlotte Bronte, The preface of Jane Eyre (second edition, Dec. 1847)
⑤. Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre (Oxford University Press, 1987), P36
Page references to this book in my following paper are to be given in brackets.
⑥. The Holy Bible, Matthew5:39
⑦. The Holy Bible, Matthew 5:38
Bibliography
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, edited with an introduction by Margaret Smith, Oxford
University Press, 1987
Gorge P. Landow, Setting in Jane Eyre, http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/bronte/cbronte/jel.html
Norma H. Dickey (editor-in-chief), Funk&Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, Funk&Wagnalls
Corporation, since 1876, Volume 17
玛格丽特.莱恩（英）， 《勃朗特一家人的故事》,杨静远 顾耕译，上海译文出版社出版发行， 1990
宋兆霖 （主编）， 《勃朗特姐妹全集》， 河北教育出版社1997
杨静远 （选编）， 《勃朗特姐妹研究》, 中国社会科学出版社 1990
朱虹， 《英国小说的黄金时代》，中国社会科学出版社,1979.
