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Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
AN ANALYSIS OF LOVE VALUES IN CHARLOTTE
BRONTE’S NOVEL: JANE EYRE
A THESIS
By:
Reg. No. 050721002 SEKAR KURNIASIH
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH SUMATERA
MEDAN 2009
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
AN ANALYSIS OF LOVE VALUES IN CHARLOTTE BRONTE’S NOVEL: JANE EYRE A THESIS BY
REG.NO. 050721002 SEKAR KURNIASIH
SUPERVISOR CO. SUPERVISOR
Drs. Syahri Saja, M. A NIP: 130365143 NIP: 13157047
Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum
Submitted to Faculty Letters, University of Sumatera Utara in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra in the English Literature/Linguistics.
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA FACULTY LETTERS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MEDAN 2009
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Approved by the English Departement of Faculty Letters, University of Sumatera Utara (USU), Medan as thesis for the Sarjana Sastra Examination.
Head, Secretary, Dr. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum NIP: 131570487 NIP: 131570483
Drs. Yulianus Harefa, M.Ed. TESOL
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Accepted by the board Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the
degree of SARJANA SASTRA from the English Department of Faculty of
Letters, University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.
The examination is held on the Faculty of Letters, University of Sumatera Utara
on January 24th, 2009.
The Dean of Faculty of Letters University of Sumatera Utara
NIP: 132098531 Drs. Syaifuddin, M.A, Ph. D
Board of Examiners:
Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum ……………………..
Drs. Yulianus Harefa, M.Ed. TESOL ……………………..
Drs. Syahri Saja, M. A ……………………..
Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M. Hum ……………………..
Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M. Hum ……………………..
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION Name : SEKAR KURNIASIH
Title Thesis : An Analysis of Love Values in Charlotte Bronte’s Novel:
Jane Eyre
Qualification : S1 / Sarjana Sastra
Department : English
I am willing that my thesis should be available for reproduction at the discretion at
the Librarian of English Department, Faculty of Letters, University of Sumatera
Utara on the understanding that users are made aware of their obligation under
law of the Republic of Indonesia.
Signed :
Date : January 24th, 2009
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, SEKAR KURNIASIH, declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. Except
where reference is made in the text of this thesis.
This thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in
part from a paper by which I have qualified for or awarded another degree.
No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgment in the main
text of the thesis. This thesis has not been submitted in any tertiary education.
Signed :
Date : January 24th, 2009
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamin.
First of all, I would like to thank to the Almighty Allah SWT for the
blessing and mercy, so that I can finish my thesis, which is titled An Analysis of
Love Values in Charlotte Bronte’s Novel Jane Eyre.
By this chance, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Drs.
Syaifuddin, M.A., Ph.D, the Dean of Faculty of Letters, North Sumatera
University. Then to Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum, the Head of English
Department, and Drs. Yulianus Harefa, MEd TESOL, the secretary of English
Department, for their advice and support to me as the student of Extension
Program.
I also want to thank to my supervisor, Drs. Syahri Saja, M.A and my co-
supervisor Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum, for their guidance to make better
my thesis. And special thanks to my lecture, Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum,
for his help in sharing ideas when I got some blocks in my mind.
My very special thanks to my beloved parents, Ir. H. Muslim Lubis and Sri
Retnowati MS. S.Pd, who always pray and give me support, either morally and
financially in finishing this thesis. And thanks four your love that gives me
strength when I am down. To my dear younger sister, Sekar Susfina, who always
accompanies me to campus and gives me ideas and supports (Thanks for your
patience and understanding; you are such a great friend for me, too) and Sekar
Musfira, my very little sister who likes bothering me but has given me joy also.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Then my special thanks for my grandma, Mbah Suhud, thanks for the love
and care to me. My aunties, Bukde Har and Bukde Ilah, thanks for the things you
both have given to me. And also my dear cousin, Tari, who also gives me support
when I am down.
I also want to express my grateful to my principal, Dra. Sri Hartati for her
support and understanding that makes me easier to finish my study. Then to my
colleagues at school, Kak Elly, Kak Dewi, Kak Nana, Kak Rohima, Sari, Taufiq (I
am sorry if I can not mention you all), thanks four your help and understanding
that makes me safe to complete my thesis.
Then not forget my thankful to Mbak Refi and Bukde Ana who have
supported me and given me so much attention. And also my two best friends, Tika
and Sri, thanks for everything, girls.
After all a lot of thanks to my relatives and friends around me that I can
not mention one by one but also have much contributions for me in finishing my
study. May Allah SWT bless you all.
Medan, January 2009
Reg. No. 050721002 Sekar Kurniasih
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
ABSTRAK
Skripsi ini berjudul “ An Analysis of Love Values in Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre. Permasalahan yang diketengahkan adalah mengenai nilai cinta sebagaimana tergambar dalam novel tersebut. Nilai merupakan standar perilaku dan harapan melalui implementasi norma yang diyakini sebagai sesuatu yang benar dan berterima di tengah-tengah masyarakat. Dengan demikian cinta adalah ekspresi harapan atau keinginan untuk mendapatkan sesuatu berdasarkan nilai atau keyakinan yang sesuai dengan norma yang berlaku di masyarakat. Analisis tentang cinta dalam skripsi ini pada dasarnya melalui kajian tematik di mana ide utama dideskripsikan melalui penggambaran tokoh utama yang ada pada novel yang dibahas. Penggambaran itu sendiri memuat interpretasi melalui teks dan kemudian dianalisis untuk mengemukakan kebenaran. Dan teks diseleksi menjadi berupa kutipan yang menjadi data untuk menyatakan kebenaran tersebut. Dengan demikian skripsi ini menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif melalui pendekatan kajian tematik melalui karya fiktif Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre. Penggambaran tentang nilai cinta dalam skripsi ini merujuk pada implikasi pengorbanan, integritas dan perhatian. Cinta akan berarti bagi orang lain bila nilai tersebut dimaknai untuk satu tujuan yakni berbagi dalam hidup untuk mewujudkan harapan. Cinta ternyata menyatu dengan kesediaan berkorban, tanggung jawab dan perhatian untuk merealisasikan harapan untuk diri sendiri dan orang lain. Cinta akan berarti bagi orang lain bila didasarkan pada nilai yang berlaku dan berterima pada masyarakat.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................. i ABSTRACT ..................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................. iv
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION ...................................... 1
1.1 Background of the Analysis ...................... 1
1.2 Problems of the Analysis .......................... 2
1.3 Objectives of the Analysis ....................... 3
1.4 Scope of the Analysis ............................... 3
1.5 Significance of the Analysis ...................... 3
1.6 Method of the Analysis ............................. 4
1.7 Review of Related Literature .................... 5
CHAPTER II : GENERAL CONCEPTS OF LOVE ......... 6
2.1 The Meaning of Love ............................... 6
2.2 Types of Love ........................................... 11
CHAPTER III : ANALYSIS OF LOVE VALUES .............. 20
3.1 Jane Eyre’s Love .................................... 20
3.1.1 Jane Eyre’s Sacrifice ....................... 20
3.1.2 Jane Eyre’s Integrity ....................... 26
3.1.3 Jane Eyre’s Attention ...................... 30
3.2 Mr. Rochester’s Love ............................ 32
3.2.1 Mr. Rochester’s Sacrifice ................ 33
3.2.2 Mr. Rochester’s Integrity ................ 36
3.2.3 Mr. Rochester’s Attention ............... 39
CHAPTER IV : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ....... 42
4.1 Conclusion ............................................... 42
4.2 Suggestion ................................................ 44
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................. 46
APPENDICES : A. THE BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE
B. SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
I. INTRODUCTION
Background of the Analysis
There has been a long debate of what the function literature is. The
pessimistic opinion would have looked at it as imaginative realm that cannot
be studied at all. Literature can only be enjoyed for it tends to offer subjective
element rather than objective one. Yet, the rest are more optimistic to value
literature as a kind of knowledge that can be studied objectively. It has its
medium language which is materially systematic. Therefore, literature is
broadly applicable knowledge which is both subjective and realistic.
Irrespective of what literature is, Roberts (1995: 1) emphasizes that
literature refers to compositions that tell stories, dramatize situations, analyze
and advocate ideas. This definition gives clue that literature offers ideas which
are inherent in literature. They can be studied of course in order to find the
truth of what is going on in literature.
This thesis provides an analysis about love values in Charlotte
Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre. The word ‘love’ is generally defined as passion that
shares willingness to give and take in all consequences among man. Since the
sense of love is addressed to man, in literature man is equal to character or
person that takes part in the story of the novel. That is why the focus of
analysis in this thesis is the main character’s love values shared by Jane Eyre
and Rochester.
The word ‘values’ refers to belief that becomes standard of what is
good or bad. Goode (1977: 4) has stated that values are:
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
“The standards that people share. These standards are used to judge whether something is good or bad, beautiful or ugly, right or wrong moral or immoral. …. Values are typically supported by specific norms, that is, more detailed directions for proper behavior. Norms are the more specific rules or definitions of how we are supposed to act in a given situation.”
From the quotation above it can be simply summarized that the sense
of love values is related to man’s belief of what is good or bad in the sense of
behavior morally. I could find out in the novel Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre
such love problem which the values are debatable. Jane Eyre is unmarried
woman whose love is directed to married man, Rochester. Yet, the values are
well covered in the readiness of understanding sacrifice, integrity, and
attention without breaking the existing norms believed by the society. This is
the background as well as the reason why I chose my thesis title: An Analysis
of Love Values in Charlotte Bronte’s Novel Jane Eyre.
Problem of the Analysis
It is the main character as the focus of my analysis in this thesis. The
central point I want to propose is love values as expressed in the novel Jane
Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte. There are two main characters which are in
love; they are: Jane Eyre and Rochester. In reference to this, the problems I
want to analyze are:
(1) What love values do Jane Eyre and Rochester want to share?
(2) How are love values implied between Jane Eyre, a single young woman,
and Rochester, a married man?
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Objective of the Analysis
The objective of the analysis is firstly to identify the characteristics of
love values Jane Eyre and Rochester as expressed in the novel. Secondly, it is
to explain the consequences of love values between a man who has been
married and a single young woman in terms of Rochester and Jane Eyre.
Scope of the Analysis
What I mean by values in this context is standards that Jane Eyre and
Rochester want to share. These standards are covering the belief to judge what
is right or wrong, good or bad, moral or immoral stated in the novel. Thus, I
restrict my analysis in this thesis of love values in terms of sacrifice, integrity
and attention in the personality of character as being person or an individual.
Significance of the Analysis
The significance of the analysis is to enrich literary study through
fiction in terms of novel. It is true that novel is related to ideas which are
manifested in the text or words of the novel. The text is a means to convey
ideas that reflect a brief history of man’s life. Therefore, to study literary work
such as novel means to get knowledge or understanding of what man’s
problem is.
I think the other significance of this analysis is to add literary study in
wider fields of area. This study can be made as reference to those who are
interested in the field of literature. To say simply, this thesis analysis could be
a clue for further analysis in literature.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Method of Analysis
In analyzing the novel in this thesis I adopted Abrams’ theory that is
universe theory. In this theory, Abrams in Fananie (2001: 110) has stated that
literary study can be seen from four aspects. They are: (1) the study from the
work itself; (2) the study from novelist or the author of the work; (3) the study
of the related ideas, feelings, events which are expressed in the work both
directly and directly; and (4) the study from the reader’s standpoint or
receiver.
I have focused on points (3) and (4) which direct me to read the novel
several times. It is important because I could jot down some interrelated ideas
as expressed in the text of the novel. I try to select the ideas in the form of
quotations. Thus, quotations from the text of the novel become my data to do
the analysis.
The quotations are interpreted in order to give proper description in the
analysis. This is done because mostly of the text is connotative rather than
denotative. That is why the sense of interpretation seems to be dominant in the
analysis.
Further to say, the interpretation is described with the support of
quotation to strengthen the truth of the analysis. I believe that the truth I
describe is based on my own perception. I stand as the sole truth seeker in my
description. In relation to this, the method applied is better known as
descriptive method of analysis. It is said so because interpretation is more
useful in the analysis in describing the truth scientifically.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Review of Related Literature
This thesis fundamentally is related to the analysis of character in
terms of fictitious living person. The core of love values is addressed to the
main character personally that is Jane Eyre and Rochester as expressed in the
novel Jane Eyre. By so doing, Nurgiyantoro (1998) has proposed clear
explanation about who at literary study is. He further adds that thematic study
of literature is really related to man’s life problem. It deals with idea which
covers all aspects of man’s life from living to dead and love to hate including
man’s struggling over the life in broadest terms.
Roberts (1995) also strengthens the point of literature which is full
with insights. They could be cover broader cultural, philosophic and religious
world of which we are a part. It enables us to recognize human dreams and
struggles in different places and times that we have to search to know. What is
inherent in the phrase ‘dreams and struggles’ taking me to imply love values
particularly in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
In addition, Safii’s thesis (2008) has given me much help of what love
is. He has made a study of pure love through character Jane Austen’s novel
Pride and Prejudice. This thesis clearly explains kinds of love that bring me to
look at something different in love values in different novel as well. But, I
admit frankly that the thesis has been one of my references to make further
analysis in my thesis.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
II. GENERAL CONCEPTS OF LOVE
The Meaning of Love
It is empty or meaningless when human beings cannot interact with
one another to make themselves exist. The ultimate goal of interaction is to
show how somebody feels consciously the presence of others in order to
communicate and live together. One form of these social interactions is the
true existence of love. Love is a sort of glue to living persons that unite the
knot of gap or difference. With love, human beings may unite the meaning of
life in broadest meaning.
Mifflin (1987: 80) defines that love is a strong affection or deep
concern for another person. Love can be communicated in many different
ways. It is expressed through words, for example, or through touch or other
actions that show admiration and concern. Love often grows with time. The
ability to love is one of the most pleasurable parts of living. All people have
the ability to give love and the need to receive it.
The meaning of love is not strictly defined as passion of owning
something completely. It is expressed and defined in a variety of ways.
Friendship is a simple example that human beings need in their lives. It is one
form of love which links loyalty toward each other and shares interest and
support. Such feelings and behavior are a form of love. The caring among
parents, children, brothers and sisters is an implementation of love human
beings may reciprocally.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
It is notable that the meaning of love can be wrongly implied. For
instance, the love of power may terminate the nook of life meaning if it is
centered for only one’s own satisfaction. Love truly does not belong to an
individual. It is shared in the nuance of true meaning of life itself. Yet, what
love may give is the same as what love may take. It is equally implied for the
benefit of mankind to link the feelings of equality and belongingness.
However, if the implication of love is wrongly interpreted will tend to destroy
the good side of friendship and togetherness that human beings eternally
dream for.
In general, love is implicitly implying “like marries like” that may be
stated still more specifically. The notion of remarrying the sense of like
feeling represents the highest valuable standard of living to share. There will
not be sense of feeling low or shallow when the meaning of love is placed
right in terms of to like one another in terms of love. Thus, love is a summary
of man’s life history with another person to take and give for living together
harmoniously.
It will not be debated that the world can stand as what it is until today
is basically running together with the meaning of love human beings has
understood. The world can not stand long when love is put aside because there
will be hatred growing more than the feeling of love. Things which are in
contrast with love will become threat for human beings to build togetherness.
So, as long is love existing, the world stands strongly for human beings to live
by together and communicate in terms of social interaction.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Of what love has positively given to be understood is the sense of
attention. It is attention that becomes cornerstone of human beings
relationship. Through great attention the love has makes men realize the
feelings and symptoms of love socially and morally. As what Goode (1977:
378) confirms that:
“Love is given great attention. In Western societies, and to some extent in other societies, people are socialized to believe that eventually they will fall in love. Children are teased about whom they love and are taught to recognize feelings and symptoms of love. They are told that love is important… Love is universal human potential, but it is highly disruptive of existing social arrangements.”
There is an important aspect of love that may bridge unity among
individuals. It is universal to understand and accept painfulness, awesomeness
and pleasure that love may transmit. Love teaches how to forgive the mistake
in order to get the missing part of humanity. Needless to say, the meaning of
love is reflecting how empathy gives amazing moment of self-recognition.
With love the real union of human relationship will stand strongly and
harmoniously.
Human love and affection are as important to the infant and child as
food and shelter are, and they remain important throughout life. A major
function of love meaning is to generalize wants and likes into affection and
care for the unity of togetherness. The lack of understanding of what love is
will harm the pieces of human development in terms of living together
socially. However, lack of love can ruin companionship in which many people
spent their entire lives in the communities they were born and raised. Many
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
people continue to live if they are still ready to contribute the love for its truly
eternal meaning.
Walster and Walster in Popenoe (1986: 367) believe that love is the
basis for union. It can be traced the way many people talk about it, sing about
it, write it into novels, plays and poems. The kind of love that is typically
thought of as the basis for togetherness is a mixture of attraction, feelings of
excitement and idealization of loved one. The entire complex of norms
surrounding love is tied to this ideal of building strong togetherness. And
many think that the loss of grasping meaning of love is disaster.
From the recorded man’s life history, religiously and culturally love is
as old as the creation of the world. It is sometimes metaphorically described as
heaven which implies peaceful living. Thus, love is inherently manifested in
the true dream of human beings to live together. Without it, there would be
threatening challenge that will destroy the sense of humanity. For example, the
war, holocaust, ethnic discrimination or even divorces in marriage are
denoting the minus of love understanding. When the hearts are wide enough
for love, the large black side of men will be hatred and death. Therefore, the
true sense of love may build brotherhood in differences.
The true meaning of love that shines togetherness is as sweet as the
name is. It is not enough to define as what it is because the word love gives
more than what it means. Though it is understood and practiced differently, it
is kept in one eternally and morally meaning that is to treat others as the way
others want to be treated equally. To say simply, it is love that can make
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
people know who they are when they are able to live together far from hatred
and prejudice.
Scarcely can men live without love indeed. From the core of small
social living that is family has been built by strong principle of love. One may
marry the other is basically implemented through love. Family that is the
starting point of social living implies that love is an obligation to share. If
there is no love, the family will come to an end and so is social living as a
whole. For what becomes the attainment of love is readiness to treat others as
the way one wants others to treat him or her. In reference to this, the
implementation of love comes from the realization of what the meaning of
love is.
Regardless of what is wrong or what is right, love is universally
understood as something that guarantees what is expected. Sadness can be
eliminated with love when things are understood humanly. War time can be
postponed when love lingers on echoing peace for man. On the other hand,
human disaster will happen when love is made up as lipstick to hide the true
sense of it. Had Hitler had a piece of love in his heart, he would not have
turned out the world by killing so many people. Had God denied the share of
love to man, there would not have the world been created. In short, it is love
that may make lives understandable with care, attention, affection and
acceptance. It is love that makes man may receive others as what he or she is.
So, the true meaning of love is to share the deepest empathy the man has for
others in order to live together in peace and harmony.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Types of Love
The word love maybe differs from time to time and it depends on
individual to imply accordingly one’s motive. It seems undeniable for some to
verify love is the same as like or vice versa. But, the words are closely
connected, though they are different in meaning. To like means a broad range
of positive feelings towards another person, and to love means a deep range of
feelings of possessiveness.
Within the implied meaning of the word itself consists a lot of
demands and consistencies. These are wrapped well in thematic expression of
what content love is. Devito (1985: 190) clarifies the thematic characters of
love such as emotionally or passion; a sense of commitment or loyalty, and a
degree of sharing, openness, or mutual expression of personal identity. Of
what is inherent in the love implication has been referred to genuine regard
and sincere concern for intimacy and relationship.
Since love varies from culture to culture, it contains universal
achievement such as belongingness in terms to love and to be loved. It is not
only restricted to possessiveness but also to share upon other’s need. For
instance, to give a penny for beggar is a sign of love on humanity or even to
love all human kind as the creation of God. In its largest sense, love may cover
sacrifice, integrity or care for the other people and attention. It is commonly
interpreted as the sort of pure love which love is coming up because it is
motivated by consideration of good value of love itself.
Arthur (1986: 64) groups pure love into one kinds or types of love
besides ludus, storge, manic, pragmatic, eros, and agapic. These types of love
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
are made different from the intention of love itself. In other words, the
classification seems to identify the certain goal of love implication; of how the
love is implemented in order to reach the achievement.
2.2.1 Pure Love
The sense of pure love, as the word suggests, is plain, honest and as
white as the paper. Pure love is motivated by consideration to other persons
with great attention foe the sake of integrity. Devito (1985: 199) implies that
pure love is directed to achieve joy and happiness. The feeling of joy has
imprisoned someone to keep the sense of love in appropriate implication. He
or she senses the pure love into selfish framework as if there were no higher
value than what love is.
It is commonly accepted to define pure love for being ready to
sacrifice. To have good example is the sacrifice of Romeo and Juliet, the
world has known in Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”. They become
icon of the world that represents the pure love meaning. For both of them love
is more precious than the death itself. Thus, the sense of pure love is related
with consequence of being ready sacrifice.
There are so many interpretations to define of pure love as its own
characteristics. It covers not only the sense of honesty and sacrifice but also
neglecting of material satisfaction. It is the love itself that fulfills satisfaction
beyond the hopes. In reference to this, pure love is meant to the most powerful
energy that cannot be stopped by any hindrances. It will not be vanished by
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
the running time as long as the meaning of pure love has been understood and
implied as the way it is.
As what the meaning of love is different from one person to another
one, it is pure love as an ideal conception or type of love, especially for lovers.
Yet, the key point of it is the obvious goal to mean the love. For some people
the love experience could be a weapon which is ready to kill, but as sweet as
sugar for the rest. It could be as bitter as black coffee, but as peaceful as the
stream of the river. Beyond all, pure love is the dream of everybody in order to
mean what love is in the broadest terms.
2.2.2 Agapic Love
The kind of agapic love is spiritual rather than emotional. Agape is a
manifestation of religious values the people believe in. it is a compassionate
love or an ego-less expression or self-giving love. Devito (1985: 203)
construes the sense of agape as something valuable and virtuous. It is
practically done to reach the true relationship among individuals or people
with no concern for any kind of personal reward in return. It is derived from
the mercy of God in which man should love one another without any
differences.
Agape is the application of religious values towards humanity. That is
why agapic love sounds altruistic which means to advance others than oneself.
It is truly an embodiment of the highest ideal dream of rising sense of
humanity up beyond the limit. In other words, the implication of agape is
transcendent which is far way from rational or logical understanding.
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In the history of universe of the twentieth century the name of Mother
Theresa is still is still fresh remembered. She has dedicated herself for the
poor in India though she is Yugoslav in birth. She helps the people without
looking the status, the religious background, or even nationality. In her dream,
the poor are needed attention of love without any discrimination. Such as
expression of love as what has been shown by Mother Theresa is an agapic
love.
In general conception, the true sense of agapic love is realization of the
religious values in practice. It has nothing to do with reciprocal award, but it
means to impress the beloved in agapic sense. Therefore, agape is an
embodiment of love with strong willingness to maintain sense of humanity
without having attention to grasp self-advantage. It is purely implied to
express the love immaterially.
2.2.3 Ludus Love
The word ‘ludus’ derives from Latin which means play, and the
adjective word ‘ludic’ means playful, to quote Ramson (1989: 848). Through
this kind of explanation, it can be traced that ludic love is experienced as a
game. It seems to imply that ludus is hedonistic rather than spiritual. Its final
goal is to find out pleasure by playing love as a kind of play thing. The more
skillful one plays the love, the more he or she finds the meaning of ludic love
to play.
Ludic lover realizes that he or she is the actor or actress of the love. He
or she controls the love and each of them is the player and they will not let the
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love control them in return. It is a temporary pleasure to name love as
something beautiful to experience. In short, ludic love does not consider
consequence of love to own or disown. It happens so because the target of
love is to find out pleasant thing given by the love.
More than what expected, ludic lover tries to satisfy his or her own
pleasure to limit his or her behavior. What is done has been oriented to love
pleasure with consistency to play with it. There is no sense of being hurt when
love breaks in the middle of love situation. Ludic lover has already known that
love is for fun, and it is tasted not to be regretted. The ludic lover is trapped in
the frame of mind that every ludic lover is winner over love. Thus, it is only
for fun and nothing is more than what it may give.
2.2.4 Storge Love
Commonly, the word storge is referred to parental affection. This type
love is more emotional rather than sexual or biological need. It sounds to show
care or affection to pay attention for something better or to show friendship or
closeness. When affectionate greeting such as ‘I love you’ addressed by a
grandson to his grandfather does not mean to love in the sense of sexual need.
It is more sociable to denote expectancy of respect that the grandson is proud
to have a grandfather.
The storge love is released from passion, but it comes from
consciousness that shows mutual caring, compassion, respect and concern for
other people. It is a reflection of individual linkage that every man needs one
another sociably. It is not an expression of intensive feeling to own physically.
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Thus, the storge lover dreams unity based on respect and mutual
understanding to share what love may share for betterment of human sense.
There is a consequence when storge love does not follow the standard
values shared morally. It tends to be disappointed when storge love has not
come to what has been regarded as right morally. Because of that the storge
love must be based on communal agreements which are related to right or
wrong conception. When this does not work appropriately there will be great
disappointment that can break the mutual understanding into pieces. Not rarely
do parents and their children live in separation when this storge love does not
work well.
2.2.5 Eros Love
The true hedonistic love or love for pleasure physically is eros. It is an
erotic implication that pertains to sexual love. As the adjective word ‘erotic’
means naked or transparent, eros is attached to body performance that gives a
response for affection. Thus, it refers to beauty and physical attractiveness and
finds out self-satisfaction for having relationship.
Morally and religiously, erotic love is contradictory and supposed to be
sinful. It is breaking the border of religious principles for it tends to worldly
satisfaction. Erotic lover places the feeling of pleasure given by love instead of
moral consequence. The earthly pleasure offered by erotic love is more
important than what the religion may give. So, the eros sounds to break what
the people think right to do.
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In this modern world with globalization characteristics, the erotic love
is regarded natural. It happens because the tendency to have worldly pleasure
is rampant. Let alone, the economic problem that happens globally has great
impact to the change of social behavior especially for young people. That is
why erotic is the best alternative way to find pleasure both physically and
materially.
Eros is an ego-centered love that is dominantly focused on his or her
own self-satisfaction. Eros lover will feel satisfied when love is paid back with
love physically. Simply to say, eros lover will feel disappointed to realize that
the body is not perfect to be loved. Thus, erotic love is body-oriented passion
in which it is a guaranteeing passion to show love with whom. Simply to say,
what is right morally and religiously of love will be contradictory with eros
lover.
2.2.6 Manic Love
The word ‘manic’ is addressed to affected by mania. Ramson (1989:
868) defines mania as a mental illness characterized by euphoria, an excessive
or unreasonable desire. Mania is an abnormal and obsessive desire or
inclination, or more loosely, an extreme enthusiasm, for specified thing. From
this simple understanding, it can be summarized that manic love is accepted as
something deviant or unique way of defining sense.
It is true that deviant or unique implication of manic lover is the
feeling of loosing love is much greater than keeping it. Manic love implies to
love one completely and totally in the situation of loving intensely but at the
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other side fearing as well the loss of love. In consequence, manic love is the
acceptance of obsessive orientation by chaining another to get his or her
freedom.
Manic lover gets his or her pleasure if she or he owns totally whom he
or she loves. There is no way out to escape from getting pleasure from the
other except on the way the manic lover wants to. At glance, it is so natural to
love what one wants to love completely. Yet, negative impact of manic love is
the restriction of being free to make friendship. The impact will be fatal if
there is no settlement for controlling manic love. As the name means manic
love turns to be destructive when he or she fails to control his or her passion.
2.2.7 Pragmatic Love
Pragmatic love relates to affairs of state; relating to concern more for
matters of fact than for theories. Pragmatic lover always looks at love
positively by fulfilling the needs of love. It tends to observe practical intention
of love and it always tries to find out reasons why love fails to end truly.
Simply to say, the pragmatic love sounds the logical reason of what love is.
A common axiom that ‘love is blind’ does not give impression to
pragmatic lover. There is a tendency to materialize that must see in order not
to regret later on. In other meaning, pragmatic lover plays the mind first and
then comes the feeling. For what is right in pragmatic love seems to look at
final case in which love must be beneficial than disadvantageous. Love sense
is not to get suffer or pain but it gives satisfaction based on logical perception.
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Of what is identified in pragmatic love is the pragmatic intention. It is
the outcome of love which is regarded the starting point. In other sense,
pragmatic love is like gambling in business. There is a time to get lose but
there is also a time to reach success. Thus, pragmatic love is like mathematics
to the risk of love at one side and the properness of love at the other side.
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III. ANALYSIS OF LOVE VALUES
Jane Eyre’s Love
Jane Eyre is a name of one main character in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane
Eyre. The title which has the same name of the character shows how important
she is in her role in the story of the novel. She has been the focus of attention that
brings the story from the beginning up to the end. In other words, the conflicting
situation exists because of her presence. That the way why Jane Eyre includes as
the main character.
In this part, the portrayal of Jane Eyre will be construed in the concepts of
love as described in the novel. These will be limited to the frame of mind which
covers sacrifice, integrity and attention. The present nuances of love sacrifice, an
integrity or attention are universal thematically but they are different practically.
3.1.1 Jane Eyre’s Sacrifice
The implication of sacrifice is referred to readiness to offer something for
a valuable purpose. A sacrifice is supposed to be precious deed when it deals with
sense of humanity. In traditional tragedies of plays, a branch of literature, many
heroes or heroines are ready to sacrifice themselves for betterment of the society.
Oedipus is in great willingness to blind himself as a sacrifice for a mistake he has
made by marrying his own mother. Hamlet must sacrifice his life into death
because of his wrong ambition by killing the honorable king only because of his
thirst of that position. All those sacrifices are related to openness towards
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goodness that is ideally wanted by human beings both as an individual and social
being.
Jane Eyre, an orphan girl of ten years of age, has been left alone by her
beloved parents. Their deaths are quite expensive for the little girl in which she
seems to trace the world of her own. She lives under the custody of her own uncle
and aunt, Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed. Yet the situation is so much different for what
is expected by Jane is not like what a father and mother’s love is in true sense. She
is looked after because of pity and the consequence of pity may turn ups side
down when things are not running well.
The missing figure of parental affection can not be found in Jane Eyre’s
uncle family life. Especially after the death of the uncle, Mr. Reed, there is a great
change of life circle under the aunt’s domineering manner. Mrs. Reed is appearing
like a stranger to Jane. There is no motherly attitude that shows peaceful
appearance on her face. Jane Eyre really meets a frightening aunt who is ready to
ring the bell of anger and hatred.
Storge love which means parental affection is too far to reach for Jane
because her aunt is dry with love. It can be seen from the protest of Jane Eyre who
has been treated badly. Her protest emphasizes the unsaved feeling that she gets in
the family. She is blind in anger for that lack of attention that portrays the true
atmosphere of her aunt’s family. Jane Eyre blindly bursts out her words:
“… wicked and cruel boy!, I said. You are like a slave driver, you are like a Roman Emperor! I had read Goldsmith’s History of Rome, and had formed my opinion of Nero … (Jane Eyre, 1984: 4).
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The conflicting situation gives impression how the interaction among of
family members is not well formed. Jane is in conflict with John, the boy of Mrs.
Reed. It is not trouble that becomes the point but the family life atmosphere.
Cynical words expressed by Jane Eyre imply her deep frustration to stay under
such a condition. She is really unsatisfied with the crack relationship as family.
What the context offers is the use of figure of speech simile in which Jane
equals the boy as ‘Roman emperor’ who is bloody thirsty of power and
uncivilized manner of being ‘slave driver’. Though she addresses the exclaim to
John, it is actually a culmination of anger upon the situation she has found in the
family. She can not stand being treated as an object of unfair treatment.
Further to notice in the context from the quotation is the knowledge
content of Jane Eyre’s remark. She reads the book and finds out the bad character
which is portrayed in Nero. It shows that she is a clever girl and criticizes the
unacceptable manner by comparing personal quality of a bad person the world has
known. The point of such bad manner is completely denoted with the modifying
words in the beginning as ‘wicked and cruel’. So all the qualities which are
addressed to John seems to protest the family atmosphere taught by Mrs. Reed,
the aunt.
Jane Eyre’s sarcastic words must be paid with punishment. She is regarded
wrong to judge the family sharply. As a consequence of that attitude, she is looked
in the dark room. The command of punishment comes from Mrs. Reed who has
felt so small of such bitter criticism. Then she exclaims:
“Then Mrs. Reed subjoined: ‘take her away to the red-room, and lock her in there. Four hands immediately lied upon, and I was borne upstairs” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 7)
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Again, the context of quotation shows how big is the power of Mrs. Reed
over Jane Eyre who is powerless. The phrase ‘red room’ not only reminds the
place for the accused but also identifies danger and anger. Commonly, the red
color is symbolizing eagerness to show power on the weak and shows the
meaning of anger towards the object of being angered.
The proudness of Mrs. Reed has neglected the storge love that a parent
should have. She has shown the lack of sympathy after the death of Mr. Reed and
Jane Eyre’s parents. She becomes a mistress that cannot be touched only because
of the power she has got. Let alone, Jane Eyre is not her own daughter, and she is
an outsider in the family member. For that reason Jane Eyre deserves getting
punishment.
More hurtful for Jane is the discriminative manner of her aunt. She thinks
that her aunt has made a gap that cannot be bridged anymore. The prideful
remarks ‘I was borne upstairs’ denotes that different space to live with Mrs. Reed
and her kids belong to up position; meanwhile, Jane is liable to stay under. The
distant gap of being ‘up over under’ definitely denotes the position of Mrs. Reed
at one side and Jane Eyre at the other one.
Jane Eyre’s sacrifice that is inherent in the manifestation of true love has
come to great disappointment. She thinks that her orphan status will grow sense of
empathy among those who are reliable to love her. In contrast, she becomes the
object of bad treatment. Emptiness of empathy which is attached in the act of
sacrifice has neglected the human condition. Empathy itself is a kind of sympathy
that arouses moment of recognition. Through having empathy, man feels that he
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must help others. That is the point that Jane Eyre wants to reach that is the
embodiment of empathy.
The implication of empathy touches every sphere of human feeling. As the
manifestation of love value, empathy is closely connected to the touch of human
recognition to identify what man should do within the concept of love. To say
simply, the love value will be completely nothing without the sense of empathy.
In such a moment, Jane Eyre dreams for that a little empathy from those who are
near to her. As a matter of fact, she meets the block for Mrs. Reed and her kids are
blind to have an empathy. As Mandell (2006: 133) says that:
“Empathy requires a finely tuned, intuitive sensitivity to other people, the kind that one finds in good fiction or poetry. Sometimes as we read a novel, hear a song, or look intently at a great painting, we have an amazing moment of recognition. We see our own thoughts reflected and are surprised that someone can touch us so deeply. It is this profound understanding of human condition, with its complex and ambivalent emotions, which explain why the plays of William Shakespeare, written in the late 1500s and early 1600s, can, still, bring tears to our eyes today”.
Empathy is clearly closed to tears that show sympathy upon something.
This something relates to human condition that offers recognition. The love value
can be made real when this recognition is place rightly for human rights. In the
great endeavor of Jane Eyre, she maintains strong to defend her own living. She
does not surrender to face the reality of being treated so badly. For Jane Eyre, it is
just a matter of little temptation. Had she given up her fate helplessly, she would
have met her downfall into pieces.
The impression of Gateshead Hall where Jane Eyre lives with her aunt is a
sort of terror for her. She can not stand living there if she uses her feeling, but she
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realizes her being that she needs still Mrs. Reed. What things are made up has
changed the moment of introspection. In reference to this, she knows that the
place is a camouflage of hypocrisy. Yet, Jane Eyre is brave enough to show her
insistence by putting forward love more than revenge in her heart. She is able to
say that she loves her aunt and the family though they break her heart indeed. As
what she says then:
“I was a discord in Gateshead Hall; I was like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children vassalage. If they did not leave me, in fact, as a little I love them. They were not bound to regard with affection with a thing that could not sympathize with ones among them; heterogeneous thing, opposed to them in temperament in capacity, in propensities, a useless thing” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 11-12).
Jane Eyre’s remark ‘as little I love them’ versus ‘they did not love me’ has
shown how humble she is. She does not want to have confrontation for the
consequence of loving is to share what is shared. In this point, she is ready to
sacrifice her feeling for something better. Thus, she wins her own heart though
the bad treatment breaks her feeling. However, she fights back as hard as possible
by throwing her ego to achieve her goal.
Showing her deep love for Lowood, a place for all orphan and the poor to
be educated, Jane Eyre dedicates herself to be a teacher there. She accepts the
consequence of being the pioneer to reconstruct the situation of the school. She
wants to depend the poor’s fortune in order not to be treated badly as she has
experienced before. She sacrifices her love in form of dedication though she is
paid less than what she deserves to get. Yet, she is happy to do what she has to do
because it is the nuance of love that makes her ready to that. With love value in
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terms of sacrifice which guides her to find her identity as a woman in particular
and human being in general.
3.1.2 Jane Eyre’s Integrity
The word integrity is not a matter of being honest only. It means more in
terms of union or unity for good achievement of love value. It provides great
opportunities for deep relationship, for loving, for sharing, for much that makes
life worthwhile. In reference to this, Covey (1990: 71) defines the integrity as an
embodiment of responsibility. It is a combination of two words: response and
ability which reflect values. He then adds as follows:
“The word responsibility ‘response-ability’ the ability to choose your response. People recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than product of their conditions, based on feeling”.
From the quotation above there is an integrated value of personality about
consistency in principle. That is why love implication needs a view of consistency
to look at things consistently. What in love is not really a matter of right or wrong,
but it is a concern of choice about the chosen value. So as the choice has been
taken there is no tendency for blaming. If it is done so the result will not be
frustration or downfall.
Jane Eyre has been accustomed to having open-heart habit. She loves the
honesty as a part of her integrity. She does not want to hide things that make her
unhappy. She thinks by telling the truth she has been freed from ties of lies that
make her oppressed. She has her own reason to express her own judgment to
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defend herself. It can be seen when she expresses her own value judgment over
her aunt, Mrs. Reed. It goes:
“My uncle Reed is in heaven, and can see all you do and think as so can papa and mamma; they know how you shut me up all long, and how you wish me dead” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 24).
What Jane Eyre wants to show is her great responsibility to look at the
things around her. She plainly tells the truth with her own consciousness. She
compares the fruit of love as in heaven that in contrast there will be hell for those
who do not. The quotation above gives clear point of judgment that the hell is for
Mrs. Reed because the aunt seems not to have a sense of integrity in love value.
Jane Eyre tries to imply the truth of agapic love which is centered on the
right touch of humanity. Love is not related to hatred and anger in negative sense.
Love value is a matter of consciousness to respect the truth the love offers. It is
practically implemented in the real life not just in the lips service. What is
important for love is to share the good values it contains generally.
The implication of love value in terms of integrity is very strong in Jane
Eyre’s personality. For her love is covered with honesty which invites the
opportunity for winning the life challenge. Love is not just a matter of waiting the
moment of pleasure. For Jane it is a respect for great value that is shown in the
proper attitude. Such a response can be seen when she refuses the love which is
given by John Rivers, a clergyman. He wants to take Jane as his wife but he has
no common value of love. Jane Eyre expresses her point of view as follows:
“I have refused to marry him and I have consequently displeased him. He has again and again explained that is not himself, not his office, he wishes to mate. He has told me I am formed for labour, not for love: which is true, no doubt. But, in my opinion, if I am
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not formed for love, it follows that I am not formed for married” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 411-412).
There has been a consequence for love in order to make it up in a right
application of what love is. As it is related to value such as integrity, Jane is so
eager to keep it well in heart. The way John Rivers proposes his love in traditional
way in which love for woman is equal to labor has made Jane disappointed. She
can not tolerate when position of a woman for love is an object to labor in terms
of serving the man totally.
It is true that traditional point of view about love is focused on placing
woman to prepare work at home such as to care children and to serve the husband.
The dedication of woman as a wife should completely be given to do home labor
domestically. John Rivers seems not realize that Jane Eyre is not a home-stay
woman. She loves to work to dedicate her potential as a teacher. And for her, love
is an integrity of sharing values equally between the man and the woman. There is
no discrimination in love as long as it is understood proportionally.
Rarely does love give complete satisfaction without the readiness to share
the sweet and the bitter the love may give. Jane Eyre realizes completely of that
consequence. That is why she does not regret to refuse the love of Mr. John
Rivers because he is translating the meaning of love traditionally. Of what exists
in Jane Eyre’s principle is consequence to love and to be loved. For her love is
related to value that can not be bought with contract agreement. It must flow as
the steam of the river to come through its way.
In contrary to John Rivers, Jane Eyre has her own reason to look at the
married man, Mr. Rochester. She admires him very much because of his great
responsibility towards the family especially his wife. He can overcome the
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situation in which his wife is mentally crazy. Yet, it is not a block for him to show
his love to. Jane Eyre can look closely for she becomes a private teacher for
Adele, Mr. Rochester’s unaccepted child. It is unaccepted because Mr.
Rochester’s lover, Celine Varens has a scandal about her pregnancy. The child
does not belong to him in his admittance. Yet, with great responsibility he admits
the child as his daughter and lives together with his sick wife, Bertha Mason.
Jane Eyre has been astonished to the acceptance of the sense of integrity
inside the personality of Mr. Rochester. She admires him personally for that
quality. If he had not been married, Jane would have expressed her own value
judgment to him about that love feeling. Yet, Jane Eyre knows the border of
moral value which is forbidden to grasp the married-man’s love blindly.
It is true that integrity is closely connected to patience. There must be a
gift of patience to reach a goal. As common saying declares fortune does not go
anywhere comes to Jane Eyre. Bertha Mason, Mr. Rochester’s wife, has passed
away when she is trying to avoid the burning house. She jumps from the roof
when Rochester is trying to save her. At this struggling moment, Jane looks at
Rochester as a heroic man. He is ready to sacrifice himself to save his wife with
broken leg and blinded eyes. But, it is the risk of true love which is ready to give
and to take how bitter the consequence is.
Jane Eyre finally finds out that the love values such as sacrifice and
integrity can not be separated. The values walk together in consistent way of
responsibility. When there is a readiness to sacrifice, there will be a sense of
integrity too. This is a reward of love that shares values to those who are in love.
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In reference to this, Jane Eyre can not deny her feeling when she expresses the
love to Rochester. She says:
“Mr. Rochester, if I ever did a good deed in my life, if I ever thought a good thought, if I ever prayed the sincere and blameless prayer, if I ever wish a righteous wish, I am rewarded now. To be your wife is, for me, to be as happy as I can be on earth” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 441).
Jane Eyre’s honest remark ‘as happy as I can be’ to be a wife is a rigorous
admiration of the love values in terms of integrity and sacrifice. Jane thinks that
she is happy of her own choice to show her sacrifice to marry a married-man, a
blind man. Yet, she shows her integrity to love is related to give and to take in the
readiness to hold honesty. Honesty is more precious than love itself conceptually.
3.1.3 Jane Eyre’s Attention
Attention is a conscious reply to show care and respect to other people. It
is related to an honest response in order to understand what is to give and what is
to take. Since love is a matter of giving and taking through fair feeling, there is a
readiness to appreciate of love value in terms of attention.
There will be not be interaction among individuals when there is no
reaction of paying attention to one another. Interaction among people can increase
sense of love such as agapic love, storge love which have not focused on
biological needs. Love is universal to express a union among man through what is
shared such as human values or humanity in love. All these love elements can be
made real when there is great attention to each person.
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Covey (1990: 19) confirms that attention is a part of attitude that
determines process of human interaction. Attention is a response to gain stimulus
for encouraging people to like and to recognize character as an ingredient way
through understanding life. He summarizes his ideas as follows:
“Some of this philosophy was expressed in inspiring and sometimes valid maxims such as ‘your attitude determines your attitude’, and giving attention to others is the same as smiling that wins more friends than frowning, and whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve”.
Jane Eyre seems to own such a good qualification as an individual. Even it
is just a story of a novel, the portrayal of Jane Eyre is so complete indeed. Her
great attention to care the things around her adds her value added personality. It
can be seen when she is still educated in Lowood. When disease attacks the poor
children there, she is brave enough to criticize the authorized Mr. Brocklehurst.
She thinks that it is not a matter of unsettled problem but the lack of attention to
take prevention. She comes to decide that preventive action can at least handle the
will be coming problem. She says:
“Mr. Brocklehurst is not a god; nor he is a great an admired man. He is little liked here, he never took steps to make himself liked. Had he treated you as a favourite, you would have found enemies, declared or covered, all around you. Teachers and pupils may look coldly on you for a day or two, but friendly feelings are concealed in their hearts; and if you preserve in doing well, these feelings will long appear so much the more evidently for the temporary suppression” (Jane Eyre, 1984: 65).
Jane Eyre’s attention is really a manifestation of how she judges the role
of love she perceives. She can not stand looking at unfair treatment over the weak
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or the poor. Her bravery to give attention in the form of criticism is fundamentally
encouraged by the true love she wants to apply. It is nothing more than love that
can unite differences among persons on earth.
There is truly choice of attitude in reflecting love values such as sacrifice,
integrity and attention. Each of the values can be separated definitely in
transferring what good standards of behaviour the love may share. Yet, from what
Jane Eyre has shown in her way of live is that love must reflect the readiness to
share. The notion of sharing is connected to human values that should be given
and taken for the betterment of human condition. It is love that should be placed
in advance to strengthen the sense of togetherness and unity both biologically and
socially.
Mr. Rochester’s Love
Mr. Rochester is also an important main character in the novel. He comes
up as complementary to begin and to end up the conflicting situation as expressed
in it. Thus, his role is as much important as Jane Eyre is for the content is related
to the two.
As an individual and social being, Mr.Rochester cannot live alone without
the presence of other people. He realizes that love is a social link that involves
individual to another individual and individual to other individuals. He can even
perceive that love is not just to fulfill biological needs but it does social needs as
well. It is fundamentally wrong to view love as an expression of biological
satisfaction. Love is more than a matter of desire but it is conceptually accepted as
basic need to live together in the way the people share the values of life they
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believe in. In reference to this, Mr. Rochester holds his love values throug
reflecting the sense of sacrifice, integrity and attention.
3.2.1 Mr. Rochester’s Sacrifice
There is an interesting moment to trace the way of life of Mr. Rochester
as portrayed in the novel. He has been betrayed by what is called love when his
lover, Miss. Celin Verens, cheats him by saying that she has been already
pregnant. As a matter of fact, the pregnancy does not have any concern with him
in which it becomes terribly to affect his personality. He seems to blame himself
for being a fool. The sense of love that he has kept well in herat has been
destroyed by disloyalty.
Since love is supposed to be pure in value and the purification of love is
embodied in loyalty is reliable to accept. Any betrayal of faith in love is supposed
to be breaking the accepted value in love. It seems to degrade the dignity of man
while love is regarded a plyful thing. Mr. Rochester cannot accept the torn love
that is caused by scandal.
The touch of human feeling has made Mr. Rochester aware of his mistake.
As a man, he has to take the responsibility of what he has done. Needless to say
that it is not his concern for the will be born baby knows nothing about it. Then,
Rochester is ready to accept the baby daughter, named Adele, with strong
consequence of respecting humanity meaning.
Rochester’s sacrifice to be a father without being married has been a kind
of social punishment that he bears. Whether or not, he has been labelled to do
something wrong morally. What is then to point about this has related to
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unaccepted behaviour at one side. Yet, at the other side the bravery to take
responsibility is really Mr. Rochester’s appreciation towards moral value. He can
tolerate the mistake with consistency to reward the social punishment with his
readiness to receive Adele as his daughter.
There is unexpected situation Mr. Rochester runs his own life. It is also a
kind of accidental life expectancy when he marries Bertha which is then to
become crazy. This terrible snapshot of life may be labelled as a curse to him for
the mistake he has made. It is not enough to admit thing as the way it is in the
name of sorry acceptance. In other words, he accepts his moral responsibility in
great regret. However it is life that must go on. Such a superstitious judgement is
natural since people believe in what is called karma.
Karma is a kind of punishment that gives by gods for the mistake the man
has made. Such personal judgment may be true may be not for it is rather
superstitious than logical. Mr. Rochester seems not think about it so far. What he
has faced is the fact to love his wife as a person or an individual. It is not a case of
mental illness but the love value he has shared to his wife.
Mr. Rochester cannot insist on viewing the world around him with wide-
eyed innocence and hopes he will never be disappointed. If he wants to survive
and minimize the hurt he will experience a little bit of common sense too. It is
reliable to aveliate painful condition with common sense consideration. Not all
things are settled down with feelings, for logical solutions are also needed to look
up solution.
There is a quite astonishing moment when he wants to save his wife in the
flare of the fire. His wife tries to jump from the roof in order to avoid the burning
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house. Mr. Rochester shows his consequency of respecting love in the shape of
sacrifice. His sacrifice has shown how he places the love in its true sense of being
ready to share without looking at differences or weakness. The moment of such
terrible condition is portrayed as foolows :
“ Then when Mr. Rochester was at home when the fire broke out. Yes, indeed was he, and he went up to the attics when all was burning above and below, and got the servants out of the beds and helped them down himself, and went back to get his mad wife out of her cell. And then they called out to him that she was on the roof, where she was standing, waving her arms above the settlements, and shouting out till they could hear her a mile off.... Mr. Rochester ascend through the skylight on to the roof’ we heard him called “Bertha! And the next minute she lay smashed on the pavement ( Jane Eyre, 1984 : 424 )
Mr. Rochester has dedicated his love sacrifice by trying his wife, but he
cannot save her. Both of them crash to the floor, but he is saved to live. As a cause
of the fall, he becomes blind and crippled. He cannot save his wife at all, she has
fallen so heavy and finally dies. That shows at one side that love is very expensive
and precious.
It is understood that agapic love is humanly valued. There is no barrier to
distinguish people only because of physical background or whatever the reason
should be. It is an application of religious value as well as love implication that
man is equally born to have his or her own rights. Bertha is mentally sick, but she
is a living person that needs love and to be loved. It has been shown by Rochester
with his great heart. Of what is left has been linked in love meaning that is to give
what should be given and to take what should be taken in the right proportion of
implying what love is.
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The definition of love is different from person to person and even from
culture to culture. Yet, the universal value of love is to raise the sense of humanity
in the achievement of human existence. The world will be empty when the love
sense comes to void and the value of love has been blurred. There will be a lot of
anger and hatred when love is wrongly interpreted for its true sense.
In reference to Rochester’s sacrifice, it can be noted that love is not a need
for biological satisfaction. His love to his wife is implemented in the type of
agapic love which shows affection and care for the sense of humanity. There is a
tendency of defining love through mutual understanding in which it is done for the
betterment of life value.
Mr. Rochester’s sacrifice has been paid with his blindness in order to show
that he is not selfish in love. He is able to maintain his dignity for his heroic deed
to defend the love value of family life. His own blindness means nothing for love
for he gets a gift of love from Jane Eyre who is ready to receive him as the way he
is. Love has united the two in the corridor of the true love in terms of sharing
together both in pain and happiness.
3.2.2 Mr. Rochester’s Integrity
Every human beings wants to satisfy their needs both biologically and
spiritually. If the focus is oriented on sexual satisfaction it is grouped in the eros
kind of love. But, if the love is centered on values such as combination of moral
and religion, there will be concequency to defend the value itself for human
recognition and identity. The true sense of integrity is the appraisal of honesty that
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contains in love. In other words, the implication of integrity is pactically
humanistic orientation.
Rochester’s integrity is reflected in the way he protects his family without
any sense of degradation. He does not blame his choice of life to have a mad wife.
It is an accidental situation that he never wants to. On his principle he thinks that
love is important for human life. Human love and affection cannot be put aside in
order to gain companionship. Thus, he defines his love in terms of integrity on the
way he identifies himself with another person’s feeling and thought.
Mandell ( 2006 : 332 ) clarifies the core of integrity is being honest on the
self without considering the differences that exist among people. It is plainly pure
coming from the heart to look things from the good side. The further statement
about the integrity is :
“Integrity is the capacity to identify one’s self with another person’s feeling and thoughts to suspend one’s own judgment for the moment and feel with another. It differs from sympathy, which involves feeling sorry for someone but not necessarily suspending one’s own feelings to try to identify with another person”.
It can be summarized from the above quotation that the sense of integrity
is not a matter of feeling pity. It is a conscious attitude to express the equally
understanding over others. If there is mutual understanding which results from the
deep heart. The manifestation of integrity as love value is limpid wish to get true
love for achieving togethrness and peaceful life objective.
Mr. Rochester’s readiness to keep the love runs as the way it is has given
nuance of love in true integrity. Rochester’s heroic deed emphasizes the great
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responsibility towards the meaning of love. It can be seen from the judgment
given to him because of his honest appearence. It goes as follows :
“ It was all his own courage, and a body may say, his kindness in a way, he would not leave the house till everyone else was out before him. As he came down the great staircase at last, after Mrs. Rochester, Bertha, had flung herself from the battlement, there was a great crash, all feel...! He is now helpless indeed, blind, and a cripple ( Jane Eyre, 1984 : 425 ).
More than what is expected, Mr. Rochester never dreams that he must be
blind and crippled only because of love. He just wants to protect the unity of the
family life which is based on love before. It has his own destiny to get the wife
crazy because of sickness. It is beyond his limit to answer all the questions that
come around his life. He becomes aware of his weak response for being unable to
stop the fire. His wife’s death is nothing to do with his little concern.
The courage shown by Mr. Rochester has replied all the worriness that it is
he who makes his wife crazy. His way to save his mad wife by sacrificing himself
is fair enough to identify his integrity. There has been a dedication of love that
brings sense of good value to share. As a matter of fact, the value of love cannot
be calculated from the external appearence. It belongs to the very deep of the
heart.
Mr. Rochester never wishes to kill his wife in order to make him free from
travelling with love. He considers the pro and con of his behaviour. As an
individual, he is a social being too. Thus he must have some contact with other
people who are living together under the norms they have agreed. There is a block
that people may judge of wrongdoing in eference to love value. In contrast with
this, religious values are also boundary for people to make all things the way as
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they like. To have such a view, Mr. Rochester has been considering his integrity
on implementing the meaning of true love.
It is the natural occurance that all things are indestructible and unsolvable.
As the saying ‘all roads lead to Rome’ implies man has always the way to solve
the problem how heavy it is. Obviously, man has his own capacity to bear up the
problems that come to him. Such a great temptation and trouble meet rochester on
his way of life. Yet, he never feels disappointed and hopeless. He has a strong
confidence that his trouble is never greater than his ability to sustain.
That is true that integrity is expensive to pay for hardly can be found
honest people in the world. But, it does not mean there will not be responsible
persons who appreciate honesty in their lives. Mr. Rochester is a good example to
follow for his integrity is the same as his readiness to defend the weak to be
strong. He feels his integrity is the gift of having big heart that makes him reliable
to be loved. On his consistency of maintaing love integrity, Jane Eyre is ready to
accompany him as a wife. It is a reward of happiness when integrity can be
manifested in sharing the value of love among people let alone among lovers.
3.2.3 Mr. Rochester’s Attention
Love is generally connected to attention which is given to other people.
Love itself is not directed to passion only, but it is a manifestation of empathy that
shares good values that need by people as a whole. In other words, love value is a
standard accepted norm that may be shared to other people without any exception.
Mr. Rochester’s attention is not like a label of merchandise which is
existing only for its own benefit. It is addressed to make others give response
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positively for attention means to give back what other needs. The implication of
attention is not materially oriented but it can be spritually applied. Mr. Rochester
has made himself honored for his great attention for the weak. Jane Eyre has given
her true response for it. She does not regret to marry the blind man, for a great
attention he offers is more valuable than the diamond. Jane says then :
“ I have now been married. I know what it is to live entirely for and with what I love best on earth. I hold my self supremely blest, blest beyond what language can express; because I am my husband’s life as full as he is mine. No woman was ever nearer to her mate man I am: ever more absolutely bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. ... All my confidence is bestowed on him, all his confidence is devoted to me; we are precisely suited in character perfect concord is the result” ( Jane Eyre, 1984 : 446 ).
The appraisal addressed to Rochester by Jane Eyre is not without reason. It
is a manifestation of love feeling that embodies hope of togetherness and care.
There is nothing the love may share except mutual undetanding to keep the value
sustainable. The sense of love will be true if there is linkage of being one to go
through ideal dream. Love sense is not a matter of expressing desire or passion for
one’s self satisfaction.
Rochester’s dedication with love is covered with the attention he has got.
In other meaning, Rochester has nothing to show his excessive appearence except
the attention. There has been a show of respect in the face of attention in the true
expression of love. The true sense of love in the sense of attention is to give a
reciprocal respect to one another.
Jane Eyre’s honest expression ‘I am my husband’s life’ gives clarity to
emphasize hos strong the value of attention in love. There won’t be meaningful
sense of love if there is no attention to know what is needed. Attention is
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fundamental need for fulfilling the need of love. To say simply, sense of love
comes to be sweet in meaning if there is attention that should be shared.
Rochester is very lucky to have a good attitude to make himself aware of
the use of attention to make other persons precious. He knows very well the
concept of love can be understood fairly if there is attention to give and to take
attention implication is natural and important to show some respect. The love will
feel dry if there is no willingness to care. Thus, to give attention as love value
means to fulfill the need of being cared and to care. Finally, love attention is
absolutely the sign of respect to share in terms of being ready to give and to take
the values of love. They are inherent in the faces of integrity, sacrifice and
attention for making real ideal dream of love that is to live in harmoniously.
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IV. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
4.1 Conclusion
After having analyzed the novel, I conclude that Charlotte Bronte’s Jane
Eyre is an interesting novel. It concerns with some part of man’s life true
experience that is about love. It covers in thematic element or main idea which is
expressed dominantly through the text of the novel. The expression is referred to
the main characters that are Jane Eyre and Rochester. Both Jane Eyre and
Rochester are individuals and social beings that live under condition of values in
terms of norm.
Norms are standard pattern of behavior that contains beliefs. These beliefs
are manifested in manners or conduct which are relevant to accepted social pattern
among society. Thus, the implication of love is not merely blind expression for
attaining personal aim. It should be at least reflecting universal like or want for
each person. In other word, the sense of love values must contain true expectation
of togetherness for being able to live together.
Jane Eyre’s love values are reflected in her readiness to sacrifice for
maintaining what she thinks right and morally acceptable. She knows that love
never promises perfection in life. It depends on how she, as an individual, is ready
to face any consequence of love implication. To say simply, it is love that a person
wants to embody for it offers much of possibility. Love is like two sides of sword
which sharp in one edge and is useful for the other one.
Besides the readiness to give and take sacrifice, Jane Eyre places love as
well in the concept of integrity. It implies honesty and responsibility which come
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along with love. The feeling of integrity in terms of being honest is basic to the
consistency of love. There will not be true love without being honest in getting the
hope of love. Jane Eyre is very straight for it and she is ready to take any risk of
choices such as disappointment. She denies the love of John because she thinks he
has no integrity of what love is.
Jane Eyre believes that love is closely connected with attention.
Expression of love is not merely a set of word arrangement. It denotes more of
attention which covers care and mutuality. Jane looks this condition at Rochester
who has been married. Yet, for Jane to love does not mean to own if there is block
to stop her wants. What she tries to reach is to dream the love values owned by
Rochester that seems to fulfill Jane Eyre’s conception of love.
Not so far different with Jane Eyre, Rochester also has a view about love
that refers to sacrifice, integrity and attention. He has once been betrayed by his
lover by giving him a daughter which does not belong to him. It hurts him so
much for feeling as small as a man. That is why he puts consequence of love as
related to integrity or honesty. The readiness to sacrifice is not to lose the value
which is acceptable by all persons in general. Betrayal is a symbol of dishonesty
which is not appropriate for love.
Rochester is a responsible man who thinks love is not a play thing. He can
not dramatize his personal wish just to make a fool of others. He knows that his
love deals with responsibility and sacrifice. That is why he can not stop paying
attention on his mental disease of his wife. He maintains the love as the way it is
without regret. This conflicting situation makes Rochester realize how important it
is the sacrifice, integrity, and attention in love values.
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Jane Eyre has found out that Rochester is a true man to love. It is blocked
only because he has been married. She knows it very well, but the qualification of
love values has been complete in Rochester. At the other side, Rochester looks at
Jane the same thing. It is only his imagination to dream of having eternal love.
The consequence of love comes finally when Rochester’s crazy wife dies in order
to save herself from being burned. She jumps from the roof and Rochester is
trying to save her. In his way to save her, Rochester is blind. His blindness shows
his integrity, attention and sacrifice for love. Such a heroic personality is enough
for Jane Eyre to love Rochester. Finally, they are happy as husband and wife in
implementing their love values without breaking the social norms. Thus, love is
useful when it walks together with values which are acceptable universally and
morally.
4.2 Suggestion
Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre is an interesting novel. It is full with
insights that relate to humanity. There are a lot of love experiences it wants to
share for its readers. The analysis of love values as I have done in this thesis is
only a piece from many pieces of experience it may give. I think students of
literature may study this novel more deeply for having literary insights.
I hope this thesis analysis may encourage students of literature to look
closely at novel in general and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre in particular. This
analysis can be made, I hope, as reference for further study of literature research.
Irrespective of being subjective, the analysis of literature can be objective for it
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offers factual experience of human beings. This kind of phenomenon can be
traced in the novel Jane Eyre.
Finally, I hope much this thesis analysis may at least add the vocabulary of
literary study in which may be useful for students of literature later on. That is
why this thesis analysis is open for further study in its weakness. However, the
analysis it offers has given the notion that is better to try than to do nothing. I
hope this thesis may encourage students of literature to make vigorous research in
literary works.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arthur, Aron. 1986. Love and the Expansion of Self. New York:
Hemisphere Publishing Corporation.
Bronte, Charlotte. 1984. Jane Eyre. London: Longman Group, Ltd.
Calhoun, James and A. Joan Ross. 1978. Psychology of Adjustment and
Human Relationship. London: McGraw-Hill.
Covey, Stephen R. 1990. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New
York: Simon & Schuster.
Devito, Joseph A. 1985. Human Communication. New York: Harper and
Row, Inc.
Fananie, Zainuddin. 2001. Telaah Sastra. Surakarta: Muhammadiyah
University Press.
Forster, E.M. 1974. Aspects of the Novel. London: William Clowes &
Sons Ltd.
Gill, Richard. 1995. Mastering English Literature. New York: Palgrave.
Goode, William J. 1977. Principles of Sociology. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
Klarer, Mario. 2004. An Introduction to Literary Studies. London:
Routledge.
Mandell, Betty Reid and Barbara Schram. 2006. An Introduction to
Human Services. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 1998. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gajah
Mada University Press.
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Peck, John and Martin Coyle. 1988. Literary Terms and Criticism.
London: Macmillan Education Ltd.
Popenoe, David. 1986. Sociology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Eagleword
Cliffs.
Ramson, W.S. 1989. Chambers English Dictionary. New Delhi: Allied
Publishers Limited.
Roberts, Edgar V. and Henry E. Jacobs. 1995. Literature: An Introduction
to Reading and Writing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Safii, M. 2008. An Analysis of Pure Love in Jane Austen’s Novel Pride
and Prejudice. Thesis. Medan: Fakultas Sastra, English
Department, USU.
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Penguin Books Ltd.
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APPENDICES
A. The Short Biography of Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Bronte (1816-55), was the daughter of Patrick Bronte, an
Irishman and curate in Yorkshire for over forty years. Many of the facts within
Jane Eyre, are biographical. Charlotte’s mother died in 1821, which left five
daughters and one son in the care of their aunt, Elizabeth Branwell. Four
daughters went to school, the Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge, which
was the model for Lowood Institution. Many of the aspects of the Clergy School
were very similar to Lowood, and in 1825, Charlotte’s two elder sisters died there.
The remaining children, Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell, afterward
pursued their education at home instead. This involvement led to rich
collaborations among four in creating an in-depth and varied fantasy life, enacted
through stories, tales, poetry, and miniature publications. From 1831-32, Charlotte
attended Miss Wooler’s School at Roe Head, where she later returned to teach,
from 1835-38. From 1839-1841, she was a governess with two different families
in parts of England. In 1842, Charlotte accompanied her sister, Emily to Brussels
to pursue studies in languages, at the Pensionnat Heger. At the end of the year,
they returned to England at the death of their aunt. But Charlotte returned to
Brussels in 1843 to continue her studies for a year. During this time, she fell in
love with a teacher at the school M. Heger, but which was fated and fruitless, as
well as unrequited, upon Charlotte’s return to England.
Charlotte and her sisters attempted to establish their own school in 1844, a
project which failed. In 1846, Charlotte and her two sisters published a volume of
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poetry which got little review, called Poems of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell,
under pseudonyms. By 1847, all three sisters had finished their first novels. Both
Emily’s Wuthering Heights and Anne’s Agnes Grey, were accepted and published
by the publisher, Thomas Newby, in 1848. Charlotte’s first novel, The Professor,
was rejected and never found a publisher. But, in 1847, Charlotte’s second novel,
Jane Eyre, which she had begun writing only after her first novel, was accepted
and published by Smith, Elder Publishing Co. Jane Eyre was immediately
successful, so much that in 1848, Charlotte and Anne had to go to the publishing
companies to show their actual selves; much suspicion existed related to the
pseudonyms, where critics suggested there was only one actual author.
Jane Eyre brought Charlotte much success, and various invitations from
all literary circles. This was juxtaposed against the terrible loss of not only her
brother Branwell in September of 1848, but also both her sisters, Anne in
December of 1848, and Emily the following summer. In 1849, Charlotte
completed Shirley, her third novel. Her great loneliness in later years was made up
for her companion and friend, Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell, whom she met in 1850 and
who also wrote her biography.
In 1857, Charlotte put on memorial editions of Agnes Grey and Wuthering
Heights. Villette appeared in 1853, based on Charlotte’s memories of her time in
Brussels. Despite the fact that the literary world was aware of her identity as a
woman, she still published under the name of Currer Bell. In 1854, against much
hesitation, Charlotte married her father’s curate, at his desire. A few months later,
she was dead from complications and an illness, during pregnancy. Her fragment,
Emma, was published finally in 1860, in Cornhill Magazine, introduced by
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Thackeray. During Charlotte’s life she was a great admirer of Thackeray, wrote to
him, and dedicated Jane Eyre to him.
Charlotte Bronte was both greatly admired, and harshly criticized by
literary critics in her day. Many critics accused her of being overly emotional,
rebellious, rage, blasphemousness, and passionate. H. Martineau, a critic, wrote of
Villette, that it “dealt excessively with ‘the need of being loved’, and was
passionately anti-Catholic” (Drabble, 134). Nevertheless, Charlotte Bronte was
known in her day, and is remembered for her “depth of feeling and her courageous
realism”. Her remarkable ability to capture the humanism in her characters,
especially in strong female protagonists, distinguished her from other novelists
and writers who did not create such human, nor fallible portraits. Charlotte Bronte
is considered to be the most talented and popular of the Bronte sisters.
B. The Summary of Charlotte Bronte’s Novel Jane Eyre
Begins with Jane as a 10 years old orphan in 1-812 her parents died of
typhus, he was a poor clergyman. She is living at Gateshead and is being
reluctantly raised by Jane's mother's brother's widow, Mrs. Sarah Reed. She and
her children Eliza, John (14), and Georgiana treat Jane cruelly and spitefully,
leaving her feel wretched. As punishment, Jane is locked up in the red-room
where her uncle Mr. Reed had died. She is terrified and has a fit. Bessie and the
apothecary console Jane and he recommends that she be placed in a school.
Jane lives in isolation. Mr. Brocklehurst arrives and agrees to take Jane
into his charity school for orphans, Lowood Institution. Mrs. Reed tells him that
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Jane is deceitful. Later, Jane confronts her on her own deceit and cruelty and
Mrs. Reed backs down.
Jane travels by herself in a carriage 50 miles to the school. The food is
poor. She meets and is befriended by the angelic Helen Burns.
It is so cold that the wash water freezes in the basins. Helen is whipped
for a minor infraction and submits cheerfully. The children are underfed and
under clothed and over-sermonized. Mr. Brocklehurst arrives and imposes
austerity. He makes an example out of Jane, whom he calls a liar and an agent of
the Evil One. Later, Jane is comforted and exonerated by Miss Temple, the
French teacher, and she begins to study French. Typhus sweeps through the
school, killing many students. Jane befriends Mary Ann Wilson. Helen dies of
consumption.
At 18 in 1820, Jane is now a teacher at Lowood. Miss Temple marries and
leaves. Jane wants to move on and runs an ad. Mrs. Fairfax of
Thornfield responds to the ad. Bessie comes to see Jane and informs her that
Jane's uncle Mr. (John) Eyre of Madeira had come to see her at Mrs. Reed's 7
years earlier.
Jane arrives in October at the village of Milcote, 6 miles from Thornfield,
being brought by servant John. She meets Mrs. Fairfax, a widow and manager
of the household, along with her new pupil, Adele Varens, an orphan who was
born on the Continent and speaks primarily French. Jane hears strange sounds,
which Mrs. Fairfax attributes to the servant Grace Poole.
In January, Jane walks to Hay to mail a letter and encounters a man [Mr.
Edward/Edouard Fairfax de Rochester], who is on horseback but falls off at the
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moment of their meeting. His dog Pilot is with him. She assists him but
receives no introduction.
Back at the manor, he rudely interviews Jane, hears her play the piano and
inspects her water colors. Later, Mrs. Fairfax tells her that he has been master at
Thornfield only 9 years since his elder brother Rowland died, and implies that
there were some harsh conditions imposed on him by the father and brother.
Mr. Rochester calls Jane, in for more conversation. She is blunt and not
cowed by him, plain in her statements, not comprehending the enigmatic man.
He says he was thrust on the wrong tack at 21 and is a sinner—she encourages
him to repent.
Mr. Rochester tells of his affair with the opera singer Celine Varens. She
bore Adele, who may be his daughter (he is not certain), but she betrayed him
for another man. During the night, (Bertha) sets Rochester's bed on fire and
Jane saves his life. Grace Poole is blamed. They are warming to each other.
Next morning, Jane is puzzled to find a self-composed Grace Poole.
Rochester has left for Leas, home of the Eshton's, where he will see the lovely
Miss Blanche Ingram.
With Rochester gone, Jane struggles with her rising feelings for him. She
suspects there is a secret about Grace Poole. Rochester arrives with guests
including Blanche. Jane brings in Adele but stays in the shadows. Blanche
disparages governesses, plays the piano while Rochester sings. Rochester
insists that Jane be present each evening.
Blanche plays charades with Rochester including a pantomime of
marriage. Jane ponders her growing feelings for Rochester and believes
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Blanche to be superficial, unkind, unworthy of him. He does not love her. Mr.
Mason arrives from the West Indies, an unwelcome guest to Rochester A
"gypsy" fortune teller arrives and insists on telling the fortunes to Blanche
(which is unfavorable) and then to the skeptical Jane. The "gypsy" alludes to
Jane's loneliness, quizzes her about her feelings, and gives an enigmatic
fortune, then reveals him self to be Rochester!
In the middle of the night, the full moon shines and a cry ring out.
Mason has been stabbed and bitten and is bleeding. Rochester glosses over this,
and has Jane help him. She knows his explanation is a fabrication. A surgeon
attends the wounded man and is then quickly whisked away. Rochester speaks
obliquely to Jane about a past error, years of voluntary banishment, the joy he
receives (from her), an impediment of custom... but then shifts mood and talks
of Blanche.
Jane is called to return to Mrs. Reed, who has had a stroke after son
John's suicide, and is dying. Bessie and Robert greet her and the daughters are
civil. Mrs. Reed tells her of a letter 3 years ago from John Eyre of Madeira in
which he wanted to adopt Jane and make her his heir. She, out of continued spite,
wrote him that Jane had died, she asks for and receives Jane's forgiveness for
this act. Jane stays on there until she dies. Jane returns to Thornfield, and is
surprised at the lack of wedding preparations and R's attentions to her.
On a fine summer night, Jane announces to Rochester that she must take
another position because he will be marrying. Instead, he asks her to marry him.
She is incredulous but is quickly won over. He asks God's pardon, but a tree is
later struck by lightning.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
Rochester wants to drape Jane in jewels but she insists on a plainer
appearance in keeping with her character. He had courted Miss Ingram to make
her jealous. Mrs. Fairfax is gloomy at the news of the engagement and keeps
away from her.
On the day before the wedding, Jane dreams of the ruin of Thornfield. A
strange dark woman came to her bedroom and tore her wedding veil to shreds.
Rochester ducks explaining for now, says he will do so later, and advises her to
sleep with Adele behind locked doors.
Rochester is impatient for the wedding. But when it commences, Richard
Mason and his solicitor interrupt the wedding to reveal Rochester's marriage to
Bertha Mason, a Creole, 15 years ago. Jane's uncle John is dying but had sent
word to stop the marriage. Jane resigns herself that she must leave.
Rochester explains to Jane his actions. He wants to take her away but she
will not be his unlawful mistress if he is already married. Her refusal provokes
him to anger. He relates that his father and brother arranged the marriage
to Bertha, her mother's insanity (which had been concealed), Bertha's rapid
descent into madness and intemperate and unchaste' behavior, his resolve to
conceal her existence. He took her back incognito to England, hired Grace
Poole to care for her, wanders the Continent, and has two mistresses, his
appreciation for Jane. Jane will keep God's commandments and sneaks off in the
night and takes a coach.
Jane is broke, wanders the moors (of Derbyshire), sleeps out on the
heath, is refused work or assistance, tries to barter away her gloves or
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
handkerchief, and finally seeks help in the rain at St. John River's home, his maid
refuses her but he arrives and takes her in.
She gradually recovers, chastises the servant for refusing her at her time
of need, then becomes friends with her. St. John questions her, she withholds
specifics and gives a false last name.
Jane gets on well with his sisters Mary and Diane. St. John is gloomy,
preaches Calvinistic doctrine. He offers Jane a position as schoolmistress of a
village school, she accepts. He is restless. An uncle (John Eyre) dies, but they
do not inherit the money. The sisters leave to become governesses, she
begins teaching in Morton.
Jane contemplates her meager surroundings and coarse students,
wonders if she did the right thing leaving Rochester. St. John arrives, alludes to
his struggle to overcome his urges, says he will be leaving for the east to be a
missionary. Miss Rosamond Oliver comes by, flirts, and invites St. John to
come over. He is uncomfortable with her and declines.
Jane is well accepted by the villagers. Rosamond drops by frequently to
encounter St. John. Jane probes his conflicted feelings for Rosamond, concludes
he should marry her.
He loves her but knows she would not be a good missionary's wife. He
leaves but returns soon after. He had noticed Jane's monogram and Jane confesses
her true identity. He reveals they are cousins: Jane's mother (Jane Reed) was St.
John River's father' sister. Also, St. John's mother had children John Eyre of
Madeira and Jane's father. The Uncle John has left his 20,000 to her. Jane
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009
resolves to live at Moor House, the old family home which was going to be
abandoned, and to share her inheritance with St. John and her cousins.
St. John disapproves of Jane's enjoyment of simple worldly pleasures. He
has no appreciation for the improvements she makes to the house. Mary and
Diane return. Miss Rosamond is to be married. St. John wants Jane to learn
Hindustani. He is leaving in 6 weeks and asks her to marry him to help with his
missionary work, though he conveys no love to her. Jane agrees to go but not to
marry him. He is cool, austere, disapproving to her.
Jane is tortured by his icy behavior. She wants to find out what
happened to Rochester. She is on the verge of deciding to marry St. John when
she hears Rochester's voice cry out, but from where? She cries. "I am coming"
and breaks from St. John ("it was my time to assume ascendancy.")
Jane returns to Thornfield Hall to find it burned down the previous
autumn. The innkeeper tells her that Bertha set the fire, Rochester tried to save
her, she jumped to her death from the roof, he was badly injured (lost an eye and
a hand and has been blinded), now is living at Ferndean.
She goes to Ferndean, it is buried a wood, neglected. She is joyously
reunited with Rochester. She readily agrees to marry him. He tells her how he
turned in desperation to God and how he cried out one night to her, the night she
heard him, and he had heard her reply.
“Reader, I married him.” They experience great bliss. Jane puts Adele in a
nicer school. Rochester recovers fair sight in the eye remaining. They have at least
one child, a son. After 10 years, Mary and Diana have married and St. John is
dying, unmarried, still dedicated to his missionary work.
Sekar Kurniasih : An Analysis Of Love Values In Charlotte Bronte’s Novel: Jane Eyre, 2009. USU Repository © 2009