Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre, is a classic example of Victorian literature that explores common themes of the era, including love, passion, and self-discovery. In the novel, the protagonist, Jane Eyre, experiences several violent and emotional outbursts throughout the story, and her method of describing these feelings and the aftermath of them reveals a great deal about her character and the society she lives in.
The most significant outburst in the novel occurs when Jane Eyre confronts her employer, Mr. Rochester, about his engagement with the beautiful and wealthy Blanche Ingram. Since Jane is deeply in love with Mr. Rochester, the news of his marriage devastated Jane. Her outburst is the pinnacle of all the emotions she has been trying to hide for months, and an incident like such acts as a pivoting point for the story's plotline. Jane describes her feelings during the outburst as feeling passionate, fierce, and uncontrollable, which shows the intensity of her emotions and the sheer force of her outburst. While Jane is mostly calm and reserved, the polar opposite happens when she feels strongly about something, such as Mr. Rochester’s engagement. As she confronts Mr. Rochester, Jane's language becomes even more heated. While Jane usually speaks in a “well-composed” manner, the confrontation sheds new light on her. Jane accused Mr. Rochester of being a "traitor," a "liar," and a "hypocrite," and was quick to express her hatred for him. These words contrast with the composed and reserved language that Jane typically employs, and also reveal the absolute depth of her pain, anger, and suffering.
Jane's outburst is not only an expression of her love for Mr. Rochester but also a symbol that opposes the contemporary norms of women in the Victorian Era. During the Victorian Era, women are expected to be obedient and must follow the beliefs and ideas of their husbands with no rebellion. They were also expected to be honest, pure, and selfless for their fiance. Women's opportunities for education and jobs were also severely limited, and they were extremely dependent on their husband’s income. Furthermore, women were seen as inferior to their male counterparts, and their existence is purely for them to create children. Despite these societal and unjust limitations, many women, such as Jane, went head-to-head against these unfair beliefs. By expressing her unique feelings and thoughts, Jane breaks such norms and shows herself as rebellious, disobedient, and independent; the opposite of what was expected from her.
The aftermath of Jane's outburst is equally as important to the story. After she has shed off her emotions, Jane experiences a sense of relief, but at the same time, is also filled with shame and self-doubt. To illustrate such, the author compares the first impression of wine to its harsh after-taste. Jane begins questioning whether her behavior was appropriate and worries about the consequences of her actions, which shows Jane's sense of self-awareness. While men are allowed to express their emotions freely and believe in themselves, women are expected to be passive and submissive, much like a thoughtless creature that follows its leader, showcasing the presence of double standards, where different rules apply to different people living in the same society. Jane's outburst throughout the novel goes against these double standards and shows that women are just as capable of feeling and expressing themselves as men.
In conclusion, the description of Jane Eyre's outbursts and their feelings afterward reveals much about her character and the society she lives in. Jane’s explosive showcases of love and anger demonstrate that she, along with other women of her era, are beings capable of expressing and standing up for themselves. Her experience of shame and self-criticism after the outburst highlights the unjust double standards that existed in Jane’s society and the challenges that women face to express themselves.
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