Bertha mason is quite possibly the biggest antagonist in jane eyre. The timid brother of bertha mason, and rochesters former business partner in jamaica. Sep 03, 2014 richard mason is a fascinating character, created by charlotte bronte, for her novel jane eyre, and taken up a century later in the prequel written by jean rhys, wide sargasso sea. Jane eyre 1943 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Carol atherton explores the character of bertha mason in jane eyre through ideas of the other, charlotte brontes narrative doubling and. The story is still the timeless one that jane eyre fans know and love, and absolutely loved how the production portrayed jane s psychological journey and character growth in every detail with remarkable nuance. Jan 11, 2012 dark doubles in jane eyre while some critics regard bertha mason mrs. The lesson analyzes bertha mason both as an image of horror and as a tragic figure, and.
The story of jane eyre, the plain quakerish governess is told from her childhood until she arrives at thornfield hall to tutor the young adele. Rochester asks jane to go with him to the south of france, and live with him as husband and wife, even though they cannot be married. Of course, theres another woman writer here besides charlotte brontetheres jane eyre herself, who narrates this entire novel and describes it as her autobiography. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one.
Thus, using bertha mason as an outlet for janes subconscious thoughts, readers can better grasp the entirety of the narrators character to. Widely considered a classic, it gave a new truthfulness to the victorian novel with its realistic portrayal of the inner life of a woman, noting her struggles with her natural desires and social condition. Jane eyre characters from litcharts the creators of. She impedes janes happiness, but she also catalyses the growth of janes selfunderstanding. One of the colonialist goals of this novel is to create a prototype of the proper english woman, someone like jane who is frank, sincere, and. Rochester metaphorically reveals his feelings to a unknowing jane. Rochester as a mere plot device in brontes text an obstacle to janes happiness who must be excised from the narrative before closure can be achieved others have argued that bertha may be seen as janes dark double. Rochester, with joan fontaine playing the title character. Bertha antoinetta mason, edward rochesters clandestine first wife, was an essential component to the plot and character development in jane eyre. Jane eyre by charlotte bronte literary analysis part 1. I have tried a few times since, again circumstances in life intervening.
This distaste jane eyre feels for masons appearance foreshadows the trouble he brings with him to thornfield. Jane eyre characters from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Although she meets with a series of individuals who threaten her autonomy, jane repeatedly succeeds at asserting herself and maintains her principles of justice, human. Richard mason is a fascinating character, created by charlotte bronte, for her novel jane eyre, and taken up a century later in the prequel written by jean rhys, wide sargasso sea. Bertha mason and the trope of the mad woman in jane eyre. Jane eyre is a classic novel by charlotte bronte which was published in 1847. Bertha can be interpreted as janes double because she can be seen to embody all of janes subconscious desires, and also render those desires into concrete actions.
Understanding jane eyre through bertha mason literature essay. Richard mason is a fascinating character, created by charlotte bronte, for her novel jane eyre, and taken up a century later in the prequel. She is the source of the mysterious, mocking laugh that jane hears as she stands on the battlements of thornfield hall, desperate for freedom from domestic routine. Her name is bertha mason and she is a character in jane eyre, a novel written by charlotte bronte. It is an overhyped mary sue wishfulfilling autobiography of a sad little woman who had achieved very little in her life except for this one. Although master reed and mrs reed are emotionally and physically cruel to jane, bertha potentially does the most amount of damage to her, intentionally or indirectly. She finds herself intrigued by and attracted to thornfields owner, the dark, sardonic natch mr. One such example of this is a woman who tried to fight the patriarchal norms. Jane eyre is a progressive book in many senses far ahead of its time, it is even deemed feminist. Sometimes its hard to keep track of what bertha mason is up to during jane eyre. The character of bertha mason in jane eyre from litcharts. So, rochester and jane eyre are both haunted by his first wife, by bertha mason, and its one of the most powerful and moving passages of the whole book and her presence haunts it even when shes not there and shes such an interesting figure because in some ways shes like jane theres lots of parallels between the two of them. Reed represents the anxiety of a wealthy and conservative social class, which acts defensively to protect itself from independent minds like jane s.
It was directed by robert stevenson and produced by the uncredited kenneth macgowan and orson welles. Reed feels threatened by jane, who has superior qualities to her own children. Analysis of the character bertha mason and her importance in. Nov 11, 2014 perhaps the biggest and most important secret in jane eyre is that mr. Married to an insane creole woman, bertha mason, rochester sought solace for several years in the arms of.
Though jane has little empathy for her, she has much in common with the madwoman in the attic. Rochester discloses the identity of the woman locked in the attic of his thornfield hall as his wife after a thwarted attempt to marry jane eyre. Jane eyre the protagonist and narrator of the novel, jane is an intelligent, honest, plainfeatured young girl forced to contend with oppression, inequality, and hardship. She is described as the violently insane first wife of edward rochester, who moved her to thornfield hall and locked her in a room on the third floor. Jane eyre is the story of a young, orphaned girl shockingly, shes named jane eyre who lives with her aunt and cousins, the reeds, at gateshead hall. Bertha mason full name bertha antoinetta mason is a fictional character in charlotte brontes 1847 novel jane eyre. Rochester worries that mason has told them something grave or mysterious about him. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for bertha mason from jane eyre. Jane eyre, an orphan, must find her own way in the world while learning about friendship, family, love, trust, societal rolesand how to deal with dark secrets. Jane s aunt by marriage, and the matron of gateshead hall. Foil character role analysis bertha mason to jane eyre. Jun 12, 2016 first of all, i never consider jane eyre a feminist work. An orphan who endures a harsh childhood, jane eyre becomes governess at thornfield hall in the employment of the mysterious mr.
Through mason s description, bronte is able to present berthas nature as bestial and even vampiric, a term in itself that alludes to the gothic literary tradition. Like all nineteenthcentury orphans, her situation pretty much sucks. Did the woman in the attic in jane eyre have huntington. Feb 03, 2010 a strange man, richard mason, arrives to thornfield hall. Character analysis of bertha mason in jane eyre 967 words. Mason reappears in all hallows at eyre hall, the sequel to both jane eyre and wide sargasso sea, as one of the main characters. She is described as the violently insane first wife. Eyre received jane s letter about her impending marriage. Bertha mason is a fictional character in charlotte brontes 1847 novel jane eyre. Rochesters first wife in charlotte brontes jane eyre. Jane eyre is an american film adaptation of charlotte brontes 1847 novel of the same name, released by 20th century fox. Bertha as the feminist heroine of jane eyre jane eyre, written in 1847 by charlotte bronte, chronicles the journey of the title character as she faces hardships and adversity along her journey into adulthood.
In jane eyre, the character of bertha mason serves as an ominous representation of uncontrollable passion and madness. Before leaving, jane tells rochester about mason s arrival. This lesson examines the character of bertha mason in charlotte brontes 1847 masterpiece jane eyre. Tentative answers to these questions can be discovered by examining the novels representation of foreign women, especially bertha mason, and the colonialist doctrines of jane and of st. In charlotte brontes jane eyre bertha mason and jane eyre share various attributes in their characters. As she lived in a time when women were not encouraged to write, charlotte. She is bertha mason, rochesters first wife, the mad woman in the attic who has been granted her own voice. A successful wine merchant who leaves jane an inheritance of 20,000 pounds. Rochester forbids jane and richard mason to speak about what has occurred, jane cannot help overhearing this clue to the mystery of thornfield. As she lived in a time when women were not encouraged to write, charlotte bronte wrote under the pseudonym currer bell to avoid being ostracized by society, and to avoid being badly received by the audience because the book was written by a woman.
Berthas family heritage is complex and puts her in a difficult position. Were never more like someone than when we consider them our mortal enemy. She is described as the violently insane first wife of edward rochester, who moved her to thornfield hall and locked her in a room on the third floor the 1966 parallel novel wide sargasso sea by jean rhys serves as a prequel to brontes novel. This secret serves as the solution to many of the mysteries in jane eyre. Perhaps the biggest and most important secret in jane eyre is that mr. May 15, 2014 before we actually find out about bertha masons existence, we are aware of her as an uneasy and even threatening presence. In the novel, mason was the former wife of edward rochester and she was kept locked up. The jane eyre study guide contains a biography of charlotte bronte, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a fu. Literary analysis essay the reconciliation of fire, ice, and eyre. The jane eyre quotes below are all either spoken by bertha mason or refer to bertha mason.
Understanding jane eyre through bertha mason literature. Analysis of the character bertha mason and her importance in the novel jane eyre essay sample. When the novel begins, she is an isolated, powerless tenyearold living with an aunt and cousins who dislike her. She impedes jane s happiness, but she also catalyses the growth of jane s selfunderstanding. Jane s moral pilgrimage and the maturity of charlotte brontes characterization are celebrated aspects of the novel, as is its imagery and narrative power.
Bertha mason, fictional character, the creole wife of edward rochester in jane eyre 1847 by charlotte bronte and wide sargasso sea 1966 by jean. In the novel, mason was the former wife of edward rochester and she was kept locked up in the attic because she was mad. In the novel jane eyre, charlotte bronte explores a patriarchal victorian society, where nature clashes with monotheist christianity, and passion clashes with reason. Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. If, however, readers consider analyzing bertha mason alongside with jane eyre, then they may have a more comprehensive understanding about the entirety of the narrator. Jane tells rochester the disguise was unfair and admits she had suspected grace poole of being the masquerader. Bertha mason, fictional character, the creole wife of edward rochester in jane eyre 1847 by charlotte bronte and wide sargasso sea 1966. Bertha and jane only meet facetoface twice, and they never have any conversations, but, as rochesters two wives and as the two higherclassthantheservants residents of thornfield, theyre still odd doubles of one another. Brooks ap english literature 29 august 2012 in jane eyre by charlotte bronte, bertha mason serves as both a warning and a savior to jane. Throughout the novel, she narrates her emotional growth from childhood to adulthood. Jane eyre, novel by charlotte bronte, first published in 1847. Although she meets with a series of individuals who threaten her autonomy, jane repeatedly succeeds at asserting herself and maintains her principles of justice, human dignity, and morality.
The story is still the timeless one that jane eyre fans know and love, and absolutely loved how the production portrayed jane. Aug 06, 2010 to thornfield hall an old friend of mr rochester arrives. Her dark sensuality and violent nature contrast sharply with janes calm morality, and it is no surprise that berthas presence at thornfield is a key factor in transforming mr. Bertha mason rochesters clandestine wife, bertha mason is a formerly beautiful and wealthy creole woman who has become insane, violent, and bestial. She is often viewed as a mirror of jane, especially since jane is one of the few characters who expresses sympathy for her. Jane eyre is the selfreliant and strongwilled heroine of jane eyre. What is the critical view of bertha mason in jane eyre. I must admit i did try jane eyre back then and was getting into it before circumstances meant i didnt do so much reading and could not get back into the story. Could bertha represent jane if shes also janes antagonist.
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