The Madwoman in the Attic. A Counterpart of Self Imprisonment and Freedom in Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Heidelberg (Anglistik), course: The Victorian Age, language: English, abstract: Every society has its norms and values, a code of appropriate behavior that can differ not only from one culture to another but also from one period of time to the next. A norm, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, constitutes a pattern or standard of accepted and expected behavior of a group. These arbitrary conventions of societal rules force an individual to abide by such set standards if he or she wishes to be integrated and enjoy all the advantages community has to offer. Though these social norms bridle us, having guidelines of how to interact in various circumstances, impart a sense of security, in that they tell us what to expect of other people and also facilitate day to day interaction. However, when an individual's world view and pursuits strongly collide with that of society's prescriptions, he or she can have difficulties to act upon them, as the norms prevalent in a society are strongly shaping people's opinion and behavior and allow not much room for deviation.

The power of a whole society can thus become so overwhelming to an individual, that they feel disoriented, as they cannot openly show their true emotions and feelings. Opposition to prescribed norms might only be uttered by a still, small voice, through a passive aggressive behavior. This can have devastating effects on the person nourishing anger, to which one inevitably has to give vent in one way or another. In the course of history, women were often restricted in their self-development.

In 19th century Victorian society, the time of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, marriage was depicted as the only fulfilling destiny for women. The "angel of the house" was supposed to have a quiet spirit and act in total submission to male authority. The following pages will analyze how Bertha Rochester is the personification of Jane's rebellion and feeling of oppression in a male dominated society in which she challenges established and rigid gender norms and fights for love and freedom. First of all it will be analyzed how space is semanticized and becomes a bearer of meaning, and so provides information about Jane's world and her feelings. Secondly, Jane's and Bertha's imprisonment and denied freedom will be examined, followed by a closer look at Jane's process of self-realization.