As a bildungsroman, Jane Eyre follows the journey of its heroine's development from youth to intellectual maturity. As the novel progresses the theme of religion is one that takes a strong hold on Jane herself. In order to analyse the question, one must differentiate between Paganism and Christianity. The simple difference is that Paganism believes in a variety of Gods, each controlling a different aspect of life. Although Pagans deem their God's are perfect they understand that no one God can control the whole world. Pagans believe that everything happens for a reason, whether it is a thunderstorm, a good or bad crop, or a death or birth of an infant. The God's do everything for a reason. Christianity, on the other hand, only believes in One God. The perfect God who controls the whole world. Unlike Pagans, Christians believe that anything good or bad that happens is God's Will', no reason need to be given, whereas Pagans understand things happen because they have angered or gladdened the Gods.
Throughout the novel, Jane struggles to find a right balance between the Christian faith and her attentions to nature and Paganism. Throughout Jane's experiences at Lowood, and even just before she is admitted there, she tells the reader, in passing, about the frequency of religion in the Institution. While she is still in the care of Mrs. Reed, she first meets Mr. Brocklehurst. In her conversation with him, he asks her many questions about her daily prayers, whether or not she
knows her Psalms, and if she reads the Bible faithfully. When her answers do not comply with what he expects, he, too, thinks that she is "wicked". Further, her first full day at Lowood begins with over an hour worth of religion and then before and after breakfast, grace is said and hymns are sung.
Through her journey she encounters three main religious figures. Brocklehurst is hypocritical and while he subjects his students to various privations and humiliations, he indulges himself and his family in a life of luxury, Jane remarks that his daughters "had grey beaver hats, shaded with ostrich plumes"
Also at Lowood, Helen Burns introduces Jane to a world of Christianity completely different to that of Brocklehurst. Helen says, "The Bible bids us return good for evil". Later, shortly before Helen dies, she tells Jane "I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is good; I can resign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend; I love Him; I believeHe loves me". However Helen's way of absolutes forgiveness and tolerance seems too timid for Jane. Later on, St, John Rivers provides another model of Christian behaviour. His is a Christianity of ambition, glory, and extreme self importance. Each model represents religion, faith and their ultimate consequences.
Although Jane ends up rejecting all three models of religion, she does not abandon spiritualism or belief in a Christian god. When her wedding is interrupted, she prays to God for consolation, "be not far from me, for trouble is near: there is none to help". As she wanders the heath, poor and starving, she puts her survival in the hands of God, "[I] turned my prayer to thanks giving: The Source of Life was also the Savoir of Spirits". She strongly objects to Rochester's immoral sin, and she refuses to consider living with him whilst the church and state still deem him married to another woman. She credits God for helping her to escape what she knows would have been a morally wrong life.
As Pagans were polytheistic they had gods and goddesses of the forests, the sea and of all aspects of nature. Pagans began to personify the energies of the land, sky and other elements by giving specific responsibilities to individual Gods. The Pagan forces that are apparent throughout the novel consist mainly of the natural forces, Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. Wind is noticeable in the scene where Rochester explains his marriage to Bertha Mason, the "wind fresh from Europe". Rochester also experiences the natural element: Fire when Bertha Mason sets fire to Thornfield Hall.
Jane encounters many people from different walks of life throughout her journey, but it seems that only one presence is persistent throughout her entire pilgrimage. The Moon. The moon is seen as a pagan force as they worship the moon. The moon is visible from Jane's "fit" in the red-room, "a ray from the moon penetrating some aperture in the blind?" to her supernatural connection with Rochester where the room "was full of moonlight"; she plays an essential role of Jane's life. Bront personifies the moon making it female and letting it dominate the setting of the novel.
Coincidentally, this solar image functions as a maternal figure providing guidance and protection. When Jane is lost wandering on the heath she proclaims "I have no relative but the universal Mother Nature: I will seek her breast and ask repose". It is no coincidence, therefore, that the moon presides over several parts of the characters development. Before her "moment's mutiny" against John Reed Jane sees an image of "the cold and ghastly moon glancing through the bars of cloud". As she commences her new life and travels alone to Lowood, she "had washed my face and put on my clothes by the light of the half-moon just setting, whose ray streamed through the narrow window near my crib". Again, the moon appears during Jane's first encounter with Rochester: "Something of daylight still lingered, and the moon was waxing bright". This image of the moon waxing conjures up images that she made Rochester appear from nowhere. Almost as if the Pagan Gods were sending Jane a gift because she had satisfied them.
By the end of the novel, Jane finds herself in a comfortable place in regards to religion. She has not adopted any of the models that Brocklehurst, Helen Burns or St. John Rivers opened up to her, but she moves between Paganism and Christianity. Even still her last words of the novel "Amen; even so come, Lord Jesus!" conclude that she has found faith and peace through Christianity as has Rochester, whose own faith was returned to him through the arrival of Jane. However, her journey from youth to maturity does not seem possible without the strength she found from Mother Nature.
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Advantages: A great classic, good plot, wonderful characters, happy ending Disadvantages: A little melodramatic in places, could be considered old-fashioned
Oct 25th, 2008
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