The Novel Jane Eyre and The Image of Governess

The Novel Jane Eyre and The Image

of Governess

By Zhang Wenwen

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

School of Language and Culture

Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology

June, 2017

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have helped me during the writing of this thesis.

First and foremost, I’m greatly grateful to my advisor, Ms. Xia Yuling, for her inspiring advice and instructive suggestions on my thesis. In the preparation of this thesis, she has carefully read the manuscript and has provided me with valuable advice. Her unwavering support and patient instruction has helped me pull through challenges and hardships. Without her expert and meticulous guidance, the smooth completion of this thesis would not have been possible.

I feel also deeply indebted to all the other tutors and teachers in School of Languages and Cultures for their sincere help to me. They have offered me valuable courses during my study and I have benefited greatly from their lectures. Their profound knowledge of English deepens my love for this beautiful language and their rigorous attitude of scholarship tells me how to learn English.

Special thanks should be given to my friends who have spent considerable time and effort helping me work out difficult problems in the course of the thesis. .

Finally, I should like to thank my beloved parents for their continuous support and encouragement.

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Governess – a new type of literary image 1

2.1 Jane Eyre’s career growth as a governess 2

2.2 The survival and professional characteristics of governess 2

3. The cultural and social background of the literary image 3

3.1 The literary creation of the character of governess 4

3.2 Women's view of career and marriage 4

3.3 Women's traditional conditions of education and social status 6

4. The breakthrough of the new female image 7

4.1 An ordinary woman 7

4.2 An independent woman 7

4.3 A strong woman 8

5. The literary connotation and social significance 9

5.1 A classic literary image 9

5.2 Struggles of the heroine 10

5.3 The literary connotation of language use 11

5.4 The enlightenment for temporary females 12

6. Conclusion 13

References 14

The Novel Jane Eyre and The Image of Governess

Zhang Wenwen

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: In the 19th century, many British writers began to adopt the image of governess in their works, among which the image of governess in Charlotte Bronte's work, Jane Eyre, was a huge transcendence and breakthrough. Jane Eyre tells an attractive love story, shaping an image of a laudable governess. The book also embodies the awakening of Jane Eyre's independent and equal feminist consciousness, and she fights for survival and equality of women, and finally she wins Rochester's true love and leads a happy life. This paper will mainly analyze the cultural background and social background of the image and fate of Jane as a governess, and reveal the literary connotation and social significance of the image of governess.

Key words: governess; female awareness; independence; equality; resistance

摘 要：19 世纪的英国, 很多作家的作品中都出现了家庭女教师的形象，其中夏洛蒂•勃朗特的作品《简爱》中塑造的女教师形象是一个巨大的超越和突破。《简爱》讲述了一个动人的爱情故事，塑造了一位值得歌颂的家庭女教师形象。书中也体现了简爱的独立平等的女性意识的觉醒，她为生存和女性平等而战，最后她获得了罗彻斯特的真爱，过上了幸福的生活。本文将主要通过分析简作为家庭女教师的形象和命运，探讨其背后的文化背景和社会背景，揭示家庭女教师形象的文学内涵和社会意义。

关键词: 家庭女教师； 女性意识；独立；平等；反抗

1. Introduction

In the early 19th century, a large number of middle-class British women took up the career of governess. However, due to various factors, female tutors were unable to make a decent living. Generally, after women entered the workplace, their social status would decline while adult males’ labor value received respect. In addition, fear of labor and fantasy of love also caused governesses’ inner pain. Jane Eyre, a representative of governess in this period, was not only a true portrayal of the author's own life in this era, but also reflected the common life of other female tutors.

It is known to all that Jane Eyre is a representative of Charlotte Bronte. The novel is created in the midst of a climax period in the British Charter Movement. The movement has raised the issue of women as a major issue, calling on women to strive for freedom and equality. In the context of this era, the female image of Jane Eyre, who was self-esteemed and rebellious, was born. So it has huge era significance and far-reaching historical significance, and it has exerted a huge impact on the world ever since. The novel tells a growing story of a young woman – Jane Eyre, she became an orphan when she was still young, through a variety of tribulations in her pursuit of freedom and dignity, she adhered to herself and ultimately gained happiness. The novel praises the courage to get rid of all the old customs and prejudice, successfully creating a new female image who dares to resist and fight for freedom and equality of women.

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