religion in jane eyre

Religion in Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte addresses the theme of Religion in the novel Jane Eyre using manycharacters as symbols. Bronte states, "Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousnessis not religion"(preface v). In Jane Eyre, Bronte supports the theme that customary actionsare not always moral through the conventional personalities of Mrs. Reed, Mr.Brocklehurst, and St. John Rivers. The novel begins in Gateshead Hall when Jane must stay away from her aunt andcousins because she does not know how to speak pleasantly to them. Mrs. Reed,possesses a higher standing in society. Due to Jane's lower class standing, Mrs. Reedtreats Jane as an outcast. As Bessie and Miss Abbot drag Jane to the "red room" a mostscary room for a child, she is told by Miss Abbot: "No; you are less than a servant for youdo nothing for your keep"(14).She must stay in the red room after she retaliates to theattack John Reed makes upon her, her obnoxious cousin. John tells Jane "mamma says;you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not live here withgentlemen's children like us and eat the same meals that we do, and wear clothes at ourmama's expense"(12). She receives no love or approval from her family. The only form of love that she doeshave is the doll she clings to at night when she sleeps. Mrs. Reed is a conventional womanwho believes that her class standing sets her to be superior, and therefore better than amember of her own family. As a result of Jane's tantrums, quick temper, and lack of self-control, society classifies her as an immoral person. She speaks up for her herself whenshe knows she is not supposed to, and her family believes that she acts more like a "rebel"than a young woman. Her spontaneous and violent actions go against conventionality andshe must suffer for being so free-spirited. Miss Abbot believes: "God will punish her: Hemight strike her in the midst of her tantrums"; (15). Jane's tantrums are not customary oracceptable, so during those precise moments of her tantrums, she is especially susceptibleto God's punishment. Miss Abbot constantly reminds Jane that she is wicked, she needs torepent, and she is especially dependent on prayer. The Reed children, in contrast, aretreated completely opposite. Although John Reed is cruel and vicious to Jane, he receivesno type of warning that God will punish him. The novel proceeds to Lowood, a school designed to educate and care for orphanedchildren. Mrs. Reed decides to send Jane there after the doctor, Mr. Lloyd, advises herthat Jane should attend school. Mrs. Reed is glad to be rid of Jane and asks Jane not towake the family the day of her departure. Jane arrives at Lowood and observes thebehavior of the students. They are "all with plain locks combed from their faces, not acurl visible; in brown dresses, made high, and surrounded by a narrow tucker about thethroat"(49). The day is long and all students must wake up at dawn and read the Bible forhours at a time. One day, Miss Temple serves the children cheese in order to compensatefor their burnt porridge. Mr. Brocklehurst, the self-righteous leader of Lowood, tells MissTemple: "You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls, is not to accustom themto luxury and indulgence, but to render them, hardy, patient, and self-denying"(65). Mr.Brocklehurst stresses the importance of plain clothing and humility. The acts performedby Mr. Brocklehurst are even more hypocritical when one compares them to the acts ofHelen Burns. She serves as a role model to Jane and states: "Love your enemies; blessthem that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despite fullly use you"(60).Bronte uses Helen's beliefs as a contrast to the conventional and self-righteous actions ofMr. Brocklehurst. Life continues at Lowood and the children trudge to Brocklebridge Church daily in thefreezing cold without proper clothing. The long walks coupled with the lack of food atLowood lead to an outbreak of typhus. During this outbreak, Helen dies and she states "Icount the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to him, reveal him tome"(114). Here, Bronte emphasizes the point that Helen dies happy and clings to herreligious beliefs. The outbreak of typhus leads authorities to examine the school. Theydiscover the awful conditions the students of Lowood live in. "And the discoveryproduced a result mortifying to Mr. Brocklehurst, but beneficial to the institution"(116). Mr. Brocklehurst is punished for his actions. He no longer may run the institution on hisown. He is a self-righteous man who confused the ideals of Religion with suffering. Janeblossoms at Lowood and acquires many new skills. Mr. Brocklehurst was not able tofulfill his desires to change his students at Lowood into servants and sufferers becauseothers gained authority over him. Bronte's views that "self-righteousness is not religion"are supported through the actions of Mr. Brocklehurst. The novel then proceeds to Thornfield, where Jane meets Mr. Rochester. She falls inlove with him after some time, but she leaves him when she finds out that he wouldcommit an act of bigamy if he marries her. Jane ends up with the Rivers family. Janemeets a very enthusiastic religious man, St. John, who devotes his life to performingreligious acts. Jane states, "He was comparatively seldom at home: a large proportion ofhis time appeared devoted to visiting the sick and poor among the scattered population ofhis parish"(353). As a clergyman, St. John Rivers performs all of the duties that societyexpects of him, he visits the poor, he takes care of the sick, and he plans to take missiontrips. If St. John believes that the society will perceive a mission trip to India as abeneficial thing, then he will go to India. All of his actions are planned and traditional andas a result, St. John takes no personal satisfaction in the work that he does. As Jane learnsabout St. John, she realizes that he is similar to Mr. Brocklehurst, she seems to get a hintof distrust in him. St. John Rivers is also a hypocrite. He preaches the news of God, as amissionary, but he simultaneously commits a very sacrilegious act. He tries to force Janeto marry him when he states: "and do not forget if you reject it, (the proposal) it is not meyou deny, but God"(411). St. John focuses his life on the acts of Religion and is not ahappy person and is not easily able to lead a satisfactory life. Like Mr. Brocklehurst, heconfuses the idea of conventionality with morality. The novel ends when Jane marries Mr. Rochester, who establishes a firmer grasp onreligion. He has overcome many handicaps throughout the novel. He once believed thathe had to lavish individuals with gifts in order to show his love for them. When the novelends, Rochester has changed his value system and no longer places an extreme emphasison physical things, he confesses his sins to God. He does not confuse morality withconventionality as St. John and Mr. Brocklehurst have. He knows that in order to maintaina relationship with God, he does not have to travel to church in the freezing cold. Bronteuses Mr.Rochester as a contrast to Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John Rivers. Mr.Rochester changes his conventional ways, and then is able to live a more moral and happylife. The characters Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John lead their lives inconventional and self-righteous ways and Bronte portrays them to be corrupt. This ideasupports the main theme in JaneEyre, "Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousnessis not religion". . Religion in Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte addresses the theme of Religion in the novel Jane Eyre using manycharacters as symbols a higher standing in society. Due to Jane& apos;s lower class standing, Mrs. Reedtreats Jane as an outcast. As Bessie and Miss Abbot drag Jane to the "red