Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre
Critics such as Adrienne Rich argue that Jane Eyre has to choose between the "temptation" of following the rule of passion by marrying Rochester, which would have made her dependent on him and not his equal, or of living a life of complete renunciation of all passions, by marrying St John Rivers. Fire and water imagery symbolises the two forces competing for dominance in Jane Eyre, both on a personal and metaphorical level. Throughout the novel, such imagery is used by Bront�, in keeping with her use of much poetic symbolism, to develop character, strengthen thematic detail and establish mood.
The general use of imagery requires mention. In most novels, imagery is commonly used to ...
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but can also burn. With water imagery, it is useful to consider that such imagery includes natural imagery of ice, sea and snow, all common features in the novel. Water, the antithesis of fire, represents the extreme point of cool reason, without any trace of passion. As we see Jane wander between these two points of temptation throughout the novel, the accompanying imagery of fire and water is most significant to our understanding of the themes and concerns of the novel.
Fire imagery is used by Bront� to develop Jane's character throughout the novel. As the novel progresses, the corresponding imagery changes to show different aspects of Jane's character. We see Jane's overly passionate nature through her punishment at Gateshead. She is unable to control her passions and strikes John Reed when he physically bullied her by grasping her hair and shoulders. As her punishment, Jane is locked up in the red-room. The colour red is significant here - red, the colour of fire and heat, ...
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sense of imagery in them. The "green water" in the first painting, for example, represents death by drowning, as the woman is drowning in the water and the ship is capsizing. The image of "a swollen sea" carries with it expressions and expectations of impending danger. Jane, because of her passionate nature, sees water, representing a locking out of passion and emotion, as death itself. This is significant to our understanding of the thematic structure of the novel, as Jane must necessarily come to realise that while total reason without passion, as embodied in the water imagery described above, is undesirable, unregulated passion must be avoided as well. Bront� uses the water imagery ...
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"Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347.
"Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347.
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