"Women feel just as men feel:they need exercise for their faculties and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do." Examine the way that Jane Eyre makes the case for female education."During the Victorian period, women, and especially middle‐class women, were seen to naturally differ from men in every respect, and especially intellectually." Beate Wilhelm's The Role of Women in Victorian England Reflected in Jane Eyre (2005). Bronte writes Jane Eyre as a resemblance of the Victorian society that she lived in. In the Victorian society women and men's role were extremely different: women's was to provide for their husband by creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere ...view middle of the document...
It also suggests that society itself is trying to cage the potential of women's education because an institution is put forward and funded by society, showing that society believes women should be forced into domestic roles rather than flourishing in education. This portrays that Jane feels women education is limited and lacks freedom. Jane portrays that her time at Lowood felt as an, "age", which was not a, "golden age". She said it was an, "irksome struggle with difficulties in habituating myself to new rules and unwanted tasks". This implies that Jane is not content with the standard of education provided. She expresses a deep hatred for regulations and rules in Lowood suggesting that society and education are forcing women into one fixed role and are not allowing them to be liberated and free. This displays that Jane is unhappy with the role which women have to fill and she is upset with lack of educational and economic freedom which woman have. Despite Jane's dissatisfaction towards the education offered she still values it greatly as it shapes and moulds her future self. Jane's value of education is shown in her decision to become a governess as it is very rare for women to live a life from education and it provides her with economic freedom. Jane's continuation with education despite the horrific conditions she faced shows women's passion for learning and that a long with men they too have a desire to learn. Helen Burns says that there is, "no use in going away until I have attained…an education", highlighting that women are prepared to suffer for education.Jane Eyre's imagination and creativity displays that she feels women have the capability to do so much more than live a life of the domestic. Her imagination removes her from any tough situation and provides an escape route to a life of the fantasy. Her own ambition and sense of liberated self shows that she cares greatly for women's education. Jane often confides in stories when she was child to escape from her own harsh reality. Jane loses herself in her books such as, "Bewick's History of British Birds" which take her to, "Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland", all over the, "vast sweep of the Arctic Zone". The book Guliver's travels is even meant to provide a, "transient stimulus", for Jane. This illustrates that through her imagination and education Jane is able to escape to a realm of more peaceful and creative expressions. When reading a book Jane says she is,"happy: happy least in my own way". This displays that education for Jane gives a sense of escapism to make her life bearable. Jane expresses a passion for painting as it is the, "keenest pleasures I (Jane Eyre) have ever known". This depicts that Jane feels very passionate about education and it is this love for education which shapes her character. It also illustrates her imagination and creativity suggesting that it is these qualities which are important for women to master. Jane's imagination also gives her a gr...
