Jane Eyre: Beyond the Waiting Game
This letter is part of Nina's epistolary blog 'Nina's Diary', where she shares letters with her inner circle of close girlfriends. She overthinks films, books, and heritage sites to make sense of life.
London, September 24th
Dearest Nina,
Since we parted in Paris, my time in Rome has been a positive whirlwind... a blur of interminable functions and breathless visits to monuments. I found the Colosseum quite as magnificent as one might imagine, and yes, I succumbed to the tourist’s tradition and tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain! I arrived back in London only yesterday, and though the palace feels rather quiet after the Roman sun, I simply couldn’t wait a moment longer to sit at my desk and write to you.
Pray, do not read a single word further unless you have reached the final page of Jane Eyre!* I should never forgive myself if I ruined the conclusion for you.
We promised to share our thoughts, and here is my opening gambit: Wouldn’t you agree that we are quite used to 19th-century heroines who seem perpetually consigned to a "waiting game"? Whether they are shy and sweet—impeccable in their restraint—or perhaps armed with a sharp, witty tongue, they are so often merely waiting to be chosen by a man of means and standing. Don’t misunderstand me; I return to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice time and again, devouring every word with the greatest pleasure. After all, who doesn't possess a heart for a classic romance that culminates in a happy marriage? Yet, for me, Jane Eyre is of an entirely different calibre.
Jane is, to my mind, a truly singular creature; quite startlingly ahead of her time. Despite a most harrowing childhood spent under the thumb of that despotic aunt, she never once shies away from asserting her own will. Even as a mere slip of a girl, she refuses to be cowed. She is possessed of such an unconquerable spirit; she strives for nothing less than equality of regard and a genuine, hard-won respect. Though others frequently brand her as "difficult," it is simply that she refuses to be confined by the expectations of her station.
What I find utterly fascinating is how, at the tender age of ten, she grasped the cruel rules of her environment. Cast off by her aunt and sent to an institution marked by the most wretched neglect, she adopted a sort of calculated compliance. In a world where a young woman without means faces such dismal prospects, Jane understood that her survival depended entirely upon her own accomplishments. She gave eight years of her youth to Lowood, meticulously constructing a shell of Victorian decorum and securing an education that no one could take from her. To an observer, it might have seemed she had finally been cast into the conventional mould, but beneath that quiet exterior, the rebel remained, unbowed and uncaged. When she finally steps through those gates, she looks for no saviour. Jane is, and must be, her own person.
When she finally meets Mr. Rochester, she is beset by the most human of struggles: a fragile self-esteem. She possesses such formidable integrity, yet she remains as vulnerable as any of us. Dare she even dream of being loved? What I find most striking is that even when she declares her heart, she remains anchored to her own moral compass - not one dictated by the vapid approval of society, but by her own soul. She refuses to be his plaything or a "pet" to be adorned with jewels; she can only be with him if she stands as his absolute equal. She even possesses the staggering courage to walk away when she feels the life he offers is beneath her dignity. It is quite simply admirable.
This insistence upon equality leaves me deeply thoughtful about our own place in this modern world. Do you think, Nina, that we fight quite enough? Do we truly push back to ensure our voices are heard, or do we settle for the comfortable "waiting game"? I wonder if we truly know our own worth, or how to strive for that same level of equality in our own lives, with our families, our peers, and indeed, within the very fabric of our countries.
Ultimately, Jane Eyre is a profound lesson in self-worth and the necessity of knowing when to walk away from that which would diminish us. I find I quite envy her strength of purpose. It is a frightening thought, but one I cannot shake: despite the century that separates us, I truly believe she is ahead of us all. I find myself questioning if women a century from now will still be fighting these same silent battles of the heart and mind.
Do promise to write back the moment you have a spare hour in that bustling Parisian life of yours. I am quite desperate to hear your own impressions, and to know how your photography is progressing. Most importantly, you simply must promise to visit me here in London. I should dearly love to show you "my" city; not the one found in the guidebooks, but the London I see through my lens.
With warmest affection,
Lizzy
Bookish Crush 💖💖💖
(*): A landmark 1847 Gothic novel by Charlotte Brontë, chronicling the journey of an orphaned governess who defies social conventions and personal hardship to assert her independence and find a love based on equality.
💌 Read Nina's letter: What Gaskell's North & South Taught Me About Polarisation
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