Use of Elemental Imagery in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay

Use of Elemental Imagery in Jane Eyre The use of primary resourcefulness in Jane Eyre, sustained throughout the sassy both(prenominal) metaphorically and literally, is unmatchable of Charlotte Bronts major stylistic devices. The natural opposition of the two elements of water and provoke (the war of the earthly elements, as Jane puts it) highlights the need for the titular heroine to find residual between points identified as extremes. However, as David Lodge notes, we should be mistaken in looking for a rigidly schematic system of elemental imagery and reference in Jane Eyre. Fire and water images in the novel have their shifting associations, which reflect on the characters of Jane, Rochester and St John Rivers. The broad suitableness of the images shows that they send away be both destructive forces and agents of renewal. Using them as both allows Bront to show how far the characters have learnt to reconcile the Romantic desire for oestrus with the need for restraint, for it is only in that way that true personal selfhood can be realised. And this search for a personal selfhood, where one is judged on ones own character, not societys usual manner of judgment based on title, coin or beauty, can be said to be the focus in the novel. It is instructive to note that fire, used metaphorically, is almost solely used to suck Jane and Rochester. Fire is associated with passion, and it is imperative for the characters to learn that while passion is a rich quality, without which any relationship would be a cold and dead one, it is not the only component of a relationship other qualities like joint respect and honesty must be present. Fire is a sound servant, but a bad master, as the old saw goes. The fire within both parties creates t... ...Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. revolutionary York Dodd, Mead & Company, 1991 David Lodge, Fire and Eyre Charlotte Bronts War of secular Elements Gates, Barbara Timm, ed. Critical Essays on Charlotte Bronte. Bos ton G. K. Hall, 1990. Jane Eyre. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. William Hurt, Charlotte Gainsborough, and Anna Paquin. 1996 Kadish, Doris. The Literature of Images Narrative Landscape from Julie to Jane Eyre. New Brunswick Rutgers UP, 1986.Lodge, Scott. Fire and Eyre Charlotte Brontes War of Earthly Elements. The Brontes A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Gregor. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall, 1970. 110-36.McLaughlin, M.B. Past or Future Mindscapes Pictures in Jane Eyre. Victorian newsletter 41 (1972) 22-24.Solomon, Eric. Jane Eyre Fire and Water. College English 25 (1964) 215-217.