Female Sexuality Within Charlotte Bronte s Jane Eyre

Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre sets a strong example of female sexuality in the Victorian era. The title character confronts herself with her feelings for Mr. Rochester and her growing throughout the novel. She eventually finds the courage to embrace herself as she is. Jane’s independent mind and nature contradict the grain of Victorian society. She defies historical notions of female sexuality and Victorian codes and rules on sexuality. Brontà « reimagines the Victorian notion of marriage as she emphasizes Jane’s education and female work. The Introduction of 1983’s The Woman Question Vol. 2 states, â€Å"Almost any public statement bearing on the Woman Question - whether an essay, a review, a novel, a poem, a lecture, a cartoon, or a painting - was likely to generate a chain of responses, and to be read as a response to prior statements in an ongoing public discussion† (Helsinger xi). This quote conveys the message of Victorian times and their grasp on femininity. Many people, like Charlotte Brontà «, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and John Stuart Mill, disagreed with common conceptions and advocated for women’s beliefs. Others, like those belonging to the True Womanhood Cult, were â€Å"motivated, less by ‘chauvinism’ than by deep needs and genuine concern† (57). Self-sacrifice and a submissive role were expected virtues of femininity. Physicians and scientists also introduced a single-minded approach to women’s sexuality and behavioral nature. One of the most important and adverse aspectsShow MoreRelatedJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1374 Words   |  6 PagesJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Within the specter of the Gothic fictions arises the atmosphere of gloom, terror, and mystery with some elements of uncanny challenging reality. 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Document Type: Critical essay Bookmark: Bookmark this Document Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning Title Re(dis)covering the Witches in Arthur Millers The Crucible: A Feminist Reading [(essay date fall 1994) In the following