Servitude

"..the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.." (Matthew 20:27-28)

The idea of empire figures largely in Mansfield Park, and such is suggested by Edward Said as well. I feel that the same ideas are explored in Jane Eyre, and perhaps more obtrusively so. My point here though is just going to be to focus on the difference between the ‘own’ and the ‘Other’ as well as on notions of resistance or agency and the expected role of the ‘slave’, and also the protagonist in both these books, with more emphasis on Jane Eyre.

The ‘own’ of course is associated with ideas of civilization, nationhood and Christianity, even though certain manifestations of the latter are questioned. The ‘Other’ then constitutes everything that stands in direct opposition to these values. Thus we see that in response to Jane Eyre’s take on vengeance, Helen Burns says, “Heathens and savage tribes hold that doctrine, but Christians and civilized nations disown it.”  This statement is essential in understanding the perception of the colonies, but also significant to notice is how Christianity is linked to the act of civilizing. The book then also prescribes how this act of civilization of the ‘savage’ ought to take place. We can in this sense see Jane Eyre as the savage in a way, given how she is depicted in the fight with John Reed, as passionate and besides herself and almost like an animal; who then by the advice of her friends and guided by Christian values becomes more ‘civilized’. She is thus the rebellious slave, as is described in the book, “I was conscious that a moment’s mutiny had already rendered me liable to strange penalties, and, like any other rebel slave, I felt resolved, in my desperation, to go all lengths.”

The book however then goes forth to prescribe how the slave ought to be civilized or reformed, as well as how the slave ought to respond to the any sort of infliction of injury. For the first, we see that Christianity is the way, but not in the way that comes with Mr. Brocklehurst, who already seems disposed to believe that the destiny of those that cannot fit is in Hell, but whose Christianity is doubtful, not in itself, but in the double standards and hypocrisy in his manifestation of it. The prescribed way is then to; “Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you.” If such is not possible however, the minimum requirement of the slave then, is not just gratitude of the kind required by Mansfield Park, but servitude. For me this is a stronger form of slavery then, for gratitude is given perhaps in return for something, servitude entails no such reciprocity.