The Devilish Vices of Violence and Passion

One of the main features of Jane Eyre as a novel is its attempt to postulate the kind of Christianity the author, Charlotte Bronte, believed in. And for this reason we see certain Christian ideals being illustrated and certain vices being condemned throughout the story. I will focus on just two such instances in which the devilish nature of vices such as Violence and Passion is illustrated. The first incident occurs at Lowood during Mr.Brocklehurst’s visit and the second at Thornfield when an attempt is made on Mr.Rochester’s life.  I say devilish because these incidents are filled with reference to all that is associated with the devil.

““Miss Temple, Miss Temple, what- what is that girl with curled hair? Red hair, ma’am, curled- curled all over?” And extending his cane he pointed to the awful object, his hand shaking as he did so.”

Mr .Brocklehurst trembles on seeing the girl with the red, curled hair, as if she was the devil itself. Even though he is told by Miss Temple that the girl’s hair curls naturally he orders the hair of all the girls who have styled theirs in plaits to be cut off.  For these girls are Mr.Brocklehurst’s ticket to Heaven (“He scrutinized the reverse of these living medals, then pronounced the sentence.”) and must therefore be representative of that status. This incident taken in its entirety can be said to represent Violence as one of the vices condemned by Charlotte Bronte’s/ Jane Eyre’s Christianity.

“Tongues of flame darted round the bed: the curtains were on fire. In the midst of blaze and vapour, Mr.Rochester lay stretched motionless, in deep sleep.”

Even though this second incident does not contain any references to the devil other than fire and flame, I still think that it is representative of the condemnation by Charlotte Bronte’s/Jane Eyre’s Christianity, of the vice of Passion. Passion is a vice, and a devilish vice at that, firstly because it was Mr.Rochester, the object of Jane’s passion, that is surrounded by flames, and secondly, devilish because the author could have chosen to show this murderous attempt in any other way but chose burning Mr.Rochester alive as the method of murder.