Jane’s
oedipal complex never surfaces because her parents die before her complex could
have formed and manifested itself and so she does not have a father to identify
with and a mother to consider a threat. Even Aunt Reed cannot be seen as Jane’s
oedipal rival because in that case too since Jane’s uncle is dead, she could
not see her Aunt as a real threat in her desire to marry him, the only father
figure she might have had had he been alive. However, there too we can see the
beginning of the formation of her complex as although she hates her Aunt (which
is also primarily because of the way her Aunt treats her) she assumes that her
dead uncle would have been nice to her had he been alive and would not have let
her Aunt treat her cruelly.
Jane’s
interaction with Rochester however led to the development of her oedipal
complex. Since Rochester is a lot older than she was, Jane is able to find in
him a father figure, someone she could identify with and ‘marry’. This is
corroborated by the fact that Rochester is compared to a relative at many times
in the novel as Jane tells us, "I felt at times, as if he were my
relation" and "I feel akin to him" adding to the argument that
Jane sees in him a means of consummating the forbidden sexual desire for the
father. Moreover, Mrs. Fairfax observes, "He might almost be your father"
at which Jane protests, "No, indeed [. . .] he is nothing like my
father!"” and Rochester himself once says to Jane that he is “old enough
to be [her] father”. This way Jane is finally able to find her father in
Rochester and so she not only falls in love in him but also accepts his
proposal to marry him meaning that for her oedipal complex was finally going to
be fulfilled.
But
then enters Bertha Mason. When Jane witnesses the animalistic scene between
Rochester and Bertha, she unconsciously knows that she would have to leave Rochester
because she sees in Bertha her oedipal rival. Since Rochester is her ‘father
figure’, Bertha being married to Rochester means that Bertha becomes Jane’s ‘mother
figure’ which in turn implies that Bertha becomes an instant threat to Jane. As
a result, Jane unconsciously knows that while Bertha was alive and married to
Rochester, she will not be able to fulfill her oedipal complex and while being
in the presence and constant threat of the ‘mother’, Jane deems it best to
leave and that too immediately.
It could also be the case that Jane undergoes transference when John comes to her life. The oedipal complex that she has for Rochester is transferred to John who is now a safer option since he doesnt have a woman in his life and Jane can get married to him. In Rocherster's case however, she sees nothing since the presence of Bertha Mason and the jealosy that arises in Jane because of her presence
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