Chapter 23

Question 1

Voice narrative / perspective:

Answer 1

• Spoken dialogue between Jane and Rochester - they’re in Thornfield garden, talking about how he decided to marry Blanche but instead he confesses he had no intention of marrying her, he’s only trying to make Jane jealous and proposes to her.
• Initially she doubts him but soon accepts his proposal,
  “i summon you as my wife: it is you only i intend to marry”.

Question 2

Character:

Answer 2

• Jane is shown to be independent and self-aware as she prioritises her autonomy and refuses to be objectified, even by the man she loves.
• She’s filled with overwhelming joy and excitement when realising Rochester isn’t mocking her and is truly proposing to her.
  “Joy soon effaced every other feeling”.
• Jane defends herself and her feelings, stands up against her ‘lover’ and her male superior.
  “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!”

Question 3

Structure:

Answer 3

• Moon motif - “let me look at your face: turn to the moonlight”
• The moon continues to help her a guide
  her through her life (as it did surrounding Helen’s passing) -
  “but I knew my way; and the light of the unclouded summer moon … enabled me to find it without difficulty”.
• Bird motif -
  “I am no bird.”
  “don’t struggle so, like a wild frantic bird”.
• Jane denies she’s a bird when Rochester compares her to one, she declares she’s a human with “independent will”
  Nature disapproves: thunder/rain/chestnut tree split.
• Inside/outside house motif - away from the oppressive man-made structures (literally buildings, figuratively class and gender) they can admit their love.

Question 4

Genre:

Answer 4

• The romance genre becomes more prominent as there are now key features of a romance novel developing.
  “Jane, I summon you as my wife: it is you only I intend to marry.”
• Rochester fully embraces Jane and her flaws.
  “I love you as my own flesh.”.
  “You - poor and obscure, and small and plain as you are”.
  Showing their spiritually connected - soulmates - “string under my left rib tightly knotted to you”.

Question 5

Context:

Answer 5

• In Victorian England, it was not traditional for a Master of the house to fall in love or court a governess or middle class woman.
• Jane and Rochester’s romance is an example of the social restraints of Victorian society.
• The secrecy, odd behaviour, trickery and deviousness from Rochester is all his way of finding out for DEFINITE that she feels the same way before risking his reputation/future by causing a scandal professing his love for her if she didn’t feel the same.
• Religion:
  “we stood at God’s feet, equal - as we are”.
• Through Jane Bronte presents God as an equalising force only concerned with the human spirit, not with wealth, status, beauty. God as a benevolent, positive force.