religion in jane eyre

Religion in Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte addresses the theme of
Religion in the novel Jane Eyre using manycharacters as symbols. Bronte
states, "Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousnessis not
religion"(preface v). In Jane Eyre, Bronte supports the theme that
customary actionsare not always moral through the conventional
personalities of Mrs. Reed, Mr.Brocklehurst, and St. John Rivers. The
novel begins in Gateshead Hall when Jane must stay away from her aunt
andcousins because she does not know how to speak pleasantly to them.
Mrs. Reed,possesses a higher standing in society. Due to Jane's lower
class standing, Mrs. Reedtreats Jane as an outcast. As Bessie and Miss
Abbot drag Jane to the "red room" a mostscary room for a child, she is
told by Miss Abbot: "No; you are less than a servant for youdo nothing for
your keep"(14).She must stay in the red room after she retaliates to
theattack John Reed makes upon her, her obnoxious cousin. John tells
Jane "mamma says;you have no money; your father left you none; you
ought to beg, and not live here withgentlemen's children like us and eat
the same meals that we do, and wear clothes at ourmama's
expense"(12). She receives no love or approval from her family. The
only form of love that she doeshave is the doll she clings to at night when
she sleeps. Mrs. Reed is a conventional womanwho believes that her
class standing sets her to be superior, and therefore better than amember
of her own family. As a result of Jane's tantrums, quick temper, and lack
of self-control, society classifies her as an immoral person. She speaks
up for her herself whenshe knows she is not supposed to, and her family
believes that she acts more like a "rebel"than a young woman. Her
spontaneous and violent actions go against conventionality andshe must
suffer for being so free-spirited. Miss Abbot believes: "God will punish
her: Hemight strike her in the midst of her tantrums"; (15). Jane's
tantrums are not customary oracceptable, so during those precise
moments of her tantrums, she is especially susceptibleto God's
punishment. Miss Abbot constantly reminds Jane that she is wicked, she

needs torepent, and she is especially dependent on prayer. The Reed
children, in contrast, aretreated completely opposite. Although John Reed
is cruel and vicious to Jane, he receivesno type of warning that God will
punish him. The novel proceeds to Lowood, a school designed to
educate and care for orphanedchildren. Mrs. Reed decides to send Jane
there after the doctor, Mr. Lloyd, advises herthat Jane should attend
school. Mrs. Reed is glad to be rid of Jane and asks Jane not towake the
family the day of her departure. Jane arrives at Lowood and observes
thebehavior of the students. They are "all with plain locks combed from
their faces, not acurl visible; in brown dresses, made high, and
surrounded by a narrow tucker about thethroat"(49). The day is long and
all students must wake up at dawn and read the Bible forhours at a time.
One day, Miss Temple serves the children cheese in order to
compensatefor their burnt porridge. Mr. Brocklehurst, the self-righteous
leader of Lowood, tells MissTemple: "You are aware that my plan in
bringing up these girls, is not to accustom themto luxury and indulgence,
but to render them, hardy, patient, and self-denying"(65). Mr.Brocklehurst
stresses the importance of plain clothing and humility. The acts
performedby Mr. Brocklehurst are even more hypocritical when one
compares them to the acts ofHelen Burns. She serves as a role model to
Jane and states: "Love your enemies; blessthem that curse you; do good
to them that hate you and despite fullly use you"(60).Bronte uses Helen's
beliefs as a contrast to the conventional and self-righteous actions ofMr.
Brocklehurst. Life continues at Lowood and the children trudge to
Brocklebridge Church daily in thefreezing cold without proper clothing.
The long walks coupled with the lack of food atLowood lead to an
outbreak of typhus. During this outbreak, Helen dies and she states
"Icount the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to
him, reveal him tome"(114). Here, Bronte emphasizes the point that
Helen dies happy and clings to herreligious beliefs. The outbreak of

typhus leads authorities to examine the school. Theydiscover the awful
conditions the students of Lowood live in. "And the discoveryproduced a
result mortifying to Mr. Brocklehurst, but beneficial to the institution"(116).
Mr. Brocklehurst is punished for his actions. He no longer may run the
institution on hisown. He is a self-righteous man who confused the ideals
of Religion with suffering. Janeblossoms at Lowood and acquires many
new skills. Mr. Brocklehurst was not able tofulfill his desires to change his
students at Lowood into servants and sufferers becauseothers gained
authority over him. Bronte's views that "self-righteousness is not
religion"are supported through the actions of Mr. Brocklehurst. The
novel then proceeds to Thornfield, where Jane meets Mr. Rochester.
She falls inlove with him after some time, but she leaves him when she
finds out that he wouldcommit an act of bigamy if he marries her. Jane
ends up with the Rivers family. Janemeets a very enthusiastic religious
man, St. John, who devotes his life to performingreligious acts. Jane
states, "He was comparatively seldom at home: a large proportion ofhis
time appeared devoted to visiting the sick and poor among the scattered
population ofhis parish"(353). As a clergyman, St. John Rivers performs
all of the duties that societyexpects of him, he visits the poor, he takes
care of the sick, and he plans to take missiontrips. If St. John believes
that the society will perceive a mission trip to India as abeneficial thing,
then he will go to India. All of his actions are planned and traditional
andas a result, St. John takes no personal satisfaction in the work that he
does. As Jane learnsabout St. John, she realizes that he is similar to Mr.
Brocklehurst, she seems to get a hintof distrust in him. St. John Rivers is
also a hypocrite. He preaches the news of God, as amissionary, but he
simultaneously commits a very sacrilegious act. He tries to force Janeto
marry him when he states: "and do not forget if you reject it, (the
proposal) it is not meyou deny, but God"(411). St. John focuses his life on
the acts of Religion and is not ahappy person and is not easily able to

lead a satisfactory life. Like Mr. Brocklehurst, heconfuses the idea of
conventionality with morality. The novel ends when Jane marries Mr.
Rochester, who establishes a firmer grasp onreligion. He has overcome
many handicaps throughout the novel. He once believed thathe had to
lavish individuals with gifts in order to show his love for them. When the
novelends, Rochester has changed his value system and no longer
places an extreme emphasison physical things, he confesses his sins to
God. He does not confuse morality withconventionality as St. John and
Mr. Brocklehurst have. He knows that in order to maintaina relationship
with God, he does not have to travel to church in the freezing cold.
Bronteuses Mr.Rochester as a contrast to Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst,
and St. John Rivers. Mr.Rochester changes his conventional ways, and
then is able to live a more moral and happylife. The characters Mrs.
Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John lead their lives inconventional and
self-righteous ways and Bronte portrays them to be corrupt. This
ideasupports the main theme in JaneEyre, "Conventionality is not
morality. Self-righteousnessis not religion".