Introduction:

Charlotte Bronte's 1847 novel Jane Eyre depicts ideals of women that were
deemed immoral and rebellious in Bronte's Victorian society. In 1966, author Jean Rhys
produced the novel Wide Sargasso Sea in response to Jane Eyre. The history of Bertha
Mason, the "madwoman" of Jane Eyre, is examined in Rhys' book. Rhys raises concerns
about how men treat women and the problems that women frequently have finding a
place in society. Similar feminist topics are discussed in both books, although in very
different ways. I'll go over each novel's historical context and how it relates to these
feminist ideas, how the female characters are portrayed in each book, and the
ramifications of utilising the books as role models for women and feminism in modern
society.
Midway through the 1800s, when Jane Eyre was written, women's roles were still
strictly defined but progressively evolving. The phrase "The Angel of the House," which
was borrowed from the title of a Victorian poem by Coventry Patmore, was expected of
the Victorian woman. In the poem, Patmore paints a picture of the ideal Victorian
housewife as docile, submissive, and unwaveringly dedicated. The poem also asserts
that women exist for men's enjoyment and fulfilment. Men's happiness was a woman's
responsibility, and it was considered that all women enjoyed having this responsibility
(Patmore). The interpretation of Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre, must take into
account how this general attitude toward women affected many facets of Victorian life.
Jane is living with her aunt Mrs. Reed at the start of the book. Jane is treated horribly by
Mrs. Reed and her kids, and one night Mrs. Reed locks Jane in the "Red Room," a
rumoured to be haunted room in the family home.
Jane is sent to Lowood School by Mrs. Reed, where the headmaster, Mr.
Brocklehurst, treats her badly as well. The school's conditions are terrible, and Helen
Burns, Jane's dearest friend, passes away from consumption. Later on, Jane works as a
teacher at Lowood.