Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre - College Term Papers

Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre



Critics such as Adrienne Rich argue that Jane Eyre has to choose between the "temptation" of following the rule of passion by marrying Rochester, which would have made her dependent on him and not his equal, or of living a life of complete renunciation of all passions, by marrying St John Rivers. Fire and water imagery symbolises the two forces competing for dominance in Jane Eyre, both on a personal and metaphorical level. Throughout the novel, such imagery is used by Brontė, in keeping with her use of much poetic symbolism, to develop character, strengthen thematic detail and establish mood.
The general use of imagery requires mention. In most novels, imagery is commonly used to ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

but can also burn. With water imagery, it is useful to consider that such imagery includes natural imagery of ice, sea and snow, all common features in the novel. Water, the antithesis of fire, represents the extreme point of cool reason, without any trace of passion. As we see Jane wander between these two points of temptation throughout the novel, the accompanying imagery of fire and water is most significant to our understanding of the themes and concerns of the novel.
Fire imagery is used by Brontė to develop Jane's character throughout the novel. As the novel progresses, the corresponding imagery changes to show different aspects of Jane's character. We see Jane's overly passionate nature through her punishment at Gateshead. She is unable to control her passions and strikes John Reed when he physically bullied her by grasping her hair and shoulders. As her punishment, Jane is locked up in the red-room. The colour red is significant here - red, the colour of fire and heat, ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.


Already a member? Login

sense of imagery in them. The "green water" in the first painting, for example, represents death by drowning, as the woman is drowning in the water and the ship is capsizing. The image of "a swollen sea" carries with it expressions and expectations of impending danger. Jane, because of her passionate nature, sees water, representing a locking out of passion and emotion, as death itself. This is significant to our understanding of the thematic structure of the novel, as Jane must necessarily come to realise that while total reason without passion, as embodied in the water imagery described above, is undesirable, unregulated passion must be avoided as well. Brontė uses the water imagery ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.


CITE THIS PAGE:

Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre. (2007, January 7). Retrieved March 29, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347
"Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 7 Jan. 2007. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347>
"Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347.
"Fire And Water Imagery In Jane Eyre." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Water-Imagery-Jane-Eyre/58347.
JOIN NOW
Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays


PAPER DETAILS
Added: 1/7/2007 09:27:17 PM
Category: Book Reports
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1952
Pages: 8

Save | Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS
Save and find your favorite essays easier

SIMILAR ESSAYS
» Jane Eyre - Fire And Water
» Fire And Ice
Copyright | Cancel | Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Essayworld. All rights reserved