浅淡简爱性格中的自卑因素

第一篇：浅淡简爱性格中的自卑因素

浅淡简爱性格中的自卑因素

摘要：自卑并不是一种病态的象征，而是个人在追求优越地位时，一种正常的发展过程。所以，自卑感既能摧毁一个人，也能成就一个人。也许很多人认为简•爱的人格魅力在于她极强的自尊，为了尊严而直视一切困难，能够始终保持高尚而纯洁的灵魂。但真正让简•爱获得崇高爱情和幸福生活的力量是什么呢？是自卑！因为来自各方面的自卑感，让简•爱不得不勇敢的面对风雨的打击，也让简•爱成长起来，强大起来，足以保护自己，获得自己想要的生活。简•爱性格的形成，自卑为出发点，最终成就了简•爱幸福的人生。

关键词：简•爱、自卑、人格魅力、性格

On Jane Eyre's inferiority complex

Abstract: Inferiority complex is not a symbol about sickness.It's a natural status.Sometimes, inferiority complex can make a people defeat or success.Maybe, many people think that self-importance made Jane Eyre beautiful.She can overcome all difficulty and keep the pure soul.What is the power's origin? It's inferiority complex.Because of all kinds of inferiority complex, Jane Eyre has to be brave and meet everything.It's made Jane grow up and be strong, she can protect herself and get a better life that she wants.Inferiority complex made Jane get a happy life.Key words: Jane Eyre;inferiority complex;personal charm;character

浅淡简爱性格中的自卑因素

《简•爱》是一部带有自传色彩的长篇小说，讲述了一个叫简•爱的女孩，生存在一个父母双亡，寄人篱下的环境，从小经受着命运的捉弄，姨妈的嫌弃，表姐的蔑视，表哥的侮辱与毒打，在罗沃德学校里没有人性的教育，严酷的生活环境，但正是因为这些悲惨的经历，也让简•爱认识到只有努力学习知道才能改变命运，后发奋图强，与命运作斗争，成长为一个有着顽强精神的奇女子。最终，获得了纯洁的爱情和幸福的生活。

是什么让简•爱能在恶劣的生存条件中自立、自强、自尊，拥有独立的人格和坚强的个性呢？是自卑，因为自卑感既能摧毁一个人，也能成就一个人。在心理学中，自卑情结是指一个人在面对问题无所适从的表现。由这个定义我们可以看出，愤怒、眼泪、道歉都可能是自卑情节的表现。由于自卑感会造成紧张，所以争取优越感的动作必然会同时出现，苦心孤诣的避免失败，在举止之间处处要凌架于他人之上，借以抵消自卑感。因为环境的艰难，简•爱生活中处处受阻，身为贵族小姐，却过着仆人都不如的生活，被人欺负，她自卑，也让她愤怒，想要改变自己的生活，想要争取优越感，获得自尊和平等的生活。下面，就从以下几个方面分析简•爱性格中的自卑因素。

一、作者本身的因素

《简•爱》作者夏洛蒂•勃朗特家境贫穷，从小失去了母爱，父亲由于工作繁忙，父爱也给予极少，再加上她身材矮小，容貌普通，在各方面都有极深的自卑，所以在性格上也极为敏感，以强烈的自尊来掩盖内心的自卑，从她的小说也反映了这一点。据说夏洛蒂在创作《简爱》之前对她的妹妹们说:“我要写一个女主角给你们看,她和我一样矮小而貌不惊人,然而这个女主角却要和你们所写的一样能引起读者兴趣.”这段话是颇值得玩味的，我却觉得从中仿佛可以读出一股不服气下所掩盖的自卑来。简•爱，一个貌不出众，矮小的女人，但有着强烈的自尊心，不会像海伦一样，“既然躲避不了，那就学会忍受，你说你受不了了，是软弱和愚蠢的。”因此可以说是作者夏洛蒂在不自觉中把自己的自卑也赋给了简•爱

19世纪中期是历史上维多利亚女王统治时期，英国奉行着严格的伦理道德观念和森严的社会制度，女人的生活自由受到种种男性利益信条的限制，女性自我价值的实现是通过成为男性的忠诚附庸来实现的。虽然随着社会的发展，一些有思想的女性开始要求独立 与自由，但事实却不乐观，夏洛蒂•勃朗特的理想曾被著名湖畔派诗人嘲笑而一度打算放弃，但由于对文学的喜爱与执着，坚持写作。但在实际中，《简•爱》的发表也只是用“柯勒•贝尔”这样一个男性化的名字来防止出版商对自己作品的拒绝。女权的压制，导致女性的权利没有实现，夏洛蒂•勃朗特是自卑的，连自己的梦想都被嘲笑为“文学不能也不应该成为妇女的终身事业”，而自己的作品却不能用自己的名字发表。所以她把这些自卑都化为了反抗，写入了简•爱的骨髓，向世界宣告，“我是自己的主人”。所以，简•爱的自卑来自于夏洛蒂的自卑，代替夏洛蒂把自卑化为反抗世界男权，向世界发出呼喊。自卑，成就了夏洛蒂•勃朗特，也成就了出色的简•爱。

二、简•爱自身因素：外貌，自卑的源头

简•爱的自卑表现在她身材矮小，长相普通，她无法改变父母所赐予的外貌，对自己长相平庸而苦恼。心理学家阿德勒博士在《自卑与超越》一书中说，“容貌丑陋的人会有什么感觉！他是非常不幸的。„„他的整个生命都承受着重担，他甚至没有我们每个人最喜欢之物——欢乐而美好的儿童时代。”在孩提时代，简•爱便有了这样的思想，“我知道，如果我是个聪明美丽、快乐活泼、无忧无虑而又爱缠人的孩子，哪怕我还是一样靠人养活，一样的没有朋友，里德太太见了我一定会高兴一些，她的孩子一定会像朋友那样对我真诚一些，佣人们也不会动不动就叫我在婴儿室里代人受过。” 因为外貌的原因，她是如此的自卑，把不讨人喜欢归结于自己不漂亮，仅仅希望自己长得漂亮一点，希望大家喜欢她一点，也抱着小小的希望来改变自己的命运。“她常常挑选窗台或其他被遮住的幽暗的去处，以使自己在帘子的遮蔽下，能看清周围而不被察觉。”这种习惯于把自己置于暗处而不引人注目的心境，即是简·爱本能的自卫，也是面对势利社会不得不退让到边缘的自卑和胆怯。外貌带来的自卑感无时无刻的折磨着她，很难让她鼓起勇气面对生活，她就像一只躲在脚落里的刺猬，当有人靠近，触及她那根敏感的自卑神经，她就竖起刺，努力的把自已保护起来，也成为了她反抗压迫的最初动力。

在桑菲尔德遇见情敌英格拉姆小姐，这种骨子深处的自卑还是一直在主宰着她的生命。简爱在遇见有着“高贵的胸脯，坦削的肩膀，优美的脖子，黑黑的眼睛，乌油油的卷发”,身材“又挺又高”,整个人“长得就象月亮女神一样”的英格拉姆小姐时，自卑感使得她一瞬间发出了绝望的呼喊：“天啊，再没有比简爱更傻的傻瓜！”因为在她的心里，已经认定了矮小、苍白、“五官长得那么不端正”的自己是配不上英明神武的主人的，如 果说之前的简爱还对罗彻斯特先生的爱情抱有一丝幻想的话，那么现在也是全部被打碎了。自卑在简爱寻找爱情的过程中始终占有重要的因素，后来在圣约翰面前,简爱对于自己外貌的自卑更是暴露无遗:当圣约翰向简爱求婚时，简的第一个反应竟是对圣约翰外表美的审视，她还直截了当地对圣约翰的妹妹戴安娜说，圣约翰“是个漂亮的人”,“而我，„„是这样不漂亮。我们永远不相配。”

简•爱孤儿出身，一无财产，二无姿色，也没有任何可以依靠的亲朋好友。在恶劣的生存环境中，只有饱受各方面的歧视和尊严的凌辱，她必须在夹缝中生存下来，再也没有人比简•爱更清楚自己的境地了。为了弥补自身的缺陷，得到世俗社会的认可，简•爱只有竞争，用知识、美德和人格的力量来证实自己存在的价值。这由自卑而迸发出的自尊形成了一股强大的动力，使她在地狱一样的罗沃德学校发奋学习，努力学习各门功课，并最终得了第一名。她懂法文、懂绘画、懂音乐、懂写作，并具有了优秀的综合素质和健康的心灵，日渐长成了一位具有高雅修养、沉静气质的脱俗女子。从这里可以看出，正是因为简•爱的这种自卑，让她克服重重困难，努力成长起来，获得自尊。

三、简•爱生存环境的影响

（一）贫穷，自卑成长的沃土

简•爱的孤儿身世、没有财产、寄人篱下的生活境况也是她自卑的一大因素。心理学家阿德勒博士认为：“当个体面对一个无法适当应付的问题时，他表示他绝对无法解决这个问题，此时出现的便是‘自卑情结’。” 简•爱父亲是一个一贫如洗的乡村牧师，母亲虽然出身豪门，但因违背祖父愿望嫁给穷人而没得到一分财产。双亲亡故后，好心的舅舅收养，而舅舅的不幸身亡使她的命运更为坎坷。虽然舅舅死前让舅母发誓将简•爱视为已出，但舅母的伪善与残忍的，认为简•爱是一个累赘，甚至谁都可以欺负她，包括仆人。幼小的简•爱身处富丽堂皇的贵族之家，却忍受着贫困与地位低下的煎熬，给她的内心里造成强烈的自卑。书中简•爱“不，我不愿做穷人”的回答，也足以表明她对贫困的极度自卑与不满。在和骄横的表哥发生冲突后，她怒斥表哥“你这凶残的坏小子，你像个杀人凶手，你像个奴隶的监工，你像罗马的暴君。”，而舅母本不喜欢简•爱，也不会问是谁的错，就全怪于简•爱，冷酷的指责她。而表哥虐待她的理由却是“妈妈说的，你靠别人养活你，你没有钱，你爸爸什么也没留给你，你应当去讨饭，而不该同像我们这样体面人 家的孩子一起过日子，不该同我们吃一样的饭，穿妈妈掏钱给买的衣服。现在我要教训你，让你知道翻我们书架的好处。这些书都是我的，连整座房子都是，要不过几年就归我了。滚，站到门边去，离镜子和窗子远些。”这些理由无非都是在嘲笑简•爱的贫穷。当舅母要把她关进红屋子时，侍女说道：“你不能因为太太好心把你同里德小姐和少爷一块抚养大，就以为自己与他们平等了。他们将来会有很多很多钱，而你却一个子儿也不会有。”通过对话我们可以看出，即使简•爱是对的，仆人们也不会站在她这一边去得罪主人,而从一定程度上说,仆人们也是看不起她的,因为她不会得到任何遗产,仅仅是个吃白食,不干事的多余的人。简•爱遭遇的种种不幸与痛苦，是困为她的贫穷和寄人篱下，贫困是她苦难的源泉，也是她自卑的原因。为了消除这种自卑感争取优越感，她只有反抗，但她却无法挣脱卑微的地位，由此产生的自卑感成为了简•爱生命中的一缕乌云，给简的童年制造了阴影。

她长大后，到了桑菲尔德庄园做家庭教师。她憧憬着新的生活的开始，但贫穷带来的自卑却在她心里扎了根。她甚至想：“要是我能有很小的一点儿独立财产，我想，那将是种安慰。”而在圣约翰家，女仆汉娜问简·爱：“你到这儿来以前要过饭吗？”、“我猜，你多半没房子，也没铜子儿吧？”深深地刺伤了简·爱的自尊心，她激愤地为贫穷辩护：“世界上有一些最好的人，像我一样一无所有；要是你是个基督徒的话，你就不应该认为贫穷是一个罪过。”遇到了罗切斯特，并身陷爱情时，因为贫穷，她和罗切斯特的地位悬殊，感情也处于尴尬的境地。特别是当英格拉姆小姐作客菲尔德庄园，简•爱更为自卑。在校阿黛问简爱，英格拉姆会和罗切斯特结婚吗？简•爱的自卑让她无法回答，只能说“小孩子不要问那么多，不关我们的事”。当她和罗切斯特爱情火热进行时，罗切斯特许诺将自己家传的珍宝和一半田产给她，而简•爱却毅然拒绝“我要你一半的田产有什么用呢？你以为我是个放高利贷的犹太人，像在田产上找个好的投资吗？我宁愿要你真心爱我。”着也许是高尚的爱情宣言，但事实上，也只是她的自卑。传统观念对女性的要求是财产和美貌，而简•爱却什么也没有，她害怕，简的拒绝，只是因为罗切斯特触痛了她内心最薄弱的那一块。在这种物质和财富面前近乎病态的敏感与自尊，便是简•爱潜意识里的自卑情节。也正是这些残酷的现实，激发了她内心深处的自卑感，从而转化为了积极的自尊行为。简•爱克服的自身的软弱，以一个新时代的女性勇敢的站在了世人的面前，这正是自卑给予的力量

（二）卑微，幸福的阻碍

在简•爱小的时候，虽然住在亲戚家，也算半个主人，但事实相反，她完全是没有地位的，甚至连仆人都不如。当舅母要把她关进红屋子时，侍女叫道：“多可怕的举动，爱小姐，居然打起小少爷来了，他是你恩人的儿子：你的小主人！”简•爱回答说：“主人，他怎么会是我主人，难道我是仆人不成？”而仆人却说 ：“不，你连仆人都不如。你不干事，吃白食。喂，坐下来，好好想一想你有多坏。”、“你不能因为太太好心把你同里德小姐和少爷一块抚养大，就以为自己与他们平等了。”由此看来，简•爱不仅没有基本的地位，连尊重都得不到，卑微成了她自卑生长的土壤。

简•爱为了获得尊重和地位，在罗沃德学校里发奋读书，后学成到桑菲尔德庄园做家庭教师，而家庭教师在当时的英国，被看作是“上等仆人”。作者夏绿蒂一生中曾两度做过家庭教师，深切体会到：“一个私人家庭女教师根本没有个人的存在，不被当作一个活人、一个有理性的人看待„„”简•爱进入桑菲尔德庄园做家庭教师，尽管罗切斯特并不把简·爱当作“雇来的下属”看待，而让简·爱觉得“他仿佛是我的亲戚，而不是我的主人”。可是，连罗切斯特也看出，简·爱生活得很压抑，指出“你的洁身自好就是害怕犯错误”。简·爱作为家庭女教师的自卑，最集中地表现在英格拉姆一家来访期间。简·爱躲在僻静角落的窗帘后面，听着那些贵妇人苛薄的议论：“她们（指女家庭教师）当中有一半是讨厌的，其余的都很可笑。”在简·爱接受罗切斯特爱情之初，罗切斯特就说过：“你应该马上放弃你那个奴隶般的家庭教师工作。”可以看出，在罗切斯特眼里，家庭教师也几乎等同于奴隶。简·爱出走，具有必然性。可以说，对低劣地位的恐惧和逃避，是简·爱出走的根本原因；卑微，是简·爱爱情道路上的最大障碍。

在她的心目里，爱别人也必须以不丧失个性为前提。她这种超乎常人的自尊恰恰来自于她内心深处无法回避的肤浅的自卑。全书自始至终都没有使她摆脱这一心理障碍，甚至在她以最极端的方式表达自尊时，她的自卑已超出了正常的限度而成了反抗的主要原动力，她的许多努力与其说是为了求得尊严不如说是为了摆脱自卑。

总的来说，人类的全部文化都是以自卑感受为基础的，因为人类的自卑、弱小和害怕，所以人类努力改变自己的环境，对宇宙进一步探知，谋略妥善控制自然，来增进人类的地位，争取优越感。自卑，只是简·爱人格中比较隐晦的一面，作品中呼之欲出的，是简·爱不屈不挠的反抗意志、自我奋斗和自我奉献精神。所有这些，正是简·爱不能“长期忍受自卑之感”，为“解除自己的紧张状态”，而采取的“某种行动”，是简·爱人格的另一 半。简·爱的成长过程一直是受自卑情结影响的——她矮小不美,她身份地位低下,她财富贫瘠,这些给她造成了深深的自卑。实际上,她一直生活在自卑的阴影之下。但简·爱并没有被自卑打倒,相反,她在自卑的刺激下愈加自尊自立自强,并逐渐超越了自卑,一定意义上说,是自卑造就了具有鲜明人格魅力的简·爱。

参考文献：

[1]《简·爱》 [英] 勃朗特著，盛世教育西方名著翻译委员会译，世界图书出版社，2008.5.1 [2]《自卑与超越》 [奥] 阿德勒 著，李心明译，北京：光明日报出版社，2006.6 [3]《个性心理学》 叶奕乾，孔克勤 编著，上海：华东师范大学出版社，1993.2 [4]《夏洛蒂·勃朗特》 [英] 盖斯凯尔夫人 著，张淑荣译，北京：团结出版社，2000.8 [5]《告别自卑》 [美] 詹姆斯·多布森 著，刘宁荣译 中国广播电视出版社，1990.12

第二篇：从自卑到自信——解析简爱性格的两个极端

尹诗文

（赤峰学院 外国语学院，内蒙古 赤峰 024000）

摘 要：作为一部英国早期女性文学的代表作，夏洛蒂·勃朗特的《简爱》形象而又生动地塑造了一位敢于为正义、平等、人格尊严独立而与生活困境、社会歧视及男权主义进行坚决斗争的女性形象。在这部作品中，作者对主人公简爱不屈服命运，追求独立自由精神的描述，在读者面前呈现了一个自卑、不美、矮小的女孩成长为一个自强、自信的女性的蜕变历程。关键词：夏洛蒂·勃朗特；简爱；性格

中图分类号：I106 文献标识码：A 文章编号：1673-2596（2011）03-0068-02 《简爱》是英国19世纪现实主义女作家夏洛蒂·勃朗特的一部传世经典名著。她从三个阶段对简爱的成长进行描述。寄居在舅母家的简爱自幼父母双亡，受尽凌辱的小简爱当时并没有失掉她的人格和尊严，反而在幼时恶劣的生存环境中学会了如何生存，如何去用自己的努力去挑战当时不公平的社会。也正是她的成长经历，造就了她独立的人格、进取的精神和美好的理想，她只靠自己生活，敢于表达自己的思想。在世俗的压力下，她凭借努力工作，聪明的智慧和倔强的个性，始终保持着自己的尊严，在她生活的道路上，从不屈服命运，勇敢追求真爱并对所爱的人忠贞不渝。面对贫困低下的社会地位，或是她那漂泊无依的生活遭遇，简爱就像是一只正在蜕变的蝴蝶，经过一番艰苦的磨练终于破茧成蝶。

在简爱的性格中，自尊占据着重要的地位，她的自尊来源于自卑，正是自卑促使着简爱的自强，去挑战不公平的社会，也是由于自强使简爱找到了自信，实现了自己性格的最终统一，收获了幸福的生活和完美的爱情。

一、简爱自卑心理形成的原因

“不公平啊！不公平！”这是简爱在舅母家被囚禁在空房中时，想到自己所受到的虐待，从内心发出的呐喊。女主人公简爱出生于一个穷牧师家庭，她没有美丽的面容和婀娜的身姿，她“贫穷、低微、不美、矮小”，与以往爱情故事中的女主人公美丽温柔、高贵贤淑的形象形成鲜明对比，但和其它作品中的主人公一样，简爱的命运深深地吸引着我们。命运把简爱抛掷到一个父母双亡、寄人篱下的生存环境。姨妈的嫌弃，表姐的蔑视，表兄的辱骂和毒打，以及势利的佣人们的为虎作伥，这一切都没有使她屈服。相反，她以弱小的身躯做出了强烈的反抗。简爱并不像其它小说中的主人公因为自己是一个孤儿就自暴自弃从此沉沦，恰恰相反，正是这种艰苦的生活，造就了她倔强的性格和勇于追求平等幸福的精神。在她与这个不公平社会反抗的过程中，她竭力捍卫自己的尊严，不容受到半点亵渎和践踏。作为一个女性，敢于离经叛道，向不公平的社会挑战，是需要巨大的勇气的。简爱凭着自己的精神力量和对美好动人的爱情的憧憬和向往去追求自己的幸福，在她看来，爱别人必须以不丧失自尊为前提。她这种超乎常人的自尊恰恰来自于她内心深处无法回避的肤浅的自卑。小说从头至尾都没有使她摆脱这一心理障碍，甚至在她以最极端的方式表达这种自尊的时候，她的自卑已超出了正常的限度而成为自强的原动力，她的许多努力与其说是为了求得自由，不如说是为了摆脱自卑。

简爱的自卑首先来自于对自己外貌的不自信。无论是她在舅母家里面对着的两个姐姐，还是后来在桑菲尔德遇见的情敌英格拉姆小姐，这种骨子深处的自卑还是一直在主宰着她的生命。因为在她的心里，已经认定了“矮小、苍白、五官长得那么不端正”的自己是配不上魁伟英俊、有钱有地位的主人公罗切斯特的，如果说之前的简爱还对罗切斯特的爱情抱有一丝幻想的话，那么现在全部破灭了。自卑在简爱寻找爱情的过程中始终占有重要因素。后来在圣约翰面前，简爱对于自己外貌的自卑更是暴露无遗：当圣约翰向简爱求婚时，简爱的第一反应竟是对圣约翰外表美的审视，她还直截了当地对圣约翰的妹妹戴安娜说，圣约翰“是个漂亮的人”，“而我，是这样不漂亮。我们永远不相配”，她的这种自卑显露无遗。

简爱的这种自卑心理，除了自身的原因外，与她所处的社会环境密不可分。在19世纪的英国社会，以貌取人是当时很普遍的社会现象，人们习惯于把外表的美丽可人、优雅贤淑当做女人的一项重要资本——特别是社交场合可以加以炫耀、可以吸引别人注意力的资本。生活在社会大环境中的简爱，不可能不受到这种社会倾向的影响。

其次，简爱的自卑感还来自于对自身环境的不满。她从小寄人篱下，又没有得到舅母的一丝关怀，这使得简爱从小就认定了这样一个事实：弱肉强食，这是一个没有公平的世界。她没有华丽的衣服，没有美味的食物，也没用亲人的关心和爱。尤其是简爱经常面对表哥约翰里德暴虐的、没有理性的、没有怜惜的威胁，这使得她心中的恐惧、憎恨和绝望与日俱增，并最终使简爱爆发出“你们不配和我在一块儿”的呐喊。这种环境成长起来的简爱饱受了与年龄不相称的折磨，对这个世界有着本能的抵制和反抗。简爱的自卑深深烙印在心底，这表现在许多方面。她常挑选窗台或其它被遮住的幽暗角落，在盖茨黑德是这样，在桑菲尔德也是这样。在帘子的遮蔽下，她能看清周围而不被察觉。她将自己永远置于暗处，不愿引起别人注意，这是她的生活态度，是她缺乏安全感的一个表现，也是她面对势利社会的一种退让，是她自卑和胆怯的体现。尤其在面对罗切斯特先生的爱情时，她的自卑感更是时时跑出了捣乱，她觉得自己无论是身材外貌还是身份地位都与罗切斯特先生不匹配，对彼此的爱情一直有种不真实、不信任的心绪。这种不真实感在结婚当天她得知罗切斯特夫人存在的时候最终决堤，使得她无法面对没有正当身份的自己，于是选择了逃离。与其说这是简爱对庞大的社会舆论和宗法制度的反抗，不如说是她的一种“认同”，因为她首先是认同了这种存在的合理性，才会对自己的婚姻产生怀疑和不认同，她的离开也是一种不得已。

二、由自卑走向自强

自卑心理的无处不在，使简爱认识到，要想改变自身处境，想要别人看得起自己、对自己产生认同，就必须依靠自身的努力。当她意识到一味的讨好并不能得到家人的认同时，她为了自己的尊严，便勇敢地对舅母和表哥、表姐发起了反抗，尽管最终被关在红房子里，但她也未曾屈服。而不得不承认，正是这种反抗，最终促使舅母答应将她送到罗沃德学校，不论在那里会怎样，但对于简爱来说，都将是一个转机，这是她自己为自己赢得的生命的转机。在罗沃德学校，简爱的生活是以肉体上的惩罚和心灵上的被摧残开始的。她又瘦又小，饱受欺凌，学校的施主布洛克赫斯特不但当着全校师生的面诋毁她而且还把她置于羞辱台上示众，但她没有在屈辱中沉沦，而是不断奋发进取，努力学习各门功课，并最终取得了第一名。正是她的自卑激发出的这种自强心理使她变得优秀，她懂法文、懂绘画、懂音乐、懂写作，并具有了优秀的综合素质和健康的心灵，这不仅为她后来顺利地找到家庭教师的工作打下铺垫，而且在她和罗切斯特先生的爱情中更起到了至关重要的作用。在惠特克劳斯，简爱的自强性格使她努力向两个姐姐学习，并不怕困难地学习印度语言。简爱就像一株坚忍不拔的草，生命力极其顽强，在生长中用自己的努力向世人证明了自己存在的价值，赢得了世人的尊敬。在爱情问题上她同样摆脱自卑，始终保持她个人的尊严——自强。尽管英格拉姆小姐是大家闺秀，态度又很傲慢，说话咄咄逼人，但简爱总是从容面对，从不失尊严。同样，在罗切斯特面前她从不因为自己是一个地位低贱的家庭教师而感到自卑，她认为他们是平等的，不应该因为她是仆人而不能受到别人的尊重。为保持人格的独立，她声明自己在婚前仍以教书为生，自食其力。这些都充分表明她自强不息的自我意识。

当罗彻斯特与芭莎的婚姻真相被揭穿后，成婚受挫的简爱面临一个重大的抉择：听从罗彻斯特对自己命运的“安排”，做他的情妇，还是自爱自强，做自己的主人？虽万般缠绵，但理智告诉她，如果此时屈从对方的意志，那么自己也迟早会重蹈他众多情人的覆辙。强烈的自我保护意识使简爱选择了后者。她宁愿在一个穷山僻壤当一名“自由和正直的乡村女教师”，也不愿苟且偷安作别人的附庸。

正是这种自强不息，坚忍不拔的性格特征，成就了简爱不平凡的一生，经过数次的人生考验后，她渐渐走向成熟，性格更为坚强，最终赢来新生。

第三篇：简爱性格中的自卑心理

简爱性格中的自卑心理

汉本0901 陈丽洋

《简爱》是一部半自传体小说，从某种角度说，简爱的种种经历就是夏洛蒂本人的经历。夏洛蒂当家庭教师的种种经历也与简爱相吻合。由此我们注意到夏洛蒂赋予了主人公许多她自己在现实生活中得不到的东西，当然这是作者创作的自由，但其背后掩盖的是什么呢？夏洛蒂在创作《简爱》之前对她的妹妹们说：“我要写一个女主角给你们看，她和我一样矮小而貌不惊人，然而这个女主角却要和你们所写的一样能引起读者的兴趣。”这段话是颇值得玩味的，我个人倒是觉得从中仿佛可以读出一种酸酸的掩盖在不服气下的自卑心态来。因此，与其说是简爱心中的自卑，不如说是夏洛蒂本人的自卑更合适些。

不妨来读一下她最著名的一段宣言：“你以为我会留下来，成为你觉得无足轻重的人吗？你以为我是一架自动机器吗？一架没有感情的机器吗？能让我的一口面包从我嘴里抢走，让我的一滴活水从我杯子里泼掉吗？你以为，因为我穷、低微、不美、矮小，我就没有灵魂没有吗？你想错了！——我的灵魂跟你的一样，我的心也跟你的完全一样！要是上帝赐予我一点美和一点财富，我就要让你感到难以离开我，就像我现在难以离开你一样。我现在跟你说话，并不是通过习俗、惯例，甚至不是通过凡人的肉体——而是我的精神在同你的精神说话；就像两个都经过了坟墓，我们站在上帝脚跟前，是平等——因为我们是平等的！”在罗切斯特的舞会上，身材矮小、穿着寒酸的简受到了来自各方面的奚落和嘲讽，但最终这个“不起眼”的小人物却得到了“王子”的爱情。简爱在上流社会的领域中战胜了那些有名的太太小姐，这种报复真实痛快淋漓呀！

然而灰姑娘依然是灰姑娘，简与罗切斯特订婚后，还是对他们两人的关系缺乏信心，她明白“社会地位和财富把我们远远分开”。在他们的婚礼当天，梅森先生与律师的突然闯入将原有的一切都打破了，一个比社会地位和财产更难逾越的鸿沟摆在了眼前——罗切斯特先生一直有妻子，她是个疯女人并且一直被关在桑菲尔德庄园的阁楼上。这一突如其来的打击是简爱没有预料到的，尽管后来罗切斯特诚恳地向她表达自己的内心，并极力摆明自己在整个过程中只是家庭利益的牺牲品，但简还是决定离去。简为什么一定要离开桑菲尔德呢？小说中写得很清楚，简是一个把爱看得比生命还要重要的人，当她得知罗切斯特有一个妻子，他事实上差点犯了重婚罪时，也在经过一番思索后“当时当地就原谅了他”，而此时，她甚至连事情的真相都不知道。那么是什么理由促使简坚决要离开呢？简只说了句“我关心我自己”并从上帝那里找寻安慰。在简的心里，只有经济上的独立和社会地位的提升可以给她获得“平等”的必要资格，只有通过这样的平等，简才能找到信心来克服她多年来一直为之受折磨的自卑心理。当她有了一份遗产，真正成了一个独立的女人，于是可以自由选择她的道路，听从她自己的心愿，故事才可能继续向下发展。《简爱》的结尾，罗切斯特成了小说最终的牺牲品，不仅把残废的罗切斯特作为对一种社会习俗的牺牲，也是为了简（作者）下意识的为了自己道德的纯洁性而牺牲的。一份小小的财产也许可以帮助她获得一些自信，但依旧无法保障她作为罗切斯特太太的安全感。外表的平凡如同财产的贫瘠，一直是她心头的两根刺。为了使简爱进一步摆脱自卑，夏洛蒂给予了她一笔遗产，但外貌却是难以改变的，因此只好削弱对方，罗切斯特就这样被安排在一场大火中变成了瞎眼断手的残废，而伯莎·梅森也被烧死了，对于简来说的确是“前途一片大好”！果然，当她再次回到桑菲尔德时，看到这里的现状，她深情地对罗切斯特说：“现在我比以前更加爱你，现在我对你可以真正地有用，而以前你却处在骄傲的不依靠别人的状态，除了作赏赐和保护人以外，不屑扮演其它角色。”这时的简爱扮演着情人加慈母的角色，显得又多情又崇高。多年以来，这个主角一直因为她对独立的强烈追求和对爱情的伟大的热情受到赞扬，但事实上，她作为现实社会中的一员，终是无法摆脱现实的桎梏，简爱也不过是作者笔下追求与矛盾的统一体罢了。然而这矛盾的统一体在我们读来身上仍然无法摆脱夏洛蒂•勃朗特身上的自卑感——也就是简爱性格中的自卑心理。

第四篇：《简爱》中永恒的性格魅力

《简·爱》中永恒的性格魅力

班级：外A1021 姓名：胡小莉 学号:08

摘要：作为一部英国早期女性文学的代表作,夏洛蒂·勃朗特的《简·爱》形象而又生动地塑造了一位敢于为正义、平等、人格尊严独立而与生活困境、社会歧视及男权主义进行坚决斗争的女性形象。在这部作品中,作者对主人公简爱不屈服命运,追求独立自由精神的描述,在读者面前呈现了一个不美、矮小的女孩成长为一个自强、自信的女性的蜕变历程。她出身卑微,其貌不扬,却在不屈的反抗和执着的追求中展示出巨大的人格魅力,体现出女性要求平等、独立自主、勇敢自信的现代意识。

关键词：简爱； 自强； 自信； 反抗；平等自由

《简·爱》是一部带有作者自传性的作品，采用第一人称的自叙写法，让女主人公倾诉自己的喜怒哀乐和人生理想、爱情友谊，具有娓娓动听、亲切感人的艺术魅力。它写一个孤女个人的奋斗故事，作者本人生活中的悲哀、忧患、紧张和勇气在小说中得到了强烈的反映。《简·爱》的成功奥妙在于简爱鲜明的人物性格的典型塑造。在当时，英国经历了三次高潮的宪章运动，吸引了成百万的工人和劳动群众参加争取自身权利的斗争，但是妇女在社会上的地位并没有改善，没有获得自由的权利，也没有提出男女平等的问题，至于她们的情感世界更是被人戕害的领域。简爱这一人物的塑造反映了妇女摆脱压迫和歧视，要求平等和自由的强烈愿望和追求，在英国文学史上首创，有其深远的历史意义，对于后人又有超时空的现实意义，是新时代女性推崇的偶像。

简爱这一典型人物的永恒性格魅力主要体现在以下几个方面：

一、自立自强以及自尊的个性：

简爱从小就失去父母，寄养在盖兹海德府的舅妈家里。特殊的家庭境遇使她过着寄人篱下的生活，遭受舅妈、表兄妹的欺凌和压制，但也正是因为这一切，养成了简爱自尊、自强、自立的独特个性，换回了她无限的信心、不屈的精神和一种可战胜一切的内在人格力量。她未曾因为生活的不幸而丧失信心，而是顽强地面对接踵而至的不幸和挫折，甚至没有迷失自我纯真的本性。更难能可贵的是，她有深刻的自知之明，她清楚：没有美好的外貌，就得有主见有思想；没有优越的生活，因此必须独立自主，不依靠他人；没有令人羡慕的社会地位，但必须有强烈的自尊和令人刮目相看的品质。在盖兹海德府，她为了维护自己的尊严，不惜冲撞舅妈，甚至和表哥对打；在劳渥德慈善学校，为了自强自立，她努力学习各项普通课程及法语、音乐、绘画等，用知识来强大自己；在桑菲尔德庄园，她从不因为自己是一个地位低贱的家庭教师而感到自卑，反而认为他们是平等的，不应该因为她是家庭教师，而不能受到别人的尊重。这使得罗切斯特为之震撼，并把她看成是一个可以和自己在精神上平等交谈的人，并且深深爱上了她。他的真心，使简爱感动，她接受了他。而当他们结婚的那一天，简爱知道了罗切斯特已有妻子时，虽然罗切斯特向她坦白了一切，并真诚地表明了自己的爱情，但她还是觉得自己必须要离开。虽然她无限同情罗切斯特，但她有着极强的自尊心，不愿践踏自己的爱情。从内心讲，是简爱意识到自己受到了欺骗，她的自尊心受到了戏弄。她用了极大的克制力，做出了一个非常理性的决定，选择了一场残酷的自我放逐。在这样一种非常强大的爱情力量包围之下，在美好、富裕的生活诱惑之下，她依然能坚持自己的尊严，这充分显示出简爱自强自立的人格和美好的生活理想，也是她最具有精神魅力的地方。小说也从另一个侧面告诉我们：女性必须有独立的人格，自尊自爱，不依附于其他人才可以赢得别人的尊重和热爱，才会有真正的幸福。

二、顽强的反抗精神：

简爱的反抗性格是随着她的经历一步一步发展、成长起来的。翻开《简·爱》第一章，年幼的简爱就和骄横、爱欺负她的表哥发生了冲突，她不畏强暴，怒斥他，并和他扭打，接着被里德太太关进了红房子。被囚禁在红房子里，简爱感到屈辱，她意识到自己和别人受到了不同的待遇，“不公平!不公平啊!”，简爱的“理智一时早熟地发挥了威力”，她感到“‘决心’也同样被鼓舞起来，催促着我从这难以忍受的压迫下逃跑”。在第四章里，简爱和里德太太发生了争吵，里德太太以为凭她的家庭地位可以吓倒外甥女，可结果相反，简爱一针见血地骂她，里德太太居然也觉得害怕了。可以说，在舅母里德太太家生活的时期,是她反叛性格的萌芽阶段。

简爱被送到了劳渥德学校，在这一段时期，可以说是她反抗性格的形成期。严峻的生活向她提出更多的问题,激起她对人间的压迫和不平等现象无比的愤慨。作者强烈地批判了这种披着宗教外衣残害儿童的教育制度，这正是作者曾经亲身经历过的。在劳渥德学校，简爱对海伦·彭斯说过这样一段话“当我们无缘无故挨打的时候，我们应该狠狠地回击；我们肯定我们应该回击—狠狠地回击，教训教训打我们的那个人，叫他永远不敢再这样打人。”从这几章我们可以看出作者的主要意图不仅仅是揭露以慈善为名的学校黑幕，更主要是借这样一个黑暗和没有人性的环境来突出简爱的反抗精神。在劳渥德，她与之作斗争的是一个天地更为广阔的环境。经历了八年人间地狱般并且毫无生气的慈善学校生活，简爱渴望寻求一种新的生活：“我向往自由，我渴望自由”，“那么，至少赐给我新的工作吧”。在内心强烈的愿望的驱使下，简爱顺利地找到了一份家庭教师的工作，来到了桑菲尔德。在桑菲尔德和罗切斯特的交往时期，是她性格的成熟期。初次和罗切斯特见面，她显得自尊自爱、不卑不亢；在对罗切斯特还不够了解的时候，她保持了一贯的反抗精神，“我想，先生，光凭你年龄比我大，或者见的世面比我多，你是没有权利来命令我的；你是否有权自称优越，那要看你怎样利用你的岁月和经历了。”从这一类的谈话中我们可以看到简身上一如既往的坦率的真性情。她渐渐发现罗切斯特和她思想上有许多共通之处，她重视的是“友好坦率”，并不是他的金钱和地位，尽管罗切斯特生性傲慢，但并没有因为简低微的家庭教师的地位而轻视她的存在，而是把她放在平等的地位和她对话，这符合她的反抗的性格，因此她觉得满意。当简得知罗切斯特已有妻室，她觉得受到了极大的欺骗和侮辱，她不允许自己降低人格，成为一个已婚男人的情人，她认为不能成为男人的附属品和玩物，所以她毅然决定离开罗切斯特，离开桑菲尔德。简爱的反抗精神至此发展到了极点。简爱与当时社会“淑女”的审美标准相差甚远，但正是因为简爱的反抗性格，不断追求自由和平等，才赢得了罗切斯特的尊重和爱慕，才会成就英国文学史乃至世界文学史上一段经典的爱情佳话。

三、争取平等、追求自由的女性楷模：

简爱在人生旅途中，寻找幸福，追求爱情，但同时也为争取平等和独立奋斗着，这也是她爱情和幸福的立足点。当她听罗切斯特为了斩断情缘，送她到爱尔兰，并且说她会忘记他时，简爱愤怒了，那段独白，成为名篇佳句，被世人传颂：“你以为我会留下来，成为你觉得无足轻重的人吗？你以为我是架自动机器吗？ 一架没有感情的机器吗？能让我的一口面包从我嘴里抢走，让我的一滴活水从我杯里泼掉吗？你以为因为我穷、低微、不美、矮小，我就没有灵魂没有心吗？你想错了！我的灵魂跟你的一样，我的心也跟你的完全一样！要是上帝赐予我一点美和一点财富，就要让你感到难以离开我，就象我现在难以离开你一样。我现在跟你说话，不是通过习俗、惯例，甚至不是通过凡人的肉体——而是我的精神在同你的精神说话；就象两个都经过了坟墓，我们站在上帝面前，是平等的——因为我们是平等的。”

简爱不被金钱所动，为了平等，自由，她可以放弃爱情。即使离开庄园后没有任何去处，注定要去奔波、流浪、孑然一身闯世界，但她还是毅然地离开了，使我们看到一个女性要求独立、平等的勇气和力量。“珍珠项链的珠子，我把它留下；它不是我的；它是那已经在空气中消失幻想的新娘的，我把其他的东西打成一个包裹，我把装着二十先令的钱袋放在口袋里，这是我的全部财产，我系好草帽，扣好披巾，拿了包裹和我那还不想穿上的便鞋从屋里溜出来。”开始了惠特克劳斯那漂泊的生活。后来，尽管罗切斯特一贫如洗，这两个追求爱情的人走过坎坷，最终还是结合在一起了。正如简爱的一段道白：“因为我们的蜜月将照耀我们一辈子；它的光辉只会在你我的坟里暗淡下去。”简爱在争取平等、追求爱情和自由时所表现出的一个女性非凡的品性，值得世人称道。

在19世纪的英国,男权主义仍然占绝对主导,简爱自立自强的个性、反抗精神和不屈服于命运和社会规则的新女性犹如一阵沁人心脾的清风。《简·爱》所展现给我们的是一种化繁为简一种返朴归真一种追求全心付出的感觉，是一种不计得失的感情，净化每一个读者的心灵，同时引起读者的共鸣。参考文献：

[1]英.夏洛蒂·勃朗特著，宋兆霖译 《简·爱》北京燕山出版社,2003； [2]许菁《浅析简爱的双重性格》郑州经济管理干部学院学报 2002； [3] 范文彬 《《简·爱》与妇女意识》文学评论 1980； [4]王俊《简爱的孤独感及其女权主义意识》

第五篇：浅析简爱的性格魅力

摘 要

《简·爱》是英国女作家夏洛蒂·勃朗特的一部带有自传色彩的长篇小说。它的问世，曾经轰动了19世纪的英国文坛，吸引了国内外成千上万的读者。它之所以经典，在于作品成功地塑造了一位为追求平等、尊严以及独立而敢于与生活困境、社会歧视以及男权主义进行斗争的女性形象。小说集中描述了她为谋求妇女经济独立和爱情平等权利而进行的反抗斗争。本文旨在通过简爱不同的成长环境分析其反抗和独立的性格，力求全方位的感受和理解简爱性格的独特魅力。

关键词：性格；独立；反抗；尊严

I

Abstract

Jane Eyre, a novel with a strong autobiographical color which was written by Charlotte Bronte.When it was first published, it shocked the whole English literary world in the 19th century.Furthermore, it attracts and moves thousands of readers at home and abroad.It is a classic work because the author successfully pictures an amazing herione who dares to struggle with poor enviroment, social discrimination and patriarchy in order to pursue equality, dignity, independence and so on.This novel mainly decribes her rebellion for seeking women‟s economic independence and love of equal rights.This paper aims at analyzing Jane Eyre‟s rebellious and independent character through the different enviroments in Jane‟s growing process so as to fully understand the unique charm of Jane‟s character.Key words: character;independence;rebellion;dignity II An Analysis of Jane Eyre’s Characters in Jane Eyre

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Binhai School of Foreign Affairs

Tianjin Foreign Studies University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Arts

by Huang yawei May，2013

Contents

Abstract(in Chinese)………………..………………………………………….I Abstract(in English)……………..………………………………………….....II I.Introduction …………………………………….…...………………………..1

1.1 About Charlotte Bronte…………….………………………………………..…….....1

1.2 The social background of Jane Eyre…………………………………..……..…….…2

1.3 The brief introduction of Jane Eyre…………………………………………………..3 II.Literature review...……………………………………………………….......4 III.Jane Eyre at Gateshead………………….......................................................6 3.1 Jane Eyre‟s rebellion………………………………………………...........................6 3.1.1 Under the ill-treatment from John Reed..……………………….…..................6 3.1.2 In the Red Room……...........................................................................................7 3.1.3 In front of Mrs.Reed……………………………..……………….…………….8 3.2 Jane‟s independence at Gateshead…………………………………...…….…...….10 IV.Jane Eyre at Lowood Institution……………………………………..…….11 4.1 Jane‟s rebellion…………………………………………………………..….…….11 4.1.1 Contrast between Helen Burns and Jane · Eyre……………...……….…..…….11

4.1.2 Against Mr.Brocklehurst………………..……………..……………....................12

4.2 Jane‟s independence at Lowood Institution ………………………………...……13 V.Jane Eyre at Thornfield Hall and Moor House………..................................14 5.1 Jane‟s rebellion………………………………………………………..……………14

5.1.1 On human dignity…………...………………...………………………..….…14

5.1.2 On love …………………………….....………………………………...……15

5.2 Jane‟s independence at Thornfield Hall and Moor House…………………………17 VI.Conclusion…………………………………………………………………18 References………………………………………………………………...……20 I.Introduction

1.1 About Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte(1816-1855)was born at Thornton, in Yorkshire England, the third of six children.She was not pretty.She was plain and little, but her name was put in the first page of the history of English literature in the 19th century because of the success of Jane Eyre.In August 1824, Charlotte Bronte was sent with three of her sisters to the Clergy Daughters‟ School at Cowan Bridge.Due to its poor and unhealthy conditions, her two elder sisters died at 11 and 10 years old.Charlotte survived, but her healthy was permanently affected.Soon after, she moved from the school and lived with her living sisters, Emily and Anne.And Charlotte continued her education at Roe Heed School in Mirfield at fiftheen years old.In 1839, Charotte left Roe Heed School and took up the first position as a governess in some private families in Yorkshire.However, the job at that time was treated with bias and she suffered a lot.To make a living, Charlotte and her sister Emily wanted to open a school to teach children French, but they were not good at this language.In 1843, they travelled to Brussels to learn French.They met Mr.Herger, the owner of the Pension at Herger, a girl‟s school, where Charlotte and Emily were pupils and Charlotte later worked as a teacher.While during the period between 1839 and 1842, there were two men ask for Charlotte‟s proposal, one was the brother of Charlotte‟s friend, another was a young clergyman.Charlotte rejected them for the reason that she thought she was not their true love but a tradition to marry a woman.Her attitude towards love was very vivid.She knew whom she loved and what she wanted.Then Charlotte returned her hometown to open a school with her two sisters.However, they failed.After their dream was broken, Charlotte thought writing might be another way.In May 1846, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne published a joint collection of poetry under assumed names of Currer, Ellis and Action Bell.Although only two copies were sold, they decided to continue writing for publication and began to work on their first novel.It was very unfortunate, Emily and Anne both died of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1848 and 1849 respectively.Charlotte and her father were left alone.Under the very hardship condition, Charlotte continuously worked hard in the journey of literary creation and published Shirley(1848)and Villette(1853)and began to create the novel Emma in 1853.For her first novel, The Professor(1857)was published under the name Currier Bell and was based on her own experiences of teaching in Brussels, but never found a publisher in her lifetime.The world-famous autobiography novel, Jane Eyre, was written in 1846.In the novel, Charlotte created a figure to make her ideal dream of love come true.On June 1854, Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father‟s curate.She died nine months later during her first pregnancy.In general, her works are all about the strugggle of an individual consciousness toward slef-realization, about some lonely and neglected young wowen with a longing for love.1.2 The social background of Jane Eyre

1832, the year when the first Reform Act was passed, was usually regarded as the end of the Romantic era and the beginning of the Victorian age, although Queen Victorian did not start her reign until 1837.The Victorian age(1832-1902)was usually subdivided into the following phases: the early victorian period, the mid-victorian period and the late victorian period.And Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre in the early victorian period when the economic developed rapidly.At that time, England developed into a rich, advanced industrial country.Although capitalist had appeared, old convention and prejudice remained dominant.Many social problems still exsited, for instance, the sharpest contrast between the rich and the poor and the rigid social hierarchy.In this period, women were still regarded as second-class hierarchy.They were employed as cheap laborer and were forced to do very hard jobs.They had no place in politics, economics and society.They had no right to pursue their own love and their status were totally dependent upon the economic position of their fathers and then their husbands.Furthermore, they had to sacrifice themselves to serve their husbands and children.However, under various unequal treatments, some outstanding women appeared, such as famous women writers, Bronte sisters.They were great English realists at that time.They created pictures of bourgeois civilization, showing the misery and suffering of the common people.So in the late period of Victorian age, a feminism movement started.Those feminists fought for women‟s equality, freedom, their educational and employment opportunities.What‟s more, Petitions to parliament advocating women‟s suffrage were approved as early as in the 1840.1.3 The brief introduction to “ Jane Eyre”

Jane Eyre, the main character, is a plain orphan who is cruelly treated in childhood by her aunt, Mrs.Reed, the wife of her mother‟s brother.At Gateshead, Jane bears ten years of neglect and abuse, especially after her uncle died.Mrs.Reed is a harsh, cold and unsympathetic woman who treats Jane as a servant, but pampers her three children.They look down upon her because she is not pretty and has no money.In order to be accepted by her aunt, she tries to stand difficulties, however, her aunt still treats her as a thron.After suffering all kinds of inhumane treatments at Gateshead, she is sent away to a boarding school at the tender age of ten, where she receives good education under severe conditions and makes a friend with Helen Burns.There, at Lowood, Jane bears a lot both physically and mentally, only consoled by a kind teacher, Miss Temple.After eight years at the school, Jane Eyre becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall.Mr.Rochester, the master of the house, who seems to have a dark past.Day after day, Mr.Rochester is attracted not by her looks but her wit and courageous spirit, and falls in love with her.This is the same with her.Then Jane accepts Mr.Rochester‟s proposal.But their marriage is prevented by the unexpected fact that he has already had a wife, a mad woman who is still alive.Jane feels very shocked and is deeply hurt, then she leaves him quietly because she doesn‟t want to be a mistress.Jane arrives at the desolate crossroads and refuses to beg for food.Fortunately, the Rivers family takes her into their home at Moor House.Jane develops great affection for the ladies, and happily teaches at St.John‟s school.She gradually thinks that she has inherited a vast fortune because she has become a member of a new famliy.St.John, a very handsome clergyman who is determined to devote himself to God.He admires Jane and asks her to be his wife.However, she suddenly feels that she still cherishes a deep love for Rochester.Finally, she refuses St.John and goes back to find Rochester, who is a blind but free man.Then they marry and enjoy a contented and peaceful life.II.Literary review

Jane Eyre was written according to Charlotte Bronte‟s own experience.It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co.And the first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York.It has been described as “the first modern novel, the first to envelop the life of a plain ordinary woman with romance”(Thomley, G.C.& Gwyneth Roberts, 1984: 124)William Makepeace Thackeray also hailed it as “ the mastework of great genius”.Jane Eyre successfully created a great sensation in the whole literary world through the struggling story of a “Cinderella”.Nowadays, it still attracts many readers.The film which was adapted by Jane Eyre, had won an Oscar Academy Awards.Therefore, lots of writers and critics at home and abroad remain enthusiastic about it.When G.K.Chesterton said, “ The novel of the 19th century was female”(G.K.Chesterton, 2011: 96), he must have been refering to the emergence of a number of brilliant woman writers who gave voice to the feelings and aspirations of the educated women of their age.Charlotte Bronte is one of the greatest women writers, and her Jane Eyre is undoubtedly an outstanding women‟s declaration of independence and love.Jane Eyre is also honoured as “ Another book is required reading for women ” and “ It is worth reading than fifty Trollopes, fifty Dickens and any other novels”.(Trubner and Company, 2010 : 132)Furthermore, Dickens and Thackeray highly praised Jane Eyre as it revealed the political and the social truth to the world.At the same time, Marx also rated Charlotte as an excellent novelist in Britain.Throughout the domestic researches, Jane Eyre also gets a lot of recognition.“ For some years, Charlotte Bronte has written her works, Shirler, Villette and so on, but Jane Eyre is the most successful and popular one”(吴伟仁, 2004: 233)At the same time, it is also regarded as “ a typical work which has a closely connection with the Bible in the 19th literature ”(卓新平, 1992: 232)Zhu Hong, a British and American literature researcher and tutor, understands Jane Eyre as a revenge on the upper society and regards the marriage of Jane and Rochester as a carnival of spiritual revenge.10 III.Jane Eyre at Gateshead

3.1 Jane Eyre’s rebellion

“ Once a person is born, his personality has partly taken shape”.Indeed, the main part of a personality copies his parents, and the remaining part comes just from himself or from the circumstances.The circumstances which Jane lived in her childhood was miserable so that her spirit of striving for independence and rebellion was fully exposed.3.1.1 Under the ill-treatment from John Reed

From the above introduction of Jane‟s experiences at Gateshead, we can know that Jane Eyre‟s life was unhappy and pitiful.Everyone in Reed house humiliated her, the one who always abused Jane Eyre was John Reed.John Reed, four years elder than Jane, was Mrs.Reed‟s only darling son.So no matter what he had done, no one would scold him, instead, all of them would think that it must be Jane‟s fault.At the initial stage, Jane had a little frightened to John when she was abused by him.For example, Jane Eyre said, “every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 9).However, Jane Eyre‟s mind was strong and she was not scared later.On the contrary, the seeds of the rebellion were gradually growing up.As for John, he had not much affection for his mother and sisters, let alone the sympathy to Jane Eyre.Furthermore, he always condemned Jane with dirty words which, to the great extent, hurt Jane‟s self-respect.For instance, he once said, 11 “ You are a dependant, mama says;you have no money;your father left you none;you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mama's expense.Now, I'll teach you to rummage my bookshelves...”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 9)

In our views, the more difficulties there were, the more she was strong.Jane did not think that she should resign to such an uneducated and rude boy.When John Reed lift and hurled the book to Jane, she shouted out “wicked and cruel boy!You are like a murder---you are like a slave driver---you are like the roman emperors!”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 10)Then she tussled with John.This point has been shown clearly that the tolerance level of Jane Eyre has reached her limits.It is known to us that people who are only under the great oppression will break out their enormous power.Just like what Luxun said, “ to explore in silence, or to die in it.”

Jane was a strong girl and never gave up.She dared to protect herself when she suffered from the humiliation of being criticized by everyone.She thought that they were not worth respecting.This thought was obviously contrary to the current of thought at that society of male priority.However, Jane was a different girl.She dared to think and act.The novel had pointed out that “ they had got me by this time into the apartment indicated by Mrs.Reed, and had thrust me upon a stool: my impulse was to rise from it like a spring.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 11)From here we can imagine, at that time, Jane‟s rebellious conciousness was more strong than before.3.1.2 In the Red Room

With the development of the unjust events, Jane started to fight against them.Firstly, facing John‟s unreasonably bullies, Jane didn‟t retreat but strike him.Secondly, the servants often blamed Jane and told her that she should not strike John because he was her young master, but she attacked them in the strongest terms.Thirdly, Mrs.Reed hated to see Jane Eyre because of Jane‟s ceaseless rebellion.All these seemed that Jane was challenging the power of Mrs.Reed.So finally she couldn‟t escape from the tragedy of being sent to the red room.The room was seldom used, for Mr.Reed was dead in this room.We can‟t imagine that how horrible the red room is, even for a little girl.Everything in this room was filled with a sense of ghastly atmosphere, which made people stifling.So was Jane.She said，“ Although there was a superstition with me at that moment, it was not yet her hour for complete victory: my blood was still warm, the mood of the revolted slave was still bracing me with its bitter vigor.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 13)

As long as she considered that“ All John Reed‟s violent tyrannies, all his sisters‟ proud indifference… Why was it useless to try to win any one‟s favor… ”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 13)Jane would cause a feeling of hatred at that time.There was only one word would come up her, that was the rebellion.Only through the rebellion, Jane could feel a sense of achievement and satisfactory.Only through the rebellion, she could have the opportunity to get freedom and independence because the red room was just like the hell.During the whole afternoon, Jane thought lots of things in this cold red room.She was sure that it was not the life she wanted.3.1.3 In front of Mrs.Reed

At Gateshead, the conversations between Mrs.Reed and Jane Eyre could well display her rebellions.When faced with so many different kinds of revilement, Jane had not shown any sign of fright.Instead, she gave the powerful words to hit back.While in Mrs.Reed‟s eyes, Jane was an unwelcome alien who permanently invaded her own family group.Therefore, she told her children not to go near Jane, but Jane cried out and said, “ They are not fit to associate with me.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 27)Mrs.Reed was so angry when hearing it, and then dragged her into the nursery, pressed her on the edgy of the bed and said, “ Dared me in an emphatic voice to rise from that place.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 27)Then, Jane talked it back immediately, “ What would uncle Reed say to you, if he were live? ”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 27)These words shocked Mrs.Reed, and her eyes were filled with terror.She did not think that such a little girl had so great power and courage to speak to her.In the days of nursery, Jane was always striving, she was often thinking about how to express her inner thoughts out.She had been abused for a long time.But the only thing that she could do was to rebel, which was the best way that could protect her.She had learnt how to gather all her energy and give Mrs.Reed a forceful hit-back.When Mrs.Reed told Mr.Brocklehurst that Jane Eyre was a liar.Jane had a face to face conflict with her aunt, she defended，“ I am not deceitful: if I were you, I should say I love you: but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except the John Reed: and this book about the liar, you may give your girl, Georgiana, for it is she tells lies, and not I.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 35)

How comfortable for Jane as she was saying these words.Jane still continued to say

“ I am glad you are no relation of mine, I will never call you aunt as long as I live, and I will never come to see you when I am grown up.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 35)

Jane was only a ten-year-old girl but she had such kind of courage against the things that she thought unfair.3.2 Jane’s independence at Gateshead

Independence is an outstanding quality throughout the whole novel.Jane Eyre is not pretty but her character is unique.Under a variety of difficulties at Gateshead, Jane gradually began to realize the importance of independence, as her conciousness of rebellion becoming more and more strong.She knew that dependence and incompetence invited nothing but scorn.As a result of the event that she striked with John, she was sent to the red room by her aunt.In the red room, she realized she needed to be saved and protected by herself and she needed to be self-reliant.She said, “ Unjust!I never compromise to them.I shall be independent.”(Charottle Bronte, 2008: 14)She hated Gateshead, she hated everyone there.She believed that only when she was independent, could she be respected by others.After all, Jane Eyre was a little girl and it was hard for her to be economically independent.Because of the hatred between Reeds and Jane Eyre, Jane would like to be sent to a low budget orphan school called Lowood Institution.Before Jane left the Gateshead, she rebuked Mrs.Reed，“ You think I have no feelings and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness;but I cannot live so… People think you a good woman, but you are bad, hard-hearted.You are deceitful!”(Charottle Bronte, 2008: 35)

This was the first time that Jane enjoyed a sense of triumph and freedom.And she also felt she was independent because she escaped from there.15 IV.Jane Eyre at Lowood Institution

4.1 Jane’s rebellion

With thirst for new life, Jane Eyre went to Lowwood.It was a charity school, but in fact was a hell for poor girls.During the eight years of school‟s life, Jane‟s thought gradually became mature.What‟s more, this experience further developed her rebellion.4.1.1 Contrast between Helen Burns and Jane · Eyre

In Lowood, Helen Burns played a very important role in Jane Eyre‟s childhood and even in Jane‟s whole life, Helen Burns could be undoubtedly considered as Jane‟s friend.Helen was the first person who spoke to Jane in the Lowood.Jane loved to be with Helen because she was willing to share everything with her.However, they had different characters when they came across the same conditions.For example, when Helen was punished in the middle of a room, she had no complaining words.It seemed that nothing had happended, no crying, no shameful expression on her face.But Jane got very angry and she said to Helen，“ If I were in your place, I should dislike her;I should resist her;if she struck me with that rod, I should get it from her hand;I should break it under her nose.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 55)

So seen from this sentence, we learned that Helen didn‟t dare to fight, and she wasn‟t brave as much as Jane.And she told Helen，16 “ A great deal: you are good to those who are good to you.It is all ever desire to be.If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid… I am sure we should— so hard as to teach the person who struck us never do it again!”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 56)

This forceful speech embodied the deep oppression of Jane‟s rebellious spirit.We believed that if Jane was right, she would do it without any hesitation.Here, Jane‟s rebellious character kept growing.Helen was always telling her belief to Jane.She was deeply poisoned by religion and sincerely believed in God.Furthermore, she wished to be in heaven after death.She said to Jane, “ I am sure there is a future state;I believe God is good… God is my father;God is my friend;I love Him;I believe He loves me.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 80)But Jane did not like her.She would not sumbit to fate and the environment.She was a girl born with strong rebellion.As long as any evil force came to her, she must fight against them and must protect herself.This rebellious awareness was just the quality that Helen was lack of.4.1.2 Against Mr.Brocklehurst

As we all know, Mr.Brocklehurst was not only a hypocrite, but also a snob man, though he was the founder of the Lowood.So at the Lowood School, he could enjoy the most favorable right.He treated the students as servants and punished the students in the name of saving their souls.The school didn‟t provide the poor children with enough food, clothes and it could not give good treatment for the disease.Therefore, death had become something common at Lowood Institution.This condition aroused Jane‟s rebellion again.Jane was a girl who was always ready to fight.It was obvious that she didn‟t like Mr.Brocklehurst.At Lowood, Mr.Brocklehurst scolded Jane as a liar.Undoubtedly, such sharp words hurt Jane deeply.As long as there was a hope, Jane would have a sense of rebellion.When Mr.Brocklehurst wanted to cut the long hair of Severn, the blackboard suddenly slipped from Jane‟s hand and fell with an obtrusive crash so that Mr.Brocklehurst punished Jane to stand on the chair in front of everyone.As Jane had said that she could not bear such humiliating punishment, but now she was standing in the middle of the room.The feelings of inward were beyond the description.Jane‟s heart was filled with fury.She never stopped longing for a free life in a new world.She thought that she must do everything she could completely to fight against the bad man and to resist the unfair punishement.At this moment, Jane‟s rebellion became stronger and stronger.4.2 Jane’s independence at Lowood Institution

Jane‟s independent consciousness was sprouted at Gateshead first, it took shape at Lowood Institution.Under lots of unfair punishement, Jane gained strength from her teacher and fellow students.And Jane tired to achieve her independence.Helen‟s sincere friendship gave her strength.Although she didn‟t accept Helen‟s belief about abandoning human affection and praying for God‟s love, but Jane was deeply moved by Helen‟s words，“ Yet it would be your duty to bear it , if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what your fate to be required to bear.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 55)Jane learnt self-control from Helen Burns.And Helen told her that life was so short that people couldn‟t waste it to bear grudges.This might be the reason why Jane finally forgave Mrs.Reed.Miss Temple, a teacher who was admired and deeply loved by Jane.When Mr.Brocklehurst told all the people that Jane was a liar, Miss Temple gave a chance to Jane to defend herself.She believed what Jane said and it gave Jane great consolation.Miss Temple often encouraged her students to keep up their spirits.Jane learnt the value of independence from her.After the leaving of Miss Temple, Jane couldn‟t put up with dullness there.She was eager for freedom and a new life.She told herself that she wanted to go to a lively place.And no matter what happened in the future, she would face it bravely.The rebellious spirit was lightened again.And she also believed that if she wanted to be independent, she must achieve economic independence.Then Jane made an advertisement and got a job as a governess at Thornfied.V.Jane at Thornfield Hall and Moor House

5.1 Jane’s rebellion

Time in Thornfield‟s and Moor House played a significant role in Jane Eyre‟s life.This part showed the climax of Jane‟s rebellious and independent spirit through her attitude to human dignity, love and marriage.5.1.1 On human dignity

When Jane Eyre first came to Thornfield Hall, she didn‟t feel ashamed of her plain apperance and poverty-stricken state.She defended her dignity as defending her life.Jane didn‟t show any subservience before her wealthy and arrogant master.When Rochester ordered Jane to talk more with him to please him, she refused firmly.In Jane‟s eyes, Mr.Rochester couldn‟t consider himself superior to her regarding to his age, experience and status.Jane stayed consistent in her beliefs when she didn‟t know much about Rochester yet.One evening, she was asked by Rochester, “ Do you think I‟m handsome? ” “ Normally I would have taken time to think, and said something polite, but somehow I answered at once, „ No, sir.‟ ” Jane wrote.(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 129)She was unwilling to tell that Mr.Rochester was handsome although he was her employer.She didn‟t want to flatter others, although she knew that it would benefit her job.She hoped that she could be equal to his master in spirit except in money and in social class.Since then, she was able to communicate with Rochester in spirit and gained respect for human dignity from him.5.1.2 On love

Day by day, through many equal contacts between Jane and Rochester, Jane found that she fell in love with Rochester.“ The friendly frankness, as correct as cordial, with which he treated me, drew me to him.I felt at times as if he were my relation rather than my master.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 144)She comprehended his faults and sympathized his misfortune.She saw his kind-hearted nature.Jane loved Mr.Rochester very much.In order to pursue the whole love from Mr.Rochester, Jane was fighting for the traditional ideas all the time.When she heard that Mr.Rochester would get married with Miss.Ingram, she was desperate.As for Mr.Rochester, he thought that Jane would like some women 20 who begged for the so-called love.However, to Rochester‟s surprise, Jane said to him firmly，“ I must leave you and Thornfield, I must!I tell you I must go.Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automation?...You think wrong.I have as much as you---and full as much heart!”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 194)

Jane Eyre retorted.Thus it can be seen that the holding capacity of Jane‟s mind was so great.She wouldn‟t bear any humiliation.She respected Mr.Rochester‟s decision.She didn‟t want to be painful again.She said，“ And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me… and we stood at God’s feet, equal, as we are!”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 248)

This was Jane‟s real declaration of human right.She dared to resist her master severely to defend her own rights.Just because of her unique character and action, Mr.Rochester expressed his inner feelings.Amazed and excited, Jane agreed to be his wife.However, it was on Jane‟s marrying day that she knew the fact that Mr.Rochester had a legal wife.Undoubtedly, it was a heart-stuck attack to Jane.At this moment, it was impossible for them to get married because she knew that Mr.Rochester didn‟t belong to her any more.He had a wife.If she continued to stay in Thornfield, she would became Mr.Rochester‟s mistress who wouldn‟t be accepted by society.No matter how she loved Mr.Rochester, Jane could not persuade herself to be married with him.Being alone in the world, she had no one to depend on.At last, she perfered to leave Rochester rather than to lose her individual dignity.She said loudly and clearly before she left Thornfield, “ I care for myself… I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad—as I am now.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 310)It was a pity that they didn‟t get together, for they loved each other deeply.However, Jane‟s unusual rebellious character was perfectly shown.She dared not only to rebel the unfairness but also to challenge the social conventions to pursue her own rights.After leaving Rochester‟s home, Jane wandered here and there.She was nearly dead.Luckily, she met with St.John and his sisters.They were very friendly and warm-hearted to her.With their care, Jane recovered quickly.Soon, she worked as a village teacher in a church school.St.John thought highly of Jane‟s talent and made an offer of marriage several times in the name of “ God‟s will”.Jane resolutely refused him.She knew that she was the right person who could help him to do missionary work and their marriage wasn‟t based on true love.She pointed out, “ He prizes me as a soldier would a good weapon, and that is all.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 397)Yielding to St.John‟s request, it meant to give up Jane‟s rights.And she said to St.John that she scorned his idea of love.John was shocked by this sentence because he met the resistance from Jane.Furthermore, she still loved Mr.Rochester, so she determined to return to Thronfield again.However, Thronfield had become a wasteland after a big fire, and Rochester was blind and disabled but free.At this moment, she felt that she loved Rochester more than ever.So she decided to stay with him and to look after him for all of her life.In the end, Jane Eyre possessed noble soul and gained true love.5.2 Jane’s independence at Thornfield Hall and Moor House

In order to support herself, Jane worked as a governess at Thornfield Hall where developed her independence totally.She completely earned money by her own.Although Rochester was rich, Jane never thought of depending on him.She remembered all the time that the self-respect and dignity of a woman were based on the economical independence.She thought, “ If I had ever so small an independency;I never can bear being dressed like a doll by Mr.Rochester… I could better endure to be kept by him now.”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 264)After knowning that Rochester also loved her, Jane was excited and told Rochester, “ I shall continue to act as Adele‟s governess;by that I shall earn my board and lodging… and you shall give me nothing but—your regard!”(Charlotte Bronte, 2008: 265)From here we could see that Jane‟s character of self-respect and independence was so strong and firm, and Jane showed her spirit sufficiently.As for love, Jane hold that independence and pursuit of the equal rights were the fundamental elements.And she protected her independence and personality all the time.When Rochester intended to give her a lot of jewelry and beautiful clothes, she refused.She thought that real love wasn‟t based on money and jewelry.Her love didn‟t mix with conventional ideas at that time and she didn‟t want to be the slave of money and to rely on others.Furthermore, she did not want to be an accessory of Rochester.Until she left the Thornfield, she didn‟t take those things that were sent by Rochester.And at Moor House, she refused St.John‟s proposal.All the actions and thoughts were fully shown that Jane would insist on her spirit under any conditions.VI.Conclusion

From Jane‟s story at Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield and Moor House, we learn that Jane‟s life is full of tears, misery and humiliation.However, she never gives up the determination in struggling against her fate and pursuing independence.The paper has analyzed Jane Eyre‟s rebellious and independent spirit.In her chidhood, she had the rebellious spirit and independent conciousness.After she turned into a mature woman, she became more independent and continued to struggle bravely against the unjustice under the bad enviroment.From Gateshead to Lowood Institution, from Thornfield to Moor House, Jane‟s spirit developed step by step until she gained her own perfect love at last.Jane is a new image of woman who is worthy learning.The value of a woman does not lie in her looks, her dress, and any other things that have a powerful fascination to men‟s eyes, but in her nature, her mind and her character.In fact, no matter in which society you live, the woman who wanted to pursue equality, freedom or even feminism should pursue financial, personal and political independence.As for love in the modern society, women should seek it on the base of equality and true love not on money, houses or cars.Just like Jane Eyre, though she doesn‟t have a beautiful appearance and enough money, she would own her wholehearted love.References

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