Daisy Verghese, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad
ABSTRACT
The novel 'Jane Eyre' written by the English novelist Charlotte Bronte is an authentic captivation of the patriarchal society in the Victorian era. Victorian women were considered the inferior sex, their life solely dedicated to their family and, more importantly, their husbands. As a result, Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre' was written as an unconventional manifesto against the misogynistic culture of her time. The first act of patriarchal oppression Jane faces is when she is subjected to heinous torture by John Reed. He torments her and maintains his supremacy by reminding her that she is an orphan who is completely reliant on the Reed family, thus inflicting fear and submission into her young mind. She is then cast away to boarding school, where she suffers public humiliation and dominance of the hypocritical supervisor, Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane Eyre doesn't remain a victim to this patriarchal society but instead emerges as a brave warrior who stands up against oppression without subjecting herself to traditional norms. She does marry Mr. Rochester towards the end but on her own terms without sacrificing her independence. In this research paper, the main idea and focus will be on the patriarchal society she is exposed to and the gender inequalities faced by Jane throughout the novel at the hands of the dogmatic elites.
Keywords: Jane Eyre, Patriarchy, Oppression, Gender Inequalities
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