Friday, December 27, 2019

A Struggling Relationship with Power and Jane Eyres Desire to be Free From It - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1525 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Jane Eyre Essay Did you like this example? In Charlotte Brontes, Jane Eyre, the protagonists experiences in alienation result in her ultimate desire for power and her struggle to be free from it. Janes alienation is divided into many sectors but she bases her rebellion on two: her class and her gender. Both things of which were not circumstantial but rather bred, Jane has constant resentment for being a lower class woman. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Struggling Relationship with Power and Jane Eyres Desire to be Free From It" essay for you Create order Using this as the fuel to her rebellion, Jane refuses to be stepped on by others and rather attempts to coexist with her authoritative surroundings. I tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon. I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing. I abandoned it and framed a humbler supplication; for change, stimulus: that petition, too, seemed swept off into vague space: Then, I cried, half desperate, grant me at least a new servitude!( Bronte 102) Janes struggling relationship with power incites her greed for freedom yet ultimately causes her to sacrifice this freedom for love. Growing up an orphan, Jane had a miserable childhood which resulted in her constant feelings of insecurity, vulnerability, and hopelessness (Paris 145) She was planted in an environment in which the people around her excluded her and would enforce this punishment severely. Entirely dependent she lives with a constant dread of being abandoned by a hostile aunt who perpetually criticizes her from family life, and gives her children license to torment her. (Paris 145) Hostility is just the beginning of her household as Mrs.Reeds actions bleed into cousin John Reeds mentality. John abuses Jane both mentally and physically as he feels the moral duty to make her feel unwanted, unworthy, unable. you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemens children like us. (Bronte 15) The Reed family portrays a common belief during the Victorian era which is that low social classes were to be kept excluded from societ y and those who are poor should be left vulnerable. Not only does her household deprive her of family life, but it also deprives her at a young age from human contact. The moment Jane finally reacted to her cousin in self-defense, he immediately went to extreme measures by sending her to the red room in which Mr. Reed had died. Jane went through spiritual and physical confinement as she was punished and sent to the untouchable area in Gateshead called the red room. Janes time in this room helped her to ponder on what she had done to deserve this; soon she realized no answer was to be found but the saddening response of being born into dependence and a low race, class, and gender unlike the Reeds. Janes oppression led her to become desperate for freedom, wanting to prove to herself and others that she is not afraid. Upon leaving Gateshead, the novel reverses and Jane is able to prove herself fearless and good in the eyes of others. Despite the trauma of this experience, Jane finds th at the consequences of her rebellion are predominantly positive (Paris 147) Soon after, Mrs. Reed sends Jane to the Lowood Institution, a charity school run by Mr. Brocklehurst. Upon entering the school, Jane spots a solitary girl reading. The girl is Helen Burns, an orphan herself, and she helps Jane learn to endure personal injustice rather than fight it. The time the two spent together was essential in Janes growth throughout the novel, as her personality became much more refined and a sense of religion was brought into her life. After becoming a teacher at Lowood and preaching her beliefs, Jane decided to grow furtherly and with the use of her strong education and experience, she became a governess. This position not only raised her social rank, but it also raised her sense of power, bringing her one step closer to the liberty she deeply desired. I climbed the three staircases, raised the trap-door of the attic, and having reached the leads, looked out afar over sequestered field and hill, and along dim sky- line that then I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen that then I desired more of practical experience than I possessed; more of intercourse with my kind, of acquaintance with variety of character, than was here within my reach. (Bronte 129) Although Jane is one step closer to her desired life, she does not feel satisfied with the life she is condemned to: due to her gender. The labor component in the novel is crucial to the expression of the effect of gender and class in Janes life. In the Lowood school Bronte carefully portrays Brocklehurst as one who sees femininity as a construct afforded by middle-class luxury and working-class androgyny as a necessary , though clearly distinct, part of the hierarchical social order. (Godfrey 857) Yet as Jane advances to her position as a governess, she appears fully aware of her radical potentiality and instability of her new position as she moves from a working-class worl d into the middle class. (Godfrey 858) Jane struggles at first with gender abnormality as her working-class identity overlaps her lower-class gender neutrality. However, she soon realizes this is to her advantage as her relationship with Rochester remains in an extremely compliant manner. Janes imagination is what has kept her restless in her liminal world. Jane lets her imagination run wild and allows gleaming visions to come into her mindshe has recognized this realm as a place where impossibilities become reality, and she revels in the power that she holds there. Her imagination is the driving force for the creation and continuation of her world (Clark 22) This world is in between all the many social spheres, it is separated from the others, it is purposefully outcasted. Rochester notices Janes creativity and finds a way to dig deep into her liminal world as he looks at her paintings. Since the moment he met her, Rochester knew she was otherworldly; he is fascinated with her morals, obedience, quietness yet is in constant awe over her challenging character and intelligence. Rochester highlights Janes different personality as he tells her not three in a thousand raw school girls governesses would have answered me as you have just done (Bronte 115) Edward Rochester falls in love with Jane and makes it his duty to extract her from her liminal world and rather plant her in his world. This is a hardship for Jane as it is the commencement of letting go of her dreams, of letting go of her so dreamed liberty. Jane spends days on an emotionally and physically taxing journey that demands all of her strength and further entrenches her in her otherworldliness. At this moment she is in a liminal place, caught between her pitiful past and her unknown future. (Clark 24) Jane has given up some sense of her power as she results in letting Rochester in her liminal world. Reader I married him (Bronte 382) Jane tells us as she lets go of the gasp she had been holding in for so long, finally letting the reader momentarily into her world through writing. Throughout the novel, Jane is an enigma, a threat to other characters who only want to destroy her and her ideas. Early in the novel, characters describe Jane almost exclusively with derogatory labels (Peters 59) She does not easily fit into the established roles of either gentry or servants, and so society defaults to separating her in order to transform her into something other than human. Her childhood is drowned in negative labeling from all her living family members such as imp, rat, mad cat (Peters 59) Soon, the marginalization she encounters throughout her life reverses to positive labeling as Rochester and others see her as an angel, fairy, dove, and genii. (Peters 62) Janes character and want for power grows strong through these experiences as she becomes distinct in challenging cultural norms concerning class and gender, the two things which fueled her rebellion. Janes greed for freedom, for liberty, for being set free is sacrificed for the love of Rochester. I will be your neighbor, your nurse, your housekeeper. I find you lonely: I will be your companion to read to you, to walk with you, to sit with you, to wait on you, to be eyes and hands to you. Cease to look so melancholy, my dear master; you shall not be left desolate, so long as I live. (Bronte 502) This action can be seen as a form of ultimate love, yet it can also be seen as Jane being drowned by thoughts of past marginalization and in fear, subverting back into the servant she once was, except now to a long-lost lover. I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home my only home. (Bronte 283) Perhaps the purpose Jane most desired for her life was not power or liberty but rather belonging, belonging to someone who belonged to her as well.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Castle Essay - 761 Words

The Castle Shiro bolted through the frozen forest, the burning remains of the monastery still visible on the hill. The sweat was frozen on Shiros exposed skin like an icy shell, and the snow cut into his feet like knives. Shiro was a monk. A monk who had lost his home and his friends, and was running for his life. The monastery was often attacked by seemingly supernatural forces, but this was different. They were organized, as if they had a leader. Shiro ´s sleek, muscular form, toned by many years of combat, stood still as he crouched low and listened, his senses in maximum overdrive. Nothing except the faint cracking and splintering of the burning building in the distance. Then, he heard it. The subtle, yet noticeable crunch in the†¦show more content†¦The weapon was elegant. With a handle wrapped in the finest weave, and an elegantly carved brass hand guard. The long curved blade, made of tempered steel and sharpened to the point of impossibility. The sheath was worn, battered, and well used. You wouldnt expect such an elegant weapon to be concealed in such a crude sheath. The creature hissed and stepped back, looking at the simple sword like it might explode.  ¨Go back to whatever pit of rot you came from and you will be spared.† The creature opened its mouth wide in a sort of grin and called out into the frozen night. Shiro took a powerful step forward, solidly planting his feet into the snow and slashed at the creature with his blade. The creature sidestepped and took a swipe at Shiro with its talons. Shiro spun, and side stepped, leaving the creature off guard, and allowing Shiro to swipe his sword up, cutting deep into the creatures hide. The beast howled into the night, falling to one knee, made one final attempt and lashed out. Shiro stabbed his sword into the creatures hand and pushed the blade forward, splitting the bone down the middle and out through the shoulder, silencing the monster ´s howls. Shiro took a deep breath, drawing the sword slowly from the monster ´s limp body. Shiro didnt wait around to see if any more would come. He turned and ran. Jason pushed his way through the dense jungle, hacking overhanging vines and tangles to clear a path for his troop. HisShow MoreRelatedThe Castle Essay907 Words   |  4 Pagestacky renovations to the house. Kerrigan clan shares and supports his enthusiasm in every way. Though he has no wish to sell, points out faults of the house with pride, believing they would add value. 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Jeannette lived a tough life, she was constantly moving, never had nice clothes to wear, and had to grow up faster than most children. The reason for the constant struggles in Jeannette’s life led back to her parents. Her father Rex Walls was outrageous, always making spur ofRead MoreEssay On Building A Castle794 Words   |  4 PagesThis was during one of the first few days of Summer Enrichment. Collins built this castle for the princess’. This was also at the beginning of SEP. The children were still exploring the blocks and learning about each other. This was a simple parking garage that Martin and a few of the other students constructed. Just playing around with the blocks turned into a soft place to lay. At first they did not have the pillows and that was â€Å"too rough† so they added them. The parking garages and buildingRead MoreThe Castle of Otranto Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book The Castle of Otranto the people of the castle are surrounded by unexplainable events. 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Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Suspenseful poem Essay Example For Students

Suspenseful poem Essay The Eve of St. Agnes is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts. By means of a close examination of three distinct passages, explore Keats use of contrast in the poem. There are three main contrasts used in this poem Christian/Pagan imagery, cold/warm images, and often the contrast of colour. In a way, temperature and colour are linked; deep reds, yellows and oranges represent heat and life, whereas blues and silvers indicate chill absence of life. Also in The Eve of St.Agnes is a strong question of whether Porphyros intentions are honest and wholesome, or if he is somehow using Madelines trance-like state and helplessness to his perverse advantage. It is also full of wonderful Keatsian paradoxes, which will also be outlined in the contrast analyses. There is a strong element of the harsh outside world invading the warmth and safety of Madelines glowing room, and also the suspense of the other guests, who could catch the unwelcome Porphyro at any time. Through constant clashes of colour, emotion, light and sound, Keats makes this a very unsettling and suspenseful poem, showing a far darker and more ominous side to the dominating mans role in courtly love. Full on this casement shone the wintry moon, And threw warm gules on Madelines fair breast, As down she knelt for heavens grace and boon; Rose-bloom fell on her hands, together prest, And on her silver cross soft amethyst, And on her hair a glory, like a saint: She seemd a splendid angel, newly drest, Save wings, for heaven:- Porphyro grew faint: She knelt, so pure a thing, so free from mortal taint. This stanza brings up some strong colour and religious contrasts. As the previously harsh and cold winter moon shines into Madelines bedroom, a previously described beautiful ornate casement transforms the cold blue light into warm gules, or deep, warm red. This gives the casement and Madelines environment as a whole a sort of holy, warm and safe feeling, protected from the cold outside world. Keats then goes on to describe Madelines piety as she kneels to pray for heavens grace. Keats often emphasises her holiness to reflect Porphyros perversity and almost sacrilege, as he gazes with a lusty eye upon such a pure, innocent girl. However not all about Madeline seems entirely pure, as shown by Keats use of seemd a splendid angel. This hint of nothing being as certain as you think is often used to emphasise ambiguity and leave an unsettling foreboding as to what will happen next. The very fact that Madeline partakes in this seemingly religious act just to find out who will take her virginity is a contradiction in terms Madeline is in a way praying to lose her innocence, and that is exactly what happens. Notice also the amethyst on her cross. Again, the deep, warm, almost lusty amethyst colour contrasting with the cold silver of her holy cross. At the end of the stanza, we are reminded of the ominous presence of Porphyro, crouching with lusty espying eyes and waiting anxiously to have his wicked way with this maiden. That ancient Beadsman heard the prelude soft; And so it chancd, for many a door was wide, From hurry to and fro. Soon, up aloft, The silver, snarling trumpets gan to chide: The level chambers, ready with their pride, Were glowing to receive a thousand guests: The carved angels, ever eager-eyed, Stard, where upon their heads the cornice rests, With hair blown back, and wings put cross-wise on their breasts.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Renaissance Essays (553 words) - Philosophical Movements, Culture

Renaissance History has shown us how civilizations evolve over time. Broadly interpreted, the age of Diocletian marked a decisive stage in the transition from the classical, the Greco-Roman, civilization of the ancient Roman Empire to the Christian-Germanic civilization of the early Middle Ages. Similarly interpreted, "the age of the Renaissance marked the transition from the civilization of the Middle Ages to the modern world"(Ferguson 1). Therefore, the Renaissance is the beginning of the modern world and modern government. In law the tendency was to challenge the abstract dialectical method of the medieval jurists with a philological and historical interpretation of the sources of Roman Law. As for political thought, the medieval proposition that the preservation of liberty, law, and justice constitutes the central aim of political life was challenged but not overthrown by Renaissance theorists. They contended that the central task of government was to maintain security and peace. Machiavelli maintained that the creative force (virtj) of the ruler was the key to the preservation of both his own position and the well-being of his subjects, an idea consonant with contemporary politics. Italian city-states were transformed during the Renaissance from communes to territorial states, each of which sought to expand at the expense of the others. Territorial unification also took place in Spain, France, and England. The process was aided by modern diplomacy, which took its place beside the new warfare when the Italian city-states established resident embassies at foreign courts. By the 16th century, the institution of permanent embassies spread northward to France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire. Renaissance churchmen, particularly in the higher echelons, patterned their behavior after the mores and ethics of lay society. The activities of popes, cardinals, and bishops were scarcely distinguishable from those of secular merchants and political figures. At the same time, Christianity remained a vital and essential element of Renaissance culture. Preachers, such as San Bernardino of Siena, and theologians and prelates, such as Sant'Antonino of Florence, attracted large audiences and were revered. Moreover, many humanists were concerned with theological questions and applied the new philological and historical scholarship to the study and interpretation of the early church fathers. The humanist approach to theology and scripture may be traced from the Italian scholar Petrarch to the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus; it made a powerful impact on Roman Catholics and Protestants. Some medievalists contend that the inflated eloquence and dull neoclassicism of much humanist writing undermine the claim that the Renaissance was a turning point in Western civilization. Although these contentions are valid to some degree, the Renaissance clearly was a time in which long-standing beliefs were tested; it was a period of intellectual ferment, preparing the ground for the thinkers and scientists of the 17th century, who were far more original than the Renaissance humanists. The Renaissance idea that humankind rules nature is akin to Sir Francis Bacon's concept of human dominance over nature's elements, which initiated the development of modern science and technology. Medieval notions of republicanism and liberty, preserved and defended with classical precedents by Renaissance thinkers, had an indelible impact on the course of English constitutional theory and may have been a source for the conception of government espoused by the Founding Fathers of American constitutionalism. Above all, however, "the age of the Renaissance marked a decisive stage in the transition from Middle Ages to the modern world"(Ferguson 1). --- Works Cited Morgan, Michael. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Indianapolisis: Hacket Publishing Company, 1992. 417-419. Ferguson, Wallace. The Renaisance. New York: Harper & Row Publishing Inc., 1963. 1-29