Jane Eyre
Posted by Emma Elizabeth Anne on September 02, 1998 at 07:00:23:
I'm sure that a lot of people who visit this page will have read Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) and enjoyed it, but I just want to exploit this opportunity to raise a discussion point that interested me...
I remember reading somewhere that Charlotte Bronte was disdainful of her sisters for making their heroes and heroines handsome and beautiful simply as a matter of course. Although I love reading about the beautiful, clever girl falling in love with the tall-dark-and-handsome hero - (after all, what is fiction for? =) - I also agree with Charlotte. Is it better to have the central characters always physically beautiful, or is a story improved when the heroes and heroines are, as Jane Eyre describes herself, "poor, little, obscure and plain"??
I found that I could love Mr Rochester and Jane and feel more for their story because they were different from your standard hero and damsel. I could identify with their insecurties, and get closer to the characters, because they were not perfect. Other books and movies run as though passionate love is/was restricted to the rich and beautiful. I think that perhaps Charlotte was right - it should not be "a matter of course" that romantic heroes and heroines be beautiful, clever and talented.
Are there any other opinions on the subject? =)
- characters DeborahC 15:59:03 9/09/98
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- "Plain" speaking Joyce E. 00:30:11 9/03/98
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- Comfort levels CAroline 13:40:58 9/02/98
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- I am sorry, but he is handsome Constanza 15:17:42 9/03/98
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- I am sorry, but he is handsome Constanza 15:17:42 9/03/98
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- Common Folk Gwen 10:55:08 9/02/98
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- Styles:) SusanCEC 22:14:27 9/02/98
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- dress Olivia Ann 11:50:40 9/04/98
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- Absolutley Ayelet 01:44:18 9/07/98
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- On the whole I agree but Constanza 10:44:41 9/07/98
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- It's different, though.. Ayelet 09:35:44 9/09/98
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- I acknowledge defeat! :-D *nfm* Constanza 14:57:42 9/11/98
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- I acknowledge defeat! :-D *nfm* Constanza 14:57:42 9/11/98
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- It's different, though.. Ayelet 09:35:44 9/09/98
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- On the whole I agree but Constanza 10:44:41 9/07/98
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- Absolutley Ayelet 01:44:18 9/07/98
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- Another agreeing teen Patricia 20:10:36 9/03/98
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- Styles Gwen 14:09:21 9/03/98
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- Vic. vs. Reg. The Mysterious H.C. 23:34:13 9/03/98
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- LOL!! SusanCEC 21:40:22 9/03/98
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- Vic. vs. Reg. The Mysterious H.C. 23:34:13 9/03/98
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- dress Olivia Ann 11:50:40 9/04/98
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- Styles:) SusanCEC 22:14:27 9/02/98
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