The character of Jane Eyre gets to cognize her by often being tested by contrasting state of affairss and forces. This is besides shown through the word picture of the people she meets in agencies of opposite natural elements like fire and ice-Rochester and St. John. Besides the natural forces like the conditions which besides shows her psychological province Jane finds her against some apparently supernatural forces.In Charlotte Bronte ‘s Jane Eyre, the symbols of ice and fire are reflected in the personalities of the outstanding figures of the novel. In the novel, fire symbolizes the compelling emotion of the characters every bit good as summarizes the turning passion of the specific characters. On the other manus, ice is used to stand for the indifference to pleasure or trouble. The characters that are symbolized by ice are unagitated and soothing characters who take whatever life grants them.Although, EdwardRochester seems cold and icy in the beginning of the book, his true trait of fire is revealedthroughout the book as we get to cognize him better. St. John Rivers, who is non introduced until the late chapters of the book, plays an of import function of contrasting Rochester by manner ofice. Jane ‘s personality besides symbolizes fire like Rochester.
Edward Rochester easy throughout the book symbolizes his ardent personality. When Jane arrives at Thornfield, she is mistreated by Rochester but as clip goes by ; his fiery personality grows stronger with her. During the late parts of the novel, Rochester is willing to give relationship with his married woman Bertha Mason in order to hold existent passionate love.Despite Rochester ‘s deficiency of visual aspect, he wins Jane ‘s bosom, because she feels they are kindred liquors, and because he is the first individual in the novel to offer Jane enduring love and a topographic point to name place. Jane describes Rochester by citing “ Vulcan [ s ] ” ( page 228 ) . This is important because Vulcan is the Roman God of fire ( acquired from www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vulcan.html ) , merely as Rochester is the chief male with deep internal and external passions in the novel. Alsowhen Jane finds out that the beautiful Blanche Ingram is described as “ horrid and agoniz [ ing ] ” ( page 325 ) by Rochester, he non merely confesses his “ combustion ” love for her but besides proposes to Jane and all goes good till the nuptials ceremonial. During the nuptials ceremonial, Jane finds out that Rochester already has a married woman named Bertha Mason and decides to go forth Thornfield because her trust in him no longer exists. She feels being his kept woman would be giving her self-respect and unity for the interest of her feelings. With one oculus gouged out and the other inflamed and now he can non see. It is acceptable to state that “ [ he ] did incorrect ” ( page 476 ) . What Rochester seems to understand is that his effort at “ adulterous ” would hold detrimentally impacted Jane. He does non believe that it negatively impacts him in a moral sense. He states “ no contact strikes the fire from you that is in you ” ( page 207 ) , which reveals his strong feelings about the immoveable nature of passion. Throughout the novel, Edward Rochester ‘s personality is carefully and bit by bit revealed to be one of fire and passion.
St. John is introduced subsequently in the novel when Jane needs shelter and nutrient after she leaves Thornfield. Ice, the antonym of fire, lacks substance and passion, which in St. John ‘s instance is because of his humbling actions. He besides shows the icy personality from his cold facial characteristics, numbness, and deficiency of heat all really ice like. He is merely difficult and cold, he is cold as an iceberg. He may be fine-looking, fair-haired, and blonde, but he might every bit good be no longer flesh, but marble, which contrasts Rochester ‘s traits. St. John besides lives by ground as he does non believe for himself, instead, the Church thinks for him. St. John was metaphorically referred to “ every bit white as a glacier ” ( page 402 ) because of his pent-up behavior.
