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Weitz English 10 H 22 April 2013 What I've Learned Scorned by her adoptive family, grieved by the death of her first friend, heart torn by the customs of the day, Jane Eyre no doubt lived an interesting, yet sad life. Her will was determined, her character bold, and her style modest. Her life experiences ranged from psychological and emotional abuse as a child, to falling in love with an already married man whose wife is an insane woman intent on burning the house down. Moreover, her life experiences draw us a picture into the strict social and oppressive boundaries that one would expect as a woman living in the misogynistic 19th century. Of the many important lessons to be learned, perhaps the most important, in my opinion, is the recurring theme of retribution and forgiveness throughout the novel. The most dramatic of these acts of forgiveness is in Jane's reaching out to Miss Reed of Gateshead. Mrs. Reed lay on her death bed, the family's fortune had been wasted away, the house was in disarray and clutter. By this point, Jane has innocently fallen in love with Rochester and leads a simple life serving him. She is content and happy with what she has, and Miss Reed almost knowing of the once-miserable waif's joy shows her the ultimate zinger. An adoption letter from Jane's Uncle John which Miss Reed tells her she replied saying that Jane had died of typhus 3 years ago. Jane reacts contrary with what I would have done: She immediately

Dang 2 asks "If you could but be persuaded to think no more of [the letter], aunt, and to regard me with kindness and forgiveness- (Bronte 231)." There exists not a truer and genuine character here than Jane as she asks for forgiveness. Jane reaches out in sincerity to the wicked witch of her past, and she is met with everlasting hatred, perhaps some form of justice that Miss Reed will bear to the grave. As Jane returns to Thornfield, Rochester proposes to her, discarding the Blanche facade, and asks for her forgiveness for causing her heart to feel split. Rochester asks that she will forget all of the pain he has caused her in the last thirty seconds of emotional downpour. Rochester's confession of love and petition for pardon, albeit belated by three chapters, shows his want for forgiveness. He explains: "What love have I for Miss Ingram? None: and that you know. What love has she for me? None: as I have taken pains to prove" and Jane promptly throws her reservations out the figurative window and accepts a marriage of unequal status to a man she finally feels mutual love (245). It impresses on me this great heart of mercy that Jane can have; Rochester has proved a powerful point of how wholly love can cover minor mistakes. Jane was bent to his over-powering will and she accepts what she seems as a honest and just marriage, but soon after Rochester is found on his knees begging forgiveness for an even greater conceit. The enigmatic Rochester comes clean in the later chapters following the flop of a marriage explaining his tortuous past involving Bertha Mason. He was married to a woman for the fortune his family would inherit, and soon found himself unhappy. He roamed the continent (of Europe) and looked to find many a romantic love interests. He locked his mad wife in an attic with Grace Poole, the sole guardian over her, as he did this. This in itself did not seem worthy of asking forgiveness unless put in the context of how shattered Rochester's prospects were. He had lost his "bird," his freedom, his ideal wife because of a tragic mistake as a youth.

Dang 3 He entreated Jane for his acquittal of his lies, and he is met with many resounding no's. In a act of sorrowful rebuttal to Rochester's life's testimony, Jane accuses him of many things: "What a distortion in your judgment, what a perversity in your ideas, is proved by your conduct (303)!" Jane has shown her valiant spirit, her adamant will, and her ability to see give retribution to even the ones she loves. I conclude not with any condoning of revenge, or an implied sense of justice on those who wrong me, rather a lesson of altruism and forgiveness that Jane has showed me. The ending genuinely brought me to tears as the Jane's heart softened to the one whom she truly loves. With such an ideal situation, one must ponder how we can apply such extreme measures of mercy in our own lives. Jane's life eternally remains a testament to the joy that can be achieved as we forgive those who have wronged us, those who those who haven't wronged us, and those whom we love.

Dang 4 Works Cited Bront, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Clayton: Prestwick House, 2006. Print.