An Analysis of Jane Eyre’s Personality.doc

An Analysis of Jane Eyre’s Personality Introduction On the personality of Jane Eyre’s as the main purpose of this paper is, a brief introduction of Gothic Novel at first seems appropriate, for Jane Eyre in some ways belongs to this style. Then, the situation of the author and the book will emerge in this part. A. Gothic Novel Originally, the word Gothic refers to a Germanic tribe, the Goths. And the members of this tribe win fame because of their valiance and truculence during the battle. Today Gothic is usually used to indicate the mediaeval world or anything pertaining to the Middle Ages. In particular, Gothic is used to describe a style of architecture that originated in France and flourished during the Mediaeval Period, especially between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. The major characteristics of Gothic buildings are pointed arches and vaults, narrow spires, stained glass windows, and prominent verticality, etc. As a result, the Gothic architecture is commonly deemed to be flamboyant, mysterious, or even frightening, representing the inhumane and dark past. With the passage of time, Gothic is endowed with a new connotation. Around eighteenth century, Gothic developed into literary region indicating a type of romantic fiction and was called Gothic novel or Gothic romance, which was one phase of the Romantic Movement. Its principal elements are violence, horror and supernatural things, which strongly appeal to the reader’s emotion. With its descriptions of the dark irrational side of human nature, the Gothic form has exerted a great influence over the writers of the Romantic period. Jane Eyre is also a Gothic novel: the mysterious laughter, the hidden mad woman, dreams and portents are heritages from the Gothic novels. A good example is illustrated in the atmosphere of strangeness and fear created in the red room: the gloomy hangings and furniture, the chill, the silence, the solemnity of the room, the white little face in the mirror, the thought of Un