Mr. Rochester sucks.
“Well, I observed to him that as you were unused company, I did not think you would like appearing at so gay a party – all strangers; and he replied, in his quick way – ‘Nonsense! If she objects, tell her it is my particular wish; and if she resists, say I shall come fetch her in case of contumacy.’”
Bronte, Chapter 14
Comment:
The particular context for the quote is that Rochester has returned to Thornfield, and is insisting that Jane come down to meet the young ladies he returned with to meet Adele. This is a pattern of behavior with Mr. Rochester, mixing his control over Jane as her employer with his own personal motives. I’m judging this text through a modern lens, I don’t particularly care about what was ‘socially acceptable at the time’. So here is a short list of weird/creepy things that Rochester does or says so far. An ongoing list, I’m sure.
- Blaming Jane for his horse slipping on ice
- Attempted entrapment
- General pompousness
- Condescending to those around him
- Being old
- Rich guy’s simultaneous entitlement and feeling of persecution
- Thinks he’s a philosopher
- Contradicting orders
- Lying/keeping secrets from Jane that directly affect her
- EVERYTHING ABOUT THE DISGUISING SCENE LIKE WTF
- Using self-fulfillment/religiosity against Jane
I do not like this man.
Questions:
Even inside Jane Eyre’s head/perspective, I cannot understand what she finds attractive about this. Is it a trauma response? Does Jane’s history with authority made her crave validation and love from an authority figure even when they display concerning behavior?
What the heck is up with the fire and stabbing and laughing? Why doesn’t Rochester seem concerned?
The attraction I believe she finds here is just simply the allure itself. From the background perspective we have learned about Jane at this point is she is resilient, and always fights to be in control. When she cant express herself the way she wants it shows that fire she has within. In the case of Mr. Rochester he gives her minimal attention but at the same time all the encounter that does occur has secrecy and deception. Simply the fact that she thinks she knows him and then also realizes she may know nothing keeps her wanting more .
First, I’d love to be a member of the Mr. Rochester Hate Club. Second, I think Jane’s attraction to Mr. Rochester may have started as a trauma response. It makes sense that since she’s had traumatic experiences with a previous head of house (Mrs. Reed), as well as with a religious male figure (Mr. Brocklehurst), she may crave to have a positive experience with a male head of house. I also think, like Kai mentioned, she may feel attraction to him in a dominative sense. Jane has consistently been placed down by male figures, so every time she sees Mr. Rochester in a vulnerable state, she feels as though he is holding her to be an equal of sorts.
I agree with Alex above! My main thought when considering her relationship with Mr. Rochester is that it is a trauma response and that she wants an authoritative figure to look at her differently/in a more respectable manner. I feel as though since that type of harsh authority is all she has ever known that she became more attracted to that rather Mr. Rochester himself. I do however also think that she likes getting to know a male of a higher role more intimately than she had before with anyone else.