Jane Eyre: Chapter 37

Jane Eyre: Chapter 37

By: Sara Teitelman

The End

Thank You!

Marriage Proposal Number 1

"'My bride is here,' he said, again drawing me to him, 'because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?'

Still I did not answer, and still I writhed myself from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.

'Do you doubt me, Jane?'

'Entirely.'

'You have no faith in me?'

'Not a whit.'" (Chapter 23)

When Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane for the first time, Jane doubts whether a man with the wealth and high social stature of Mr. Rochester would want to marry a poor, simple governess like her.

How is the depiction of the reunion affected by Mr. Rochester's disability?

"'Who is it? What is it? Who speaks?'" (Chapter 37)

"'My dear master,' I answered, 'I am Jane Eyre: I have found you out - I am come back to you.'" (Chapter 37)

Jane asks Mary if she may bring Mr. Rochester his water, knowing that because he is blind, he will not realize that she is in the room with him. It is Jane who takes the initiative and reveals herself to Mr. Rochester, which fits with her desire to be independent.

Foreshadowing:

This foreshadows that just as Mr. Rochester's disability makes it necessary for Jane to take charge, find Mr. Rochester, and reveal her presence to him, so too in the future Mr. Rochester's disability will cause him to be dependent on Jane, enabling her to take charge in their relationship and be more independent.

Religion

How has Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship changed?

"'Jane! you think me, I daresay, an irreligious dog: but my heart swells with gratitude to the beneficent God of this earth just now, He sees not as man sees, but far clearer: judges not as man judges, but far more wisely. I did wrong: I would have sullied my innocent flower - breathed guilt on its purity: the Omnipotent snatched it from me. I, in my stiff-necked rebellion, almost cursed the dispensation: instead of bending to the decree, I defied it. Divine justice pursued its course; disasters came thick on me: I was forced to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. His chastisements are mighty; and one smote me which has humbled me for ever. You know I was proud of my strength: but what is it now, when I must give it over to foreign guidance, as a child does it weakness? Of late, Jane - only - only of late - I began to see and acknowledge the hand of God in my doom. I began to experience remorse, repentance; the wish for reconcilement to my Maker. I began sometimes to pray: very brief prayers they were, but very sincere.'" (Chapter 37)

Old relationship: Mr. Rochester, because he was wealthier and of a higher social class than Jane, was the giver and protector in the relationship. He bought her expensive clothing and jewelry. Since Jane is an independent woman who sees her purpose in life as serving and helping people, she found it hard to accept Mr. Rochester's gifts and felt that marrying him would confine her and limit her independence.

"He put me off his knee, rose, and reverently lifting his hat from his brow, and bending his sightless eyes to the earth, he stood in mute devotion. Only the last words of the worship were audible.

'I thank my Maker, that in the midst of judgment he has remembered mercy. I humbly entreat my Redeemer to give me strength to lead henceforth a purer life than I have done hitherto!'" (Chapter 37)

How has Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship stayed the same?

• Jane will continue to help the blind and crippled Mr. Rochester in the same way that she always helped and saved him, such as when she helped him after he fell off his horse, rescued him from the fire, and assisted him when Mr. Mason was hurt.

• The relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester has always been based on love, rather than on physical factors. Previously, Mr. Rochester chose Jane as his wife because he loved her, despite the fact that she was of a lower social class and lacked wealth and relations. This aspect of their relationship does not change when Jane accepts Mr. Rochester's second marriage proposal. She continues to love him for his personality and character traits, so the fact that he is now blind and crippled are physical factors that do not matter to her.

Good Weather

How has Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship changed?

Marriage Proposal Number 2

"'It is a bright, sunny morning, sir,' I said. 'The rain is over and gone, and there is a tender shining after it; you shall have a walk soon.'" (Chapter 37)

After spending a night at Ferndean Manor, the weather again reflects Jane's mood: she is now confident that Mr. Rochester truly missed her and still loves her, and she is overjoyed to be back in his presence and to have the opportunity to cheer him up and help him. Just like the rain is gone, Jane's fears that Mr. Rochester may have changed and that he may no longer love her are gone.

New relationship: Jane is no longer dependent on Mr. Rochester. She now knows that she comes from a respectable family, in addition to having cousins that care about her and enough money to support herself. Therefore, when Jane accepts Mr. Rochester's second marriage proposal, she says that she loves Mr. Rochester more than ever, because now her marriage will not be confining, since she will be able to retain her independence. In addition, because Mr. Rochester is blind and crippled, Jane will be able to continue her mission of serving and helping people. Instead of Jane being dependent on Mr. Rochester, he will be dependent on her, and this role suits Jane better.

"'Choose then, sir- her who loves you best.'

'I will at least choose- her I love best. Jane, will you marry me?'

'Yes, sir.'

'A poor blind man, whom you will have to lead about by the hand?'

'Yes, sir.'

'A crippled man, twenty years older than you, whom you will have to wait on?'

'Yes, sir.'" (Chapter 37)

When Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane for the second time, Mr. Rochester doubts whether a young woman like Jane would want to marry a blind and crippled man who she will always have to take care of.

Bad Weather

"To this house I came, just ere dark, on an evening marked by the characteristics of sad sky, cold gale, and continued small, penetrating rain." (Chapter 37)

"He relinquished the endeavour, folded his arms, and stood quiet and mute in the rain, now falling fast on his uncovered head." (Chapter 37, paragraph "He descended the one step")

When Jane first comes to Ferndean Manor, the weather reflects her mood: she has just seen the ruins of Thornfield and heard the terrible news that Mr. Rochester is blind and crippled, and she is not sure how these events may have changed him. She is anxious to see whether or not he will still be the man she loves and whether or not Mr. Rochester is still capable of loving her.

How has Jane and Mr. Rochester's relationship changed?

"'I told you I am independent, sir, as well as rich: I am my own mistress.'" (Chapter 37)

"'I love you better now, when I can really be useful to you, than I did in your state of proud independence, when you disdained every part but that of the giver and protector.'" (Chapter 37, paragraph "'Which are none, sir, to me.'")

Summary

Motif: Birds

Themes

Religion

"'Oh, you are indeed there, my sky-lark! Come to me. You are not gone: not vanished? I heard one of your kind an hour ago, singing high over the wood: but its song had no music for me, any more than the rising sun had rays. All the melody on earth is concentrated in my Jane's tongue to my ear (I am glad it is not naturally a silent one): all the sunshine I can feel is in her presence.'

The water stood in my eyes to hear this avowal of his dependence: just as if a royal eagle, chained to a perch, should be forced to entreat a sparrow to become its purveyor. (Chapter 37)

After hearing that Mr. Rochester is alive but blind and crippled, Jane immediately goes to Ferndean Manor to see him. She observes him as he comes outside and stands in the rain but does not reveal herself to him. Jane asks Mary if she may bring Mr. Rochester his water. At first, Mr. Rochester does not realize that Jane has entered the room, but eventually he recognizes her voice and is overjoyed to see her. Jane tells him that she is now a rich, independent woman and that she will always take care of him. Mr. Rochester asks Jane where she has been, and Jane promises to tell him her story. The next day, Jane relates the events of the past year to Mr. Rochester. When Jane describes St. John and her relationship with him, Mr. Rochester becomes jealous, but Jane reassures him that she does not love St. John and consequently does not wish to marry him. Mr. Rochester then asks Jane to marry him, and Jane accepts his proposal. Mr. Rochester thanks God for returning his beloved Jane to him.

Previously, Mr. Rochester was not a particularly religious man. However, after the destruction of Thornfield and becoming blind and crippled, he begins to acknowledge God's presence in his life and sees the terrible events that occurred as divine justice. Now, Mr. Rochester prays and thanks God for bringing Jane back to him.

Differences between social classes: Previously, there was a big difference between the social classes of Jane and Mr. Rochester because she was poor and had no family and Mr. Rochester is rich and comes from a well-known family. Now, the difference between their social classes is smaller because Jane is rich and has cousins who care about her.

Striving for independence: Previously, Jane felt that by marrying Mr. Rochester, she would be limiting her independence. Now, Jane can marry Mr. Rochester and retain her independence.

Serving and helping people: Previously, Jane helped and saved Mr. Rochester. Now, because of his disability, Jane will continue to help him.

The motif of birds is used throughout the novel. The birds symbolize Jane's desire for freedom and independence.

• Mr. Rochester calls Jane a sky-lark: Jane wants to be free and independent like a bird.
• Jane compares Mr. Rochester to a chained eagle: Mr. Rochester is blind and crippled, so he is forced to depend on others for help and is therefore like a trapped bird rather than like a free and independent bird.

Gothic Novel: Supernatural

"Jane! Jane! Jane!"

Mr. Rochester describes a mysterious event that occurred as he was sitting by his open window one night.

Mr. Rochester tells Jane that he believes that their spirits met and were talking to each other.

"Reader, it was on Monday night- near midnight- that I too had received the mysterious summons: those were the very words by which I replied to it." (Chapter 37)

Jane heard Mr. Rochester calling her name, and the words that Mr. Rochester heard were the exact words that Jane had spoken. Since Jane and Mr. Rochester were much too far away from each other to actually be able to hear each other's voices, this occurrence is supernatural and is one of the Gothic elements of the novel.

"I am coming: wait for me. Where are you?"