Jane Eyre and The Orphan's ‘Mother’

Abstract

The Bible was central to Charlotte Brontës life and work and the ‘condition of women’ question was the focus of her energies. She understood that to express her views on the question she must invent her own heroine and a new story. Turning to her Bible for models Charlotte rejected the patriarchal Eve myth re-read the text in her own way and discovered a strong positive Eve. Her Eve who purposely eats the forbidden fruit and chooses to have knowledge at whatever the cost is the model for and mother of Charlotte Brontë's heroines. In her own way each heroine seeks the knowledge and the wisdom that will enable her to achieve integrated selfhood chosen work personal independence and a new, balanced love-bond. In Jane Eyre, at the end of the most horrible day, a glorious form comes out of the night sky to comfort the heroine. The Vision addresses Jane as ‘Daughter’, and Jane responds, ‘Mother’. But who is this ‘Mother’? She is, I argue, no pagan mother–goddess, but a figure rooted firmly within Hebrew tradition: the ‘Mother’ is Wisdom.