Religion In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

Religion seems to play a part in the everyday life of society. For many people it reassures and teaches that there’s a greater good in control of this dangerous unpredictable world. Religion also gives many the strength to find hope in tough trials and hardships. Hope is the desire for something to happen; a longing for the future to be better than it was. Religion and hope are two main themes from the novel written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre is the tale of a young girl named Jane who lived and was raised an orphan in the home of her un-loving extended family. When considered to be “old enough” her aunt sent her away to a boarding school. Readers get to see Jane transform into a strong, smart, spiritual, and loving woman throughout …show more content…
Jane is introduced to two characters that have a different views on religion. The first character is Mr. Brocklehurst. Mr. Brockelhurst is the headmaster of the school that Jane attends. He makes it his main duty to teach the children at Lowood school who don't know about God, about God (Shmoop Editorial Team). Unfortunately, Mr. Brockelhurst often misinterprets the Bible. For example, one day Mr. Brockelhurst read in the Bible to not be conformed to nature. One of the pupils at the school has naturally curly hair, and upon hearing this he says,”’Naturally! Yes, but we are not to conform to nature; I wish these girls to be the children of Grace: and why that abundance? I have again and again intimated that I desire the hair to be arranged closely, modestly, plainly. Miss Temple, that girl’s hair must be cut off entirely (Bronte 117).” Mr. Brocklehurst often uses what he reads in the Bible to back up what he wants out of his students, but since he misinterprets what God wants, he instills his own false wishes upon his students. The second religious influence is Helen Burns. Helen befriends Jane when Jane first attends Lowood. Helen is a positive influence that helps Jane get accustomed to the new school. Aside from that, Helen is devout to her Christian faith. Often telling Jane to, “"Read the New Testament, and observe what Christ says, and how He acts; make His word your rule, and His conduct your …show more content…
In this society, many kids grow up in the same type of unloving home as Jane does. Jane Eyre shows that these kids can have a brighter future if they work hard and study. Jane is truly a heroine that can give many teenagers hope for a better tomorrow. As her journey through life continues, Jane chooses to reject the two religious examples in her life and chooses to compromise on middle ground. Many girls and women read this book because of the influential female lead. Jane perseveres through hard times and achieves greatness by being able to make an impact on other lives while teaching. Jane breaks the typical idea of an average women in her time by getting a education which could be considered equivalent to a mans (Shmoop Editorial Team). By rejecting multiple marriage proposals throughout the book, Jane proves that women don’t need men to thrive (Shmoop Editorial Team). Jane also shows that is not necessary to follow others religious opinions when you can carve your own understandings out. Jane guides herself through life sticking to moral and religious values that she creates for herself. She is truly a female heroine that shows that hard work, dedication, and being studious can get you anywhere if you work hard enough. In conclusion, there are many themes in Jane Eyre. But the two most important in Jane Eyre are religion and hope. These two themes go together as they help