by Katherine Barnfield

Created on: April 22, 2008

Jane Eyre was published in 1847; shortly after British West Indian slaves gained their freedom in 1836 .Racial inequality was therefore a topical political issue. The events of the novel are set earlier, almost certainly during the period of the slave trade. Bronte and her character Jane Eyre would have grown up in a culture where the existence of slavery as the norm, but rapidly nearing its end. The practice was, by this time being questioned. This is not a racist novel; it is against racism. While there is no direct comment on racial issues there are numerous indirect allusions to race and inequality. Jane refuses to see herself as inferior due to lack of money (at the Reeds), gender, or being a paid employee (at Thornfield).

As a child, Jane compares her tormentor, John Reed to a slave driver' and tells him' you are like the Roman Emperors'. Thus she shows she is already aware of the inequalities of life, which often had their basis in race the slave trade had only recently been abolished. Jane is of the same family as the Reeds, and is eventually as wealthy. Their view of her as inferior is shown in every way to be unjust. By comparing this to the experience of a slave, Bronte suggests a disapproval of the practice. Later at Thornfield Jane relates to Rochester as an equal, deeming herself his equal due to a mental similarity, rather than seeing him as her superior because he pays her wages.

Bertha Mason, the mad wife was married to Mr Rochester from abroad and is the only character in the novel clearly marked as foreign. Her mental state is seen as a genetically inherited trait and therefore by implication as a possible product of her race. Rochester says her insanity was passed on from her mother. However, there are strong parallels here with Jane's outburst as a child and her being incarcerated in the red room. We see a potential in Jane for the same mental instability which is not explained it is simply a part of her passionate' nature.
It could be argued that it is the outsider that is represented in this way. Jane is the unwanted intruder into a family home as a child, Bertha is the unwanted wife and an outsider due to her race. Rochester says Bertha's excesses' led to the onset of her insanity. Comparing the two it seems some form of madness is seen as intrinsic to the female character. This potential threat is overcome by Jane, as she learns to subdue her passionate nature, and to act according to morality rather than her feelings.She refuses to becomes

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