Rochester and Jane Eyre Relationship in The Novel

In most books, different characters from different backgrounds and ages come together to resolve the same problems. Jane Eyre is a prime example of two different generations trying to resolve one problem from different points of view. The book is able to connect the social morals between characters who come from two completely different backgrounds and only a generation apart. Charlotte Bronte’s use of different aged characters allows for more diversity throughout the book. This allowed the reader to see more points of view, enabling the reader to choose a side that sounds the most reasonable to them; an example being Jane Eyre’s and Edward Rochester’s engagement.

Through the engagement, it was clear to tell how connected both characters are but, caused the reader to notice how different they were based on their generation. Jane was still a young naive girl who has never met the outside world. Unlike Jane, Rochester traveled the world and had lovers such as Celine who left him broken-hearted experiencing love and deception. Although Rochester was double the age of Jane and shared similar thoughts on one another they were a generation apart.

Because he was older Rochester had more experiences and was limited on time causing his search for love to become hasty. This resulted in one of the main conflicts that had arisen in Jane Eyre that was linked to the mutual liking between Rochester and Jane. Through this liking, it resulted in both characters making desperate decisions. Such an instance being Rochester’s attempt to marry Jane even though he was currently married which was discovered in chapter 22. This attempt also caused Jane to run away, going into hiding to enclose her past and feelings about Rochester.

When Jane had run away from her home she ran in an attempt to forget her memories with Rochester, an already married man. Jane values the Bible over everything else and prefers to do things that are morally correct. Jane has the time and influence to be conservative and follow the laws of the Bible. Both Jane and Rochester in the last chapters share the same views which are to find love and someone who cares for one another but oppose one another through the journey.

Both characters oppose each other’s views based on their own moral values. Bronte separated the characters from different social beliefs but connected them on religious views. Even though Jane held her strong ethics on marriage just as Mrs. Fairfax had in the previous chapters. In the book, Mrs. Fairfax rejects the romance between Jane and Rochester based on their social class standings, not their emotions towards one another. She believed people should only marry within their social class. ‘Your bride stands between us'(pg 217) in this scene Jane had used ethics as a barrier to why she could not marry Rochester. ‘But, Jane, I summon you as my wife; it is you only I intend to marry.'(pg 217) although Rochester had argued they get together unholy due to his aging youth he later grows into a more Christian character thanking his god for the blessing of a baby boy.

Because of the huge age gap between Eyre and Rochester, they shared different experiences and valued different things. Jane valued the moral code of the Bible causing her to reject the idea of engaging in a relationship with a married man. Rochester’s old age caused him to want to hang on to Jane after finding someone who truly loves him as a person after looking for love after so long. Through both of the characters different views the book was able to end with a final solution to both the problem of the character’s; Rochester found love and Jane found a home with a person she loves.

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