Ensayo Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre: novel and film

The subject of our discussion is the “Thornfield section” of Charlotte Brontë's novel and film by Franco Zeffirelli, Jane Eyre. Published in 1847 under the pseudonym Curres Bell, the novel was a great success, admired by the critics of the time. Presented as an autobiography, the protagonist of the story is an orphan, a girl who is sent by her aunt to a religiousinstitution, Lowood, where inspite of the strict education, she becomes a intelligent young woman, ready to live her life. Willing to leave Lowood, she finds a job as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Mr. Rochester's home. However, as the time passes, Jane, finds herself in love with Mr. Rochester and although he loves her too, he has a big secret: Rochester is already married with a woman that is mad,keeping her locked up in one of the rooms of Thornfield. Nevertheless and after several trials, Jane and Rochester finally marry happily ever after.
As it had been mentioned, we will concentrate on the Thornfield part of the novel, discussing the sensationalism and melodrama elements that we can find in this section. And maybe the most sensationalist element in the novel is Rochester's wife,Bertha Mason. Born in the West Indies, she a creole that Rochester marries for money. He is fooled by Bertha's family and realizes that Bertha is insane. As he sees that nothing can be done to help the poor woman, Rochester decides to lock her up with a permanent guardian, Grace Poole, for the safety of both Bertha and the people at Thornfield.
The notion of monstrosity is present when describingBertha. Not even that she is different because her birth origin, but she is described by Jane as a wild creature and also as a vampire and a ghost. One of the first times when Jane describes Bertha is on chapter 25 when Bertha enters Jane's room and tears the wedding veil. In the morning Jane tells Rochester about the appearance of this still unknown creature to her. She describes Bertha as a“tall and large woman with thick and dark hair”, “discoloured face – it was a savage face”, “red eyes” and “lips swelled and dark”. All this reminds Jane of a vampire. Although in the movie this scene does not appear, there is another one where Bertha appear like a ghost in the mirror in Jane's room. A white appearance in the darkness reflected in the mirror is the perfect representation of the ghosthunting at night.
Nevertheless, the most important description of Bertha throughout Jane's eyes is when all the truth is uncovered the day when Rochester is close to commit bigamy. Bertha's brother arrives just in time to stop the wedding and Rochester, in an attempt to justify himself, takes Jane to Bertha's, so she can see with her own eyes to whom he was married. Until this moment Janedescribed Bertha (although she didn't knew who she was) as a ghost or a vampire but when she really sees her for the first time, she describes her as a wild creature as we can see in chapter 26: “it snatched and growled like a some strange wild animal: but it was covered with clothing, and a quantity of dark, grizzled hair, wild as a mane, hid its head and face.” Jane even points out her behaviour asBertha tries to bite Rochester, using expressions like: “the maniac bellowed”.
In the film by Franco Zeffirelli this scene is highlighted. We can see Bertha moving back and forward like a mad person, wearing an old and dirty piece of clothing and leaving into a dark room, with no windows almost like a cage.
Moving forward, another element that heighten suspense which is still part of thesensationalism, is props. The film, which is more visual, helps us to get more deeply into the story and to imagine how the action develops. One of the most important elements is the strange laugh that Jane hears even in her first night in Thornfield and that she believes as she is told that belongs to Grace Poole. That echoed laugh that Jane hears now and then really creates suspense and makes the...