Before start to write about the splendid novel, there is need to give some information about the Victorian era in English Literature. With the Industrial Revolution began in 18th century in Britain, England became the empire where the sun does not set as a metaphor in a sense. The most significant issue of this century was the rise of middle class. With the rise of Middle Class and industry, inequalities between employer and employee, man and woman, the wealthy and the poor began to increase. In this era, everything was artificial, for instance, religious hypocrisy, love, marriage. Women were encouraged to marry with a man who comes from an upper class, so they were educated only to be a good wife and mother. Besides, women did not have any right of succession if their husband die. Briefly, they were a second-class citizen in a patriarchal society, where there was no right to freedom, education, vote or right of succession for women. The positive influence of these developments was the rising of literacy in a sense because middle class could also reach any book that they want to read. That is, education was no longer for the aristocrats and by this way, novel genre began to rise simultaneously with the Middle Class’s rising. Women authors came into existence and Charlotte Bronte had a great interest by the readers in 1847 with her great novel “Jane Eyre”. As a result, novel reached its peak in this era.
According to critics, Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman as this novel also tells both emotionally and physically development of the main character beginning from his/her childhood to maturation. As it can be seen in the novel, novel starts with Jane Eyre’s childhood and ends with her marriage with Rochester. Readers watch and feels her life like a cinema while reading this great novel.
Jane Eyre is also considered as an autobiographic novel as there are many similarities between the life of Jane Eyre and her life. For instance, Bronte’s sisters Maria and Elizabeth die from tuberculosis in the school where the conditions are poor like the school Jane Eyre goes in the novel. The best friend of Jane, Helen Burns, is a model as she dies from a tuberculosis. Margaret Wooker who was the school manager of the Roe Head School where Charlotte went in 1831, was served as Ms. Temple as she influenced by her. Once again, Jane Eyre’s cousin Reverend St. John Rivers is a character of Bronte’s life because Bronte refused the proposal of marriage of her best friend’s brother although the social status of him was extremely good.
Jane Eyre is a Gothic novel as there are many elements referring to it. Gothic novels include odd characters, melodramatic events, castles and some horrific elements as well. As it can be seen in the novel, Bertha, the wife of Rochester, is a gothic character with her terrific laughing and with her messy hair like a witch. Mystery is also an element of Gothic novel and there is a mystery in the novel as Rochester hides his wife. Bertha throws herself from the roof and this incident referred to a spleenful element in the Gothic genre. There is unexplained reals or events and suspense in the novel. Jane Eyre is threatened by Bertha in a sense.
All aside, Jane Eyre is mainly considered as a love novel by many critics and readers since her loyalty is the most precious feature in any romantic relationship. Her attention never turns into any man throughout the novel; such that she marries with Rochester even he is disabled. Jane Eyre interrogates the opinions of the reader about love, how physical appearance or wealth is not something worthy when love comes into question.
So, there are many elements related to all genres that is mentioned above, Jane Eyre is considered as a novel of all genres. :)
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