摘 要

夏洛蒂·勃朗特的《简·爱》是一部自传体小说，通过女主人公简·爱成长环境的变化，使得女性意识逐步深化这一独特角度，塑造了一个不屈服世俗压力、独立自主、积极进取的女性形象。这一女性形象冲击了男性中心社会的妇女观念，表现出了女性意识觉醒的和觉醒女性的抗争。本文将通过展示简·爱的四个生活场景，盖茨黑德府、洛伍德学校、桑菲尔德府、沼泽屋，展示其反抗性格的萌芽、发展和高潮三个由浅到深的阶段，得出“活出真我”的结论。

关键词：简·爱；女性意识；平等；反叛；真爱

Abstract

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is an autobiographical novel. By the transformation of heroine’s growth environments, which deepens the female consciousness, it creates an unconventional and aggressive female image. This image is sharply critical of the traditional views in male-centered society. It shows a process from the awakening of female consciousness to female’s resistance. This thesis will list Jane’s four scenes of life where is Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield and Moor house to show her female consciousness from the elementary to the profound. As a result, it demonstrates the topic that for females, only in their own room can they follow their own inclinations.

Key words: Female consciousness; rebellion; independence; true love

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Demonstration 2

2.1. Sprouting in Gateshead and Lowood School 2

2.1.1. Rebelling against her aunt in Gateshead 2

2.1.2. Fighting against any unfair treatment in Lowood 3

2.2. Growing in Thornfield Hall 5

2.2.1. Developing into a self-protection sense 5

2.2.2. Desiring an equal and independent marriage 6

2.3. Upsurging in Moor house 7

2.3.1. Turning to be self-supporting 7

2.3.2. Pursuing true love 8

3. Conclusion 9

Work Cited 11

Bibliography 12

The Awakening of Female Consciousness in Jane Eyre

1. Introduction

In 1847, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre was published. It is honored to be the first feminist novel in the history of British literature. It completely breaks the views of common people in the middle of the 19th century. The female consciousness which asks for equality between men and women is awakening gradually. Jane Eyre is just the reflection of people’s awareness in this period.

Female consciousness is a new movement of global women entrepreneurs that are actively re-surging the promotion of the triplet aspirations of inalienable rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness all over again. It grows out of the consciousness leaping of women as a group in society with subservient roles to men to that of equals. Female consciousness not only re-examines the cultural world of male in female’s eye but also embodies a kind of subjective consciousness with the core of female. It intends to convey female’s desires and pursuits and affirm their experience and self-worth.

Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar wrote a book called The Madwoman in the Attic in the 20th century. It indicates only if women abandon their inner crazy selves can they win a peace happiness. Actually, Jane and Bertha have one integrity with both side. It is Bertha’s death that fulfills Jane’s true love. Each woman fights against the outer conditions in their lifetime, full of desires and fears. In 1966, Robert Martin published The Accents of Persuasion: Charlotte Bronte’s Novels. He thinks Jane Eyre’s female consciousness is not asked to equality in division of labor. It is an in-depth analysis of feminine essence. It undoubtedly criticizes the male-centered society. Jean Wyatt’s The Role of the Unconscious in Women’s Reading and Writing encourages women to pursue progress. It meets women’s psychological desire of self-dignity.

Similar to foreign review, some critics at home also study the female conciousness in Jane Eyre. Wang Kejia thinks Jane’s spirit reflects strong consciousness of feminism in his essay “On the Consciousness of Feminism in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre”. It makes Jane to be a new representative female in those days. It forms a positive image of women, as a strong character. In “Analysis of the Feminine consciousness in Jane Eyre”, written by Wang Hongdan, it expresses that Jane shows the female’s awakening and struggle. This figure--independent, aggressive and anti-pressure--impacts the concept of female in male’s heart from the special angel of feminine status. In the essay “On Charlotte Bronte’s Ecological Feminist Consciousness from Fire Image in Jane Eyre”, Fan Caixia thinks “fire” image symbolizing punishment of evil and purification to appear again and again in Jane Eyre. It reflects the psychological impetus for female self-consciousness and represents the human pursuit of freedom.

This essay chooses a special perspective to analyze the female consciousness in Jane Eyre. By the transformation of heroine’s growth environments, Gateshead, Lowood Thornfield Hall and Moor house, the female consciousness has experienced a twist process from germination, development, to upsurge. Jane Eyre maintains her rebelliousness and self-dignity throughout her whole life. It demonstrates the topic that for females, only in their own room can they follow their own inclinations.

2. Demonstration

2.1. Sprouting in Gateshead and Lowood School