Use Of Foil Characters In Jane Eyre

Two Different Choices Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte is known as one of the most famous pieces of British literature especially for the inclusion of a strong female lead. Bronte writes of a young woman, Jane, who struggles to find her role in society. Her struggles are accentuated by Rochester and St. John, foil characters who affect her decisions throughout the novel. Rochester is the wealthy owner of Thornfield Hall, where Jane is employed as a governess. Rochester and Jane eventually fall in love but Jane leaves him due to a problem with his past relationship. After Jane leaves Thornfield and becomes homeless, St. John takes her under his wing and cares for her. The two eventually find out that they are cousins and St. John proposes …show more content…
Throughout Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses Rochester and St. John as foil characters with their physical traits, personalities, and beliefs to emphasize their effects on Jane’s decisions …show more content…
John to demonstrate the way Jane wants to live her life. Jane would rather keep her freedom, than have a man support her. When St. John first appears in the novel, he is portrayed as a prince charming for Jane, one who cares and provides for her. St. John seems like the ideal man for Jane, as he is handsome and well-mannered. Even though St. John is a “young and handsome clergyman,” she does not have any feelings for him, thus getting in the way of his marriage proposal (“Jane Eyre” 1). Rochester is the opposite of St. John and is described as having “a dark face with stern features and a heavy brow” (Bronte 168). Though Rochester is considered not handsome, Bronte uses him as an unconventional hero (“Jane Eyre” 2). In the end, Jane still chooses Rochester even though he is crippled and blind. In fact, through Rochester’s misfortune, Jane is able to find equality in their relationship, “Jane reaches the threshold of marriage… she cannot cross it until she can meet her “master as his partner and equal”’ (Gates 193). Rochester’s unfavorable characteristics contrast with St. John’s quintessential being. Rather it is Jane Eyre who saves Rochester by coming back to him and salvaging his eyesight when it comes back after being with her for a while. While Rochester is not the usual prince charming coming in to rescue Jane, he is still able to save her from a life of conformant with St. John. Overall, the differences in the

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