Redemption: Is Rochester Really Worthy of Jane?

Throughout the book, Rochester feels the need to put on an act that everything is perfectly fine in his life and he has all the money he could ever need. Jane feels herself drawn to him, but never understood why at first. By the end of the book, Jane and Rochester are happily married as Jane blatantly points out to the reader. But through the course of the book’s events, the reader learns of Rochester’s dark secrets and how Jane copes with them. With his biggest secret of all – keeping his actual wife hidden in his attic at Thornfield – Jane obviously forgives him in the end and the questions of whether Rochester redeems himself and if he is really worthy of Jane. I think Rochester has definitely redeemed himself by the end of the book because his actions when Jane was away have proven that his moral compass is on the same level as Jane’s. I also believe he is worthy of Jane because he knows he made some mistakes, but he has apologized profusely for them and Jane understands he really means well with all of his actions.

In my opinion, Rochester really redeems himself and shows he is worthy of Jane when his estate is set on fire by his wife, Bertha Mason. He performs a selfless act in the process. This happens after Jane has run off after she learns of Rochester already being married to someone else. Bertha sets Thornfield on fire slowly, but surely as she throws lighted candles onto every floor. She then goes to a windowsill, preparing to jump when Rochester finally finds her and tries to coax her away from the windowsill. He could have just let her jump because then he could finally be happily married to his intellectual equal, Jane, for the rest of their lives. But no, he tries to save Bertha, but he’s too late and she jumps. He also loses his eyesight in the process and has to rely on his other senses to live his life. By losing his eyesight and performing the selfless act of trying to save Bertha, I think Rochester redeems himself in the end and shows that he also worthy of Jane.