Redemption & Forgiveness

Redemption & Forgiveness 

While reading Jane Eyre, I constantly questioned Edward Rochester, finding him lovable at times and harsh at others.  A great deal of his motives for his actions are unknown until much later in the novel, and he remains mysterious and unreadable throughout a great deal of the story. As a reader, I was constantly rooting for Jane, on her side and wanting what she wanted, which was for her to find true love and to be treated with the genuine respect that she gave others.  Also, as much as I did not like Rochester's actions at times, It it was not hard to see that Jane only wanted Edward Rochester to love her, for she was deeply in love with him. With this being said, I do not believe that Jane and Rochester would ever truly become a functional couple until Jane saw herself as an equal.  Along with Rochester technically being Jane's boss, throughout the novel, Rochester toys with Jane's emotions, flirting with Blanche Ingram one minute, then calling to Jane at the next, all leading Jane to believe that she is beneath him, and this intricate relationship is depicted very well within the 2011 film. With good reason, Jane's  troubled past did not help the situation or confidence, and allowed her to have the predisposition that she may never be loved as she loved others.  The only person that unconditionally loved Jane, Helen Burns, passed soon after they met, and even Bessie constantly reminded Jane of her flaws.  Again, Jane's past is shown very well within the 2011 film, along with the novel, making it simple to sympathize and connect to Jane, and also allowing us to see why Jane did not see herself as an equal to Rochester. 

Despite all of Rochester's flaws and wrongdoings, Jane unconditionally longed for him, but it is not until Jane leaves the shadows of Thornfield that she is able to experience the big world in front of her, for she had only experienced small sections of it.  I fully believe that Jane had to leave Thornfield and Rochester in order to truly see what she left behind and to forgive Rochester, leading her to believe that Rochester is worthy of her love.  Once Jane connects with old family, runs her own school, gains wealth, and denies a decent man of his love for her, may she finally realize that she is an equal to Rochester, smart, loving, and able to forgive others.  I am not undermining Rochester's mistakes, but no matter how small or large, it is true that everyone has skeletons in their closet, and despite his own, Rochester showed kindness to Adele, Jane, Fairfax, and even Bertha as she jumped from the roof of Thornfield, leading me to believe that he is not a terrible person, just lost and confused.  I truly believe that Jane had to leave the small world of Thornfield and travel into the big world of England to notice this about Rochester, opening her eyes to who she was, who she wanted to be, and allowing herself to truly forgive Rochester. Jane went back to Thornfield seeing herself as an equal, and not knowing what had happened to Thornfield or Rochester, ready to love and forgive him while she was ignorant to his injuries, proving her unfaltering love and willingness to forgive him.  Despite their dark and twisted paths, and regardless of how broken either Jane or Rochester may become, everyone is worthy of redemption and forgiveness, it just may take some time and soul-searching for one to realize it.