Religion and Evangelicalism in Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyre Essays

Religion and Evangelicalism in Jane Eyre When orphans of the nineteenth century were able to receive an education, it usually came from a charity instution. These charity institutions were founded on a basis of religion. This is the case in Jane Eyre for Mr. Brocklehurst is a clergyman who owns and overlooks the Institution that Jane became a part of. Janes conversation with the newly met Helen fire exposes this to the reader. Jane asks the question, Who was Naomi Brocklehurst? The reader finds out that she was the lady who built the new part of the Institution. It is her son, Mr. Brocklehurst who overlooks and directs everything. At Lowood he is the treasurer and manager of the establishment. It is also at this time that Jane finds out Mr. Brocklehurst is a clergyman (82 ch.5). The goal of charity schools was to teach religion and morals to orphans. Knowing this, and feeling as though Jane needs more moral and religious instruction, Mrs. reed instrument tells Mr. Brocklehurst that this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to conceal a strict eye on her, and, above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit (65 ch. 4). However, religious and moral teaching were secondary to grammar. in advance the Elementary Act of 1870, religious instruction was limited to the beginning or the end of the school sessions (Curtis 386). This is true at Lowood. After the girls get up and wash, they go into a dimly-lit schoolroom and the prayers are read. Then, Business now began the days Collect was repeated, certain texts of Scripture were said, and to these succeeded a protracted... ...d takes great care to be plain and dress neatly. to begin with she leaves her room, she checks to make sure that everything is neat and orderly. She is still by nature solicitous to be neat (130 ch. 11). After Mr. Rochester asks her to ma rry him, when he says that he will give for the family jewels, her relpy is, No, no, sir Think of other(a) subjects, and speak of other things, and in another strain. Dont address me as if I were a beauty I am your plain, Quakerish govnerness (287 ch. 24). She cannot have jewels because it would put out her plainness and she would no longer look like that plain, Quakerish type of girl. Lowood had quite an impact on her life as it was sure to have had on the other children that went there. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London, Penguin Books Ltd. 1996. (Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Michael Mason).