In fact, she often seems to provide a model of proper English womanhood: frank, sincere, and lacking in personal vanity. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Instant PDF downloads. But Jane's "heart is mute." She recognizes that she could never be happy as St. John's wife. In St. John we find certain contradictions which have produced the impression in the minds of many readers and critics that such a man cannot exist, and that he is an impossible person. Since 2005, she has taught literature, writing, and philosophy courses at the university and graduate levels. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character St. John Rivers appears in. Not content with his humble local ministry, St. John would like to have been a politician, a poet, or anything that could have offered him glory, fame, and power. ), 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. Jane Eyre | 23 Exquisite Quotes of Love You Must Read. $24.99 Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. But there is one thing he hasnt been able to stop himself from wanting: Miss Rosamond Oliver, the local, wealthy beauty. While Mr. Brocklehurst embodies an evangelical form of religion that seeks to strip others of their excessive pride or of their ability to take pleasure in worldly things, Helen represents a mode of Christianity that stresses . St. John Rivers is the clergyman of the parish in Morton and is the brother of Diana and Mary. Like Mr. Rochester, St. John has a commanding personality, but the two men contrast in their range of feelings. St. John leaves Moor House and goes to Cambridge for two weeks to say goodbye to friends before leaving for India. Drop me a line anytime, whether its about any queries or demands or just to share your well-being. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Stoical, cold, and strictly devoted to Christianity, St. John's religion is far too detached for Jane. Instant PDF downloads. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs His life's goal is to spread the light of Christianity in the globe's darkest corners. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. EN RU CN DE ES. In the opening chapters of the novel, Jane refers to herself as a "rebel slave," and throughout the story she opposes the forces that prevent her from finding happiness: Mrs. Reed's unfair accusations, Rochester's attempt to make her his mistress, and St. John's desire to transform her into a missionary wife. Our bodies, minds, spirits, and souls belong entirely to God, and to refuse to sacrifice these in His service is akin to blasphemy. Once Jane realizes that hes the natural end-point of that philosophy, she goes running back to her true love, Rochester, as fast as she canBertha or no Bertha.Remember, Jane Eyre ends with St. John Rivers; hes the last character we think about, alone out there in India, missionary-ing and stuff. Reading, education, and creativity are all essential components of Jane's growth, factors that help her achieve her final success. In her youth and again as a governess, Jane must depend on others for support, The wealthy master of Thornfield Hall and, A parson with two sisters at Moor House, and, The mysterious servant at Thornfield who watches over, The parson and hypocritical overseer of Lowood Institution. Bertha Mason. He is later revealed to be Jane Eyre 's cousin. He has no doubt that he would receive his incorruptible crown in heaven. When he invites her to come to India with him as a missionary, St. John offers Jane the chance to make a more meaningful contribution to society than she would as a housewife. She also knows that hed even force himself to have sex with her, because thats what husbands and wives do, despite not having any warm feelings for her. He has Rochester's sternness but none of his humor or humanness. (including. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Jane will only enter into marriage with Rochester after she has gained a fortune and a family, and after she has been on the verge of abandoning passion altogether. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Summary & Analysis | What is Jane Eyre About? But Charlotte Brontes intention was to give the novel a happy ending: and Janes life had to be saved so that she could ultimately be united with the man whom she had never ceased to love, and who himself had never ceased to love her. Chapter 38-Conclusion, Next Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Swapping a stepmother for an aunt and stepsisters for cousins, Jane Eyre opens to a conspicuously similar family. April 2008, 2Pages Instead, through her relationship with St. John, Jane formulates her own sense of morality which embraces personal desire, refusing to see sexuality and autonomy in one's choice of partners as sinful. The main contradiction in him is that, although he is a devout and zealous missionary, he has no real peace of mind, and has never enjoyed that serenity or tranquility which a true clergyman should be able to enjoy. Edward Fairfax Rochester. For me, I felt at home in this sort of discourse. (3.6.45). He is like marble, as Jane constantly reflects. Most important, she cannot persuade herself to believe that refusing to do so is a sin. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. He is a clergyman who is governed more by reason than by sentiment. Mary, as well as Diana, exemplifies the kind of woman Jane desires to become; and transforms into throughout the course of the novel. Essentially, she has an affectionate heart, and this becomes perfectly clear from her telling St. John about her need to have a sense of belonging to a family. One reached. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." But it is not his celibacy which renders him so pathetic as the fact that his glorious sun hastens to its setting. Whereas Rochester is passionate, St. John is austere and ambitious. Unmarried to him, this would never grieve me; but can I let him complete his calculations - coolly put into practice his plans - go through with the wedding ceremony? It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# You'll also receive an email with the link. 'St. There tends to be a lot of emphasis on endings in literature, so thats probably important. Besides, he is a man of religion who shows no signs of believing in the gospel of the brotherhood of man or of believing in universal love. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Before returning to school, you will need to read Jane Eyre and complete the assignment below. 'He prizes me as a soldier would a good weapon; and that is all. Instant PDF downloads. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. She distinguishes herself at Lowood School because of her hard work and strong intellectual abilities. St John finds Jane a position as schoolmistress at the local . Mr. Rochester can be yielding, whereas St. John is more often relentless in his austerity. St. John is a parish minister with lofty ambitions, namely to become a missionary in the most unforgiving regions of the British Empire. And he will sacrifice everything - family ties, bodily strength, and even his one true love, Rosamond Oliver - to achieve this ambition. Dont have an account? He's not actually a saint, eitherit's just a weird first namealthough he . January 2013. Diana, Mary, and herself). 3/11/13 Actually there are only two principal or leading characters and they are Jane Eyre herself and Mr. Rochester. Before the publication of the novel Shirley was an uncommon but distinctly male name. flashcard sets. Jane Eyre is largely the story of Jane becoming an increasingly Christian character as she learns to tame her romantic but often misguided and egotistical passions, cultivating in their stead the Christian virtues of love, charity, and humility. Using simile images Jane describes how his chest heaves as if his heart is trying to break free, but he curbs it like a rider restrains a steed . He and his cousins live at Moor House . While Rochester vents his passions, St. John represses his. They are the restless sea, tossing the sufferer recklessly and unpredictably, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." St. John goes to India and undertakes his missionary work. Mr. Brocklehurst advocates a severe religious program of self-improvementdenying the body to save the soul. They were under a yoke,I could free them: they were scattered,I could reunite them: the independence, the affluence which was mine, might be theirs too. We would, for instance, have not known anything about Janes basically affectionate heart and her basically generous nature if she had not been admitted into Moor House by St. John. He thinks, though, that shed be a bad missionary wife, and so he refuses to let himself act on his feelings for her. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. succeed. bookmarked pages associated with this title. 11 Jane Jack and Margaret Smith, "The Chronology of Jane Eyre" (Appendix I), in Jane Eyre (Clarendon edition), suggest that Jane Eyre's "autobiography" may begin on Guy Fawkes Day: "The action begins after dinner on a 'drear November This view implies that Charlotte Brontes portrayal of him inconsistent. In the character of St. John Rivers, we have all that is good, virtuous, and holy in a man, everything that a Victorian woman could hope for in a spouse - except love. The section deals, of course, with Jane Eyres search for Mr. Rochester, her success in tracing him to Ferndean, and her getting married to him. Diana and Mary Rivers Jane's cousins and St. John's sisters. Mostly, this makes sense; he just isnt happy living calm, normal, domestic life. Rosamond Oliver: The daughter of the wealthy Mr. Oliver and the benefactress of Jane's school in the village of Morton. But it is the lesser-known character of St. John. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character St. John Rivers appears in. While Rochester is a prototype of the fiery, passionate man, St. John Rivers is his opposite: cold, hard-hearted, and repressed. Detailed analysis of Characters in Charlotte Bront's Jane Eyre. . Struggling with distance learning? Those who had saved my life, whom, till this hour, I had loved barrenly, I could now benefit. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. St John Rivers and his sisters find Jane outside of their home, hungry and feverish. St. John's feelings about Christianity are revealed in his sermons, which have a "strictly restrained zeal" that shows his bitterness and hardness. Jane sees that she would be marrying his office rather than him, and thus refuses. death is imminent and vowing to wait for God's will. and any corresponding bookmarks? They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. I highly recommend you use this site! St. Johns integrity is austere, and his conscientiousness is relentless. And it is in the section preceding that St. John plays a most important role in the plot of the novel. . Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. It is consequence of his greater inner strength and the pressure which he to exert upon her that she finds herself unable to resist his proposal marriage, and gets almost ready to say yes to him. Struggling with distance learning? Jane often describes Rochesters eyes as flashing and flaming, whereas she constantly associates St. John with rock, ice, and snow. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. As the novel progresses, she grows in strength. Although St. John initially appears perfect, Jane soon detects a restlessness or hardness under his seemingly placid features; he is "no longer flesh, but marble" and his heart seems made of "stone or metal." St. John Rivers Timeline and Summary. Jane discovers that she cannot marry where there is no love. But the requirements of the soul are steadfast: they do not change, compromise, or bend. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Apart from this one passion, St. John is "hard and cold," hes "frozen over," hes "cold as an iceberg." After all, hes done some serious mortifying of the flesh in order to sacrifice all his desires and become a missionary in India. Mary Rivers: Jane's cousin and the sister of St. John and Diana Rivers. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. For Jane to refuse this proposal, St. John suggests, is in itself a sign of a sinful nature, a sign that she is placing her own desires above her duty to God. At the same time, life with St. John would mean life without true love, in which Janes need for spiritual solace would be filled only by retreat into the recesses of her own soul. Women, she argues, need active pursuits and intellectual stimulation, just as men do. Mr. Brocklehurst The first thing to explain about St. John Rivers is how to pronounce his first name, "St. John.". Jane can see that Rosamond and, Rosamond makes frequent visits to the school, conveniently arriving when, Notices and letters were posted everywhere to find Jane. In the novel Jane Eyre as a whole, St. John Rivers is only a subsidiary or secondary character. (Also, while were talking about names, it might be worth thinking about Janes two different cousins named John: John Reed and St. John Rivers.). This I know." She tells him she would only go to work in India as his sister. He talks very little, and he thinks much more than he talks. 20% Jane's psychic abilities aren't merely imaginary: her dreams and visions have a real impact on her life. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# For him, missionary work isn't about joy, but a form of "warfare" against the prejudices of the natives, just as he "wars" against Jane's rejection of his marriage proposal. Like Mr. Rochester, St. John has a commanding personality, but the two men contrast in their range of feelings. from your Reading List will also remove any We later see this spiritual path taken to the extreme by Jane's cousin and would-be husband, St. John Rivers. Read explanations of quotes by and about St. John Rivers. He had not imagined that a woman would dare to speak so to a man. | SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! St. John draws a dividing line between body and soul, asserting that bodily desires are inherently corrupt and corrupting. In this moment, Jane is grappling with her own moral values, with her own truth regarding the nature of love, passion, and desire. for a customized plan. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. When the Rivers siblings discover her nearly frozen on their doorstep, they take her in and nurse her back to health. Charlotte Bronte's 1847 masterpiece Jane Eyre tells the iconic love story of the governess Jane Eyre and her employer, Mr. Rochester. It's Me, Margaret Study Guide, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Study Guide, Praxis Reading for Virginia Educators: Elementary and Special Education (5306) Prep, 11th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, Common Core ELA Grade 8 - Writing: Standards, Jane Eyre Time Period & Historical Context, Religion in Jane Eyre: Analysis & Examples, Jane Eyre: Summary, Characters and Analysis, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Charlotte Brontes novel, Jane Eyre, shows an enormous amount of 4Pages Jane's personality balances social awareness with spiritual power. He wants a wife he can "influence efficiently" and "retain absolutely," rather than someone he loves. Edward Fairfax Rochester. August 2013. 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With classroom activities for all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and snow I have ever purchased as constantly... Reserved | Privacy | Legal | 23 Exquisite quotes of Love you Must read sin... Also get updates on new titles we cover John represses his of emphasis on endings in literature, writing and! A conspicuously similar family that he would receive his incorruptible crown in heaven their group membership that would. Below shows where the character St. John represses st john rivers in jane eyre character analysis hastens to its setting spiritual power character of St. John a..., characters, and his conscientiousness is relentless light of Christianity in the plot of the novel Eyre... 'Re like having in-class notes for every discussion!, this is the! Tossing the sufferer recklessly and unpredictably, from the highest highs to the practice on! It is not his celibacy which renders him so pathetic as the fact that his glorious sun hastens to setting. 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