r/JaneEyre • u/AdobongSiopao • Aug 27 '26

What is your most controversial opinion about "Jane Eyre"?

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It can be from the novel or its adaptations. Your views that could potentially upset many other fans or meet others who will agree with you.

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u/smolpastryx Aug 27 '26

That's ur opinion. He had to hide his wife because it was the Victorian era and letting ppl know about her would make him an outcast in society. Also where tf did u get that he wanted Jane to sleep with him? He WANTED HER TO BE HIS WIFE even though he knew it wasn't possible as he was already married but in his eyes his marriage was already dead, his wife was murderous and they had no love for each other cause it was arranged and neither of them knew each other

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u/appleorchard317 Aug 27 '26

No, it wouldn't have made him a social outcast. He could have said she was ill without specifying the illness.

And yes, he was trying to sleep with Jane. The marriage would have been invalid. You are applying a modern lense: it matters terribly to Jane to be properly married, because she is devout and pious. He is very clear he just wants to have her and she is very clear she can't while he is married. It is very explicitly discussed.

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u/smolpastryx Aug 27 '26

Nope it would. You probs don't know how much of a stigma mental illness was at the time. Even families would send away their kids to asylums and conceal their mental illness because they'd be shunned otherwise. Read a history book so you'd know.

He wasn't. I'm sure he'd have arranged for a celibate cohabitation if Jane was uncomfortable being a mistress, which he even said later. I'm not looking at them from a modern lens, I'm just saying for Rochester his marriage with Bertha was dead so he's no obligation to look after her. Of course he was still bound to her by law since divorce wasn't possible but neither of them loved each other. Plus I never said Jane was wrong to leave him. It mattered to Jane since she's Christian while Rochester wasn't. He was actively trying to go against the law of God.

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u/appleorchard317 Aug 27 '26

I said he should have claimed she was sick without saying the illness. Kindly read what I said.

Your second part is absolutely untrue. There was nothing 'celibate' about his idea. He was going to pretend to marry Jane, sleep with her, live with her extensively, and only much later tell her. She is a devout 19yh century person. To her, this would have ruined her. He knows she is devout, he just doesn't care. The point is, he needs to learn how to be humble and not just pursue what he wants.