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Charlotte’sFeministDeclaration-OnJaneEyre’sFemaleConsciousness [Abstract] TheVictorianAgewasmencenteredandmencontrolledtimes.Womenwerediscriminatedagainstbymenatthattime.However,theaheadofagefemaleconsciousnessofJaneEyre,themaincharacterofJaneEyrewrittenbyCharlotteBronte,challengedmen’sauthority.InthisnoveloftheVictorianAge,Charlotteexposedanddenouncedmen’soppressionofanddiscriminationagainstwomen.Ontheotherhand,CharlotteisremarkableinportrayingJaneEyreasaselfrespectingandrebelliousgirl,desiringequality,bravelyshowingherloveanddecidingonherownmarriage.Throughtheportrayal,CharlottesetsanewrotemodelforwomenofVictoriantimesaswellasmodernage. [Keywords] femaleconsciousness;self-respect;equality夏洛蒂·勃朗特的女权主义宣言———评简爱的女性意识[摘 要] 在男权至上的维多利亚时代,简爱超前的女性意识挑战了男性权威。在《简爱》这本小说里,夏洛蒂·勃朗特塑造了简爱心地纯洁、善于思考、自尊、倔强的性格和勇于追求平等和幸福的精神,使简爱成为维多利亚时代具有反叛意识的女性的代表。[关键词] 女性意识;自尊;平等 WhenG.K.Chestertonsaid,“Thenovelofthe19thcenturywasfemale”hemusthavebeenreferringtotheemergenceofanumberofbrilliantwomanwriterswhoseworksgavevoicetothefeelingsandaspirationsoftheeducatedwomenoftheirage.CharlotteBronteisoneofthegreatestwomenwriters,andherJaneEyreisundoubtedlyanoutstandingwomen’sdeclarationofindependenceandlove.ItisJaneEyre’sfemaleconsciousnessthatawakenswomenandvoiceswomen’saspirationforliberation.JaneEyre’sfemaleconsciousnessisfarbeyond.Victoriantimes.In19thcentury,womendidnothaveanystatus.Theywerediscriminatedagainstandconceivedofaspeopleinferiortomen.Althoughwomen’scollegeswereestablishedatCambridgein1869andatOxfordin1879,womencouldnottakedegreesattheuniversityuntil1920-1921.Atthattime,almosttheonlyoccupationopentowomenofgoodfamilieswasteachingasschoolmistressormorelikelyservingasgovernessinaprivatefamily.TheVictorianmoralcodeforwomenwasthattheyshouldremainignorantanduneducated.So,novelsaboutyounggirlswhowentoutaloneintotheworld,sufferedvarioustrials,miseriesandtemptation,andemergedchasteandtriumphanthadbeenpopularinEnglandforoveracentury.CharlotteBronteandherJaneEyrechallengedthe oldcommandmentandtraditionaldiscriminationtowomen.ThatiswhyJaneEyrewascriticizedbysomepeople.LionelStevensonsaid,“JaneEyrewasanintolerablerenegadefromallthestandardsofbehaviorexpectedofrespectablegirls.”W.A.Craikthought,“TheBrontebiographydoesthemadisservicewiththereader,maypreventhimfromseeingproperlyareairindividualmeritsorindeedwhatisherpurposeinwritingit.”However,thepraiseofJaneEyrebyfaroutweighscriticism.Mostpeopleregardedthisbookasoneofthegreatestnovelsofthattime.ItwasJane’srebelliousness,herdislikeofservility,herinsistenceonequalitywithhermasterandherclaimthatshehadarighttofeelingsandpassionsthatgavethebookit’suniquenessandforce,shockedmanyofitsearlyreadersandearnedpopularityamongmostwomen.Thebookalsoencouragedwomentobeindependentandfightfortheirownrights.LuoJingguosaid,“JaneEyreisthefirstEnglishnoveleventhemostpowerfulandpopularnovel,whichpresentsthemodernviewofwomen’spositioninsociety.”JaneEyre’sfemaleconsciousness,whichrunsthroughthewholestory,canbeviewedintwoaspects.Oneistheexposureanddenunciationofman’soppression.TheotheristheportrayalofJaneEyre’soutstandingcharacter.JaneEyre’sstoriestakingplaceindifferentstagesofherlifecanbeseenasconnectedbymen’ soppressiontoher.ThefirstoppressorisJaneEyre’scousin,JohnReed.John,attheageof14,hasbecomeparticularlyobnoxious,afat,greedy,unwholesomebully.Heregardshimselfasthefutureownerofthehouse.HebeatsandinsultsJaneatwill.GoadedbyJohnReed’sbullying,shehitsbackontwooccasions,fightinglikeamadcatuntilsheisoverpowered.Then,sheislockedupaloneintheredroom.Terroraswellasangerisalwayswithherwhensheisintheredroomwhereherownvividimaginationfrightensherintoafranticfit.Janeexperiencesthefirstcrisisinlifeandnearlydies.IntheclashbetweenJaneandhercousin,thewriteremphasizesJane’sfeelingsofdread,loathinganddespairastheweakwhenfacingunreasonable,illmanneredmercilessevenbrutishthreat.Thisdescriptionshowsexactlysmallandweakfemale’sgeneralsentimentundermale’smaltreatment.WhenwereadthepartfromChapterItoChapterIV,wewillsympathizewithJane’smiserableexperience.ThesecondoppressorisMr.Brocklehurst,theheadmasterofLowoodorphanage.ThefirstimpressionhegivesJaneis“Whatagreatnose!Andwhatamouth!Justlikeabrutalbloodsuckinganimal.Here,Brocklehurstisportrayedasaverysevereandhardheartedpersonwhonotonlykeeps thechildrenhalfstarvedbutpreventsthemfromhavingnormalmentalgrowth.Heismeddling,lovelessandhypocritical.Brocklehurstthinksitishisdutytopunishtheeightygirls’bodiesinordertosavetheirimmortalsouls.Hedoesnotletthemhaveenoughrest.Heforcesthemtocuttheirlonghairandmakesthemweartheworstquality,themostuglyclothes.Heattemptstokillthesepoorgirlsnatureofpursuingbeauty.Heishostiletowomen.Hecallsthesegirls’bodies“vilebodies”andtheirnaturalcurledhair“excrescence”.Hestranglesthesegirls’vigorandvitality.ThesegirlsalmostbecomemachineswhichcanonlyworkandreadBible.Brocklehurst’sdevastationtothesegirlsisfarbeyondpeople’stoleration.Brocklehurstmakesthelifeconditionmuchworse,whichcausesalotofdeathsincludingthatofJane’sbestfriend,HelenBurns.LifeinLowoodOrphanagemaybethemostagonizingmemorytoJane,butthemiserablelifegivesJanemuchmorecourageanddeterminationtostruggleforherright.ThethirdoppressorJanehasmetisMr.Rochester.MostwritersagreethatthethemeofJaneEyreisthesearchforlove.Lawrencehassaid,“Thenovelisrevolutionaryinitstreatmentoflove.”Rochester’soppressiondoesnotcomefromthefactthatRochesterwantstomarryJanewithouttellingherhismadwife’sstory.Herethepoint isthatRochester’sloveoppressesJaneandjeopardizesherindependence.Whentheypreparethingsformarriage,Rochestersayshewillputthediamondchain“roundJaneneck,andcircletonherforehead,claspedthebraceletsonthesefinewrists,andloadherfingerswithrings”.HeusesvisiblejewelrytolimitJaneinvisibly.Janefeelsthatsheisoppressed.ShefeelsRochester’ssmilehas“suchasultanmight,bestowonaslavehisgoldandgemshadenriched”,andshe,herself,justliketheeastallusion,iswithoutfreedom.Janeknows,facingRochester,sheisnolongerasindependentasbefore.Jane’sheartisalwaysinastateofintensestruggle.ShewillinglydevotesherselftoRochester,butshestilltriestograspherownsoul.Whenthesecretisdiscovered,RochesterhopesthatJanecangowithherinthenameoflove.Janeisnearlyshaken.Afterall,shekeepsherindividualsoul.InJane’slife,sheneverstopsstrugglingagainstmiserablelifeandmisfortune.Shehasn’tanobleposition,anillustriousbackground,wealthorabeautifulappearance.Theonlyproudthingforherisherselfrespectwhichissupportedbyherself-confidenceandherstaunchindependence.SheneverexpectsthatRochestercanloveherbecauseshethinksthereisabiggapbetweenthemforever.Whentheyfallinlove,Janehastokeepherself-respectandindependenceincaseoflosingherself.WhatshecangivetoRochesterisonlyher love,herinfatuation,herspiritualsupportandnothingelse.However,whatRochestergivesherismorethanhers.HecanalsoimproveJaneEyre’ssocialstatusandincreaseherwealth.ThisunequalexchangemakesJaneEyreuneasy.Thesituationmakesherfeelthattheyarenotquiteequalandherindependenceisalsothreatened.ThefourthoppressorJanecomesacrossistheclergyman,St.JohnRivers.Heisidealistic,verygoodlooking,religiousandzealous.Heturnsegotismandambitiontotheserviceofreligion.HeusesthenameofobligationtooppressJaneandgivesJanespiritualsuffering.HedoesnottreatJaneasawomanorashisfuturewife,butaslave,aslaveofGodaswellashis.St.JohnsaystoJane,“Simplifyyourcomplicatedinterests,feelings,thoughts,wishes,aims;mergeallconsiderationinonepurposethatoffulfillingwitheffect--withpower--themissionofyourgreatMaster.”Here,“Master”iscapitalized.Itseemsthat“Master”istheGod.Infact,St.Johnusestheword“Master”torefertohisownmission.HeregardshimselfasJane’s“Master”.HedeprivesJaneofallherrights,especiallytherightsofawoman.Janeisnolongeranindependentwoman,butadoll,amachine.Inhiseyes.Theword“Master”alsodelicatelydiscoversthemostimportantelementofman’sattitudetowardswoman.St. John’sproposalisevenmoreoutrageousthanRochester’s,foritinvolvesaspiritualprostitutioninsteadofaphysicalone.OnlywhenSt.JohninvolvesGod’snameinsupportofafalseideaofmarriagedoesJaneresist,“IfIweretomarryyou,youwouldkillme.Youarekillingmenow”.Jane’sfirst“killme”indicatesthatthemiserablelifeinIndiawoulddestroyherhealthandkillher.Jane’ssecond“killme”referstoStJohn’soppressiontoherspirit.JaneEyrebravelyshowsherfeelings,butSt.JohndenouncesJaneasviolent,untrueandunfeminine.Butwhatisfeminine?Shouldwomenalwaysregardmanandtheirhusbandsas“Master”?Shouldn’twomenshowtheirtruefeelingsandberudependent?Manforceswomantoliveandbehaveasmanwants,whichreallygiveswomenagreatoppression.Forthousandofyears,womensufferfromman’soppressionanddiscrimination.JohnReed,BrockcehurstRochesterandStJohnoppressJaneindifferentways.Theyareonlysometypicalexamples.Bythem,Charlotteexposesanddenouncesman’soppressionsharply.TheagonywomenactuallysuffermaybemuchmorethanJane’s.Shouldtheyalwaysbesilentorstandtofight?JaneEyregivesadefinitelyanswer.Herstoriesawakenwomen’sfemaleconsciousness.Whatisawomanlikeifshewantstofightforherproperrights?Here,CharlotteanswersthequestionwiththeportrayalofJaneEyre’ scharacter.Allinall,Janeissuchaself2respecting,independentanddecisivewoman.Herfemaleconsciousnessandherstrugglingexperiencesetabrilliantexampleforthefemaleworldwide.Herspiritencourageswomentofightforliberation.JaneEyretellsnotonlywhatanindependentwomanislikebutalsowhatasuccessfulwomanshoulddo.Infact,CharlotteispresentingthroughthecharacterofJanesomeofherownmostdeeplyfeltconvictionsofpermanentimportanceinhumanlifesuchastherightofthehumblestpersontoaffection,self2realization,honestyandintegrity,therighttospeakoutfranklyandtheclaimsofmoralityandreligion.Jane’slongstruggletoattainthesevaluestobecomeapersonwhoisadmired,respectedandcaredforwithoutcompromisinganyofherotherprinciplesleavesanindelibleimpressiononus.Asagreatbook,JaneEyrenotonlyawakensitsearlyreadersoftheVictorianAge,butalsostimulatesandencouragesmodernwomen’smovement.JaneEyrehassaidinChapterⅫ,“Itisinvaintosayhumanbeingsoughttobesatisfiedwithtranquility;theymusthaveaction;andtheywillmakeitiftheycannotfindit⋯womenaresupposedtobeverycalmgenerally;butwomenfeeljustasmenfeel;theyneedexercisefortheirfaculties,andafieldfortheireffortsaremuchastheirbrothersdo;theysufferfromtoorigidarestraint,too absoluteastagnation,preciselyasmenwouldsufferItisthoughtlesstocondemnthem,orlaughatthem,iftheyseektodomoreorlearnmorethancustomhaspronouncednecessaryfortheirsex.”ThisisJane’sfemaleconsciousness.ItisCharlotte’saswellasworldwidefemale’sfeministdeclaration.【References】[1]LuoJingguo.ANewAnthologyofEnglishLiterature(volumeI,II,III)[M].Beijing:BeijingUniversityPress,1997.[2]Blackburn,RuthH.CharlotteBronteJaneEyre[M].NewYork:Simon&Schuster,1974.[3]Bronte,Charlotte.JaneEyre[M].NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1975.
