Religious Balance in Jane Eyre - Essay Example

Is it ever possible to have too much of a good thing? Throughout Charlotte Brontes classic Jane Eyre, Jane finds herself struggling to uncover the correct balance between devotion to God and preservation of self from the impact of religious balance. Along with her journey, several different levels of religious severity are displayed through multiple characters (Harris and Sheila, 18). Mr. Brocklehurst, Helen Burns, and St. John Rivers all believe in the same God. However, it is made clear that not all practice religion for the same reasons. For Brocklehurst, it is to feel above the rest, for Helen Burns, it is to find comfort, and for St. John Rivers, it is to resist ambition. Charlotte Brontes classic Jane Eyre is a depiction of the various perspectives of religion.

Bronte is successful in portraying the ultimate hypocrites in religion. Representing hypocrisy and self-righteousness, Mr. Brocklehurst utilizes religion in order to allude that he is superior. According to Bronte, Mr. Brocklehurst enjoys going around intimidating little girls, informing them that they are bound to hell due to their sins, keeping them cold and half-starved while at the same time feeling self-righteous about doing it. Mr. Brocklehurst thinks that God is giving him thumbs up (Brennan, 273). Shortly after his initial inspection of young Jane, Brocklehurst haughtily remarks, Deceit is, indeed, a sad fault in a child, it is akin to falsehood, and all liars will have their portion in the lake burning with fire and brimstone (31). Although he has only just met her, he immediately accepts Mrs. Reids description of Jane as truth, as it gives him an opportunity to scorn her and to stroke his own ego. Much later when he pays a visit to Lowood, he preaches about the girls appetites, saying, His warnings that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God; to His divine consolations, If ye suffer hunger or thirst for My sake, happy are ye (63). Even though he is convinced that he is utterly righteous and pious, he twists and redefines scriptures to support his creed.

Helen Burns, whom Jane meets while still at Lowood, exhibits a completely different type of faith. She strongly believes in the kindness of God but has a very passive and accepting way of practicing her religion. While comforting Jane after she explains how shed rather die than live unloved, Helen notes, God waits for only a separation of spirit from flesh to crown us with a full reward. Why, then, should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is so soon over, and death is so certain an entrance to happiness..? (71) This comment reveals Helens belief that death, rather than being frightening, is a gift, and will lead to unity with God. This is reiterated in Helens dying words: I rely implicitly on His power, and confide wholly in His goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to Him (84).

Lastly, St. John Rivers holds the most severe belief that one must fully dedicate oneself to God and put everything else in life aside. He thinks himself and his mission of the utmost importance and wholly consigns himself to Him. Full of passion and commitment, he speaks of it to Jane:

Yes, there is my glory and joy. I am the servant of an infallible Master. I am not going out under human guidance, subject to the defective laws and erring control of my feeble fellow-worms: my king, my lawgiver, my captain, is the all-perfect. It seems strange to me that all round me do not burn to enlist under the same banner--to join the same enterprise. (436)

St. John demonstrates here that he feels he is saved and is superior to those who have not done the same as him. Due to his extreme devotion to Christianity, Rivers claims that his desires are Gods desires. When Rivers assumes that he knows Gods desires, then one can implicitly conclude that he is presenting himself as God (The Cea Critic, 23). This line of though can also be exemplified Rivers actions of making justifications for claiming Jane and making her his wife.

Work Cited

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Introduction by Joyce Carol Oater. Bantam, 2003.

Harris, Laurie L, and Sheila Fitzgerald. Nineteenth-century Literature Criticism. Detroit, Mich: Gale Research Co, 1981. Print.

Brennan, Zoe. Bronte's Jane Eyre: A Reader's Guide. London: Continuum, 2010. Print.

The Cea Critic. College Station, Tex: Dept. of English, Texas A & M University, 1948. Print.