Not a Jane fan (Shock! Horror!)

[Vedrana]

Hmmm...am I the only person who seems to find that Jane Eyre was not my cup of tea? It sort of annoyed me to find a book with characters that I didn't really like. I know that this is literary sacrilege, but I really cannot see the appeal with Rochester and I'm not sure if I like Jane either.

I really appreciated some of the things Bronte wrote, especially those dealing with social status and the roles of women in society, but at the same time, it was sort of irritating to see Jane fall in love with a man that I just could not warm to. There didn't seem to be anything about him that I liked. Sure, I can't expect him to be perfect, but at the same time, this man is just so full of flaws that they seemed to me to crowd out any potential good qualities.

I mean, the man locks up his wife even though even at the time the book is set there were several mental institutions that employed more humane means of caring for patients than those he used. And he has the gall to try and commit bigamy and then when he fails in that he decides to ask Jane to be his mistress (shades of "Pamela"...). I mean, I just don't know why she would want to be with someone like that. It strikes me as though he is the first man who has not treated her badly, so she falls in love with him. Should I pity her?

After reading a little bit about Charlotte's life, I came to the conclusion that she was attracted to men who were like Rochester. He seems to be a dead ringer of Mr Heger who I imagine she must have harboured some serious feelings for while she worked in Belgium. So in the end, I guess it comes down to what you like, and I'm afraid I didn't like Rochester much at all.

To be honest, I suppose that another thing I didn't like was the posturings into melodrama that the novel lapsed into, and it was sort of ironic, considering how in Shirley, at the beginning of the book, she assures the reader that there will be no melodrama whatsoever in the book. Mind you, that was Shirley. But all in all, I don't think I fell in love with Charlotte's work as much as others have.

[Dark Lord]

that for sure what u think,Vedrana
There was so unmatching points in Rochester character , locking up his lunatic wife at the attic and taking Jane as a wife , but even so i always find Charlotte works so touching , full of real emotions unlike many writers whose works lack lots of meanings.

[starrwriter]

Hmmm...am I the only person who seems to find that Jane Eyre was not my cup of tea? It sort of annoyed me to find a book with characters that I didn't really like ...
Schlock, not shock. Jane Airhead, it should have been titled. As writers, all of the Bronte sisters were weeping willows.

[Miss_Eyre]

Schlock, not shock. Jane Airhead, it should have been titled. As writers, all of the Bronte sisters were weeping willows.

Well, I just visited your page and discovered
that you´re a writer -- From the summaries
presented there, I can only say: someone
sitting in a glass house should not be throwing
stones! Your stories could do with something
the Brontes` novels all had: emotional depth!
For there´s more to a female character than
her appearance and it´s *so typically male*
that this is the only thing you see (and point
out in your descriptions). I am not impressed.


Miss Eyre.

[starrwriter]

Well, I just visited your page and discovered
that you´re a writer -- From the summaries
presented there, I can only say: someone
sitting in a glass house should not be throwing
stones! Your stories could do with something
the Brontes` novels all had: emotional depth!
For there´s more to a female character than
her appearance and it´s *so typically male*
that this is the only thing you see (and point
out in your descriptions). I am not impressed.
Another reader lost to me -- and so typically female, if I may make an observation. It won't be easy, but I'll try not to slash my wrists.

[Miss_Eyre]

It´s interesting to see what readers criticize
about this book - and as long as it´s done
in a *civilized* manner (like Vedrana`s mail),
I´m willling to deal with it.

Bertha`s madness:
In previous centuries, it was a generally
accepted mode of behaviour to privately
care for mad family members (sending
them to public asylums would have been
a disgrace to the whole family).

And in chapter 27, Jane criticizes the way
he treats Bertha, saying: "you speak of her
with hate--with vindictive antipathy. It is
cruel--she cannot help being mad." Of
course, she can´t help being mad, I also
feel pity for her, but you can´t afford
letting her have her way!


bigamy:
I agree with you, committing bigamy is a crime,
it´s, in fact, a serious breach of trust. Trust is
one of the foundations of a relationship!

IMO, he´s acting this way because he´s afraid
of losing her: "After a youth and manhood
passed half in unutterable misery and half in
dreary solitude, I have for the first time found
what I can truly love--I have found you." He
deserves a little bit of happiness in his life,
don´t you think?!

The thought that she falls in love with the
first man who treats her kindly has never
entered my mind. I don´t agree with you :-).


Mr. Heger:
Yes, you´re right about that. Heger was
Charlotte´s teacher at Brussels. She fell in
love with this married man, sent him passionate
letters... ooh, my dear Charlotte deserved so
much more than that. IMO, Heger was an
arrogant, self-righteous fool. I don´t know
what she saw in him.


melodrama:
Well, Jane Eyre is a gothic novel!


bye:-),
Miss Eyre

[Miss_Eyre]

Another reader lost to me -- and so typically female, if I may make an observation. It won't be easy, but I'll try not to slash my wrists.

wouldn´t make any sense *now*, as you´re
half a century too late in removing yourself
from the gene pool anyway.

Miss Eyre.

[starrwriter]

wouldn´t make any sense *now*, as you´re half a century too late in removing yourself from the gene pool anyway.

Oooo, I like this girl's savage wit. Gets my blood stirring.

Og the caveman says: "Fiesty wench good for man."

[Miss_Eyre]

Oooo, I like this girl's savage wit. Gets my blood stirring.

Og the caveman says: "Fiesty wench good for man."


I`m a gentle person in general... life is too
short to spend it fighting, isn´t it?

But my problem is that I`m *allergic* to
disrespectful people, especially to the "all
hat and no cattle"-type of guy you seem to
be. quite allergic.

Well, I doubt that you would have enjoyed
living in Stone Age, for you would have had
to work hard, and if your wife had not been
pleased with the result, she probably would
not have hesitated coshing you. ooh, those
were the days, women used less subtle
methods of training their partners :-).


Miss Eyre.

[starrwriter]

I`m a gentle person in general... life is too short to spend it fighting, isn´t it?
Pardon me while I die laughing. In your posts about me you're about as gentle as a ball-peen hammer applied to sensitive parts of my body. But I'm not complaining. Half the fun of life is fighting.


But my problem is that I`m *allergic* to disrespectful people, especially to the "all hat and no cattle"-type of guy you seem to
be. quite allergic.
All hat and no cattle! You must be a cowgirl from the West. By the way, I recommend Benadryl for allergies. As to respect, mine is not given away for free, it has to be earned.


Well, I doubt that you would have enjoyed living in Stone Age, for you would have had to work hard, and if your wife had not been
pleased with the result, she probably would not have hesitated coshing you. ooh, those were the days, women used less subtle methods of training their partners :-).
Dogs are trained, not real men. I would have enjoyed living in the Stone Age. It was a much more natural life than the pathetically emasculated modern era we are stuck with today. Back then women were obscene and not heard (in the famous words of Groucho Marx.)

[Miss_Eyre]

Pardon me while I die laughing. In your posts about me you're about as gentle as a ball-peen hammer applied to sensitive parts of my body.

I said: "in general" - not to you, for you´re
*impertinent* and, therefore, do not deserve
to be treated kindly.



As to respect, mine is not given away for free, it has to be earned.

ditto.



Dogs are trained, not real men.

From a psychological point of view, there´s
no difference between a man and a dog.



I would have enjoyed living in the Stone Age. It was a much more natural life than the pathetically emasculated modern era we are stuck with today.

another one who can´t cope with the
emancipation of women.


Miss Eyre.

[starrwriter]

I said: "in general" - not to you, for you´re
*impertinent* and, therefore, do not deserve to be treated kindly.
Another hammer blow to my sensitive parts. This woman has no mercy (which is why I'm beginning to suspect she is much more like me than she would ever care to admit.)


From a psychological point of view, there´s no difference between a man and a dog.
Female sexism finally reveals its ugly head. Woof!


another one who can´t cope with the emancipation of women.
Women have ALWAYS been emancipated -- that is, largely in control of their romantic relationships with men. And we know why, don't we, Miss Eyre?

[Miss_Eyre]

Another hammer blow to my sensitive parts. This woman has no mercy (which is why I'm beginning to suspect she is much more like me than she would ever care to admit.)

I´m not.



Female sexism finally reveals its ugly head. Woof!

no, it´s just the truth - and you know that
as well as I do.



Women have ALWAYS been emancipated -- that is, largely in control of their romantic relationships with men. And we know why, don't we, Miss Eyre?

what is that supposed to mean? something
sardonic, probably. I`d prefer if you kept
it to yourself.


Miss Eyre.

[starrwriter]

no, it´s just the truth - and you know that
as well as I do.
I know nothing of the kind. It's not true that men and dogs are psychologically the same (I know you meant horn dogs.) That's a myth to feed the vanity of women who believe all a man needs to make him "happy" is sex. It proves you don't really understand men, you just underestimate them.

So life is too short to fight, huh? I can tell by your posts that you LOVE to fight.

[Miss_Eyre]

I know nothing of the kind. It's not true that men and dogs are psychologically the same (I know you meant horn dogs.) That's a myth to feed the vanity of women who believe all a man needs to make him "happy" is sex. It proves you don't really understand men, you just underestimate them.

oh really, do I? Then, come on, enlighten me:
what is it, apart from the "nightly gymnastics",
that a man wants? You might even surprise me
with saying something substantial.



So life is too short to fight, huh? I can tell by your posts that you LOVE to fight.

no, I don´t like to fight, it´s just that I don´t
give in when I feel I´m right and I don´t let
people get away with something I believe is
wrong.


Miss Eyre

[starrwriter]

what is it, apart from the "nightly gymnastics", that a man wants? You might even surprise me with saying something substantial.
Do I detect a note of bitterness about "nightly gymnastics," as you so eloquently called it. Tired of faking enthusiasm -- or is it your partner who is tired? One or both of you must be very tired of doing the horizontal mambo. Sad, but you can take comfort in the fact that it happens eventually in most relationships. There is always Viagra and estrogen shots to fall back on. Or a clandestine affair to get the juices flowing again.

As to what a man wants beyond sex, I would have to actually BE in a relationship with you to enlighten you. You can stop grinding your teeth because neither of us wants that. It makes me cringe to think of the horrors that could result.


no, I don´t like to fight, it´s just that I don´t give in when I feel I´m right and I don´t let people get away with something I believe is wrong.
I'm not buying it. You have a mean left hook and a killer instinct. I know a fighter when I'm confronted with one.

[Logos]

closed.