Quote:
““But as you are rich, Jane, you have now, no doubt, friends who will look after you, and not suffer you to devote yourself to a blind lameter like me?”
“I told you I am independent, sir, as well as rich: I am my own mistress.”
“And you will stay with me.”
“Certainly – unless you object. I will be your neighbor, your nurse, your housekeeper. I find you lonely: I will be your companion – to read to you, to walk with you, to sit with you, to wait on you, to be eyes and hands to you. Cease to look so melancholy, my dear master; you shall not be left desolate, so long as I live,” (511-512).”
Comment:
The power dynamic that represented Jane and Mr. Rochester’s relationship has changed throughout the novel, which can be seen in the ways that Mr. Rochester treated Jane at the beginning of the book, and the quote above from the end of the book. Jane no longer has to view Mr. Rochester as her master because she is no longer employed by him, and she is just as rich as he is. There isn’t anything that he can hold over her (except for her gender) that would make him her superior. That being said, the way their relationship is at the end of the novel is not a healthy one. Though Jane does says that she is her own mistress, there is still an air of devotion that she holds towards Mr. Rochester. This is likely because he was one of the first people to show her “kindness.” Though the form of kindness he showed her isn’t what I consider as nice; to Jane she found it that way and it meant a lot to her. Because of this Jane feels like she owes him, which is why she still feels so devoted to him and still calls him her master. She also says that she will devote the rest of her life waiting on him and taking care of him. Another unhealthy part of this relationship is that Jane only feels she is on equal or even higher ground after Mr. Rochester has gone blind. As if her deciding to take care of him is a form of her devotion, but so that he has to rely on her. Though it is important in relationships for partners to rely on each other and be there for each other; it is also not healthy for those relationships to develop into full on devotion and living a life completely dependent on them.
Question:
How has Jane’s devotion towards Mr. Rochester changed throughout the novel, and how does it impact their relationship?
