themes in jane eyre

religion: 

throughout the novel jane rejects different versions of christianity before finding her own way. 

mr brocklehurst represents the old testament of the bible who is also hypocritical; while he lives in luxury he benefits off the suffering of the students at his school while telling them they will go to hell for sinning. 

"all those top-knots must be cut off"-brocklehurst cuts off the natural knots of a students hair 

"they were splendidly attired in velvet silk and furs"-mrs and misses brocklehurst are rich and materialistic despite mr brocklehurst who tells miss temple that the girls have to be taught 'to clothe themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety' 

helen burns' christianity is only of full forgiveness and tolerance-more like the new testament-she tolerates all her punishments and lives by jesus' words in the new testament of 'love your enemies' 

this christianity is too meek for jane who does not accept injustice and finds it hard to forgive at the time due to her abuse at gateshead.helen also believes her spirit is oppressed by her body and longs for life after death instead of enjoying earthly life. 

"i live in calm, looking to the end"-helen's passion is directed to the afterlife and is utterly passionless on earth. 

st john practises the christianity of righteousness, rules and exclusion of passion. he says 'Reason, not Feeling is my guide'. jane also refuses his proposal in fear of losing her passion and independence as his missionary wife as she feels she needs to 'disown half my nature.'. 

st john also places a 'cankering evil' in janes heart which she says it 'drained my happiness at its source'. 

jane has her own relationship with god whos she looks to in difficult times and thanking Him when she found Marsh End and heard the voice of Rochester. Unlike mr brocklehurst's fake christian face and st john who still had not 'found peace with god' she can communicate with Him in times of trouble. she also takes up helen burns' doctrine of forgiveness to not stay passive and return to rochester when she feels ready to accept him again. 

gender inequality,oppression(madness): 

in the novel bronte critiques the victorian class hierarchy. 

jane's imprisonment in the red room could symbolise the oppression of lower class. in the victorian era the poor were treated less than human-john reed calls her a 'rat' dehumanising her and jane calls him a 'slave driver' suggesting the oppression of the upper class. 

bertha's imprisonment in the attic could symbolise the oppression of women in the victorian era-all women who marry in unequal circumstances to a man will confined or oppressed by them in some way. bronte also critiques how victorian society labels women as madwomen or monsters who are too passionate for society. bertha who was too passionate for society's expectations was put in the attic oppressing her passion and driving her into…