Gothic elements in Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is one of the most popular novels of Charlotte Bronte. One of the interesting features of this novel is that it contains Gothic elements. Gothic is a literary genre. Gothic works contain horror and romance. Horace Walpole is considered to be the first major writer of the Gothic genre. His novel The Castle of Otranto is a famous Gothic novel. Some of the major elements of Gothic novel are-

·         A ruined or intact castle. It might be haunted or not.

·         Shadows, a beam of moonlight in the blackness, a flickering candle.

·         Magic, supernatural manifestations.

·         Terrifying events or the threat of such happenings.

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At the beginning of the novel, we can see that little Jane was locked in the “Red-Room” which was “dark like blood”. Jane’s uncle Mr. Reed died in that room. She saw a ghost of her uncle and became afraid. The room was portrayed as a vault. The chair became a “pale throne” and the bed was mentioned as a “tabernacle”. The surrounding of the room was also terrifying. Outside it was raining, the wind blew against the moors and Jane would hear a faint voice. All these are Gothic elements.

We also see Gothic elements when Jane and Rochester first met. The two people met at night. It was a moonlit night and a hilly area. Mr. Rochester’s horse slipped on ice and he fell down. Later, Mr. Rochester teased her saying that if she had bewitched her horse to fall down.

The most prominent Gothic element in Jane Eyre is Thornfield Hall. Edward Rochester was the owner of the house. It was filled with mystery. While describing “Thornfield Hall”, Jane compares it to “Bluebeard’s Castle”. Bluebeard’s Castle is a French fairy tale of a Duke who murdered all his wives and locked their bodies in closets. Jane heard sounds of a strange laugh in the manor. There was a mysterious fire in Mr. Rochester’s room, on which Jane throws water. Even, Rochester’s house guest, Mr. Mason, was attacked.

We also see the Gothic element when Rochester’s bed clothes were lit on fire. Rochester’s first wife put his bed clothes on fire. It induces more fear in the hearts of the readers about the secret creature that lives upstairs. Jane threw water into the fire and put it off. This incident reveals that there is a dark secret, something ominous. 

The hitting of the chestnut tree, under which Jane and Rochester had just sat when he proposed the previous night, is predicting of forthcoming separation, disaster and danger for Jane and Rochester. It is also a perfect Gothic symbol.

The night before Jane’s wedding, Jane dreamt of babies and then woke up from sleep. Half-sleep half-awake, Jane observes a figure opening her closet and tearing down the wedding dress. It was a “Half-dream half-reality”. This is another Gothic element. It shows a ghostly figure.

Even after running away from Thornfield Hall, Jane had dreams about Rochester. When St. John Rivers asked her to marry him, she had a vision of Rochester calling her to return to him. She did not accept Rivers’ offer but returned to Rochester.

The last and most important feature of any gothic work is that the two-lovers unite. The same happens to Jane Eyre. Jane finally meets with her soulmate and lives a happy life. Because of her love and dedication, Rochester regains his eye-sight.