Insanity Labeled

Insanity is a curious aliment. Often it is the label of insanity which drives a mind to its frays. The “Liar or Deceitful” Jane Eyre appeared so insane to me as a young child locked in the red room, that I could nearly mistaken her for Antoinette of Wide Sargasso Sea. She didn’t really appear insane, but she, as a character, was treated as such by her environment. Her aunt rather.

“No moonlight was still, and this stirred; while I gazed, it glided up to the ceiling and quivered over my head…prepared as my mind was for horror, shaken as my nerves were for agitation, I thought the swift darting beam was a herald of some coming vision from another world. My heart beat thick my head grew hot; a sound filled my ears…I was oppressed suffocated: endurance broke down…” (Bronte 21).

Jane’s physical environment takes on a life of its own as small peeves are personified. A simple ray of light is a source of great distress for her. No one will listen, no one will believe, everyone is exploiting her situation and every action is taken out of context. Just a Rochester accuses Antoinette of animalistic violence, for attacking someone who insults her or verbally abuses her, without considering her mounting frustration and aggravation which causes her to snap, Jane’s aunt will hear nothing of the fact that Jane’s cousin hit her with the book first. False accusations cut at her more than anything else. It is only when a teacher at Lowood believed her claims of innocence that we see a great breathe of relief and reprieve on her part.

Jane’s fiery and passionate nature will not allow for anyone to abuse her or escape justice. “When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should - so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again” (Bronte 68). She believes in striking back to prevent a next encounter. She values her freedom and will not be subjected to a chaining marriage which will leave her closeted and shamed. Her decisions must sit right with her. Rochester may not own her through marriage like he did Antoinette. When Bertha marries Rochester, she becomes socially and economically dependent on him. Christophine understood this and urges Antoinette to escape for this reason. While Jane does leave of her own accord, Antoinette stays, and eventually is the madwoman in the attic.

Oh the endearing theme of the madwoman who is locked away by the ‘concerned husband’, the wise doctor, The Yellow Wallpaper anybody? Rochester tries to argue that him keeping Bertha in the house was more humane than sending her to an institute. Granted this is true, but honestly, it isn’t hard to beat the conditions of an institute. He locked up the woman for years, his wife. The wife he never loved, always spurned, and hated dearly. Charming, isn’t he.

Of course with Jane Eyre we see an entirely different side of him. Or not, considering that he never bothered to inform unsuspecting Jane of the fact that he was already married before their wedding or that she would be a mistress of sorts. Interestingly enough, nor did he come after her when she left. Perhaps, he honored her wishes, perhaps not.