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I have questions about why Jane returned to Rochester

posted 10 years ago by Fffianist
16 replies | jump to latest

I really love this movie, it's one of the very few I've ever given a 9/10 on IMdB. After so many grey movies featuring murdering, bleak leads, it's so refreshing to see one lead by a character who's just unabashedly good and sticks to her morals.

So I'm trying to figure out what made Jane decide to return to Rochester.

Since Jane had no reason to suspect otherwise, was she planning to elope with Rochester while Bertha was still alive? Or did she just go back to see him again and explain herself?

She heard him calling out her name on the moors, so it's possible she was just following the sound of his voice on a snap decision, but then you consider the amount of time that passes between when she leaves Moorhouse and arrives at Thornfield. She's purchased a new dress, rented a carriage, etc. It was clearly a calculated decision.

And besides, I like the idea that her time at Thornfield and Moorhouse taught her to trust her own intuition and thoughts, and her return to Thornfield was motivated by courage or strength, rather than a brief fracture in her moral fibre, because her commitment to her own integrity is what I love the most about her.

So what changed? St. John asked her to join with him in a loveless marriage, and she was reminded of how much she loved Rochester? She realised she had the financial independence and emotional maturity to stand with Rochester on equal footing? Enough time had passed that he had probably learned his lesson? What??

[–] LifeVsArt 10 years ago

So what changed? St. John asked her to join with him in a loveless marriage, and she was reminded of how much she loved Rochester? She realised she had the financial independence and emotional maturity to stand with Rochester on equal footing? Enough time had passed that he had probably learned his lesson? What??

I think those are some pretty good reasons, plus one can never underestimate the power of hearing ones name being called across the moors, especially in the romantic era of the 19th century. I think Jane felt more certain about her feelings and more confident that she could return and find a solution to the situation - you know, love conquers all.

[–] supergran 10 years ago

one can never underestimate the power of hearing ones name being called across the moors

That's certainly true, LVA! 

I'm not one of those who thinks that Jane was planning to be Rochester's mistress when she returned. In her year's absence, she never contemplated such a thing. When she was being tempted by St John's proposal of marriage, she compared that to the temptation of a year before, and thinks:

I was almost as hard beset by him now as I had been once before, in a different way, by another. I was a fool both times. To have yielded then would have been an error of principle; to have yielded now would have been an error of judgment.

Of course, the "voice" changes things! Jane is frantic to know the reason for the "summons". But, nonetheless, she tells her cousins that she will be absent at least four days (so will return), and on the road she muses:

"Your master himself may be beyond the British Channel, for aught you know: and then, if he is at Thornfield Hall, towards which you hasten, who besides him is there? His lunatic wife: and you have nothing to do with him: you dare not speak to him or seek his presence. You have lost your labour—you had better go no farther," urged the monitor. "Ask information of the people at the inn; they can give you all you seek: they can solve your doubts at once. Go up to that man, and inquire if Mr. Rochester be at home."

Jane's heart wins out over conscience (the monitor), and she rushes to Thornfield to get one more glimpse of Rochester and "home".

Could I but see him!—but a moment! Surely, in that case, I should not be so mad as to run to him? I cannot tell—I am not certain. And if I did—what then? God bless him! What then? Who would be hurt by my once more tasting the life his glance can give me?

Obviously, Jane is delirious with excitement at the prospect of seeing Rochester again, but I don't read of any intent on staying with him.

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] LifeVsArt 10 years ago

Of course, the "voice" changes things!

Glad we agree on that Supergran. Jane's answering the call. I think it's her inner voice that's drawing her toward her fulfillment, her enlightenment, which demands going through the flames of experience (William Blake) of purification ... never easy. I don't think of Rochester as the final goal - it's more about awakening to love, but she had to return to acknowledge that voice.

"Your master himself may be beyond the British Channel, for aught you know: and then, if he is at Thornfield Hall, towards which you hasten, who besides him is there? His lunatic wife: and you have nothing to do with him: you dare not speak to him or seek his presence. You have lost your labour—you had better go no farther,"

The lunatic wife, the dark mansion, the innocent and the pure soul confronting the secret mysteries and threatening, emotional storms - this is all the essence of great, gothic romance. Rochester has to be brooding and dangerous (a pain-in-the-ass).

Having said all that, I have to mention that apparently Jane has finally dumped Rochester, for Loki.

the upcoming Guillermo Del Toro supernatural, gothic romance, "Crimson Peak" (with a lunatic sister).

https://uncannypop.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/c6.jpg

Tom Hiddelston and Mia Wasikowska - some strong connections to "Jane Eyre" and "Rebecca". The gothic romance genre is eternal because it deals with the human heart, with archetypes.

[–] lucy72077 10 years ago

That picture..... be still my beating heart!!

Mia and Tom are one of my dream movie pairings so I am SO excited about this film.

[–] LifeVsArt 10 years ago

That picture..... be still my beating heart!!

Mia and Tom are one of my dream movie pairings so I am SO excited about this film.

A lady friend of mine is flipping out over this one, too (the film is getting quite a build-up) - she also absolutely loves "Pan's Labryinth", so she's all the way in on "Crimson Peak". As I mentioned, Del Toro has brought up "Jane Eyre", and "Rebecca" as big influences, along with "The Innocents" and "The Haunting" (and older more obscure works) - he really knows gothic romance, it's roots in literature, painting and psychology and myth. It's going to be quite different than "Jane Eyre" (a lot scarier) but there are certain core dynamics that they will definitely have in common.

And Jane, of course, will always be with Rochester; I was making a sick joke ... they're union is forever.

[–] SwingBatta 10 years ago

He's actually admiring the closeness of her shave in that picture. ;')

You four-eyed psycho.

[–] lucy72077 10 years ago

I can't resist a bit of Gothic romance!! It's just a shame that we have to wait until October...

I haven't actually seen any of Guillermo Del Toro's work as a director so I might seek out some of his films while I wait.

Also, wasn't he once supposed to be the director of this adaptation of Jane Eyre before Cary Fukunaga become involved, or did I just imagine that?

[–] LifeVsArt 10 years ago

Guillermo Del Toro has described "Crimson Peak" as an extension of the adult fantasy/supernatural films he has done such as "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Devil's Backbone" (both great films). You might want to start out with "Pan's Labyrinth", which is a recognized, adored classic that combines magic realism/fantasy with a setting of the Spanish Civil War - what a film! I've never heard anything re Del Toro doing Jane Eyre, but he has tremendous knowledge of all of gothic history - he considers Bronte's work a masterpiece and a primary source for the gothic romance genre. The cast of "Crimson Peak" is really something, with Mia as the heroine (playing a young author), Tom Hiddelston as her darkly mysterious new husband (very Byronic), and Jessica Chastain as Hiddelston's twisted sister, also Charlie Hunnam. Del Toro has a lot of catholic mysticism in these works - Pan's Labyrinth is filled with it; it's very moving and very beautiful.

Mia Wasikowska as Edith Cushing

http://cdn3-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/crimson-peak/crimsonpeak0002_0.jpg

Tom Hiddelston and Jessica Chastain (Sir Thomas Sharpe, Lucille Sharpe)

http://firepic.org/images/2015-02/14/ym9gmkbkagsg.jpg

[–] lucy72077 9 years ago

he considers Bronte's work a masterpiece and a primary source for the gothic romance genre.

He clearly has excellent taste! Thanks for the recommendations, I'll definitely check them out. And those pictures are stunning!!

[–] melka_mirage 10 years ago

I like both of these answers regarding Jane's greater emotional maturity and a vague desire to find a solution to the situation without necessarily a strong plan. When Rochester asked Jane what she would do if everyone spurned him and turned him away, she never answered him, interrupted by Mason entering into the room. But this poignantly becomes her answer, to go to him, to support him in what way she can.

When re-watching the film, I'm struck by the parallels and subtle imagery of the storytelling. More and more, I appreciate how the movie is very much about Jane's journey, her restlessness, and growing maturity, something I don't necessarily get in other adaptations. Sure, a lot of the mystery is left out, but the movie distills the story down to this essential frustration of Jane wondering what more there might be in the world that she has yet to experience, as per her early conversation with Mrs. Fairfax.

I find it fitting that even as she finally finds freedom, first as a school teacher, then as a woman of independent means, she returns of her own will to see Rochester. As Fffianist mentions, when seeing Rochester, she appears in a new dress, and I think it's to show that there has been a transformation within herself, rather than her circumstances. While she'd run away, before, because she knew if she'd stay, Rochester's force of character may well have overpowered her own, now, she returns with the courage to see the matter through. Maybe even to find some idea of closure.

[–] LifeVsArt 10 years ago

Beautifully put, melka_mirage. I really appreciate your sensitivity to the cinematic ways the film communicates, it's visual language and design - I feel like you've really tuned in to that wavelength, the poetic aspects (a picture says a thousand words, etc).

When re-watching the film, I'm struck by the parallels and subtle imagery of the storytelling. More and more, I appreciate how the movie is very much about Jane's journey, her restlessness, and growing maturity

As you say, the film really focuses on Jane and her longing to expand her experience of the world, her transformation. Images like Jane's pacing of the walled garden, gazing out through windows at a world she is unable to access (also nicely reflected in the image of the female doll in the window of the doll house behind Jane and Adele, seen in the background while Adele relates the story of a ghostly female figure haunting the halls at night). There are many images and reflections like this in the film, along with the moody, gothic atmosphere, the candlelight, the landscapes, the music, that contribute to a sense of isolation, the social and spiritual repression of the female as an individual. This is very much a reflection of Jane's interior world (which Mia captures beautifully) coming to awareness, to expression and enlightenment, allowing her to be in a position to give and receive love as an equal.

[–] twhaley1990 9 years ago

"plus one can never underestimate the power of hearing ones name being called across the moors, especially in the romantic era of the 19th century."

That one made me laugh out loud!

[–] leesilm 9 years ago

I always figured that she starts off because of hearing his voice in the wind, plus that dream she has of him finding her and coming in from the snow. Then, once she got to where she buys the dress and rents the carriage, I figured she had moved to needing to see him at least once more to settle things between them. I never saw that she let slip her moral fibre that she returns.

Then, when she arrives at Thornfield, she learns what became of the building, Mrs.Rochester, and Rochester himself. At this point, the home she had come to love is in burned shambles, the woman her beloved kept hidden has died by her own hands, and the man she loves is a widower with severe scars/etc. for having tried to save his wife and having helped save the staff. He might be a pain in the arse, haughty, and grouchy to boot- however he was willing to risk his life to save his staff and his wife. I don't think she could leave him at that point. He had proven himself to be, overall, a good man (albeit one of faults)who also now was in need of tending. Then she sees him, and I think she just couldn't leave him at that point.

"There is still hope." - Arwen

[–] supergran 9 years ago

Have you ever read the book, leesilm?

There are 19 pages (in my paperback copy) of dialogue between Jane and Rochester after she returns. Rochester is feeling sorry for himself and doesn't want Jane's pity. Jane, for her part, tries to provoke Rochester to jealousy regarding her time with St John, in order to stir up the old feelings. It's terrific to read because the roles are reversed - Jane is now the one who is making Rochester jealous, she is the one who is "on top" and in control of the situation. The film, unfortunately, captures none of Jane's dominance.

You can read it here:

http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] leesilm 9 years ago

I was just referring, in my earlier post, to the latest movie version. I read the book probably 10-15 years ago and quite enjoyed it. I agree! It is fun to see how the roles are reversed. If I'm not mistaken, the version with Timothy Dalton has at least some of that in the finals scenes, with Jane teasing him a bit about where she had been and his self-loathing attitude rearing its ugly head for a bit before he and Jane come clean with one another and go off for their own version of Happily Ever After. (I've never watched the Toby Stephens/Ruth Wilson version, all the way through, only portions of it - I do not know if it has any of that.)

Actually, the reason I was so interested in the Fassbender/Mia W. version was because the trailer actually made me forget the book. And when I watched it, I enjoyed how they changed the narrative style from other versions I had seen. I liked that we got her flashes of memory while she was at the house with St.John and his sisters. The movie isn't perfect, nor did everything I loved in the book make it to the movie, yet I still think it is one of the best adaptations I've seen.

"There is still hope." - Arwen

[–] LifeVsArt 9 years ago

He might be a pain in the arse, haughty, and grouchy to boot

Yes, leeslim - Rochester was that, but Jane had moral strength and integrity - this is powerfully shown throughout the film (there are many examples), and you see Rochester fascinated and drawn to this quality - he senses what he needs. This adaptation very much has Jane's perspective and development at the center. I found the ending of the film extremely moving - Jane loved Rochester - there was nothing petty about it - and part of it was seeing his faults and forgiving.

You often see with Charlotte Bronte a quiet but strong central female who discovers love, asserting her own sense of identity, in relationship to a "haughty, and grouchy" male. Another great example is Bronte's final work "Villette", which has Lucy Snowe traveling a difficult course to discover love with the cranky M. Paul - this is also, like "Jane Eyre", a masterpiece, but with a different kind of ending. Bronte is a great writer - can't wait to see the next film version of "Jane Eyre", whenever that may be.

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Classics-Charlotte-published-Paperback/dp/B009LUK690/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452964934&sr=1-1&keywords=Jane+Eyre+movie+tie-in

http://www.amazon.com/Villette-Bantam-Classic-Charlotte-Bronte/dp/0553212435/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452965866&sr=1-1&keywords=villette+charlotte+bronte