The role of 19th century women in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Research Paper

The role of 19th century women in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Research Paper Example The Angel was passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all—pure† (Melani, par. 2). Desperate to put their writing talents to effective use, the sisters used pseudonyms â€Å"to hide their sex when they published their poems and novels. They chose names which were not obviously masculine: Acton Bell (Anne Bronte), Currer Bell (Charlotte Bronte), and Ellis Bell (Emily Bronte)† (Melani, par. 3). The research hereby aims to present a critical appraisal of the role of 19th century women in the novel through one’s personal perspectives and through the points of views of various scholars who analyzed this literary work. Critical Review The prejudice and restrictions faced by women during their times provided the impetus for Bronte to relate the burning desire to assume expanded and challenging roles that encourage the use and enhancement of women’s skills beyond the home. The character of Jane Eyre, cl assified as a round character and a protagonist, focused on â€Å"the directness, even bluntness, of the young heroine's voice. Here is no prissy little-girl sensibility, but a startlingly independent, even skeptical perspective† (Oates, par. 4) – surprisingly unexpected to stem forth from a woman in 1847, the year the novel was written.