Love and Autonomy

“I am no bird, and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Jane Eyer

“I can live alone, if self-respect, and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.”

Jane Eyer

“There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort.”

Jane Eyer

Love or Autonomy?
Suffrage
Takes root in our lives
Choose love, or
Autonomy of body and mind
Bronte
Light the way
Animals
Caged
Displayed
Animals
Say her name
Ms.Eyer
Ms.Jane

Love
Autonomy
This simple choice inspires me
A tall tale told
Centuries old
Divine feminine inside me

Mr. Rochester pleased
Jane craves knowledge
Others crave esteem
She knew
Every river bends
Every coin has two sides
& our historical narrative lies again

Love
Autonomy
This simple choice inspires me
A tall tale told
Centuries old
Divine feminine inside me

Bad animal
Heretic celestial
Bad animal
Nothing special
Bad animal
Her thoughts are the devil
I am no angel
I have no master
You are not able
to keep me captive
To hold me
Control me
Unfold me

Love
Autonomy
This simple choice inspires me
A tall tale told
Centuries old
Divine feminine inside me

Women
Freed
From the hands that watch us bleed
& the choice between
Love & Autonomy

Reflection

I chose to write a song about Jane Eyer because I really identified with the story personally, and usually when I feel this way about something I’ll write a song or poem. I chose to use the quote “Bad animal” Frequently because I feel like that particular quote really represents the whole premise of the story.

“Where the dickens is she!” he continued. “Lizzy! Georgy! (calling to his sisters) Joan is not here: tell mama she is run out into the rain—bad animal!”

Chapter 1 Jane Eyer

The fact that Jane is referred to as an animal in the very first chapter truly sets a tone for the entire novel. This is a story written by a women, which was very rare especially in that time, and that’s what makes it so unique. For centuries female literature was not considered canonical, therefore erasing the female narrative from history until just recently. The literary cannon consisted of the narratives of white upper class men, which is why Jane Eyer is so important as a historical narrative for women in the 19th century.

I chose to write about the theme of love versus autonomy because Charlotte Bronte opened up this important discussion for modern women. It was truly intriguing to find that this narrative was one of the first of it’s kind, and that Bronte was considered one of the first modern women of her time. I pulled some of the lyrics I wrote from this quote below. In this, Jane is staying true to herself despite what Mr.Rochester wants from their marriage. She is intelligent and independent, and makes it clear she will be the same while married.

“I laughed at him as he said this. “I am not an angel,” I asserted; “and I will not be one till I die; I will be myself, Mr. Rochester; you must neither expect nor exact anything celestial of me, for you will not get it any more than I shall get it of you, which I do not at all anticipate.”

Jane Eyer

I pulled some lyrics from this quote like “I am not an angel” and “heretic celestial”. I chose the line heretic celestial because women are supposed to serve their husband in marriage, and be a kind of angel to them. Jane makes it clear she will not do this, which gave me the idea to incorporate the word heretic. At the time disobedient women were viewed as heretics, seeing as their “divine duty” is to serve their husbands and bear children

Jane Eyer is very unique because it is one of the first narratives of the modern woman, and although Charlotte Bronte didn’t identify as a feminist, she paved the way for suffragettes in the future. She was the first female to identify the fact that being in love doesn’t mean you have to give up on your personal identity; women are individuals with free will and intelligent minds just as men are. Jane Eyer teaches us that if a man doesn’t love your mind as he loves your body, you can use that mind to decide you value autonomy over the esteem you seek in others approval. No longer must we choose between love and autonomy, society is evolving continuously towards social equality for all.