Religious Beliefs in Jane Eyre

Religious Beliefs in Jane EyreThrough Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte expresses numerous issues of the Victorian Era. straighten out and gender inequality, race prejudices, colonialism, and ghostly beliefs are all but few of the problems addressed. Throughout the novel, Jane struggles with her dilemmas, namely the choice between moral duty and earthly pleasures, and the debt instrument to her spirit and attention to her body. Despite Janes simple action, Bronte often presents Jane various characters that offer contrasting religious beliefs, and in so doing, Bronte shows her disapproval of the Evangelical Movement. maybe no character in the novel other than Mr. Brocklehurst best demonstrates the danger and sanctimony of this nineteenth-century church movement. Superficially, he is a devoted Christian who adopts the rhetoric of Evangelicalism by preaching puritanical morality to his students.A brief address on those occasions would not be mistimed, wherein a judicious instructor would take the prospect of referring to the sufferings of the primitive Christians to the torments of martyrs to the exhortations of our blessed Lord himself, calling upon His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him to His warnings that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of divinity to his divine consolations, if ye suffers hunger or thirst for my sake, happy are ye. Oh, madam, when you put bread and cheese, instead of burnt porridge, into these childrens mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls(63 ch.7)Clearly, he is reciting an Evangelical ideathe corruption of the kind body and the need of Christ to save themthat is popular during this time. Mr. Brocklehurst takes this idea to the extreme by emphasizing the enrichment of the soul by starving the body. This path of reaching buyback may be acceptable at the time. However, his method of subjecting his student to f ollow such principles is evidently intolerable and un-Christian- uniform. The cutting of Julia Severns naturally curly bull and the poor nutrition he provides for Lowoods students are example of such extreme cruel methods. He furthers contradicts his beliefs by supporting his own luxuriously crocked family at the expense of the Lowood students. By displaying Mr. Brocklehurst hypocrisy, Bronte shows her concerns for the new movement.Not only does Bronte condemn Brocklehursts religious doctrine, but she also undermines Helen Burns absolute and self-sacrificing beliefs. The Christ-like Helen adopts a forbearing mode of Christianity that is overly passive for the headstrong Jane to comprehend and to accept. When Helen comforts Jane,Hush, Jane You think too much of the love of human beings you are too impulsive, too vehement the sovereign hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than creatures feeble as you. B esides this earth, and besides the race of men, at that place is an invisible world and a kingdom of spirits that world is round us, for it is everywhere and those spirits watch us, for they are commissioned to guard us and if we were demise in pain and shame, if scorn smote us on all sides and hatred crushed us, angels see our tortures, recognise our innocence . . . Why, then, should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is before long over, and death is so certain an entrance to rejoicing to glory? (70 ch.8)Jane feels an inexpressible sadness from those words. Helen consoles Jane by offering the idea that death is the ultimate entrance to happiness. However, Jane is much concern about the life on Earth sooner than the life after. She cannot accept Helens submissive attitudes toward injustice and the belief that justice will be found in Gods ultimate judgment takings the good and punish the evil. Jane is overwhelmed by Helens blind faith she thirsts for love and h appiness in this world rather than the eternal life that Helen seeks. Thus, at Helens deathbed, Jane continuously questions about Helens depravity and her deep affinity with God.By anxious(p) young, I shall escape great sufferings. I had not qualities or talents to make my way very well in the world I should have been continually at fault.But where are you going to, Helen? Can you see? Do you know?I believe I have faith I am going to God.Where is God? What is God?My Maker and yours, who will never destroy what he created. I rely implicitly on his power, and confide wholly in his goodness I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to him, reveal him to me.You are sure, then Helen, that there is such a place as heaven and that our souls can get to it when die? (83 ch.9)Even with Helens reassurance that there is really heaven, Jane still questions her self with the thoughts Where is that region? Does it exist?(83 ch.9) These questions may not profess Hele ns faith at any rate, but her death ultimately make Brontes point clearone cannot relies on faith for selection but can depend on it for guidance.Although St. John Rivers shares many Christian beliefs with Helen Burns, he presents another spectrum of the religious movement that Bronte dissuades. It is clear that St. John is a religious zealot who devotes a large portion of his timevisiting the sick and poor among the scattered population of his parish. (357 ch.30) However, his devotion to God does not make him a saint.Zealous in his ministerial labours, blameless in his life and habits, he yet did not appear to enjoy that mental serenity, that inward content, which should be the reward of every sincere Christian and practical philanthropist. (357 ch.30)Bronte makes this point clear when Jane observes at one of his sermons.Throughout there was a strange bitterness an absence of cheering gentleness stern allusionsI was sure St. John Riverspure-lived, conscientious, zealous as he was had not yet found that peace of God which passeth all sense he had no more found it, I thought, than had I(358 ch.30)Bronte not only questions St. Johns saintliness but also doubts his devotion to Christianity. As a clergyman, he should enjoy his job and love his enemies, rather he did not appear to enjoy his works and ignores Jane, avoids her, and treats her differently after she rejected his proposal. He like Mr. Brocklehurst preaches to serve but does not always practice this himself. He believes the words that he speaks are those of Go speaking through him Do you think God will be satisfied with half an oblation? Will he accept a mutilated sacrifice? It is the cause of God I cheer it is under His standard I enlist you. I cannon accept on His behalf a divided allegiance it must be entire.(413 ch.34)He believes that he knows what God thinks and wants others to do. The arrogance nature of his, together with his cold, dispassionate attitude toward serving God deviates St. John fro m a true Christian. Unlike Helen Burns, he is a uncollectible mortal. By revealing St. Johns flaws, Bronte shows that doing Gods work on Earth does not mean complete Christian piety.Jane ultimately finds a comfortable religious middle-ground that is not oppressive like Mr. Brocklehursts, that is not submissive like Helen Burns, and that is not dispassionate like St. Johns. For Jane or rather for Bronte, religion not only helps them find eternal happiness in heaven, but also help them find the essential needs of human lifelove.