St John rivers character

• St. John Rivers

  • Foil to Mr. Rochester
  • Reveals deficiencies in Mr. Rochester's character
  • Opposite of Mr. Rochester - extremely austere, follows duty over feelings
• St. John Rivers: 'He's described as tall, fair, with blue eyes and a Grecian profile - more conventionally handsome than Mr. Rochester'
• Austere and despotic nature


  Strives to control people, especially women in his life, like trying to control Jane and make her marry him
• Jane ultimately rejects St. John Rivers' proposal as she is in love with Mr. Rochester, not him
• St. John Rivers: 'You shall be mine, I'll claim you'

  • Repetition of "you" emphasizes his view of Jane as his property
  • Declarative sentences show his controlling, Victorian male attitude
• St. John Rivers: 'God and nature intended you for a missionary's wife'


  Declarative sentence - he states it as a fact that Jane is meant to be his wife
• St. John Rivers: 'He's firm, faithful, devoted, full of energy, zeal and truth


  'Alliteration of "firm" and "faithful" shows his focus on religion and ambitionSyndetic listing of "energy, zeal and truth" emphasizes his religious zeal