Love and marriage

• "I ask you to pass through life at my side- to be my second self, and best earthly companion" (Rochester directly refers to Jane as his "equal" and his "likeness")


  -reflects desire for a deep, equal partnership; someone who complements him

  -signifies his recognition of Jane's intellectual and emotional equality

  -however, their relationship is still marked by Rochester's initial attempts to exert control over Jane by attempting to dress her lavishly and keep her isolated

  -Jane has a commitment in maintaining her independence within the context of marriage
• "I ask you to pass through life at my side- to be my second self, and best earthly companion" (Rochester directly refers to Jane as his "equal" and his "likeness")


  -Jane would refuse to become subservient or loose her sense of self within their relationship: so she insists on equality and mutual respect, asserting her right to be Rochester's equal rather than just an accessory

  -in the victorian era, marriage was often seen as a means of securing social status or financial stability, with women expected to prioritise their husband's needs and desires above their own.
• Rochester's marriage proposal emphasises companionship and equality, defying these traditional notions of marriage as a transactional or hierarchical institution.

  Jane's insistence on equality further defies societal expectations, as she refuses to conform to the passive, obedient role expected of women in her social class
• "All my heart is yours, sir: it belongs to you: and with you it would remain"

  -after their reunion at the end of the novel

  -her moral convictions are stronger than her feelings

  -Bronte shows the absolute and enduring nature of Jane's love for Rochester --> "all" , "belongs" = strength of her emotions
• "Reader, I married him"

  -reversal of the power dynamic

  -represents Bronte's idea of an egalitarian marriage, with mutual respect and enjoyment of each other's company