Jane Eyre as a Gothic Novel

Answer

Jane Eyre as a Gothic Novel

A Gothic novel is a type of novel that combines mystery, horror, and romance. It usually has ghosts, old castles, dark passages, madness, and secrets. The mood is full of fear, suspense, and the supernatural. At the same time, Gothic novels often explore deep emotions like love, passion, and madness. Charlotte Brontë’s (1816-1855) Jane Eyre (1847) meets all these features. It is a story of Jane’s finding love and independence, and it also contains gothic elements. Let us discuss the gothic elements below.

Red Room: The first and foremost gothic element is the Red Room at Gateshead Hall. Jane lived at Gateshead Hall with her aunt and cousins when she was a child. The Red Room is a large, silent, and lonely room. It is covered with red curtains and dark furniture. It is the room where Jane’s uncle, Mr. Reed, had died. The room looks like a grave. It is a symbol of fear and death. Jane was often locked in the room as an unjust punishment by her aunt. Jane feels that her uncle’s ghost is present there. She says:

“The strange little figure there gazing at me, with a white face…”

The Red Room is a fearful experience for little Jane, and it also develops the novel as a Gothic one.

Thornfield Hall and Rochester’s Secret: Mr. Rochester’s Thornfield Hall is also a gothic setting. Thornfield Hall is a large, mysterious mansion filled with dark rooms, locked doors, and hidden secrets. Jane feels its strangeness soon after she arrives. She hears strange laughs and sudden noises in the night. She describes the laughs:

“It was a curious laugh; distinct, formal, mirthless.”

The mysterious third floor of the house creates fear and suspense. It seems the mansion is straight out of a horror film. This place makes the novel a Gothic one. Moreover, Mr. Rochester seems to be a brooding man. He has a dark past. The readers always wonder