“She was very showy, but she was not genuine:” – Explain
Jane Eyre is a notable literary work by Charlotte Brontë. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Jane Eyre.
Answer
She was very showy, but she was not genuine: she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments; but her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature.
These lines are from Charlotte Brontë’s novel “Jane Eyre.” Here, the novel’s protagonist and narrator, Jane Eyre, describes the character of Blanche Ingram. Blanche Ingram is a beautiful woman who temporarily captures the attention of Mr. Rochester, the novel’s male protagonist and the employer of Jane Eyre. These lines critically assess Blanche’s character by the novel’s narrator and protagonist, Jane Eyre.
“She was very showy, but she was not genuine:” – This part suggests that Blanche Ingram had a shallow or flashy appearance. She dressed elegantly, had a lovely physical presence, and appeared confident and impressive. However, Jane Eyre is critical of her authenticity. She believes that Blanche’s outer appearance does not reflect her character.
“She had a fine person, many brilliant attainments;” – This part acknowledges that Blanche Ingram was physically attractive and possessed many talents and accomplishments that made her stand out in society. “But her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature.” – Here, Jane implies that Blanche lacks depth of character and moral substance. Additionally, stating that her “heart [was] barren by nature” implies that Blanche was emotionally cold or lacked genuine feelings and compassion for others.
Jane’s remarks reflect she dislikes Blanche Ingram as she is a showy and money-grubbing lady whom Rochester brings to his estate. Jane thinks Rochester would marry Blanche.