I Do (Not): The First Marriage of Jane Eyre

1997. Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or another novel or play of literary merit.


Weddings are commonly seen as joyous occasions that celebrate love and an interrupted wedding never bodes well for the characters.  This can especially be seen in the classic novel, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.  Through the use of the incomplete wedding, the author divulges information about the plot, about the characters themselves, and about the society in which they live.

The interrupted wedding between Mr. Rochester and Jane first serves to provide the conclusion and solution to a mystery that had been plaguing Jane - and the reader - throughout her time at Thornfield.  There had been hints that something was not right scattered within the text, of the laughter Jane hears in the halls of the manor on occasion, and the mysterious figure who lights Mr. Rochester's curtains afire.  More ominous omens rested in the attack upon Mr. Mason and the woman who sneaks into her room and rips her wedding veil in two.  They are all explained during the wedding: Mr. Rochester is already married to a madwoman and therefore cannot marry Jane.  This also furthers the plot, as Jane feels required to leave Thornfield for good after her disastrous attempted wedding.  At its most basic level, Bronte uses the wedding to create a plot twist that pushes the plot forward.

The scene also provides more characterization to Mr. Rochester and Jane, however.  Jane had already been proven to be a woman who is very morally straight.  During the wedding scene, she refuses to go through or even stay with Mr. Rochester as Adele's governess after his deception is revealed.  Her morality would not allow it and she runs away.  This dedication  to her beliefs in the face of such adversary helps indicate Jane's internal strength.  On the other hand, Mr. Rochester shows his ability to be swayed by his feelings, passions, and desires in his determination to marry Jane without any thought for the consequences.  He hopes to live his life with her, even though she is not aware of much of his life.  Combined with his eventual fate of being injured and blinded in the fire that kills his wife, this scene illustrates the weakness of his character and moral compass.  Thus, the wedding scene reveals much to the reader about the characters themselves.

Aspects of Bronte's society can also be found in the scene.  For instance, the shock and dismay of the characters as Rochester's attempt at infidelity reveal a very different society from the one in which the modern reader lives.  Now, though it is still looked down upon, it is not unbelievable for characters to be unfaithful to their spouses.  Mr. Rochester's attempts of ridding himself of his wife would also be a much easier path; American society is much more accepting of divorce than England during the 1800s.  The modern reader can learn a lot about marriage customs and beliefs during 19th century England from this scene.  Furthermore, the story told about Mr. Rochester's marriage to Bertha Rochester reveals the nature of many marriages during the time in that the wife and husband do not have enough time to become intimate with each other's secrets.  The events in Jane's incomplete marriage therefore reveal much to the modern reader about the society in which Bronte lived.

Through the fiasco that became of what was meant to be a happy occasion for Mr. Rochester and Jane, Bronte shares a lot of information about the plot and characters of Jane Eyre, as well as of the society in which she and her characters live.