Jane's Struggle Revisited

1980. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause, a love, a desire for revenge, a determination to redress a wrong, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and its significance to the work.


Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is a classic and beloved novel about a young orphan, Jane Eyre, who faces down all of the challenges in her life to find happiness in the end.  Time and time again, her determination, honor, and spirit are tested, but each time she prevails.  One of her most striking and memorable struggles was that which tested her moral resolve with love, the love she feels for Mr. Rochester.

Even at the beginning of the novel, Jane's character is seen as strong, both mentally and morally.  From her childhood with her aunt and cousins, the Reeds, Jane is abused.  However, in spite of chaos and fear, she remains, for the most part, mentally strong.  While she is being picked on by John Reed, her cousin, who lies about her activities, she retains her belief in telling the truth, and though her aunt never goes to her defense, she keeps her spirit and fends for herself.  Later, while at school, students like her friend Helen Burns submit to the harsh conditions and ultimately perish, but Jane's morality does not allow her to meekly tolerate the treatment they receive and she fights against the school by maintaining her protests of innocence in the face of accusations of deceit.  She knows and respects the moral importance of telling the truth, though Mrs. Reed did little to instill it in her.  In spite of her upbringing, Jane feels a certain moral and personal obligation to stand up for herself and do what is right, which comes back to cause her future pain.

However, trouble arises when she meets the man who employs her as his ward's governess, Mr. Edward Rochester.  At first, he seems only strange, dark, and brooding, perhaps distracted by some unhappy past events.  As time passes, however, mysteries begin to arise and Jane falls in love with him.  When, following a convoluted process which involves her questioning his feelings towards her many times over, he declares his love and asks her to marry him, she is deliriously happy.  However, trouble makes itself apparent in the form of Bertha Rochester, Mr. Rochester's first wife.  During the wedding itself, Mr. Mason, the sister of Bertha, reveals that Mr. Rochester is already married and Jane is thrown into a personal struggle.  Though her heart wishes to stay with her beloved, her morals and honor insist that she cannot stay.  It would be wrong to continue to live under the same roof as a man she loves but could not have, who has tried to deceive her into marrying him, whatever his reasons are.  In the end, her mind and honor reign supreme and she runs away, retaining her name and her honor in spite of her feelings.  During this pivotal moment, Jane demonstrates the strength of her character and the importance of following what is right rather than what is easy.  Though it hurts her to know that she cannot stay with him, she leaves anyway, because her morals dictate that it is the right thing to do.  Jane's personality, her most defining trait, is illustrated through her taking control of her life and the way she leaves Mr. Rochester.

Through the character and struggles of her character, Jane Eyre, Bronte constructs a powerful message for women, that they can be strong and take control of their lives, an inspiring message for women living in her time period to assert their own capabilities and decide their own lives, as Jane did.

Macbeth and Macduff Revisited

2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil for the main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work.

In the famous play by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Lord Macbeth expresses insecurity on his own masculinity, which are cast further into light by the scheming words of his wife as she presses him to strive for power by killing the king of Scotland so he can take control of the kingdom.  This is in stark contrast to the attitudes of Lord Macduff, who is unafraid to show sorrow or pain and expresses them freely when he views appropriate.  Through Macbeth and his foil, Shakespeare provides commentary on the appropriate balance of masculinity and femininity.

Lord Macbeth's insecurity is easily seen through his wife's methods of controlling him.  When he expresses discomfort with the idea of killing the king of Scotland, who has taken him in, is a good leader, and is his kin, she scorns him and accuses him of being weak and feminine.  In response, he performs the necessary actions which lead to the deaths of the king, as well as his friend Banquo, who discovers the actions.  Macbeth continues to order atrocious actions to be performed, including the murder of Lady Macduff and her innocent children in hearing that Lord Macduff would cause his downfall.  Through his titular character's heinous actions, Shakespeare denounces those who focus too heavily on their appearance of masculinity and being what men ought to be.

Macbeth's foil, Lord Macduff, on the other hand, provides a contrasting take on masculinity.  When Macduff is informed of the deaths of his wife and children, he does not pretend to hide his sorrow, but openly displays his grief.  When the prince and rightful heir to the throne, Malcolm, questions him on his display, Macduff's response indicates that it is not shameful to mourn that which has been lost, nor does it show any sign of weakness in his status as a man.  Though a minor character, Macduff's righteousness and honor endear him to the reader and his actions proclaim the appropriate response of man to painful news.  Shakespeare uses Macduff to illustrate that proper balance of emotions, acclaiming his actions as those of a proper and dignified man who has nothing of which to be ashamed.

In the end, Macbeth and Macduff meet in person in the last act and fight.  At first, Macbeth, whose arrogance has grown from the fact that he is unable to be killed by any man, does not seem to worry when confronting his foil.  Even after Macduff reveals that he was not born by a woman but instead taken from his mother's womb early, Macbeth refuses to surrender.  This may have also been partially due to his concept of surrendering as weak.  His wife accused him of being weak and feminine when he wanted to turn back from killing the king and taking his position as ruler of Scotland and he could fear her reaction if he were to surrender then.  Furthermore, the sword-fight itself between Macbeth and Macduff can be seen as a play on the word "foil," since foils are a type of weapon similar to a sword.  However, in the end, Macduff kills Macbeth, indicating that in spite of all of what Macbeth would perceive as signs of femininity and weakness in Macduff, he can still kill and solve the conflict.  As such, Shakespeare indicates that having more feminine aspects does not detract from a man's capabilities.

By setting up very contrasting characters in both personality and morality, Shakespeare uses Macbeth as a method of indicating the proper balance of femininity and masculinity in an honorable man.  It does not do to be wholly one, Shakespeare insists, but a balance will create a much better man, such as the strengths of Macduff over Macbeth, which eventually lead to the downfall of the main character.

Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet Revisited

1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable opening lines ever penned, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" is Jane Austen's manner of setting the stage for her satirical novel, Pride and Prejudice.  Through the story of the changes and struggles in Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy's relationship, she addresses what she perceives as oddities or flaws in society of Regency England.  One particular way this is done is by the relationship between the protagonist, Elizabeth, and her mother, Mrs. Bennet, which works to symbolize the relationship Elizabeth has to the societal norms around her.

From the very opening of the book, it is hinted that Mrs. Bennet does not have a very close relationship to her second-oldest daughter.  When Mr. Bennet comments that he wishes to mention Lizzy's good traits to the newly arrived Mr. Bingley, her mother protests vehemently, insisting that she is not as pretty as Jane and not as friendly as Lydia.  Mr. Bennet goes to his favorite child's defense, insisting that she is more clever and witty than any of the other girls, she responds by insisting that he cannot abuse his children in such a way.  She completely ignoring her own hypocrisy in doing the same only moments earlier when she implied that Elizabeth was not worthy of positive words and attentions from the new neighbor when compared to her sisters. In general, Elizabeth's personalities and beliefs contrast strongly with her mother's, resulting in many moments of exasperation throughout the book.  Seeing the tale from Elizabeth's perspective, the reader sympathizes with her in various stages as she rebels against the expectations that society, and her mother, have set for her.  This can be seen in Mrs. Bennet's reaction to Elizabeth turning down a marriage proposal from Mr. Collins, a man of extreme self-esteem and strange attitudes, with whom Elizabeth asserts that she could never be happy.  The reader can understand the situation from Elizabeth's perspective.  However, Mrs. Bennet completely ignores her daughter's protests, insisting that her daughter marry the man and proclaiming dramatically that the family shall be turned out to the hedgerows  - that is, be without home - due to her daughter's pigheadedness.  Thus, Mrs. Bennet shows that her thoughts are primarily that of marriage for security, rather than for the love, respect, and happiness that her daughter wishes for.  The mother's view more closely resembles that of her society as a whole, while Elizabeth protests such ideas.

As a satirical author, Austen likes to show problems in the society in which she lives.  Her characterization of Mrs. Bennet addresses her dislikes of the concerns of society as a whole.  From the very first sentence of the novel, her distaste for the pressing importance of marital concerns on women of the gentry class from Regency era is apparent.  Throughout Pride and Prejudice, this abhorrence of societal expectations continues through her ridicule of Mrs. Bennet, who represents them.  The woman is established as silly and nervous, making a fool of herself and her family in public, as Elizabeth complains about quite often.  She constantly embarrasses her children through her loud proclamations that Mr. Bingley will marry her beautiful and gentle Jane, insisting, in spite of Elizabeth's cautions, on showing off her daughter's good fortune before there is any established proof of an engagement.  Again and again, through Mrs. Bennet's loud and rather rude behavior and Elizabeth's mortification, Austen emphasizes the silliness and shamefulness of the typical views and hopes of society.

Through the rocky relationship between Elizabeth and her mother, the reader can find more than just a woman who does not understand her daughter.  Instead, the reader can discover through the portrayal and actions of Mrs. Bennet the faults of the society itself and the way her daughter can find happiness even without following society's norms.