The final chapter of Bronte's Jane Eyre has been the subject of discussion since it was first published. Many say the ending isn't fitting and others say it is. There is a lot of evidence pointing to the latter. The conclusion reveals the fate of Mr. Rochester and Jane, Adele, and St. John. All the endings, a mixture of happy and tragic, fit the whole story and can be explained due to the Victorian era. This essay will argue that the conclusion of this novel, more specifically Jane returning to Mr. Rochester, is extremely fitting to both the plot and the essence of the novel. Many people have problems with the ending because of Mr. Rochester's fate. They feel that the fact that he is disfigured and blind is extremely exaggerated and unnecessarily dramatic. People who believe this do not understand its deeper meanings; because there are several. During the Victorian age, many were highly religious and believed in the term "an eye for an eye." It can be inferred that Bronte added Rochester's devastating injuries into the fire because he knew that many readers would want Mr. Rochester to be punished for his many indiscretions. Victorian readers would not have been happy if he had a happy ending, after all he had done to Bertha. He was also able to give the character some redemption. He proved himself to be a hero by attempting to save Bertha. Another debate is whether or not Jane should have ended up with Rochester. Some believe that Jane lost her sense of herself and should not have returned to him. However, his final decision is very appropriate for a few reasons. One reason is that he is now very blind and injured. At the beginning of their romance, Jane was extremely dependent on Roc...... middle of paper ......n, there are many reasons why the complete conclusion of Jane Eyre. The multiple destinies of the characters tell both the plot, the themes of the novel, and the characteristics of the Victorian novel. The fact that Mr. Rochester becomes blind suggests the idea of the reader's need for punishment. Jane loses her independence because she marries him, because he needs help and she is now financially and socially independent. She is finally able to use her passion and her heart and has chosen to marry Rochester out of desire and not need. He also helps little Adèle, as a woman helped her, to become an Englishwoman of good principles. Jane also finds her paradise figuratively, just as St. John finds his literally. Through the ending of Jane Eyre, Bronte suggests that a woman can show her passion and choose her heart and that each individual's paradise and happiness are different..
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