Jane Eyre as a Byronic Hero(ine)
Jane Eyre as a Byronic Hero(ine)

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to offer a new understanding of the Byronic hero through the character of Jane Eyre. By definition, the Byronic hero presents a potent individual who defiantly breaks the social norms of his time as they oppose his own moral philosophy. Ever since the archetype of the Byronic hero was created, prevalently male characters in literature have been characterized as such, from Byron’s Childe Harold, Emily Brontë’s Heathcliff, to Dumas’ Dantes. Even though she was a female, Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë’s title character, displayed behavior resembling that of the previously mentioned male characters. This indicates that Jane Eyre did not only break the social norms of her time but also the mold of the Byronic hero. On her journey from childhood to adulthood, many tried to suppress her wayward behavior. However, she always managed to rise above such plights and continued going off the beaten track, just like other Byronic heroes. Relying on the close-reading method, this paper follows Jane Eyre through different stages of her life in which she reveals her Byronic nature

• Details
• Contents