In Villette and Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë creates protagonists who are distinctly strange and isolated people. Throughout both books, their awkwardness in society and their difficulties in communicating are a constant concern. These women are also our narrators. An isolated and solitary position in the world makes the dual role of protagonist and narrator particularly compelling. This character is able to stand on the outskirts of conversations and social gatherings, simultaneously observing and experiencing. A quality of mystery in the imagery and language throughout both novels gives Brontë creative freedom in her fantasy plots. The strange psyches of the narrators create a unique, half-lit environment where the strange events of these stories seem entirely believable. Not only do their strange dispositions perfectly suit their role as observers, but they are able to experience freedom through language. Brontë skillfully filters her stories through these voices to draw the reader into her dark world, casting a hazy light into the void where the lone woman struggles to define herself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay There is no doubt that Lucy Snowe and Jane Eyre are lonely beings. This quality exists in varying forms, but with the same alienating results. As a new student at Lockwood, Jane notes, “Until now, I hadn't spoken to anyone, and no one seemed to take notice of me; I was quite alone; but I was used to this feeling of isolation; it didn't oppress me much. " (Jane Eyre, 59). And Lucy is sufficiently accustomed to solitude to describe some of its characteristics. She has experienced enough solitude to conclude that "those who live in retirement, whose lives have passed in the midst of the isolation of schools or other walled and guarded dwellings, are likely to be suddenly and for a long time excluded from the memory of their lives, inhabitants of a freer world” (Villette, 348). lead such a life in "retirement", in places already quite isolated and foreign Jane leaves a hostile home, goes through the difficulties of a charity school, to settle in the closed Thornfield where she passes. caring for Miss Marchmont on her deathbed to a foreign country where she cannot even communicate at first, then to the confinement walls and constant surveillance of Madame Beck's school. is not purely circumstantial. These women also struggled with the alienation imposed on them in such contexts. Jane spends her early childhood on the margins, actively excluded by Mrs. Reed. She is certainly affected by these years spent “always suffering, always intimidated, always accused, always condemned” (Jane Eyre, 22 years old). Lucy finds herself alone as a Protestant in a Catholic institution, where the students she initially befriended end up excluding her. “In a moment of inattention,” her various ideals become known and “something—an invisible, indefinite, nameless something—[flies] between [herself] and these [her] best students. .. the conversation [becomes] impracticable.” " (Villette, 147). This form of alienation is subtle compared to the scene of her first introduction into this world. Lucy faces her new community of students for the first time, standing singularly, standing for an exam on a professor's platform She is not only physically separated, but tortured by “[her] mastery of French being so.limited” in this moment of “sixty to one” (Villette, 143). Similarly, Jane is forced to stand alone on a stool in front of the entire school, her new world, during her first weeks at Lowood. Just as Lucy's broken French cannot command respect, Jane's new status as an outspoken liar convinces her that she will be completely alienated and that doubt will be cast on everything she says. The crucial similarity between these scenes is the triumphs of the two women. They display an ability to excel when isolated, made to take on the masses alone. When Jane is "mounted in the air... now exposed to public view on a pedestal of infamy" (Jane Eyre, 78), her position quickly transforms from terror to strength. The tone of her description reveals her absolute joy at discovering this in herself: "...a girl approached and passed me: as she passed, she looked up. What a strange light inspired them! What a extraordinary sensation this ray sent through me!... I controlled the rising hysteria, raised my head and took a firm position on the stool” (Jane Eyre, 78 years old The position). of Jane here empowers her by singling her out once she realizes she's not being misunderstood And in class, once Lucy decides that "it seems...we could." eventually taking command of this wild herd” (Villette, 143), she takes control of her class with skill and confidence and soon becomes a popular teaching figure despite her alleged inadequacies. Childhood trauma like Jane's, it occurs early in her new life and serves a similar narrative function. The importance of these findings so early in the stories cannot be ignored. The reader will move forward through the stories with a clear understanding of the simultaneous pain and strength these women gained from facing an entire community completely alone. The alien nature of the two women is not only apparent when they are physically alienated, but also appears to show in many similar ways their reputedly strange characters. One resemblance is an affinity for the night, when they can be truly alone while everything around them sleeps. Lucy discovers that she is drawn to a place that “after dusk [is] carefully avoided” [Villette, 174] by all the other students at school. She admits that “from the beginning [she] was tempted to make an exception to [the] rule of avoidance: the isolation, the very darkness of the walk [had] attracted her. For a long time, the fear of appearing unusual frightened him. ] walked away; but little by little, as people grew accustomed to [her] and [her] habits, and to the nuances of peculiarities rooted in [her nature]... [she] became a frequenter of this straight and narrow path . » (Villette, 175). These walks are not the only examples of Lucy's comfort in nocturnal wanderings. Her decision to embark on her journey occurs during a "solitary walk through still fields" when "[she] should have trembled in the absence of moonlight, for it [is] by the direction of the stars alone has [she] traced the dark path. ", but rather draws inspiration from "a new power that [the northern lights] seem to bring" (Villette, 104). These are two examples among many that place Lucy alone and awake in the solitude of the night. Jane also searches for answers after dark She decides to leave Lowood while "[sitting] up in bed...[she proceeds] to think again with all [her] might" (Jane Eyre, 100). Later, she hears a ghost voice of Rochester calling to her only after “The whole house was still... The only candle was going out; the room wasfull of moonlight" (Jane Eyre, 466). This strange visit is perhaps the main reason for his decision to find Rochester, the step which will allow him to be ultimate happiness. His nights are often filled with strange dreams and she is confronted with strange nocturnal events and noises (Jane Eyre, 167-171, 232) which bring her closer to discovering Rochester's secret. The nocturnal element of the two characters gives a particularly mysterious tone to the novels' events. strange things in the attic of Thornfield occur in the moonlight, in passages lit by candles. And the presence of the ghost nun in Villette, which seriously influences Lucy's state of mind, rests on the darkness of her wanderings. A reader cannot forget the many scenes that take place at night. They are important to the plot and serve as a crucial reminder of the solitude both required and endured by the narrators. the hushed isolation of insomnia.which associates Lucy and Jane with the night. Darkness and mystery seem to appeal to them in very similar ways. Both find themselves drawn to the chaos of nature when it rages, especially under the veil of night. At Lowood, Jane notices that her reaction to nature's fury is quite different from that of the other girls. She looks outside, facing a growing snowstorm, when she realizes that she "feels...a strange excitement, and reckless and feverish, I wished the wind howled more wildly, that the darkness deepens to darkness and confusion rises to clamor" (Jane Eyre, 65). In a parallel moment, Lucy discovers the same oddity in herself: "One night a storm broke out... It was humid, it was wild, it was dark In the dormitory, they gathered around the night light... I couldn't go in: too irresistible was the pleasure of staying with the wild, dark and full hour. of thunder, chiming an ode such as language has never been delivered to man - too terribly glorious, the spectacle of clouds split and pierced with white and blinding bolts” (Villette, 176). with an environment traditionally considered strange and frightening is clear. These women are not simply unfairly excluded or excessively alone. Even they can recognize that they are abnormally happy in strange circumstances. They are, by nature, extraordinary people. They stand out as strong and strange women by nature. And in most societies, especially those described in these books, these are qualities that immediately mark them as foreign. Jane and Lucy don't just avoid company because they prefer to be alone. This label “foreign” is not intended to suggest that these are hostile or antisocial women. When left almost entirely alone during the holidays at Madame Beck's house, Lucy complains: “the days and nights [become] intolerable; a cruel feeling of desolation hurts my mind; a feeling that could creep in, rush in, or kill me. ..I [want] companionship, I [want] friendship, I [want] advice" (Villette, 258). And Jane's distaste for solitude is evident when she tells St. John “loneliness is as bad for you as it is for me” (Jane Eyre, 414) These women do not necessarily choose to alienate themselves, but they are strangers who often find themselves among people who do not understand them Mrs. Reed. explains the discomfort caused by "[Jane's] incomprehensible disposition, her sudden outbursts of anger, and her continual monitoring of her movements" (Jane Eyre, 260) Ginevra tells Lucy that she is "so peculiar and so mysterious" and demands to know “But are you someone?... Tell me who you are?”(Villette, 394) showing his inability to understand such a strange companion. . And Lucy's response only reminds the reader that she is not actively trying to alienate others, or even necessarily understand why this is happening. She tells Ginevra that “this mystery and this particularity [are] entirely the design of your own brain” (Villette, 394). It is true that much of the alienation Jane and Lucy experience is caused by insufficient understanding from their peers. But they are also mysterious women, controlled by unique inner impulses. The nature of these impulses contributes to external sensitivity. In their deepest dreams and ideals, Lucy and Jane often feel the need to constantly rise higher. This is not just average ambition or optimism, but an inner desire that often manifests itself in the form of fantastical notions and complex visions. Lucy feels this strange urge to ascend without really understanding it. One evening, when she was walking home and a huge storm broke out, “[she] bent her head to meet it: but it struck her back. [His] heart [does] not fail at all in this conflict; [she] only wishes [that] she had wings and could ride the wind, spread and rest [her] pinions on its strength, career in its course, sweep where it swept” (Villette, 236). When Jane looks out the window at Lowood, “[her] eye ​​goes beyond all other objects to rest on the most distant, the blue peaks: they were the ones she wanted to surmount; everything within their confines of rock and heather seemed like prison grounds” (Jane Eyre, 99). His desire for change is felt as a need to reach the top of a mountain, to truly rise upwards. And Lucy "long[s], painfully...for something to take her out of [her] present existence and lead her up and forward", but also believes that "this desire, and all of a similar kind, it [is] necessary to hit on the head" (Villette, 176). This self-repression of her vision only proves that Lucy's reason is fighting with her dreams, therefore she does not control them. This kind of desire, with its magical wings, is both poetic and heartbreaking It shows the reader and the two women their higher aspirations, while equating these goals with impossible feats The dream of rising above their worlds. is certainly partly inspired by the humility of alienation. But it also comes from the feeling that they are trapped in communities that cannot understand them. people who seem fundamentally different to them, even sometimes manifestly inferior. It seems that they both have a special type of insight that often sets them apart from more mundane individuals. As a little girl in Lowood, Jane is already able to recognize that she has a higher vision than others. When she sees Helen Burns continually harassed for trivial reasons, she concludes: “Such is the imperfect nature of man! Such spots are there on the disk of the lighter planet; and eyes like Miss Scatcherd's can only see these minute defects and are blind. the full brightness of the orb" (Jane Eyre, 77). Jane clearly has a sense of values ​​that goes beyond society's most mundane distinctions, the petty boundaries that control characters like Mr. Brocklehurst, Mrs. Reed and later Blanche Ingram would later confirm this higher understanding in response to something Jane said: "I mentally shake your hand for your answer... one does not often see such a manner: no, au.On the contrary, affectation, or coldness, or stupidity, a gross misunderstanding of what one means, are the usual rewards of frankness. Not one in three thousand crude school governesses would have answered me as you have just done... you are a different group from the majority..." (Jane Eyre, 154). Even the usually humble Lucy shows that she is aware of her superiority in society There are brief, revealing moments like “I love Polly This is not a statement I have often made regarding my acquaintance, over the course of this book; the reader will put up with her for once” (Villette, 461) She is willing to discriminate, just as she was discriminated against Although they are often alone and alienated, Jane and Lucy do not become humble and. do not compromise their nature for social comfort The isolation of this type of personality is perhaps a combination of superiority and discrimination Whatever the reason, these approaches are often voluntary There are social situations. in which both characters openly admit that they would prefer to be alone or deliberately distance themselves from company. The “I lived in a house full of robust life; I could have had companions and I chose solitude” by Lucy proves that she is aware of her decisions. (Villette, 194). Even more striking is her statement during the scene where she is drugged and wandering the city. Her dreamlike state allows her to admit without doubt: “I rather like to find myself the silent, unknown, therefore indifferent, neighbor of the short petticoat and the clog; the only distant glance towards the silk dress, the velvet coat. , and the feathered hat, in the midst of so much life and joy too, it suited me to be alone, completely alone” (Villette, 552). Jane also tends to withdraw from mainstream society. When Thornfield's guests chat in the drawing room, Jane is careful to "sit in the shade - if there is any shade in this brightly lit apartment; the window curtain half hides it" (Jane Eyre, 197). This is a habit already associated with Jane from the first pages of the book, when she is immediately depicted excluding herself. She hides from the Reed family in a window seat. (Jane Eyre, 15). Like Lucy, she has an innate preference for the solitude offered by the outer limits of social interaction. Brontë creates a keen observer in these solitary but superior creatures. Their seemingly instinctive separation provides space for constant description. their environment, while their awkward alienation prompts observation. Even when Lucy is among her close friends, such as the Brettons, she tends to sit and watch them converse instead of participating in their discourse. An example is a horse-drawn carriage ride to a concert. Lucy spends a paragraph describing what she sees and praising the beauty of the sky and stars while "Dr. John and his mother argue animatedly all the way" (Villette, 284). Here, Lucy describes “the atmosphere of.” friendship spread around me” (Villette, 284), a term that describes her as a solitary island, even in the midst of satisfying company. Jane's hiding behind a curtain in the presence of Rochester's guests is an already cited example of her preferred seclusion, but it is much more than socially awkward behavior. It’s a gazebo, the ultimate space where a narrator can be relegated. It's entirely believable that she's in the room, but has the unique freedom to make remarks and react simultaneously to whatever is happening in front of her. Jane expects to be ignored and is aware of the inferiority of this group, and expects nothing less than practical invisibility. In fact, sheappreciates the fact “that she can look without being observed” (Jane Eyre, 198). At this moment, the center of the scene shifts from Jane's inferior position to the new possibilities she creates. It's easy to forget that she's entirely ignored and alienated when her obvious joy in pure observation becomes apparent. The satisfaction and intimacy afforded by the ability to observe suggests that Jane and Lucy may have developed a discreet form of freedom. There is probably nothing else that pleases both women so much and remains completely within their control. The thrill of observation is a quality evident in both novels. There are many moments where the narrators are in company and willingly alienate each other for the specific purpose of close scrutiny. At one point, Lucy becomes so caught up in observation that she acts as if she is alone, despite Mr. Paul's company. When Colonel de Hamal enters a room, Lucy "observes him for about ten minutes", fully describing what she sees, only to realize that "...She was so interested in his appearance, so absorbed in divination.” her character by her looks and her movements, [she] momentarily forgot M. Paul” (Villette, 281). The fact that observation is a natural priority for Lucy as well as her occupation throughout the novel creates a gripping narrative. The difficulties of both stories are wonderfully contrasted by moments of pleasure or happiness. And since every moment of the story is an observation through the eyes of Lucy or Jane, it therefore has the power to bring such relief. When Jane watches from her hiding place, she admits that "[her] eyelids [are] involuntarily drawn to [Rochester's] face: [She cannot] keep their eyelids under control:...I looked and I had acute pleasure. watching, - a precious, but poignant pleasure; pure gold, with a touch of steely agony” (Jane Eyre, 198). His ability to stand out and his obvious pleasure in watching unnoticed, become a vehicle of freedom, transforming his solitude into wings. It is not only the pleasure of describing that makes narration a liberating act. Lucy and Jane place a very high value on the truth and often unintentionally alienate themselves by letting it reign above their restraint. Jane finds this out early on, when she finally explodes and expresses her true feelings out loud to Mrs. Reed. She describes how this action made her feel: “Before I finished my answer, my soul began to expand, to exult, with the strangest feeling of freedom, of triumph that I have ever felt. It seemed as if an invisible bond had broken. , and that I had fought for an unexpected freedom" (Jane Eyre, 47). This childhood revelation will manifest itself in Jane's frank and open way of speaking, which is one of her most characteristic She is aware of this and can explain that “[she] could never remain in communication with strong, discreet and refined spirits, whether masculine or feminine, before [she] had exceeded the limits. from conventional reserve and crossed the threshold' of confidence and gained a place near the hearth of their hearts” (Jane Eyre, 418). rising above ordinary society is precisely the effect she produces as a narrator. Some of the most compelling aspects of her story are the realistic power of her honesty in the face of self-doubt and her. open discussion about his feelings of physical inferiority. The combination of the narrators' unique personalities and their liberation by the truth places great emphasis on the companion's effort to truly understand them. In a..