Chapters 22-26

Summary:

Jane stays at Gateshead for the sake of Georgiana. Eliza leaves to London and soon after Jane also departs. We are told that later in life Georgiana leaves for France and enters a convent finally becoming mother superior, Eliza marries a wealthy man. Jan leaves for Thornfield and perchance meets Rochester. She is happy for his welcoming manner. They speak about Blanche Ingram and Jane says that “one needs only the light of love in the eyes to look pleasing enough”. She goes on to say that wherever he is, she feels at home. Days later Jane is walking in the orchard and is called over by Rochester. He informs her that he is to marry Blanche and that he has arranged for a new posting for Jane in Ireland. This is a test however and the conversation turns when Jane’s emotion and feelings toward Rochester are displayed. Rochester goes on to say that he is in love with Jane and he wishes to marry her. She accepts. Mrs Fairfax is uncertain about the match and expresses her concerns. Rochester tries to buy Jane jewellery and fine clothes which make s Jane uncomfortable. She feels that the wedding wills not take place and writes to her uncle in Madeira thinking that if she were financially independent she and Rochester would not be so socially separated. The night before the wedding Jane tells Rochester of disturbing dreams she has had. Upon waking form these dreams she discovered a strange woman in her room, trying on her bridal veil. The woman then went on to tear and trample it. Rochester dismisses the occurrence as a figment of Jane’s imagination but when Jane offers the veil as proof he suggest s that it was grace pole. He promises Jane that a year after their marriage, he will divulge the history of Grace Poole.

Rochester is impatient in the weddings proceedings. At the ceremony a lawyer interrupts stating that Rochester is already married. Mr Mason corroborates this and says that he is married to his sister Bertha Mason. Mr Rochester admits that he was tricked into a marriage and they return to Thornfield to see the maniacal wife. He compares Bertha to Jane who, “who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell, looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon”. Bertha was the woman who tore Jane’s veil. When alone, Jane contemplates the day’s happenings.


Characters:
Mrs Fairfax could either been seen as concerned or nosy in the beginning of this section. Her disapproval shows her t be expressive and conformist. Bertha is a new character- she is insane and violent. She has been kept secret and isolated by Rochester. Mr Mason, her brother, is a straightforward man who turned Mr Rochester in after finding out that he intended t commit polygamy.
Rochester develops as a remorseful man unable to redeem himself of his past. He is own to be foolish, both in his marrying Bertha and in his attempt to marry Jane as a way of erasing his past. His act was selfish and self-centred. He though only of himself and his love for Jane and did not care about Jane’s honour or humiliation nor the law or what was moral. Jane’s emotions play a large part of her development in this section. Her misfortune has finally caught up with her and she is once again left alone, betrayed and dejected. She becomes o helpless toward the end that she can no longer pray, something that normally comes to Jane easily.


Themes/ Motifs:

Deception and betrayal are major themes in this section of the novel. Proof of this is the obvious grand betrayal of Jane by Rochester. His deception of the courts and Mr mason too. And his self-deception, he so wished to be rid of this baggage that he thought by marrying Jan ethos would be done away with. He was in denial. Isolation is another theme. Isolation of Bertha for all that time and also Jane’s isolation following the day’s events.

Endings are another theme. It is the end of the wedding and Jane’s hopes for a relationship between Rochester and herself. It is the end of the mystery as to the woman, the third floor and many of the other strange goings on at Thornfield.