Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel Jane Eyre relates the history of the titular character. Beginning with her tortured childhood at Gateshead with her Reed relatives, the reader is introduced to a scared, unhappy Jane. She is abused by her cousin John and rejected by her Aunt Reed; her spirits are trampled on and repressed. Finally, she breaks. She lashes out at her cousin and aunt and is then sent to Lowood School where she is educated. Here though she watches as another girl is treated mercilessly by one of the teachers. Jane becomes upset for the girl, later named as Helen Burns.
Later in the novel when Jane discusses with Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper, Mr. Rochester’s character, she comments that the master is peculiar and abrupt. The matron brushes it off saying, “Partly because it is his nature – and we can none of us help our nature,” (149).Mrs. Fairfax, and young Jane at Lowood, believe that if something is in a person’s nature, there is no way to change that nature. Even if the traits are bad, no one can change it into something else. It can be curbed, perhaps, but not removed or transformed.
However, in contrast, Helen holds a different perspective. While at Lowood, she encourages Jane to go against her nature and forgive and submit to those who abused her. When Jane tells Helen that she could not bear to endure mistreatment for no cause, Helen replies that it is her duty and that she ought to, as a Christian, obey Christ’s command to love those who hate you. Here, Helen says that one’s nature doesn’t matter and should not be an excuse for allowing selfish behavior. Rather, one should try to emulate Christ and form their will and nature to His.
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