What type of study is this?

This is a Literature Review study.

September 12, 2025

Illness, Society and Women: Narratives of Illness in Jane Eyre

Key Points

The analysis of illness narratives in 'Jane Eyre' unveils social injustices in Victorian England, particularly affecting women.
Key findings demonstrate how illness metaphors expose the struggles of individual characters within rigid gender roles and societal expectations.
This paper employs a literary analysis to examine the intersection of illness, gender, and society as depicted in Brontë's work.
These insights underscore the ongoing relevance of Brontë's feminist perspective amidst the imperialist views of her era.

Abstract

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte's classic novel, not only shows the social landscape of 19th century Victorian England, but also explores the interweaving of characters' fate, illness and social reality. This paper analyses the illness narrative in the novel and explores its expression, characteristics and metaphorical significance under the influence of specific social backgrounds and concepts. This paper shows that, through the illness narratives, Jane Eyre not only exposes the health crisis and social injustice in the British society at that time, but also shows the individual's struggle in social and gender roles through illness metaphors and narrative strategies. Charlotte Bronte's critical perspective not only addresses the social conditions of the time, but also reflects on the position of women in society. However, despite the forward-looking nature of Brontë's feminist thinking, her views were inevitably influenced by the imperialist and colonialist concepts of the time, which are also reflected in her works.

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay