Topic > Mythological level and suspense in Jane Eyre

Supernatural elements and the events involving them are an important aspect of Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre. Many mythological creatures are referenced and omens are used as symbols throughout the novel, making up some of the instances where the supernatural is involved. The supernatural air that is subsequently given to the novel serves to compete with the religious emphasis, and also to create a feeling of mystery and suspense throughout the book. There is also a slight relationship between the basic story of Cinderella and the journey Jane takes from the beginning of her life to get to where she ends up. By looking through the mythological lens to examine Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, you can examine both the supernatural and its effects, as well as the parallels to the myths present in the book. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The red room and the supposed ghost sighting that Jane experiences within it is one such example of the supernatural in Jane Eyre. In the red room, Jane thinks she sees her uncle's ghost returning because his last wishes were not granted, and she faints. This not only serves to influence the atmosphere of the novel, but also helps influence Jane's personality throughout the majority of the novel. The atmosphere it creates is one of suspense and mystery, this being the first time such an atmosphere has been introduced. It comes up several times later, especially at Thornfield Hall. The atmosphere serves to make the reader feel as Jane feels: that something bad must happen. The reader is forced to wonder with Jane whether or not it is her uncle's ghost that she is seeing, despite Bessie and Miss Abbot saying that it was just a gardener. Jane herself claims that the event had a lasting effect: “No serious or prolonged physical illness followed this red room incident: it only gave me unnerved nerves; whose reverberations I still feel today. Yes, Mrs. Reed, to you I owe some fearful pangs of mental suffering” (Brontë, 13). Seeing her uncle's ghost caused her severe anxiety when it came to supernatural events, and also made her more easily influenced by omens that came in her dreams. Another example is the constant mention of fairies, elves, goblins and more. These mentions usually come up in Jane's conversations with Mr. Rochester, or in Jane's walks alone around Thornfield Park. With Mr. Rochester, it usually comes in the form of Mr. Rochester accusing Jane of being some sort of mythological creature of the type mentioned above, and of enchanting him in some way. While these references are mostly made in jest, they give us insight into how Jane sees herself. He sees how different she is from other people, her passion and her stubbornness/willpower, and while most people would see that as a bad thing, he doesn't. He recognizes it as his strength, even when it's not to his advantage, just in a way that mocks him. That's more than most people would do, certainly more than St. John would do. Omens are another important part of Jane Eyre. Jane is exposed to these omens through her dreams. Sometimes they take the form of a crying, distressed child, sometimes the child is docile or even sick. Other times it is not even a child, but a dream in which Thornfield Park is in ruins and Jane is estranged from Mr. Rochester. These dreams are a way to foreshadow the future without revealing anything explicitly. Sometimes they push Jane into action, but most of the time she does nothing, simply recognizes the omen and is anxious about it. These omens are also important because.