Introduction
Charlotte Brontë’s *Jane Eyre*, published in 1847, remains a seminal text in Victorian literature, celebrated for its exploration of gender, morality, and individual agency. Simultaneously, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, founded in 1848, emerged as a radical artistic movement challenging conventional aesthetics through a return to medieval and early Renaissance ideals, vivid emotional expression, and a focus on nature and symbolism. This essay investigates whether *Jane Eyre* can be considered Pre-Raphaelite in its themes, aesthetics, and ideological concerns, despite predating the formal establishment of the movement by a year. While Brontë’s novel shares certain thematic and stylistic affinities with Pre-Raphaelite principles—such as intense emotional depth, a reverence for nature, and a critique of social norms—it also diverges in significant ways, particularly in its narrative form and restrained realism. This analysis will explore these connections and disparities through a detailed examination of key Pre-Raphaelite characteristics and their manifestation, or lack thereof, in *Jane Eyre*. By doing so, the essay aims to illuminate the complex interplay between literary and artistic movements in the Victorian era.
Emotional Intensity and Individual Experience
One of the hallmarks of Pre-Raphaelite art and literature is its emphasis on intense emotional expression, often prioritising individual experience over societal convention. In *Jane Eyre*, this is evident through Brontë’s portrayal of Jane’s inner turmoil and passionate resilience. From her childhood suffering at Gateshead to her complex love for Rochester, Jane’s emotions are vividly rendered, often in a way that defies Victorian norms of restraint. For instance, her declaration, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself” (Brontë, 1847, p. 332), encapsulates a fierce individuality akin to the Pre-Raphaelite valorisation of personal feeling over external expectation. This mirrors the emotional rawness seen in Pre-Raphaelite works such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poetry, where subjective experience often dominates (Rossetti, 1870).
However, while Pre-Raphaelite art frequently indulges in melodrama or idealised passion, Brontë tempers Jane’s emotions with a strong moral framework and rational introspection. Jane’s refusal to become Rochester’s mistress, despite her deep love, underscores a pragmatic restraint that contrasts with the more unrestrained romanticism of Pre-Raphaelite heroines. Thus, while there are undeniable parallels in emotional depth, Jane Eyre arguably prioritises ethical grounding over the abandon often associated with Pre-Raphaelite sensibilities.
Nature as Symbol and Sanctuary
Another significant Pre-Raphaelite trait is the reverence for nature, often depicted as a space of beauty, symbolism, and spiritual refuge. In *Jane Eyre*, nature frequently serves as a mirror to Jane’s emotional state and a sanctuary from oppressive environments. The moors of Thornfield, for instance, are described with a vividness and symbolic weight that echo Pre-Raphaelite landscapes: “I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen” (Brontë, 1847, p. 112). This longing for transcendence through nature resonates with Pre-Raphaelite ideals, as seen in paintings like John Everett Millais’ *Ophelia* (1851-52), where natural settings are imbued with profound emotional and symbolic meaning (Barringer, 1998).
Nevertheless, Brontë’s treatment of nature lacks the meticulous detail and idealisation often found in Pre-Raphaelite art. Her descriptions, while evocative, are more aligned with Romantic influences—such as those of Wordsworth—than with the hyper-detailed, almost tactile naturalism of Pre-Raphaelite works. Furthermore, nature in Jane Eyre often carries a harsher, more indifferent tone, reflecting Jane’s struggles rather than offering unadulterated solace. This distinction suggests that, while there are thematic overlaps, Brontë’s engagement with nature does not fully align with Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics.
Critique of Victorian Social Norms
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was known for its subtle rebellion against Victorian industrialisation and moral rigidity, often through idealised medievalism or critiques of contemporary society. Similarly, *Jane Eyre* challenges social hierarchies, particularly around gender and class. Jane’s assertion of independence and rejection of traditional female subservience—evident in her refusal to marry St. John Rivers for convenience—parallels the Pre-Raphaelite disdain for societal conformity (Gilbert and Gubar, 1979). Indeed, Brontë’s novel can be seen as a proto-feminist text, much like later Pre-Raphaelite works that explore women’s inner lives and desires, such as Christina Rossetti’s poetry.
Yet, Jane Eyre ultimately upholds certain Victorian values, such as the sanctity of marriage and Christian morality, which temper its rebelliousness. Jane’s story concludes with a conventional resolution—marriage to Rochester—albeit on more equal terms. This contrasts with the oft-unresolved or tragic narratives of Pre-Raphaelite literature, which frequently reject happy endings in favour of lingering melancholy or defiance. Therefore, while Jane Eyre shares a critical stance towards Victorian norms, its resolution aligns more closely with mainstream moral expectations than with Pre-Raphaelite radicalism.
Aesthetic and Formal Divergences
Perhaps the most significant barrier to labelling *Jane Eyre* as Pre-Raphaelite lies in its formal and aesthetic characteristics. Pre-Raphaelite literature and art are often marked by a return to medieval and early Renaissance styles, with an emphasis on intricate detail, archaic language, and a rejection of industrial modernity. *Jane Eyre*, by contrast, employs a realist narrative mode, grounded in contemporary Victorian settings and language. Brontë’s prose, while evocative, lacks the ornate symbolism or medieval allusion central to Pre-Raphaelite works (Prettejohn, 2007). Moreover, as a novel published before the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s formation, *Jane Eyre* cannot be said to directly engage with their artistic manifesto.
That said, it is worth noting that Brontë’s work may have indirectly influenced later Pre-Raphaelite thinkers, given its widespread cultural impact. The novel’s Gothic elements, such as the mysterious Thornfield Hall and Bertha Mason’s tragic madness, resonate with the Pre-Raphaelite fascination with the dark and the uncanny. Yet, without explicit engagement with Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics, such connections remain speculative at best.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while *Jane Eyre* shares certain thematic affinities with Pre-Raphaelite principles—namely emotional intensity, a symbolic use of nature, and a critique of Victorian norms—it cannot be fully categorised as Pre-Raphaelite. Brontë’s novel diverges in its realist form, moral grounding, and alignment with certain conventional values, setting it apart from the movement’s characteristic idealism and aesthetic rebellion. Nevertheless, exploring these parallels offers valuable insight into the broader cultural currents of the Victorian era, where literature and art often intersected in their responses to social and personal dilemmas. Ultimately, *Jane Eyre* stands as a precursor to some Pre-Raphaelite ideas, reflecting shared concerns rather than embodying the movement itself. This analysis underscores the importance of situating literary works within their historical and artistic contexts, as well as recognising the limitations of applying retrospective labels to texts that predate specific movements.
References
- Barringer, T. (1998) The Pre-Raphaelites. Tate Publishing.
- Brontë, C. (1847) *Jane Eyre*. Smith, Elder & Co.
- Gilbert, S. M. and Gubar, S. (1979) *The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination*. Yale University Press.
- Prettejohn, E. (2007) *Art of the Pre-Raphaelites*. Princeton University Press.
- Rossetti, D. G. (1870) *Poems*. F. S. Ellis.
