Manipulation of Self-Worth

A reoccurring theme in Jane Eyre is insane women and the manipulation of them by greedy, masochistic, “pious,” or lustful men. To be manipulated, though, one must first be degraded and dehumanized; one must become lesser by one’s own standards. Surely we can all agree that this degradation is seemingly the origin of female hysteria. It is an interesting look, though, into the psyche of the male manipulator… why he manipulates. He manipulates, perhaps, because he feels threatened. To feel threatened, he must not hold himself in high esteem. Rochester has issues with his mommy, John Reed has issues with his struggling masculinity, and St. John is strangely masochistic within the realm of God and yet sadistically engrossed within the realm of imperialism/colonialism. They all have a struggling sense of self-worth that they push onto their women.

On the other side of the spectrum, however, which I find more interesting (probably because I am a woman… most of the time) is how women allow themselves to be manipulated. It is seen in society on a daily basis, through means of the patriarchal media. Now, I know that Jane is supposed to be our heroine. And I will agree that her thoughts and innovations are bold given the time period in which she fictionally lived. However, she does allow, in certain instances, for the men in her life to control her, diminish her thoughts, feelings, and intuitions, and ultimately dehumanize her.

If she ends up with Rochester, which I have a horrible feeling she does, I suspect that her self-worth will inevitably be a complete lack of worth, which will eventually drive her mad. She will be Rochester’s next Bertha.