Mr. Rochester: Character Connection

We all have characters we love. Let’s spotlight these fantastic creations! Whether you want to be friends with them or you have a full-blown crush on them, you know you love them and want everyone else to love them too!

Most of you will probably post about how much you love each character, but this is a great place for the more creative ones among you to let go and have fun! Write a love letter to Captain Wentworth. Write yourself into a scene with Anne and Diana. Draw a picture of yourself in Jamie’s arms. The possibilities are endless.

Be sure to post the book’s title and author, and be very careful not to give away spoilers while talking about how much you love your characters.

Mr. Linky will be posted here on The Introverted Reader every Thursday.

Mr. Edward Rochester is the always-fascinating hero in Charlotte Brontë’s classic, Jane Eyre. Jane first meets him in the dark and gives a first impression of him. Later though, she describes him better.

Orson Welles as Mr. Rochester and Joan Fontaine as Jane Eyre in the 1944 movie adaptation.

I knew my traveller with his broad and jetty eyebrows; his square forehead, made squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair. I recognised his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought, choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw–yes, all three were very grim, and no mistake. His shape, now divested of cloak, I perceived harmonised in squareness with his physiognomy: I suppose it was a good figure in the athletic sense of the term–broad chested and thin flanked, though neither tall nor graceful.

I do like Jane, but I don’t feel like she’s the one who actually grows in this book; Mr. Rochester is. At first, he comes across as very arrogant and abrupt and he’s actually pretty rude. There’s more to him than meets the eye though, because he is a single man (sort of) raising someone else’s child. He doesn’t stay aloof but actually speaks to Jane, the child’s governess. He tries to push her buttons at first, but when Jane always replies with spirit and intelligence, she catches his attention. He learns to look past social standing and beauty and look at the character within a woman. He’s soon doting on her and he’s like putty in her hands. Well, except for the odd temper tantrum.

But he still has a lot more to learn and such a powerful, self-assured man can only learn some things the hard way. The very hard way. I honestly can’t blame him for trying to snatch happiness by whatever means possible. In the end, he hurts himself the most. But then he finally gets it.

Divine justice pursued its course; disaster came thick on me….His chastisements are mighty; and one smote me which has humbled me for ever….Of late, Jane–only–only of late–I began to see and acknowledge the hand of God in my doom. I began to experience remorse, repentance; the wish for reconcilement to my Maker. I began sometimes to pray: very brief prayers they were, but very sincere….I thank my Maker, that, in the midst of judgment, he has remembered mercy. I humbly entreat my Redeemer to give me strength to lead henceforth a purer life than I have done hitherto!

I am a huge sucker for a redemption story, and Mr. Rochester delivers. It’s only one of the things to take away from this big, beautiful, Gothic novel, but it’s in there.

Who did you connect with this week? It does not have to be a Jane Austen character. Write a post, click the Mr. Linky logo, and link up!

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