Guise and the Act of Concealment in Jane Eyre

Abstract

This essay analyses both Rochester's and jane's acts of concealment — literal and figurative — in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Rochester's need to mask his true identity is purely reactionary and instilled through past wrongs inflicted upon him by family. Though peripheral characters perpetuate her need for pretence, jane's concealment is not entirely reactionary; she is primarily self-oppressed in her concealment. jane's guise entails taking on a persona that best fits her situation, whether it be student, governess, or caretaker. Focus is placed on each of the five locations of jane's life — Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield Hall, Marsh End, and Ferndean Manor. Portrayal of jane's voice, whether narrative or dialogue, is a significant aspect of her concealment, because it is only through dialogue that jane reveals her true self. Liberation from factors perpetuating their concealment facilitates jane's and Rochester's ability to shed pretence and reveal their genuine identities. However, once pretence is cast off, jane and Rochester take on a voluntary concealment through their physical environment — Ferndean Manor.