Question

Apply the expression “If you play with fire, eventually you’re going to get burned” to the characters of Bertha, Rochester, and Jane within Jane Eyre. How are these characters “burned” within the story and what redemption does Brontë offer to each of them?

Answer 1

"If you play with fire, eventually you´re going to get burned" is a popular saying, and we can apply it to Bertha, Rochester and Jane´s lives in this way:

Rochester was pushed to get married to Bertha by her family. He did not know anything about her mental illness, Bertha´s family only wanted to have her off because they knew she could have inherited the illness. But Bertha Mason was very wealthy and beautiful. Rochester becomes an unhappy husband and he lies to Jane about his secret past.

The plot is based upon lies, disappointment, bitterness and this comes to unhappy end: the castle is set on fire by the "secret component". The characters didn´t follow the order of love and compassion.

Brontë gives redemption to them; a second opportunity for Jane and Rochester to start living together in harmony. And Bertha sets herself free through the escape and eventual death in the flames.

Answer 2

Bertha is the wife of Rochester. When she marries Rochester she is ok but later she becomes mentally ill and is imprisoned in a room for ten years. One day she starts a fire in the house, she escapes from it but throws herself from the roof and dies. Bronte makes Bertha a rock in Jane’s shoe, she is the one who stands in the way of her marriage with Rochester. Bertha plays with fire when literally she starts a fire in the house, a fire that makes Rochester blind, and her redemption is killing herself what makes Rochester free to stay with Jane.

Rochester is the man who falls in love with Jane. He starts as a dark man, full of problems because of his mentally ill wife. He plays with fire when he attempts to marry Jane even when he is already married to Bertha. After there is a fire at the house and he becomes blind and loses his wife Bertha. His redemption comes when Jane forgives him and marries him at the end.

Jane is a woman who is emotionally and physically abused by her aunt. She becomes a governess at Rochester’s house. She plays with fire when she falls in love with her employer and also when she gives St. John hopes that she will marry him out of duty. Her redemption comes when she listens to Rochester's voice and comes back to see him blind but yet in love with her.