Jane Eyre Mr. Edward Rochester Quotes

"What tale do you like best to hear?"

"Oh, I have not much choice! They generally run on the same theme —courtship; and promise to end in the same catastrophe—marriage."

"And do you like that monotonous theme?"

"Positively, I don’t care about it: it is nothing to me." (2.4.49-52)

You remember what’s going on here, right? Rochester, disguised as the old gypsy woman, is trying to get Jane to admit that she’s in love with him. (Go back and read the summary of Volume 2, Chapter 4 if you have no idea what we’re talking about.) The real question here is, do we believe Jane’s claim that marriage is "nothing" to her and that she doesn’t care about it? We already know that she’s in love with Rochester, but we also know that she thinks that relationship isn’t going anywhere.

"Come to my side, Jane, and let us explain and understand one another."

"I will never again come to your side: I am torn away now, and cannot return."

"But, Jane, I summon you as my wife: it is you only I intend to marry."

I was silent: I thought he mocked me.

"Come, Jane—come hither."

"Your bride stands between us."

He rose, and with a stride reached me.

"My bride is here," he said, again drawing me to him, "because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?" (2.8.80-87)

Fair warning: we could have picked almost any quote from Volume 2, Chapter 8 because it’s pretty much all like this. The irony is thick on the ground here—as Jane will learn at the end of Volume 2, Rochester’s bride does indeed stand between them, but it’s not Blanche Ingram! Notice that Rochester claims a woman could only qualify as his "bride" if she was also his "equal" and "likeness." He’s laying the groundwork for twisting this argument around later in the novel and claiming that a woman who isn’t his "likeness" can’t be his wife no matter what anyone (even the law) says.

"That is my wife," said he. "Such is the sole conjugal embrace I am ever to know—such are the endearments which are to solace my leisure hours! And this is what I wished to have" (laying his hand on my shoulder): "this young girl, who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell, looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon. I wanted her just as a change after that fierce ragout. Wood and Briggs, look at the difference! Compare these clear eyes with the red balls yonder—this face with that mask—this form with that bulk; then judge me, priest of the Gospel and man of the law, and remember, with what judgement ye judge ye shall be judged!" (2.11.80)

Rochester has admitted that he was trying to commit bigamy, but the weird part is that we kind of sympathize with him. The contrast between Bertha, the wild and crazy vampire-ish woman, and plain little Jane, the "Quakerish governess," really makes us understand what Rochester is saying: Bertha’s really not playing the role of a wife in his life, so why shouldn’t he be allowed to marry Jane, especially because she’s so awesome? Then we stop for a minute and think, whoa, we’re not exactly on board with this, because it’s not really fair to Jane. But we do feel bad for the guy.