I have some questions I have been pondering in my head lately about two things: Jane Eyre + St. John's relationship, and WWS depiction of Mr. Rochester and his effects on his first wife.
Have any of you ever considered that perhaps St. John did love Jane Eyre? But...because he had such religious fervor, and he was so fully aware of her feelings for Mr. Rochester, he used "it's duty not love" to compel her to India as his wife? I think people are so quick to label him as a boring missionary with only one thing in mind... but if we see that J.E too felt quite passionately about duty to God (I.e leaving Rochester and not being his mistress, as well as wanting to go to India as a single young woman regardless of the implications society might have placed upon S.J) and if we see that back religion was always of utmost importance regardless that maybe it was the most comfortable way he could find to bring about his true feelings for her? Especially, when you think how everyone knew how in love he was with ... oh darn I can't recall her name right now, the girl he says he cannot be with because of his love for her, maybe that was his way of caving in to pressure? I mean think back to high school or junior high, it was common to tease someone incessantly about their crushes, even if the crush ended up seeing someone else. To this day, my family will say "Oh! Didn't you have a crush on him when you were in school!" No matter how much time has passed they still remember that crush, so maybe though he had moved on to J.E people still were bringing up his past feelings for another woman and he didn't know how to handle it?
Then my second pondering in regards to WWS: if in fact Rochester was the reason his first wife went mad...is this truly who anyone would want the heroine of the novel or anyone for that matter to love and marry? I realize we don't choose who we fall in love with, but to think that a character as strong willed as J.E would fall for someone who, speculatively treated his first wife so poorly that it brought about madness in her? Or is it to assume that after all the passing time Rochester changed, and learned to be a better man? Especially, in the end after the accident occurs, it humbles him so we know then that J.E will be safe being with him?
I realize it's a prequel and it's written by someone completely different, and Bronte never truly says why the first wife was mad, it's just hinted at, if this were the true cause ... I don't know I think I would be a tad upset! To think that J.E would fall for someone of that nature and cruelty!
Thoughts?
I hope none of this is "spoilery" if it is could someone explain to me how to mark it as such? Thank you!