The Red Room
The Red Room at Gateshead is the place where Mr Reed, Jane’s uncle, had died. “Mr Reed has been dead nine years; it was in this chamber he breathed his last; he lay here in state; hence his coffin was borne by the undertaker’s men; and since that day, a sense of dreary consecration has guarded it from frequent intrusion.”
Themes
The Gothic * “curtains of deep red damask” and “crimson cloth” indicate blood, linking to Mr Reed’s death. * Strange noises and odd furniture such as the mirror that distorts Jane’s image gives an eerie mood, making the reader wary of what is to happen. (links to identity) * Jane imagines how the ghost haunts the room, heightening the sense of horror she feels. The supernatural is a key element in a Gothic novel. * There is an overall sense of foreboding and spookiness that makes the reader empathise with Jane as she is so young. * The lack of realism heightens the sense of the supernatural. * The romantic scene of the rain in the moors sets up the Gothic theme for the rest of the novel.
Passion
* The purity of her childhood as she endures intense and bitter feelings that arise due to unpleasant life experiences. * She cannot control her temper, and is therefore punished. She is labelled a “picture of passion” as women were expected to remain calm and ladylike. Her anger comes as a shock to everyone at Gateshead, hence her punishment. * Red is the colour of passion, as well as danger and embarrassment. If she cannot learn to control her emotions. She will end up being shunned by society as she does not fit in, and will be considered “mad” and a “savage”. This creates a sense of foreboding as this is a possibility of what could happen to Jane later on in the novel. * This reminds us of Antoinette from WSS. (links to oppression)
Family
* Shown in a negative light. 10 year old Jane