So... there's been so much tension building up between Rochester and Jane what with the whole Mr. Mason incident, the mystery of Grace Poole, Jane leaving to see Mrs. Reed on her death bed and of course the slight issue of soon-to-be bride Blanche Ingram. I was so relieved to see that Jane said yes to Rochester's proposal in the garden - finally all those stiff formalities and awkward situations with Miss Ingram can be gone. This new planned marriage is very exciting, yes, but I think under all this eventful and momentous happenings, something else is definitely brewing in Bronte's mind (or was brewing, I suppose!).
Between all the symbolism and foreshadowing related to the color red, images of light and dark, fire and ice, enclosure, and reversal of stereotypical gender roles, practically every scene can be somewhat predicted or estimated. For example, Jane feels safe when she is enclosed and therefore in those scenes, usually all is well. At the beginning of the book, she's behind the curtain at Gateshead reading and is protected from her mean cousins; this provides a "safe" symbol that constantly reappears.
Although purple is not one of the dominant symbols (yet, or so I've been told) in this book, I believe it's quite significant and will become even more so soon. The first time we see this color is when we first see Blanche getting out of the carriage at Thornfield and she's wearing a "purple riding habit" (page 193). The footnote for this odd phrase reads: "imperial purple emblematically implies worldliness, caste and pride." In this context, it makes sense. Miss Ingram is arriving at the party and Bronte wants her to look above the others, haughty and high class. The appearance of it again at the beginning of chapter 23 doesn't fit quite right though. Jane describes the sky as " a solemn purple" with bits of red in it immediately preceding her meeting with Rochester in the garden. Even though I know it's no coincidence Bronte chose this color to lead up to Rocheseter's marriage proposal scene but it's a little curious as to what is to come and what exactly that small snippet means.
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Another terrific post (I love that line about "stiff formalities and awkward situations," and your commentary on the color schemes seems very astute--we'll have to see if it bears out). I slow liked your observation about Jane feeling safe when she is enclosed (in the garden, in the window seat, etc.), but is it possible for this "enclosure" to have a negative side (the red room, Bertha's attic cubby)? I wonder.
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