Rochester

What is the deal with this character? He is so multi-faceted it is impossible to tell whether to love him or hate him. He is harsh, brusque, demanding, and abrasive to Jane, especially when they first meet each other; on the other hand, however, he is compassionate in his own way, intelligent, and accepting of Jane. The man takes in as a ward the daughter of a French fling gone awry, providing her with every happiness on one hand while degrading the child for her shallowness on his other hand. Rochester pretends to be other people while trying to trick information from the ones he inquires, through feigned ignorance, such as Jane’s first meeting with him, and especially when Rochester pretends to be the gypsy beggar. Even with these strange acts of his however, Rochester is in so many ways too sensitive to take a direct approach, which adds an endearing part to his character as well. The man is an enigma. It is no wonder Jane both admires him and keeps him at an arm’s length. A rather funny aspect of Rochester’s character that relates to me personally is his distaste for children. My favorite line by Rochester thus far would have to be: “I am not fond of the prattle of children…for, old bachelor as I am, I have no pleasant associations connected with their lisp. It would be intolerable to me to pass a whole evening tete-a-tete with a brat…”, ironic then that he even took in Adele in the first place, is it not? Another factor with Rochester is the challenge he provides Jane. He both degrades and appraises her, daring her to reject his ideals while at the same time demanding high work ethic. As far as the negative male influence in the novel goes, Rochester is the first male lead to be irritating, abrasive, and rude while not really distressing Jane or truly trying to make her compliant. It is a slight twist in the plot and theme.