Abstract and Key Word

Abstract: Charlotte Bronte is one of the most remarkable women writers in the 19th-century English literature. Her representative work—Jane Eyre—has been enjoying enormous popularity since its publication. By analyzing the heroine—Jane Eyre from feminism, we can find the development of feminism. It can be clearly seen that Jane Eyre is rebellious and desires for equality and liberty, she is financially and spiritually independent of her lover, Mr. Rochester, and appears to be a new woman.In short, Jane Eyre reflects the social realities, women’s position and women’s female consciousness in the certain period its creator was in. The thesis presents the improvement of women’s position and women’s female consciousness with the passage of time.

Key words: feminism; equality; independence; Jane Eyre

摘要：夏洛蒂勃朗特是19世纪最著名的英国文学作家之一。她代表的作品《简爱》，自出版以来一直享有巨大的声望。通过分析从女主人公简爱的女性主义思想，我们可以发现女性主义的发展，从中可以清楚地看到，简爱对平等和自由的渴望，她在经济上和精神上都独立于她的爱人，罗切斯特先生，是一个新时代的女人。总之，《简爱》反映了当时的社会现实，体现了作者所处的那个时代的妇女地位和妇女的女性主义意识。

关键词:女性主义；平等；独立；简爱

1. Introduction
  Jane Eyre is one of the most famous novels written by women in England in the 19th century and it’s among the writer’s favorite novels. Jane Eyre tells the story of an orphan girl. Jane Eyre, the daughter of a poor parson, loses both of her parents shortly after birth. She lives at the household of her aunt, Mrs. Reed, an unfeeling woman, who is rude and unjust to the poor orphan. Mrs. Reed’s children also find pleasure in teasing and mocking Jane. One day, unable to bear the ill-treatment any longer, Jane tells straight to her aunt’s face what she thinks of her. Mrs. Reed is furious and gets rid of Jane by sending her to a charity school for poor girls in Lowood. Maltreated by the authorities and leading a half-starved existence, Jane stays here for 8 long years, spent in studies, and the remaining in the capacity of a teacher. Then Jane gets a position of governess in the family of Mr. Rochester, a rich squire. Rochester falls in love with Jane, and she with him. They are about to be married when Jane breaks the engagement on the wedding day, learning that Mr. Rochester has a wife, a raving lunatic who is secretly kept under lock and key in the house. Shocked by the news, Jane flees from the house. She goes through a lot of hardships. After nearly perishing on the moons, she is taken in and cared for by a parson, Rev. Rivers. He helps her to get the job of a teacher in a village school. Meanwhile, a great misfortune befalls Mr. Rochester: he loses his sight during a fire in the house, set by his mad wife who dies a tragic death by jumping off the roof in spite of his attempt to save her. Hearing that Mr. Rochester is penniless and disabled, Jane Eyre hurries to him and becomes his wife.