Jane Eyre
Prompt #3 · Jane Eyre
Prompt Type: Scene Analysis
In the scene of Helen Burns's death, where she calmly expresses her faith and certainty of heaven while lying beside Jane, Brontë presents a model of Christian resignation. Analyze how this moment shapes Jane's evolving understanding of religion and morality. Explain how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Quote 1
“I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is good; I can resign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend: I love Him; I believe He loves me.”
Chapter 9
Argument
This quote from the death scene itself demonstrates Helen's serene Christian faith through anaphora ('I believe... I believe... I love... I believe'), establishing the model of religious resignation that Jane witnesses firsthand and must reconcile with her own passionate, justice-seeking nature.
Quote 2
“I am very happy, Jane; and when you hear that I am dead, you must be sure and not grieve: there is nothing to grieve about. We all must die one day, and the illness which is removing me is not painful; it is gentle and gradual: my mind is at rest.”
Chapter 9
Argument
Helen's calm acceptance of death within the scene ('I am very happy, Jane') and her instruction that Jane 'not grieve' presents the Christian ideal of viewing earthly suffering as temporary, directly challenging Jane's earlier impulse toward earthly justice and revenge.
Quote 3
"Love me, then, or hate me, as you will," I said at last, "you have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for God's, and be at peace."
Chapter 21
Argument
This later moment when Jane forgives Mrs. Reed echoes Helen's teachings, demonstrating how the death scene shaped Jane's evolving morality—she has internalized Helen's Christian forgiveness while maintaining her own voice ('Love me, then, or hate me'), blending resignation with independence.
Quote 4
Chapter 9
Argument
This final utterance from Helen within the death scene itself ('I believe; I have faith: I am going to God') distills her Christian resignation to its essence through simple declarative statements, providing the direct model of faith-based acceptance that Jane witnesses and must later reconcile with her own passionate nature.
Quote 5
“_I_ care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man.”
Chapter 27
Argument
This later moment demonstrates how Jane has internalized Helen's religious teachings while transforming them—she invokes 'the law given by God' as Helen taught, yet applies it to assert self-respect and independence ('I care for myself'), showing how the death scene shaped a morality that blends Christian principle with personal agency.