While I cannot blight you, you may refresh me.
Chapter 15 · Edward Rochester
Context
Rochester concludes his reflection on why he enjoys confiding in Jane, reassuring her (and perhaps himself) that their conversations benefit them both.
Analysis
The verb pair 'blight' and 'refresh' borrows from the language of horticulture—plants that wither versus those that revive—casting their relationship as ecological exchange. But the asymmetry is telling: Rochester fears he might 'blight' Jane (he has the power to harm), while she can only 'refresh' him (she serves his needs). The sentence encodes the class and gender hierarchy even as it pretends to celebrate mutuality.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Rochester's language of care often disguises control—he frames Jane as morally safe from him, but the metaphor reveals he still sees himself as the dominant force and her as the resource that renews him, not an equal partner.