You mocking changeling—fairy-born and human-bred! You make me feel as I have not felt these twelve months. If Saul could have had you for his David, the evil spirit would have been exorcised without the aid of the harp.
Chapter 37 · Edward Rochester
Context
Rochester, revived by Jane's humor, compares her to the biblical David, whose music soothed King Saul's torment.
Analysis
By casting Jane as David and himself as Saul, Rochester assigns her the role of healer and himself the role of the afflicted king. The biblical Saul was tormented by an 'evil spirit from God'—a divine punishment—but Rochester says Jane could exorcise it 'without the aid of the harp,' implying her presence alone is more powerful than sacred music. The term 'changeling' situates Jane between human and fairy, as if her power comes from being ontologically other.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Rochester mythologizes Jane as a redemptive figure whose power is quasi-supernatural, which lets him reframe his dependence on her as submission to something larger than a mere woman—he needs the metaphor to accept her help.