Sweet and Spice (Jane Eyre and Catherine Morland) Free Essay Example, 1250 words

This not only shows the way Jane felt but also the predicament of most women of that era. Catherine of Northanger Abbey was considerably more content with her life and rightly so, because as compared to Jane Eyre, Catherine lived a life of luxury. This difference in lifestyles is reflected in the developed characters of the two females, where I believe Jane to be a lot more of a mature lady, seasoned by life, Catherine on the other hand seems more naà ¯ve, a child who has yet to discover that the world holds many ugly truths and harsh realities, that lay outside her imagination. In the character of Jane we see a woman ahead of her times, not only in her independent spirit, but her education and the dignity she holds as a capable woman able to stand on her own (Kaplan, 1996). Charlotte wasn’t arguing for equal rights between men and women but only the recognition that they deserved as part of being humans. Catherine Morland in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey does not encounter the struggles Jane does in loss of family, finance and circumstance. We will write a custom essay sample on Sweet and Spice (Jane Eyre and Catherine Morland) or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The Growth of Catherine’s Character At the beginning of the novel, Jane describes Catherine as unable to learn anything before she is taught, â€Å"often inattentive and occasionally stupid. † The treasure for Catherine on her journey is in the lessons taught to her that improve her ability to read both novels as well as the people around her. She becomes a better judge of character by the story’s end when she comes to understand Isabella and General Tilney. Catherine adores gothic novels and these represent her means of escaping the mundane life she has led.