Jane Eyre Chapter 31 - 38

Jane moves into the cottage beside the school that she is to administer and pursues her charge with great diligence and zeal. Yet, she cannot but feel misery at the turn of events and feels an unending sorrow for her separation from Mr. Rochester. St John often visits the cottage, and Jane begins to notice his affection for Miss Rosamond Oliver, the daughter of Mr. Oliver, the patron of the school. Miss Oliver is a beautiful woman in the prime of her youth but is not a remarkable character one that reminds Jane much of Adele. Jane becomes quite close with the young lady and learns that she feels a mutual affection for St John. She further learns that St John's wish to leave all behind to seek the life of a missionary saddens Mr. Oliver who sees in him an eligible match for his daughter. Jane confronts St John with this information and nudges him to marry Miss Oliver, but St John explains that the lady would not make a fit wife for a missionary due to her temperament. St John discovers Jane’s true name by chance as he catches a glimpse of the name written down on Jane’s desk as he is visiting her. He returns on a snowy evening to inform her that he had learned of a Jane Eyre through his solicitor Mr. Briggs, who had been tasked with finding the lady and bestowing on her the fortune that had been left to her by her uncle who had recently passed away. Jane receives the knowledge of her inherited fortune with unease rather than jubilation and presses St John to learn by what association the solicitor had written to him about Jane Eyre. 

Jane learns that St John’s true full name is John Eyre Rivers and that the solicitor had written to him as St John had expected to receive a part of their uncle’s fortune but had received none. Jane is overcome with joy at learning of her relationship with the Rivers family, and immediately makes arrangements to settle the inheritance equally among the four cousins. She retires from her position as the mistress of the school and readies Moor House (also called Marsh End) for Christmas as both Diana and Mary are recalled from their positions with news of their new fortune. St John celebrates but sparingly and instead asks Jane to think about her future and its purpose. Jane spends a blissful time with her new family, but she is yet tormented by the memories of Thornfield Hall. Jane begins to shape her behavior to please St John, and he soon elicits her in the education of Hindostanee, a language necessary for his missionary work. Jane pursues the education ceaselessly and seems to win St John’s confidence and something more. St John asks Jane to marry him, and travel with him to India as a missionary. Jane tries to say that she isn’t able enough to live the life of a missionary, but St John soon convinces her that she has the necessary talents and skills. Jane assents to accompany St John but only in the capacity of a sister for she feels that love could never blossom between them. St John is persistent but Jane refuses to be bowed, and the conversation is dropped for another time. He tells her that he will soon depart for Cambridge and that she should take some time to reflect and reconsider for he could only take her to India as his wife. He then tries a different tact and attempts to shake her resolve by way of gentle prayer and zealous entreaty, and Jane nearly agrees to be his wife but a voice in the wind halts her. It is the sound of Mr. Rochester calling for her, and Jane runs out to attempt to discover the source but finds none. She returns to her room without giving Mr. John a response and prays for guidance. She goes to bed with the resolve to travel to Thornfield the following day to discover the fate of Mr. Rochester.

Jane had written to Mrs. Fairfax twice but had received no response, and she sets out for Thornfield in the same wagon that had borne her from that station a year past. Jane returns to Thornfield with a weary heart full of confusion about what she hoped to achieve with her. She is horrified to discover the building burnt and ruined by fire so she hurries to the nearest inn to discover the cause of the tragedy. She learns from the innkeeper that Mr. Rochester had lived in the house alone after the woman he had loved, the governess, had abandoned him. His lunatic wife had then set the house ablaze and climbed the roof from whence she had jumped and fallen to her death on the pavement. Mr. Rochester had rescued all of the servants and attempted even to rescue his crazed wife. In his uncaring valor, Mr. Rochester had been injured which had led to his blindness as well as the loss of a hand. Jane is horrified to learn of her master’s sad state and hurries to his residence as described by the innkeeper. She catches a glimpse of his firm figure as he struggles around the front of his house, Ferndean, in blindness. She waits for him to return to the house, and enters Mr. Rochester’s room bearing water. Mr. Rochester recognizes her voice but cannot believe that Jane has returned to him, even when he has collected her in his arms. He tells her of how long he has thought and wanted her but expresses his reservation that she may no longer desire to be with him given his disabilities. Jane dismisses all those concerns and happily administers to his needs. She promises to tell him of her tale the following day and does so after she finds him painfully waiting for her return. She tells him of her whole journey and attempts to shield him from unnecessary pain by excluding the descriptions of her hardship. Mr. Rochester asks Jane to marry him, and they are married within the next three days.

Jane tells the reader that she has been married to Mr. Rochester for ten years now and that his sight has returned to him so that he was able to see the face of his firstborn. Mary and Diana are both married to wonderful men who love their wives just as they are loved. Jane had made arrangements for Adele to be moved to a new school when she had learned of Adele’s unhappiness. Adele has now grown into a lovely young lady with excellent English values, while Jane and Edward Rochester are just as much in love that day as they had been on the first day of their marriage. St John has continued his work as a missionary with zeal, although he took no wife but never expressed any hateful word for Jane’s rejection of his proposal. His last letter conveyed that he was but waiting for the beckon of heaven but Jane is certain that he needn't fear that slumber for his dutiful and selfless work had certainly secured him a place in heaven.

Analysis

Jane's growth into a strong and independent woman is completed in this final section of the book, as she refuses to be cowed by St John's persistent and compelling arguments in favor of their marriage. Jane rejects his proposal because she understands that her relationship with him would only ever be one of duty and never love. Jane understands that his missionary work is a noble quest but does not wish to sacrifice her own beliefs for his plans. St John, much like Mr. Rochester and Mr. Brocklehurst, is depicted as a misogynist for his refusal to understand Jane's viewpoint as he attempts to use emotional and religious blackmail to incite her into marrying him.

The account of Mr. Rochester's actions during the fire at Thornfield demonstrates his repentance and punishment for his sins. He acknowledges Bertha Mason as his wife when he endangers his own life to rescue her from the fire that she had caused. He is further punished by god with disabilities for his sin in trying to marry another woman while his wife still lived. Mr. Rochester's disabilities also pave the way for his marriage with Jane as it allows her to feel that she will be useful to him in addition to being loved. This desire to be useful is one that Jane has repeatedly expressed throughout the novel, and is realized in her becoming Mr. Rochester's nurse and wife.