Fifty years before the publication of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Mary Wollstonecraft published The Standing of the Rights of Women, a predominant piece of feminist philosophy and one of the first in its type . This piece works to analyze the ideals and sentiments of the popular Enlightenment that were discussed by leading intellectuals and apply those same ideas to women. She argues that women are rational beings capable of complex and interesting thoughts, but have faced many obstacles in being able to fully develop such thoughts. She also states that if men think women are simplistic beings it is only because society created them to be simplistic and worry about frivolous and superficial matters. She pays particular attention to the power of education to change this pattern for the better, stating that if given the same opportunities as men in education, women would be fully capable of achieving the same intellectual capacity as men. In Jane Eyre, Bronte supports the thesis that women are capable and rational beings through the narrative of Jane, the protagonist, a strong woman who achieves equality through education despite her social class and gender. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayJane, after arriving in Thornfield, has a scene in the attic that really begins to outline her perspective on the expectations tied to her gender as well as her personal opinions on the matter. He identifies the problem that “women should be very calm in general; but women feel just like men feel; they need exercise for their faculties and a field for their efforts as much as their brethren.” In this statement, she not only emphasizes the expectation that women cannot actively display passion, but also establishes equality between herself and her metaphorical brothers. This section also begins to show Jane's maturation. She can think about these ideas without becoming overly passionate or angry. Later in the same section, she further outlines the menial tasks that are expected of women. These things include “making puddings and knitting socks, playing the piano and embroidering bags.” Much like Wollstonecraft in Vindication, Bronte here shows her disgust at the way men mock women's madness, the same madness they have instilled in their heads due to the lack of equal opportunities. This idea is directly in line with Wollstonecraft's idea that women "acquire good manners before morals, and a knowledge of life before they have through reflection any knowledge of the broad lines of human nature." This section of the attic is the first time Bronte shows how sick she is of society and its unreasonable expectations of women. She, as an author, has often faced discrimination in her work and has chosen to use a pseudonym instead of her birth name. This makes perfect sense, as the very idea that women could be rational beings was a matter of debate during this time period. It would be almost inconceivable for people of this period to recognize Bronte's genius. Another section that directly parrots Wollstonecraft's words is the garden proposal scene with Rochester. Here, he plays with his emotions to elicit a reaction. He tells her that he will marry Miss Blanche and thinks it would be best if Jane goes to Ireland to be governess to some other little girl. Immediately Jane yeshe rages and states, “'I'm telling you I have to go!' I replied, stimulated by something akin to passion. “Do you think I can stay so as not to become anything to you? Or do you think I'm an automation? A machine without feelings? And can I bear to have my morsel of bread torn from my lips, and my drop of living water sprinkled from my cup?'” Here, Jane lets passion get the better of her, something a true lady all within the company would never think of doing. It outlines the unnaturalness of Jane as a character and as a woman, the kind of character that only an author could have produced during this time period. She was educated in many ways due to her lonely childhood, so immediately there is a distinction between her and the upper class women who were taught domestic tasks that are easily undermined because they do not apply to the public sector. This also creates a kinship between the character of Jane and Mary Wollstonecraft. She, in her time, was also considered an unnatural woman because she sought education beyond common domestic duties and educated her daughter in a similar manner. The scene continues with Jane pleading "do you think I'm poor, dark, plain and small?" , are they soulless and heartless? – You think badly! – I have as much soul as you, and just as full a heart! And if God had given me a little beauty and a lot of wealth, I would make it as difficult for you to leave me as it is for me to leave you now. I am not speaking to you now through the medium of habit, convention, or even mortal flesh: it is my spirit addressing your spirit.” This quote is in direct line with the popular idea that if a woman is not outwardly beautiful or seems disadvantaged, she must lack some kind of virtue. This is in line with the religious convention of the elect and the idea that members of the elect will be conspicuous by earthly blessings such as beauty and grace. Wollstonecraft also addresses the idea of ​​virtue within Vindication, stating that virtue is universal and not relative. He argues that men's position within society makes virtue an easier property to obtain; men are autonomous and do not bend to the will of their father and husband like women. Wollstonecraft argues that without choice one cannot be virtuous, therefore women cannot be virtuous. This is the main reason why Wollstonecraft is so adamant about women's education: she believes that her salvation and chance of going to heaven may be threatened by her position in society. Jane, who practices her own brand of Christianity based on equality before God, would likely share the same views as Wollstonecraft, albeit to a less extreme degree. She believes that men and women are equal in virtue, but she herself has been disadvantaged within society due to her economic status and gender. This quote states that under God, Rochester is his undeniable equal. When she speaks to him from her spirit, from her essence, she does not speak through the mouth of a woman, but through the mouth of another human being. Her passion is so strong that it leads her to ignore the social and gender barriers imposed on her and to turn to him through her spirit. This quote also brings up an important idea about class. Jane, in many ways, is not suited to marriage. Despite being raised by a wealthy family, she herself is an orphan with no clear lineage of wealth. She works as a housekeeper, so she is a woman who has to take on all the social expectations of a woman, but she is not considered one. She describes herself as "simple" and "poor", underlining the absurdity that Rochester could ever share the same feelings she holds. Since marriage in this period was,.