“I could not help it; the restlessness was in my nature; it agitated me to pain sometimes. Then my sole relief was to walk along the corridor of the third story, backwards and forwards, safe in the silence and solitude of the spot, and allow my mind’s eye to dwell on whatever bright visions rose before it—and, certainly, they were many and glowing; to let my heart be heaved by the exultant movement . . . and, best of all, to open my inward ear to a tale that was never ended—a tale my imagination created, and narrated continuously; quickened with all of incident, life, fire, feeling, that I desired and had not in my actual existence. It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth. Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.”

This passage of the text shows the struggles of women especially during this time period in the mid 1800’s. Women were still expected to be housewives, running the household, raising children, locked inside all day long, come to their husbands every beckon call, and never have a truly fulfilling life. Men compared to women at this time were on top of the world, they could have done anything that they wanted to do with little discourse for their actions. Men with money were even more powerful as they could basically get away with murder if they needed to. Bronte’s passage serves as a statement to further expose this difference between the genders and how women did not receive the same freedoms as men. I specifically like the part of the quote where Bronte says humanity will find action or create it if they cannot find it. This makes me think of all of the protests that have happened in the last few years and even the school wide lashback about the schedule changes. People who do not have the power that others might will try to fight back for what they believe in, and if there is no outlet then they create one in which they can voice what needs to be heard.

A question I have about this passage is how people at the time interpreted passages of the text compared to how we do now? I also wonder if Bronte was putting her own life and experiences into the novel as a way to express her true feelings as a woman at the time.