“Shall I?” I said briefly; and I looked at his features, beautiful in their harmony, but strangely formidable in their still severity; at his brow, commanding, but not open; at his eyes, bright and deep and searching, but never soft; at his tall imposing figure; and fancied myself in idea his wife. Oh! it would never do! As his curate, his comrade, all would be right: I would cross oceans with him in that capacity; toil under Eastern suns, in Asian deserts with him in that office; admire and emulate his courage and devotion and vigour: accommodate quietly to his masterhood; smile undisturbed at his ineradicable ambition. . . . I should suffer often, no doubt, attached to him only in this capacity: my body would be under a rather stringent yoke, but my heart and mind would be free. I should still have my unblighted self to turn to: my natural unenslaved feelings with which to communicate in moments of loneliness. There would be recesses in my mind which would be only mine, to which he never came; and sentiments growing there, fresh and sheltered, which his austerity could never blight, nor his measured warrior-march trample down: but as his wife—at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked—forced to keep the fire of my nature continually low, to compel it to burn inwardly and never utter a cry, though the imprisoned flame consumed vital after vital—this would be unendurable.”

Jane struggles with the internal conflict on whether to go or not go on the trip to India, showing how women during the time were trapped into such divisive roles and that breaking from them was difficult to do. Jane has the opportunity to do good work beyond that of a governess, housewife and school teacher, the roles that were traditionally open for women, but yet Jane struggles due to the imposed dominance of St. John. St. John represents masculine dominance, toxic masculinity and a sense of misguided religion, something that has affected Jane thus far throughout the novel. In order to stay true to herself and do what is best for her, Jane must escape the control that is imposed onto her.

How could a woman in the 1800’s deflect the control of men? What were the societal impacts if they did, what happened if they didn’t?