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Choosing Servitude: The Influence of the Mosaic Law in Jane Eyre

Abstract Charlotte Brontë was so immersed in the Scriptures that she intentionally and unintentionally draws on them, to such an extent that a reader who fails to understand the allusions will fail to realize the richness of the novel. Biblical allusions in Jane Eyre number in the hundreds, and critics such as Michael Wheeler and Tom Winnifrith have discussed a fair number, emphasizing New Testament or typological references. However, it is my contention that specific allusions found in Jane Eyre, during moments of personal crisis for Jane, can be identified as Mosaic because they have three common characteristics: 1) They do not, in and of themselves, fit within the definition of nineteenth-century law, culture, or New Testament dogma; 2) They reference laws within the Mosaic covenant, found in the Pentateuch; and 3) They are enhanced by surrounding allusions and plot devices that accentuate biblical connections. In exploring these allusions, I will begin with Charlotte Brontits background and works, and then discuss how the Law, specifically the first commandment prohibiting idolatry, affects the character of Jane and plot structure of Jane Eyre.