What are the gothic and romantic elements in chapters 1-4 of Jane Eyre?
The gothic elements in Jane Eyre are very strong. The dark images litter the pages of the book, even the very first, setting the tone for the rest of the book with a strong pathetic fallacy: the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further outdoor exercise was now out of the question Which mirror the mood that Jane feels in the establishment that we are about to enter, Gateshead Hall. The descriptions are very melodramatic with, the rain in particular, as if it can peer into the soul with its penetrating nature. Another very gothic element in the book is its repetition of the colour red, the colour of passion, most particularly in the red room It was the room in which Mr Reed had died, Jane s only connection to this family, and the one to which Mrs Reed had promised to take care of Jane. This makes it particularly fitting for Jane to be trapped in there as Mr Reed had been. The colour of the room is particularly significant as it was a
