Introduction

Lord Byron’s Descendants 65
Rochester enters the novel in a mythical light, but the illusion of masterful and
powerful masculinity is undermined instantly when he falls from his horse to the
ground and is unable to mount it again. This first depiction of him demonstrates
that he is aware of his insufficiency, as he is unable to maintain the fantasy of his
authoritative masculinity. He needs to lean on Jane physically to remount his
horse. Contrary to the original Byronic hero, who chooses isolation and prefers to
go alone through life to repent his sins, Rochester instantly recognises his dependency
on Jane overtly (Hendershot 182).The first hint to a wholly transformed
interpretation of the Byronic concept has thus been given.
Jane appears not as the typical damsel in distress but, on the contrary, as his
rescuer. She insists upon helping this fallen stranger before she goes on her way.
Moglen points out that from the first moment on, Rochester belongs to Jane’s
interior (semiotic) world, he is her “object of need”, “cause of anxiety” and Jane’s
answer to her “restlessness which disappears with his presence” (118). Returning
to Thornfield Jane discovers that the stranger turns out to be her master, Mr
Rochester. The next day he summons her to take tea with him; Jane is redeemed
quickly from her initial shyness towards him because of his impatient and slightly
arrogant manner “I sat down quite disembarrassed. A reception of finished politeness
would probably have confused me […] A descent quietness, under the
freak of manner gave me advantage” (105). Furthermore, Rochester also values
Jane’s unconventional honesty and frankness, which he considers to be part of her
charm “You puzzled me […] it would please me now […] to learn more about
you.” (117). Her frankness attracts him:
“You examine me, Miss Eyre,” said he: “do you think me handsome?”
I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something
conventionally vague and polite; but the answer somehow slipped from my
tongue before I was aware: − “No, sir.” (115)
Thus, their shared unconventionality is the very essence of their attraction for
each other.
An emphasis on the circumstance that the Thornfield episode is situated
within the realm of the semiotic is given by several hints to the dream world of
fairytales. Rochester’s comments towards Jane link her instantly to the romantic
world of fairy-tale fancies:
“No wonder you have rather the look of another world. I marvelled where
you had got that sort of face. When you came on me in Hay Lane last
night, I thought unaccountably of fairy tales, and had half a mind to demand
whether you had bewitched my horse; I am not sure yet”. (107)
Moreover, it seems that he prefers to perceive her as something “otherworldly”, as
Moglen has argued, since he insisted upon it by continually linking her to the