Jane Eyre and a Tale of Two Cities Comparative Essay free essay sample

Samuel Peter Buckelew III Honors English III Dr. Williams September 1, 2011 Summer Reading Comparative Essay Intro:Many would agree that love is blind, but if this is true how can it have the ability to allow people to see and feel things untouched by other emotions. It has the power to make any given person do extraordinary things, the ability to transform or destroy anybody completely all in one emotion, one thing is for sure, it gives people a greater purpose for existence, a reason to live and die for, something beyond them to devote their life. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte and A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, are two popular, classic examples of love. Thesis: While both novels have a central theme of love, Jane Eyre focuses on the search for love while A Tale of Two Cities interprets the love for family, as well as, the search for new relationships. We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Eyre and a Tale of Two Cities Comparative Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Compare: Contrast 1: Throughout the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, many men have fallen for the beautiful Lucie Manette. Many of them have expressed their love and sensitivity towards her, but Charles Darnay won her heart. He showed the most sensitivity, respect, and compassion for Lucie and her relationship with her father, Dr. Manette, proving that his love for her was the real thing. Towards the beginning of the book two when Charles Darnay was on the trial for treason Lucie Manette had to tell the judge if she had ever  seen  the  prisoner  before. Lucie then recalled the story of the first time they met. Dr. Manette was very ill and in a very weak state of mind and Mr. Darnay begged Lucie to let him help her shelter her father from the wind so that he can begin his recovery and not get even more ill. Lucie agreed to let Charles help. Charles Darnays actions showed that not only does he care for Lucie but the ones she loves dearly. He cared for the well-being of her father. He shows his sensitivity towards the  people  most close to Lucie. Charles Darnay did not express his love for Lucie to her first. Instead, he actually told her father first. This act proved how much respect he has for Dr. Manette and his relationship with his daughter Lucie. Charles Darnay showed a lot of confidence when he was expressing his love for Lucie to Dr. Manette. For example when Mr. Darnay says to Dr. Manette, It is a tone of fervent admiration, true homage, and deep love, Doctor Manette! he said deferentially. When Mr. Darnay said this, it showed how much confidence he has to tell this to Dr. Manette. That even though the outcome may not be what he wants he still tells him. It also shows just how much he cares for Lucie and her loved ones and that his love for her is strong. Charles Darnay loves Lucie he does not want to get in between their relationship she has with her father. Dr. Manette’s stay in prison rekindled his relationship with his daughter. Therefore, he tells that to Dr. Manette so he knows that that is not what his intentions are. He just wants to express his love for Lucie. In addition, the way Mr. Darnay told Dr. Manette shows that his intentions are good and his love for Lucie is very real. The last thing Charles wants is to break their relationship. All he wants is to  share  their lives together. For example, when Charles Darnay was explaining his intentions to Dr. Manette, I look only to sharing your fortune, sharing your life and  home, and being faithful to you to death. Not to divide with Lucie her privileges as  your child, companion and friend; but to come in aid of it, and bind her closer to you, if such this can be. Meaning if Lucie decides to be Charles Darnays wife, that Dr. Manette would not be out of the picture and he wants  to bring him closer. For a man to except these circumstances is incredible. It is very  hard  to have to live in these circumstances and that Charles said this before Lucie or Dr. Manette had to shows that he will do anything for her and live however; they have to live to be with her. Even though the m en in this novel love Lucie and show their sensitive side to her, Charles Darnay shows the most sensitivity and respect above all of these men. Charles Darnay would do anything for Lucie; even if it may be difficult  to deal  with, he will do it for her. Contrast 2: In Jane Eyre, we meet Jane Eyre, who finds her true love to be someone to which whom she is not  attracted. Jane is attracted to people who contain the same intellectual  capacity as her, and has no regard  for those who have only beauty and money  to give. After attending an all-girls seminary until she reached the age of  eighteen, Jane advertises for a job as a governess, and receives one at an  estate named Thornfield. This is where she meets, Rochester, the owner of the mansion, and her true love. When she learns of a dark secret he has  been keeping, she flees to another part of England where she meets St. John,  a man who she does find good looking, but doesnt like his personality. From here, she returns to Thornfield where she marries Rochester. If Jane  had gone through her life looking for beauty instead of someone who shared  a mental  similarity with her, she never would have found happiness. Jane is attracted to Rochester, even though she does not find him  to be handsome. it was not easy to give an impromptu answer to a  question about appearances; that tastes mostly differ; and that beauty is   of little consequence After answering no to Rochesters question of  whether or not he was handsome, she goes on to tell him that appearances  mean little or nothing. Jane understands that to have a true and loving  relationship with someone, that both must have not looks, b ut a similarity  in thought, and a like for the others personality. Relationships such as  this are ones of quality that will last for a long time. Although Jane is  not a beautiful woman, she is able to find happiness and that is what is  most important. Jane has no regard for the beautiful Miss Ingram, for she has no  intellectual capacity. Jane is not jealous of her closeness to Rochester for  she has no qualities to be jealous of. She was very showy, but she was not  genuine; she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments, but her mind   was poor, her heart barren by nature Jane knows it is far better to  have a good mind and to be a good thinker than to have beautiful features  and an abundance of money. It is this attitude of Janes that allows her to  make the right decisions. Jane does not fall in love and marry St. John for even though is  more handsome than Rochester and she is attracted to him, he does not have  the same intellect. He was young-perhaps from twenty-eight to thirty-tall,  slender; his face riveted the eye; it was like a Greek face, very pure in  outline. St. John has beautiful features, but he cannot communicate with  and talk at the same intellectual level with Jane as can Rochester. there was another barrier to friendship with him: he seemed of a  reserved, an abstracted, and even of a brooding nature he did not appear  to enjoy that mental serenity Jane would never be able to have a lasting  relationship with Saint John because they have no common interests, and her whole heart already belonged to Rochester. It  is because of Janes decision to leave Saint John, due to a lack of soul  likeness, which allows her to marry Rochester for his personality. Conclusion: