Bront challenges the view that men are emotionally, socially and intellectually superior to women. "Just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal - as we are!" The 19th century was a period of oppression for women. The patriarchal system that dominated the Victorian period in England's history, was one during which Charlotte Bront wrote and set the novel, Jane Eyre. Bront denounces the persecution that women suffered at the hands of a society that placed faith in a belief that men were emotionally, socially and intellectually superior to Victorian women.The belief that men were intellectually superior to women soiled the Victorian era. This period of time led to women being denied education, on account of their sex. Jane Eyre seems to be much more intellectually advanced than her male counterparts, even though she was schooled at such a substandard school, Lowood. A school where not only the food was "disgusting" but the facilities were too. She is able to converse confidently and at a level that is equal to, if not higher than, males. It is evident that Bront strongly believes that women are equivalent to men in this respect. The fact that Jane was capable of creating "as fine a picture as any of Miss Reed's drawing-master could," also showed that Bront endorsed the view that women are as intellectually capable as men. The skill that was involved in Jane's paintings led to some criticism from the males who saw her work; "I perceive these pictures were done by one hand: was that hand yours?" Jane's move against the constants of society display Bront's disdain for society's limitations. The Victorian era was a time when women's emotions were repressed. This gave expression to the belief that men were emotionally superior to women. Bront challenged this view by instilling "a picture of passion" in Jane Eyre. This emotion and passion would have not been tolerated by others in Victori...
