Jane Eyre 16

• "I discerned in the course of the morning that Thornfield Hall was a changed place: no longer silent as a church ... She kept running to the door and looking over the banisters to see if she could get a glimpse of Mr. Rochester ... She continued to talk incessantly of her 'ami, Monsieur Edouard Fairfax de Rochester.'" (p. 120)

At this point in the novel word has spread to Jane Eyre that Mr. Rochester has arrived at Thornfield Hall. Jane is aware of the amount of commotion and work the servants are completing to prepare for his presence. Without ever having met him, Jane has already built up a form of anxiety and respect for his projected image. This case is very similar to Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness: when the character Kurtz was mentioned, power and wealth automatically associated with his name. Charlotte Bronte illustrates similar feelings for Jane that Marlow underwent prior to meeting Kurtz. Because of both Mr. Rochester and Kurtz's high status, fellow characters are immediately influenced by their reputation. Rochester proves to be some-what like Kurtz's character in the sense that each man is determined to have one thing: Kurtz (ivory) and Rochester (Jane Eyre). Towards the end of their lives, Kurtz and Rochester become depressed and unsatisfied. Kurtz reflects - "The horror, the horror!" - while Rochester isolates himself and mourns because his dear Jane has not returned to marry him.