In perhaps her greatest literary creation, Jane Eyre, Charlottes Brontë crafts a powerful tale of an orphan girl overcoming her predisposition in life and rising to the highest levels of society. Brontë provides her commentary on the romantic trends of the time in the way she complicates Jane's romance. For one to prove that Jane Eyre is a romantic novel is to prove a near axiom. One is better offering analysis of the romantic themes Jane Eyre.
             Jane Eyre provides the reader with the often hushed up story of governess-master relations. During the time period, many masters took advantage of the young women they employed. Jane Eyre, however, is not a tale of repeated rapes. It is the story of an earnest relationship across caste lines, a rarity for the time. When Mr. Rochester stirs Jane's sense of jealousy by properly courting Blanche Ingram, she blasts the idea of a relationship with a governess on page 170 as "risky"; no doubt indicative of the social attitudes of the time.
             A further dimension to the romantic climate of Jane Eyre is added in her interactions with St. John Rivers. When faced with the prospect of a loveless marriage, Jane rejects it outright. During the Victorian time period first cousin marriage was, while not routine, a socially acceptable practice. However, the purpose of St. John's proposal was to benefit himself alone, another illustration of the time. The relationship with St. John cannot even be considered a true romance because, firstly, it goes nowhere, and, secondly, the feelings are not mutual. It is notable that while there is no romantic love between Jane and St. John, they still love each other as cousins.
             Jane's love toward Mr. Rochester is strengthened after her dealing with St. John. It is so strong she returns to him. This is interesting because while Jane now has the economic status to make the marriage viable, at the time of he
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