An Analysis of St.John Rivers in Jane Eyre form the Perspectives of Postcolonial Critique and Identity Construction

Abstract

This study adopts the perspective of postcolonial theory to analyze the identity of St. John Rivers in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, uncovering the profound impact of the intersection between colonialism and religious belief on self-recognition. The article begins by outlining the literary background of Jane Eyre and subsequently introduces key postcolonial theorists such as Edward Said, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, and Homi K. Bhabha to examine how colonial discourse shapes St. John’s identity conflicts. By investigating 19th-century British society’s religious culture, racial tensions, and colonial history, the paper explores his journey of self-recognition and redemption under the shadow of colonialism. Through these analyses, the study reveals how the character of St. John illustrates the profound influence of colonialism on identity construction. This research contributes a new theoretical perspective to understand the mechanisms through which colonial discourse shapes individual identities and expands the interpretative scope of this literary classic.