The use of Similes in Charlotte Brontë’s Novel Jane Eyre

Sammanfattning: Figurative language can be approached in several ways. This essay examines the use of similes in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. All similes in the novel were collected and divided into categories based on the vehicle used. The largest categories that I have identified, I have termed “Nature and its forces”, “Concrete objects” and “Abstractions”. The similes are further divided into sub-categories by the construction of the simile, ranging from simple to complex. Furthermore, similes in emotional passages are analysed and discussed. I argue that there is a simile in connection to all emotional passages in the novel. In addition, I claim that the similes used in emotional situations are more complex. Hence they function to make the language more, intense, concrete and clear. All similes are stated in the Appendix.