Different people have different attitudes and ideas about true love. People also express their feelings of love in many different ways. However, Edmund Spensers attitudes and ideas are very similar to those of Charlotte Brontis novel Jane Eyre. In sonnet 79 Spenser is speaking to a woman known for her beauty. He notes that the woman knows of her own beauty. Men call you fair, and you do credit it. Then Spenser goes on and tells how he does not like to pay close attention to outward ppearances, but greatly admires a womens internal beauty.
Spenser notes that internal beauty never fades, unlike external beauty. But the true fair, that is the gentle wit And virtuous mind, is much more praised of me. He only fair, and what He fair hath made; All other fair, like flowers, untimely fade. True beauty to Edmund is the kind of person you are, your heart, your soul, and your wit. Not the kind of beauty that can fade like outward beauty. In Charlotte Brontis novel, Mr. Edward Rochester falls deeply in love with oung Jane Eyre.
Jane Eyre is not a pretty woman to the naked eye. Though, Mr. Rochester loves Jane for what she is made of. He loves her personality, her inner strength and all her qualities. Mr. Rochester pays no attention to Janes outward appearance. Jane also falls in love with Mr. Rochester for the same reasons. At one point in the novel, Mr. Rochester asks Jane if she thinks he is a handsome man, Jane honestly replies no. However, their love for each other is so very strong and will ever fade because they love for the right reasons.
It is very clear how similar Edmund Spensers views on true love is to Mr. Rochesters and Jane Eyres views. They believe their love will never fade because their reasons for love will never fade. If they were to be like many other people in the world, they would fall in what they think is love and eventually fall out. You cannot judge a book by its cover, and that is a moral that Spenser, Rochester and Jane value very much.