Different people have different attitudes and ideas about true love. People also
express their feelings of love in many different ways. However, Edmund
Spenser’s attitudes and ideas are very similar to those of Charlotte
Bronti’s 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 appearances, but greatly admires a
women’s 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 Bronti’s novel, Mr.
Edward Rochester falls deeply in love with young 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 Jane’s 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 never fade
because they love for the right reasons. It is very clear how similar Edmund
Spenser’s views on true love is to Mr. Rochester’s and Jane Eyre’s 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 it’s cover, and that is a moral that Spenser, Rochester and Jane value very
much.