Quotation: “You are passionate: I expected a scene of some kind. I was prepared for the hot rain of tears; only I wanted them to be shed on my breast…” (388)

Comment: I know this quote comes pretty early in the assigned chapters, but it really stood out to me as I see it as a very multifaceted quote simply because of who says it. Normally, a man saying this to his upset fiancé would not be cause for alarm and it could even be seen as sweet since he wants to be the one that comforts her instead of letting her suffer alone. However, this quote coming from Mr. Rochester who we have just learned has been keeping his first wife in the attic while trying to marry Jane makes this quote seem more sinister. Personally, when I first read it Mr. Rochester sounded more controlling than compassionate.

Question: With both interpretations (a loving fiancé offering comfort, a controlling man seeking power) in mind, is it likely that Brontë intended Mr. Rochester to appear more sinister now that his secret has been revealed, or are we simply making that correlation because we know that he was keeping a woman in his attic?