Brahma and Juggernaut

“...a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut...” (pg. 79)

Brahma is one of the three gods among the Hindu triad. He is the creator god and it is said that the universe and all living beings evolved from him. Juggernaut is an alternative name for another god in the Hindu triad, Vishnu. Vishnu is thought as the preserver of the universe and is considered the lord of the world. Bronte references these iconic Hindu figures in order to show that, during this time period, worshipping religions other than Christianity was looked down upon. In this case, Brocklehurst claims that Jane has behaved badly and is a liar, and in doing so compares her to a worshipper of the Hindi faith as if she were a disgrace. Bronte probably meant for this quote to be ambiguous. When looked at from a different perspective, however, Brocklehurst can be put in the position of Juggernaut, an unstoppable force and god-like figure at Lowood, and Jane is essentially kneeling before him.

"Brahma." Encyclopedia Mythica: mythology, folklore, and religion. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/brahma.html

"Juggernaut." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juggernaut

The Trimurti. Digital image. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/39283c1a8b6c.jpg