Character Analysis Of Bertha In Jean Rhys Wide Sargasso Sea

of a supernatural evil. When Jane encounters her in the night, she says to Rochester that she saw a woman “fearful” and “ghastly” with a “savage face” and “bloodshot eyes”, almost resembling “ the foul German spectre-the vampire” (JE 327). The silencing of Bertha by Jane is accomplished not only by the characteristics of savagery and monstrosity that are assigned to the former by the latter but also from the whole idea implied by the plot, which is that the happy ending of Rochester’s and Jane’s depends upon the death of Bertha. This could be considered as another narrative strategy employed by the narrator in order to silence Bertha. In fact, Jane and Bertha’s connection can be interpreted by the fact that Jane’s happiness and peace of mind depend on Bertha’s silence and destruction. Brennan rightly suggests that “Bertha’s final jump from the battlements means that the only practical obstacle to Jane’s marriage to

By re-telling the story from another point of view, Rhys presents English authority and control as harmful and malignant. This can be understood in the novel by exhibiting from one side how Antoinette is silenced by Rochester and from the other side the fact that Antoinette’s silence is important. Rochester silences Antoinette by changing her name, not understanding her side of the story and making unable to identify herself in the end. Although he told her that when they got married, there would be no reason for Antoinette to be afraid, upon reading Daniel Cosway’s letter, he feels tricked and ignores her. Then Rochester’s racial behavior towards his wife is shown when he renames her