Themes In Wide Sargasso Sea
Reading Wide Sargasso Sea reveals many of the silences upon which the nineteenth century British novel was built. Discuss.
‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ reveals the truth behind the 19th century British novel Jane Eyre. Wide Sargasso Sea (WSS) is Jean Rhys’s attempt to elaborate, rewrite and reveal the history presented in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Rhys encourages the reader to question what they have previously read regarding society in 19th century British novels, such as Jane Eyre. Since the time of colonialism there has been a literary tradition of “writing back” against the 19th century British novel (Kadhim, 2011). WSS gives voice to the silenced people, the “others”. Bertha, Mr. Rochester’s mad wife in Jane Eyre, is presented to us as the
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In conclusion, Wide Sargasso Sea reveals the truth behind the 19th century British novel Jane Eyre. Rhys’s novel highlights that “there is always the other side, always” (Rhys, 1966). Rhys shines light on the truth behind issues such as the brutality of slavery, the complexity of racial identity and the link between womanhood, dependency and madness. Rhys explores these themes through an interesting three part narrative which challenges the ideals of a patriarchal society. The novel explores the story of Brontë’s “Bertha” and the reader gains an insight into her life before she became merely known as “the mad woman in the attic”. Wide Sargasso Sea is Rhys’s attempt at writing back and revealing the truth behind the 19th century British novel upon which it was based. In contrast to Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea reveals the truth behind racial tension and a realistic depiction of the relationships between black employees and their white employers at the time. Rhys also looks at issues of womanhood and how it goes hand in hand with madness. Antoinette did not conform to society and it is her wild and passionate nature that eventually leads to her implied madness.
Bibliography o Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Surrey Press, 1964. o Humm, Maggie. "Third World Feminisms: Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea." Practicing Feminist Criticism: an introduction. Great Britain: Prentice Hall, 1995. o Kadhim, Nibras Jawad. Double Exile: Jean Rhys 's Wide Sargasso Sea. J. Of College Of Education For Women vol. 22 (3) 2011 -589 http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=2052 o Lewkowicz, Sherry. The Experience of Womanhood in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. Brown University, 2004.
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