Essay about Wide Sargasso Sea and Antoinette - 1150 Words

Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre intertwined In Wide Sargasso Sea, author Jean Rhys uses intertextuality to tell the story of Antoinette Mason. Intertexuality is when an author bases their book/novel off of another text. In this case, Wide Sargasso Sea is shaped from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and it elaborates on the character of Bertha, who is Antoinette Mason in Rhys’ novel. By reading Wide Sargasso Sea we are enlightened on things in Jane Eyre that Bronte does not tell us about or elaborate on. Also, by reading Jane Eyre we understand things about Wide Sargasso Sea that Rhys doesn’t include in her novel. Both authors have created compelling novels that aren’t built from each other and provides a deeper understanding of one†¦show more content†¦From the story of her life we get a better understanding of her role as a character in Jane Eyre and perhaps most of the mystery we have is cleared up. Wide Sargasso Sea is a very creative literary piece that provides depth to a character w hose story would have gone untold. After reading Wide Sargasso Sea we have a better understanding of Jane Eyre and some of the events that took place within the novel. We find more out about Rochester’s dark past; Bronte just didn’t go far enough back to enlighten us on his marriage. After reading Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea we now know how Rochester and Antoinette’s relationship came to be. Their marriage was arranged so that Rochester would have financial stability because he was the second son and was likely to not inherit anything from his father. Rochester felt he was duped into marrying Antoinette by his father and everyone else. In one scene Rochester says, â€Å"As I walked I remembered my father’s face and his thin lips, my brother’s round conceited eyes. They knew. And Richard the fool, he knew too†¦They all knew.†(Rhys 62). He thinks everyone knew Antoinette was crazy but didn’t tell him. Rochester seems to be ashamed with himself over locking Anto inette in the attic, but he feels like it was the right thing for him to do. He would have had a miserable life and also would have put everyone in danger at Thornfield, with crazy Antoinette around. Antoinette was a lunatic and if Rochester had to put up with her psychoticShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Antoinette Cosways Defiant Journey In Wide Sargasso Sea1920 Words   |  8 PagesThe Importance of Self-Truth and Active Protest: Analysis on Antoinette Cosway’s Defiant Journey in Wide Sargasso Sea Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys calls forth ideas of feminism and self-worth in the fight against colonization during the 19th century. Antoinette Cosway lived in Jamaica her entire life, and yet, as a white woman, remains alienated from her neighbors throughout the novel. 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The duality of Antoinettes identity representsRead More The Importance of Truth in Jean Rhys Wide Sargasso Sea Essay1225 Words   |  5 PagesThe Importance of Truth in Wide Sargasso Sea In Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys presents a white Creole family living in a Caribbean Island (Jamaica), which is a lush and insecure world for them, after the liberation of the slaves. The husband had once been a slaveholder, the mother is a confused and crazy lady and Antoinette, the daughter, is a child in an atmosphere of fear, recrimination and bitter anger. She becomes increasingly isolated-this isolation is broken by her scheming stepbrother, whoRead MoreFire Causes Mental Illness in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea1273 Words   |  6 Pagescould completely destroy the type of character that a child has been molded into. A prime example of a traumatic early childhood experience is a fire, especially when the fire occurs in the childs home. 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