Analysis of ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’
Introduction
Jean Rhys’ ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’ is a story that gives a detailed account of the events that took place during the last days of the colonial activities of the English people in the Caribbean region. Rhys was born in the region and she experienced some of the issues that she narrates through the story that she tells in ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’ (Ciolkowski 341). In the story, Rhys details the many issues that affected women during the colonial times in her society. It should be understood that the story by Rhys takes a creative narrative but it indeed tells of the experiences that she had while growing up in her country, which was colonized by the British. Women in the society described in ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’ experienced the harsh realities of racism and gender-based violence, which affected the position in the society. In her story, Rhys tells of the terrible conditions of living that women had to live in during the colonial times. She details several episodes of racism and gender-based violence that were directed at women. The current paper will focus on two women with the aim of understanding the experiences of women as described in ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’.
Antoinette is depicted as being the wife of Mr. Rochester. She is described as being of Creole descent meaning that her parents of mixed races, an aspect that often arose with sexual molestation and violence. Antoinette thinks that the Jamaican girls were not appreciating the presence of Antoinette mother given the fact that she was not one of them from a racial context. Racism was used as a tool of dividing and ruling over the people of the Caribbean and it is women, like Antoinette, her mother, and several other described in Rhys’ story that experienced the worst of its effects (Mardorossian 1078). Antoinette is describe to have led a lonely life because of a childhood that saw her lack the parental love that a child always deserves. He lonely nature further complicates her situation as she is not able to deal with and express her feelings regarding the perceptions of her situations.
The Analysis of Christophine
Christophine is a depicted as a servant given to Annette, Antoinette’s sister, by her first husband. Despite not being European, the other Jamaican servants regard her as an outsider because of her commitment to serving her mistress (Gregg). Christophine is described as being a reliable servant to her master to an extent that she is trusted to keep some sensitive information relating to her master despite being of a different race (Hulme 74). In fact, she urges Antoinette to be strong by stating that, “Get up, girl, and dress yourself. Woman must have spunks to live in this wicked world” (Rhys 76). Christophine is depicted as a strong woman who despite her challenges of being a servant and that of being a woman in their society, she has to be strong and encourage other women to be able to deal with their challenges (Mezei 197). Clearly, Christophine is able to confront her challenges, which are even more complicated because of the hate she is subjected to from her fellow servants. Christophine is able to encourage others, a depiction of the way some women leaders emerged at the time to encourage other women to persevere despite the challenges that they faced at the time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, women as described in ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’ face a haven of challenges without anywhere to turn to for solutions. Despite the racism and gender-based violence, some of them are to rise up to their oppressors, a step that motivates others to overcome their challenges in their societies.
Works Cited
Ciolkowski, Laura E. “Navigating the Wide Sargasso Sea: Colonial History, English Fiction, and British Empire.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol.43, no.3, 1997, pp. 339-359.
Gregg, Veronica Marie. Jean Rhys's historical imagination: Reading and writing the Creole. Boom Koninklijke Uitgevers, 1995.
Hulme, Peter. “The locked heart: the creole family romance of Wide Sargasso Sea.” Colonial discourse/postcolonial theory, 1994, pp.72-88.
Mardorossian, Carine M. “Shutting Up the Subaltern: Silences, Stereotypes, and Double-Entendre in Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea.” Callaloo, vol.22, no. 4, 1999, pp. 1071-1090.
Mezei, Kathy. “And it Kept its Secret: Narration, Memory, and Madness in Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea.” Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, vol. 28, no. 4, 1987, pp. 195-209.
Rhys, Jean. Wide sargasso sea. WW Norton & Company, 1966.
