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Wide Sargasso Sea: A Reader's Guide to Essential Criticism
In this Reader's Guide, Carl Plasa provides a comprehensive survey and analysis of the most stimulating critical responses to Wide Sargasso Sea. The opening chapter outlines initial reactions to the novel from English and Caribbean critics, charting the differences between them. Chapter Two explores Wide Sargasso Sea 's dialogue with Jane Eyre and the theoretical questions it has raised. Succeeding chapters examine how critics have assessed the racial politics of Rhys's text, discuss the novel's African Caribbean cultural legacy, and explore how critics read the work both in terms of its moment of production and the early Victorian period in which it is set.
- GenresFictionLiterature
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 10, 2008
This novel is an illumination into the dark passageway to madness, exacerbated by anxiety and loneliness. The novel is told by two narrators, the lonely, neglected Antoinette and her stranger of a husband, Rochester. I loved the desperate, yearning narrative of Antoinette and Rochester's detached approach to his wife becomes increasingly frightening. This was the first piece of literature I have ever read to humanize a slavetrader's family. It certainly makes me want to read Jane Eyre again, this time with a new sensitivity to the first Mrs. Rochester.
May 22, 2014
The novel Wide Sargasso sea written by Jean Rhys was a beautiful and relatable tale. It starts off slow and takes awhile to understand the prose. Once I got well into the story it was worth the wait. The story being told in both Antoinette's and Rochester's perspective gave an in depth understanding of both characters thoughts and behaviors. Antoinette is abused, ignored, isolated and rejected throughout the entire novel. Her madness is a result of her internal issues that she never resolved, beginning at in her childhood. She built up anger and different emotions which drove her insane.
The novel taught me a personal lesson because I have the tendency to lock my emotions instead of me, because life works better that way I thought. Now I see that the aftermath of built up emotions is not always healthy. When Antoinette was a child she didn't feel love because her mother focused more on her younger brother. On top of that, she only had one friend in her life and that friend left her. All she experienced was disappointment. She had no sense of self, therefore she had no identity. She didn't know how to deal with problems she faced, therefore making her mad. Rochester ignorant to what she has experienced, thinks she is unable to love. What this shows is that some people are more hurt and distressed more than mad, and they need that one person to attempt to make them sane.
I enjoyed the novel because the story being told was relatable, at least to me. It started with her mom slowly losing sanity because she loved too many things at once, to Antoinette going insane because she was never loved (making an interesting contrast). Adding in both the point of view of Mr.Rochester and Antoinette’s added depth to the reading, and an understanding of both individuals mindset. I recommend the book for everyone to read. It shows you that you are not alone and there can be another way to resolve the situation. The novel also shows that you have to deal with problems and altercations that come up in your life, instead of running away from them (like most people tend to do). Any and everything can be an inspiration for a change.
The novel taught me a personal lesson because I have the tendency to lock my emotions instead of me, because life works better that way I thought. Now I see that the aftermath of built up emotions is not always healthy. When Antoinette was a child she didn't feel love because her mother focused more on her younger brother. On top of that, she only had one friend in her life and that friend left her. All she experienced was disappointment. She had no sense of self, therefore she had no identity. She didn't know how to deal with problems she faced, therefore making her mad. Rochester ignorant to what she has experienced, thinks she is unable to love. What this shows is that some people are more hurt and distressed more than mad, and they need that one person to attempt to make them sane.
I enjoyed the novel because the story being told was relatable, at least to me. It started with her mom slowly losing sanity because she loved too many things at once, to Antoinette going insane because she was never loved (making an interesting contrast). Adding in both the point of view of Mr.Rochester and Antoinette’s added depth to the reading, and an understanding of both individuals mindset. I recommend the book for everyone to read. It shows you that you are not alone and there can be another way to resolve the situation. The novel also shows that you have to deal with problems and altercations that come up in your life, instead of running away from them (like most people tend to do). Any and everything can be an inspiration for a change.
November 25, 2020
I had to read this book while studying Humanities at the Open University and, to my surprise, found myself enjoying it.
Wide Sargasso Sea is the prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. It focusses on Antoinette Cosway, the first wife of Mr. Rochester, and her descent into madness whilst living in Jamaica.
Considered a feminist and anti-colonial novel, it focuses heavily on the inequality of men and women, and the ill treatment of slaves and mixed race indivduals.
Wide Sargasso Sea is the prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. It focusses on Antoinette Cosway, the first wife of Mr. Rochester, and her descent into madness whilst living in Jamaica.
Considered a feminist and anti-colonial novel, it focuses heavily on the inequality of men and women, and the ill treatment of slaves and mixed race indivduals.
April 4, 2008
The literary conceit of this novel is that it's a prequel to Jane Eyre, wherein we learn the origin of the madwoman in the attic, Mr. Rochester's first wife. It's also a didactic relic of the 60s that links her insanity to the fact that they didn't care for little French girls in Jamaica. Racism, misogyny and classism drove Bertha nutters. Oops, spoiler!
February 22, 2007
*cough*... Though it may make me some enemies, this book shows the stupidity of mildly realistic femininity. The characters are very 2-dimensional, and a quick review of the book's description will show the vanity of it's author (acclaim "has come too late"). In my opinion, it should have never come at all!
February 19, 2007
A short novel - Rhys's response to Jane Eyre. It tells the story of an undeveloped character in Jane Eyre (won't tell you who in case you haven't read it).
March 9, 2007
Four, ordinarily. My friend said he had a boner the entire time he was reading it. Didn't quite have that effect on me, but I suppose it does merit Rhys an extra gold star.
March 29, 2007
I hated this book so much, I wanted to burn it.
May 10, 2008
Written as a prequel to Jane Eyre -- the story of the first wife. Strangely erotic -- unless I misread, a little S&M alluded to....
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July 28, 2008Gives an entirely new slant to the Jane Eyre romance
January 25, 2008
Oh, the colonies.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews