20 Jean Rhys: Wide Sargasso Sea

Dr. Alice Samson

 Introduction

Jean Rhys was born Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams, on 24th August 1890 in the Caribbean island of Dominica. Her father was a Welsh doctor and her mother was a Creole of Scottish ancestry. After the age of 16, Rhys moved to England for education. She was unable to assimilate into English culture because of her outsider status and her accent. She joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art of London desiring to be an actor but her teachers deemed her unfit for the stage. Unable to find appropriate training and unwilling to return to the Caribbean she experimented with a variety of jobs: nude model, writer, volunteer, pension office worker and adopted a gamut of lifestyles: Demi-monde, mistress to a wealthy stockbroker etc. Although she had many affairs that did not lead to marriage, she married thrice.

Two of her three husbands died and one was convicted for tax fraud. In 1924 influenced by Ford Madox Ford, Rhys began writing. She would later move in with Ford and his girlfriend and an affair ensued. Her works include Voyage in the Dark (1934), Wide Sargasso Sea in 1966 and an unfinished autobiography published posthumously Smile Please: An Unfinished Autobiography, apart from several other short story collections.

 Introduction to the Novel Wide Sargasso Sea

Wide Sargasso Sea was published in 1966 after a long break in the author’s career after her first book was published. It was immediately recognised as an important contribution to Caribbean writing and won the WH Smith Literary award in 1967.

Rhys had intended the novel to be prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre. She wanted to provide voice and historical context to Bronte’s “Bertha” or “madwoman in the attic”. While Bronte’s novel depicts the young Jane’s encounter with a mysterious yet fascinating Rochester, Rhys enables the reader to read into his role in driving his wife into madness. By discussing the Creole status, troubled past and constant struggle for identity by Antoinette Cosway, Rhys brings to focus more complex histories of England and Jamaica. The work has served to highlight the effect of race and gender inequality amongst Creoles and the inadequacy of political measures alone when it comes to addressing these complex social problems. Because of it location within a matrix of both post-emancipation changes in Jamaica and gendered hierarchies amongst Creoles it has enabled discussion on the discrimination by blacks towards the “white niggers” left behind and inflect feminist debates with the debate on race discrimination. The novel can be termed both postcolonial and feminist.

Summary of the Novel Part One

Part one describes the childhood of Antoinette Mason. The voice of Antoinette tells the reader of her life as young Antoinette Cosway, a young girl, who lives on a ruined estate called Coulibri, near Spanish Town, Jamaica. Her mother, Annette, is described as a beautiful Creole woman from the island of Martinique. The novel is set around the year 1834 when the slaves received emancipation but Jamaica witnessed large scale social turmoil owing to the new social dynamics emerging between former slaves and owners. Cosway is an arrogant, drunk, white, slave owner who has had many bastard children. When he dies he leaves the family and estate impoverished. After Cosway dies, Annete, devotes most of her time and energy to Pierre, Antoinette’s brother. Pierre appears to be suffering from cerebral palsy as he is described as having difficulty walking and talking. The neighbours and people in the village do not mix with them. Mr Lutrell one of the only people who talked to them commits suicide and they are left to fend for themselves completely.

The other members of the household are Christophine who is a Martinique woman like Annette and was a wedding gift from Cosway to Annette. Christophine is described as a black woman who wore gold earrings and tied a handkerchief around her head with two points in front in Martinique style. The blacks in the village were afraid of her because she was believed to practice the black magic art of obeah.

Annette looks to Christophine for love and support. Neither woman is fully accepted in Jamaica. Young Antoinette is left very much on her own. Antoinette’s childhood is poor and lonely. People in the town refer to them as ‘white cockroaches’. Antoinnete cannot even walk down the street without the other children teasing and taunting her. Since she doesn’t have any friends, Christophine arranges for Antoinette to play with a black child, Tia, whose mother is also a newcomer to Jamaica. The two children meet and swim almost every day.

One day, they have a bet about doing somersaults and although Antoinette does them they quarrel about money and Tia goes off wearing Antoinette’s dress and taking all her pennies. Antoinette is forced to go home in Tia’s untidy dress. When she reaches home she finds that her mother is entertaining visitors and is very embarrassed to see her in such bad clothes. Once the guests leave Annette orders Christophine to burn the dress. Where Annette had become distant and lonely after Cosway’s death, the arrival of new visitors seems to lend her new vigour.

Annette soon begins to have a renewed interest in life. After the fight with, Tia Antoinette no longer has any friends but she finds company in nature saying ‘It’s better than people’.

Soon, Annette marries Mr Mason, an extremely wealthy widower who had come to the island to cash in on the failing economy. Antoinette is seen to be suspicious of the white man and refers to him as a serpent in the garden of Eden. However with his arrival Coulibri gets a facelift and some servants like Sass who had left came back because of the “smell of money”. While Annette and Mr Mason are on honeymoon, Antoinette stays with Aunt Cora. When they return, Antoinette describes the place as looking better but feeling the same. Although there were some changes the life they faced remained essentially the same. They were hardly accepted by the locals and faced gossip and hostility everywhere. Annette soon grows tired of the jealous gossip about her and wants to leave the estate but Mr Mason doesn’t agree. Even though she points out the danger from the black slaves and suggests they move to England Mr Mason brushes aside all her worries saying the freed slaves were good for nothing not even violence. Annette grows more and more restless and worried about her children but her appeals fall on deaf ears.

One day however, the house is torched by angry slaves and Pierre is fatally injured when his maid abandons him. Seeing her son suffocate to death, Annette loses her mental balance and attacks Mr Mason. She is unable to even see Antoinette as it reminds her of Peirre. Antoinette is sent to a convent school by Aunt Cora. Mr Mason goes back to England and visits occasionally. He brings her presents: bracelets, a very nice dress etc attempting to make up for what he had done to her mother. Annette dies one day and the novel ends with young Antoinette reflecting the things that had happened and the death of her mother.

Part Two

Part Two is the longest section of the book. The voice in this part is mainly Rochester’s ( the character from Jane Eyre) although his name is never actually mentioned. The marriage between Antoinette and Rochester has already taken place. They are on honeymoon in the Windward Islands, on an estate called ‘Granbois’ (i.e. large wood), which had belonged to Antoinette’s mother. Rochester had agreed to come to Jamiaca on the urging of Mr Mason and had entered into a hasty marriage with Antoinette because he was to receive a large dowry of 30000 pounds. As the second son of his father he stood to inherit nothing under the laws of primogeniture and had already run up a sizeable debt in England. He had been in Jamaica only a month, 3 weeks of which were spent in bed with fever, when his marriage to Antoinette was solemnised. Since the Old man Mason had died before he reached Jamaica, his elder son Richard had made all the arrangements. Antoinette wasn’t too happy with the sudden marriage and had wanted to back out but the prospect of money made Rochester convince her to go ahead. However he is hardly the most sincere husband. Even before the honeymoon begins the readers see him being attracted to Amalie a servant girl accompanying them. He thinks of her as a creature not a person indicating his racial prejudice. On the walk to the honeymoon house Rochester thinks of himself as having been trapped into a horrible mistake when ironically it was he who was eager for the marriage. Rochester is overwhelmed by the scenery of the Caribbean, distrustful of the servants, and generally displeased with the honeymoon house. However Antoinette manages to reassure him. They enter a period of bliss and pleasure in each other. Rochester doesn’t feel any tenderness or love towards Antoinette. He describes himself as one consumed by an animal passion. Soon he receives a letter from Daniel Cosway, Anotinette’s illegitimate brother, warning him of the madness that runs in the family. Rochester’s believes what he reads. Even though Daniel’s accusations about Antoinette’s incestuous relation with her cousin Sandi and his demands for money to keep all this a secret disgust Rochester he wants to believe all he has heard. He begins to view Antoinette with suspicion and his attitude towards her changes.

The narration shifts to Antoinette’s voice and the reader sees her troubled by the shift in Rochester’s attitude. She begs her former nurse, Christophine, to use black magic to make him love her again. Christophine initially refuses, she had never approved of Rochester. But when she hears that under the English law all of Antoinette’s money now belongs to Rochester she relents and gives her a powder.

The narration shifts back to Rochester who is seen secretly meeting Daniel Cosway. When he returns, Antoinette questions him and is shocked by the accusations made against her. Antoinette begins to explain her family history to him but in doing so becomes very emotional and angry. At night Antoinette drugs him into sleeping with her. When  he awakens he is sickened and vomits several times. Realising what has happened, Rochester is furious. As revenge, he seduces Amalie even while his wife was in the next room and could hear them. In the morning, he offers her money and Amalie says she will start a new life with it in Rio. Antoinette leaves the house distraught only to return completely out of control a few days later.

Christophine too arrives and attempts to make Rochester leave Antoinette. She says she will travel with her and take care of her till the last days. When Christophine mentions that Antoinette may yet find another husband, Rochester is enraged and jealous. The oppressive nature of his manhood is revealed when he is simultaneously disgusted by Antoinette and at the same time doesn’t want her to flourish on her own. Rochester decides to take Antoinette with him to England for medical treatment. Part two ends with the two of them leaving the island. Rochester vows Antoinette would never return to the Caribbean.

Part Three opens with Grace Poole describing the state of affairs in Rochester’s household in England. Antoinette is locked away in the attic. Rochester has inherited the mansion after the death of both his father and brother. Rochester has Mrs Eff the caretaker pay Grace Poole double her wages to keep Antoinette’s presence a secret. He dismisses all but a fraction of the staff at the mansion. Grace Poole has a weakness for drink and also can’t keep secrets well. She soon tells Lia, another servant, about Antoinette. She often passes out drunken enabling Antoinette to steal the keys and slip out.

The new environment of England appears dreary to Antoinette who is used to the lush green Carribbean. Her sense of place and identity appear blurred. She is unable to believe that she is in England and imprisoned. England had always represented freedom to her and going there was meant to give her a better life. She feels angry, confused and disoriented. When her brother Richard comes to see her he is hardly able to recognise the dishevelled woman he sees. Antoinette is enraged at him for leaving her in this condition and for handing over all her money to Rochester. She attacks Richard with a knife and has to be restrained with ropes.

One night, like several nights before, Antoinette dreams that she steals the keys from Grace, lets herself out into the passage to the rest of the house and moves along carrying candles. She dreams she is in a chapel that looks like Aunt Cora’s house. Soon, in the dream, there is a wall of flames behind her. Moving away from the flames and the sounds of yelling, Antoinette goes back upstairs and out to where she watches the red sky and sees fragments of her life pass before her.

She sees Tia taunting her from the ground and coaxing her to jump. In the dream as Antoinette is about to jump, she wakes, screaming, from her dream. Feeling that she must enact the dream, she steals Grace’s keys and heads down the passage with a candle in her hand.

The ending is left open and the reader can offer an alternative to the well-known consequence of Antoinette’s desire to burn the house down as it is immortalised in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre.

 Characters

Antoinette Cosway Mason Rochester

The protagonist Antoinette is a character based on the madwoman in the attic from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Antoinette and her family of white Creoles are forced to flee from their estate. The death of her brother pushes Antoinette’s mother over the edge. Antoinette is coerced into an early marriage with a nameless Englishman who only marries her for money and is consumed by animalistic desire devoid of love for her. Antoinette, like her mother before her, is pushed to the brink of madness. She is also referred to as “Bertha” by Rochester. The novel depicts Antoinette as a young Creole woman faced with sharp contrasts in life, the lack of resolution of which causes her descent into madness.

Annette Cosway Mason

She is described as a beautiful, Creole woman from Martinique. She arrives in Jamaica after marriage to her white Slave owning husband Alexander Cosway. The wayward habits of Cosway, the harsh attitude of black Jamaicans towards her and the lack of friends drives her to depression. After Cosway’s death she has to struggle to survive both financially and socially. She is seen as having a keen awareness of the role the black servants play in her life and is grateful for their services. When Mr Mason her second husband disparages them she defends them even though she and her family have had a tough time due to the blacks. She is capable of enjoying life when possible. She rides her horse, socialises with neighbours who talk to her and manages her household. However the race and gender inequality she faces leaves her little room for growth. She is devoted to her son and his avoidable death pushed her over the brink.

Pierre Cosway

Antoinette’s brother, who is suffering cerebral palsy. He is the chief concern of his mother and his death triggers the descent into madness for Annette.

Christophine Dubois

The black Martinique servant who was a wedding gift for Annette. She is a loving servant but plays many other roles too. She takes care of Antoinette like a mother: giving her pennies, bathing her and finding her friends. She looks out for Annette warning her of dangers. The blacks are afraid of her because she practices obeah magic. Even in the end we see her pleading for freedom for Antoinette and offering to take care of her like her own child. Only the threat of imprisonment makes her relent vis-a-vis Rochester.

Alexander Cosway

He is the white slave owning husband of Annette and owner of Coulibri. He is believed to have taken many black women as mistresses and would reward them with houses and lands. When Daniel confronts him and asks to be recognised as a legitimate heir he laughs and ridicules him. In the end he is said to have died a raving lunatic indicating that madness ran in his genes. He leaves little behind for his family.

Mr. Luttrell

The owner of Nelson’s Rest and one of Annette’s only friends. He suffers severe financial hardship due to the Emancipation and one day shoots his dog and swims out to sea to never return. His distant relatives soon claim the place and, like him, are pleasing people.

Godfrey and Sass

The two black servants at Coulibiri. Godfrey is feared by Antoinette because he found her mother’s dead horse. Sass is the less loyal of the two going away when he sees the fortunes of the estate dwindling and returning when Coulibri seems prosperous after Mr Mason’s arrival. His real name is “Disastrous Thomas” because his grandmother like the word disastrous.

Tia

Antoinette’s childhood friend, Tia shares food, playtime and all activities with Antoinette until they have a fight one day. Like Antoinette, Tia’s mother too is a foreigner in Jamaica. Then she steals Antoinette’s clothes and money and goes away. The night of the fire at Coulibri she throws a rock at Antoinette’s face and then starts crying herself. She appears in Antoinette’s dreams taunting her and asking her to jump off the building.

Mr. Mason

Annette Cosway’s second husband. He had come to Jamaica to cash in on the failing economy and wanted to inherit Coulibri estate. He married Annette only for her wealth and had no intention of protecting the family. His ill-advised actions lead to the death of Peirre and Annette’s madness. He returns to England and tries to make amends with Antoinette by buying her presents and arranging a marriage for her. He represents the prejudiced and  greedy white man seeking only profits from the land and people.

Richard Mason

Mr Mason’s elder son. He steps in for his father to arrange Antoinette’s marriage. It is his lack of prudence that results in Antoinette losing all her money and security through marriage to Rochester. Although he was warned by Aunt Cora against giving all of Antoinette’s wealth to Rochester without proper protection for her he does nothing to ensure his sister has a secure future. Antoinette is enrage with his behaviour and wants to kill him. Even after she slips into madness he does nothing to protect her.

Aunt Cora

It is unclear whether Aunt Cora is related by blood or marriage to Antoinette. She is however the only stable guardian she has. She takes care of her in childhood, arranges education for her and argues on her behalf with Richard mason. Antoinette describes her husband as someone who wouldn’t let her write to them or visit them. After her husband’s death Aunt Cora returns to West Indies. She also gives Antoinette a bag containing her rings in case the girl ever needed money. She is able to do very little to protect Antoinette

Sandi Cosway

He is one of Alexander Cosway’s bastard sons and Antoinette’s favourite cousin. Although Daniel’s accusations of an incestuous relation between Antoinette and Sandi are never proved, we do see Antoinette reminiscing in England about cousin Sandi’s farewell kiss. He also rescues her in difficult situations with the black kids in the neighbourhood.

Antoinette’s unnamed husband and a major character in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre. He is a white Englishman whose marriage to the Creole woman Antoinette is arranged by Mr Mason and later Richard. He marries for money and then behaves as if he has been tricked. He hates the Caribbean and is unfaithful and malicious. He is unwilling to free Antoinette or to love her making her unstable position in Jamaican society extend into her own home. His actions lead Antoinette on the path of madness.

Amélie

The servant girl who seduces Antoinette’s husband. Her knowing looks and smiles lead Rochester to believe that she recognises that he has been cheated into marriage. She once suggests that Rochester is tiring of the honeymoon and is slapped by Antoinette. She seeks revenge by sleeping with Rochester and plans to use the gift money he offers to start a new life in Rio with her sister.

Daniel Cosway

Like Sandi, he is Alexander Cosway’s illegitimate son. He confronts Cosway for his inheritance but is laughed at and feels humiliated. He vows revenge by maligning Antoinette and is the instrument of estrangement between Rochester and Antoinette. He calls himself ‘Esau’ and claims it is his Christian duty to warn Rochester about the madness in  Antoinette’s genes. He is depicted as a man of no principles, a half-breed and good for nothing. He even tries to blackmail Rochester into giving him money.

Grace Poole

The servant in-charge of watching over Antoinette at Thornfield Hall in Rochester mansion. She has a weakness for drink and can’t keep Antoinette’s presence even after being paid handsomely for it. She is made to believe that Rochester is a kind and good master who is forced into the present situation of caring for his mentally ill wife. Her negligence and carelessness lead to Antoinette laying hands on many dangerous weapons like knifes, stealing down the house at night and even burning it down before jumping to her death.

 Themes in the novel Race Inequality

The racial tensions present in Jamaica in the early 19th century are brought to life in the novel through the stories of Annette and Antoinette. The abysmal position of the Creole in the newly emerging race dynamic of post-emancipation Jamaica is a testimony of the incompleteness and inadequacy of political measures with respect to race discrimination. The relation between Cosway and the black slaves and their children reflects one side of the story of race in Jamaica. Racial exploitation by white slave owners was rampant pre-1834. Cosway and others like him looked down on the slaves, used them for whatever ends they wanted and then discarded them. Cosway even followed this pattern for the female slaves they took as their mistresses. On the other hand where the “white nigger” population of Creoles like Annette and Antoinette who occupied a better position that the blacks in society but had to face a lot of problems due to their Creole status. Annette was very acutely aware of the service her black servants did for her and was grateful for it. She stood up for them when Mr Mason ridiculed them. Inspite of this, they received hostility from the local populations. Thus post-Emancipation Jamaica offers a good setting to study the consequences of political emancipation of various groups Madness.

The repeated reference to madness in various characters makes this an important theme in the novel. Cosway a drunken slave owner is said to have died a raving lunatic and was also believed to have madness in his genes. Annette’s progression from aloofness and depression into complete madness as her life takes various turns from bad to worse brings into focus the link between womanhood and madness. When her son dies she loses all semblance of balance and is yet again abandoned by Mr Mason who goes back to England. The uncanny repetition of events with Antoinette demonstrates the helplessness of women especially in financial and legal aspects with respect to their husbands. Left with none to turn to or nowhere to escape, Antoinette loses her mind and is overcome with a desire to destroy everything that was destroying her. Madness thus becomes the representative condition of the Creole stuck in no-man’s land between whites and blacks. Unable to move beyond this binary and severely disadvantaged in both white and black contexts, the Creole woman snaps under the pressures of patriarchy and race inequality.

 Conclusion

Wide Sargasso Sea serves to highlight the politics of the English literary canon with its alternate take on the life and personality of the unnamed husband of Antoinette. By providing a racial context and history to the voiceless ‘Bertha’, Rhys is able to foreground the hidden violence that accompanied the establishment of the literary canon which was a key  instrument of empire. The mysterious romance of Bronte’s novel is replaced with a keen awareness of the contexts of events. Antoinette Cosway’s journey from Jamaica to England and descent into madness examines the role of racial prejudice and chauvinism in creating a compromised role for women in society. The novel thus acts as a counterpoint for the facade regarding society created by Victorian writing.