Antoinette's and Bertha's identity according to Jeane Rhys or similar topic that cover this idea - Essay Example

Bronte and Rhys In Charlotte Bronte’s famous book Jane Eyre, Bertha Mason is not given much of a role to play, at least, not directly anyway. Her existence is hinted at once Jane starts working as a governess at Thornfield Hall, but her presence is not mentioned immediately. Over a period of several months, there is a lot of over shadowing shown, building up the suspense until, on the day of the wedding of Mr. Rochester and Jane, the reader finds there already is a Mrs. Rochester. Her story is told by, what one may say, the biased Mr.

Rochester. Though, she does help the protagonist of the novel and her lover to develop into mature characters. In Wide Sargasso Sea written by Jean Rhys, Bertha’s side of the story is told. It proves that whatever led to the woman turning mad had several reasons behind it. That Mr. Rochester was, in fact, being too hard on his wife.The book starts with the mention of Emancipation in the West Indies. Due to the prejudice of the blacks for the whites and vice versa, Bertha’s family suffers through the same.

This results in changes in her mother’s personality, and the daughter mother duo do not remain close any longer. ‘She did die when I was a child. There are always two deaths, the real one and the one people know about.’ (Part Three) (Rhys and Jenkins 81). Even Bertha’s supposed friend Tia physically hurts the girl. They are poor and live in bad conditions until Antoinetta marries Mr. Mason who is a rich Englishman. Still they are abused and looked down upon by the blacks, until, one day, their house is burned down and they run for their lives.

This incident results in the death of Bertha’s little, sick brother Pierre, and their mother is forever altered. ‘But she – she didn’t want me. She pushed me away and cried when I went to see her. They told me I made her worse.’ (Part Three) (Rhys and Jenkins 85). Bertha goes to a convent to live, and some years later, her mother passes away but she cannot cry over her loss.The next part is told from Mr. Rochester’s point of view. Here, he has already married Bertha but does not seem to be quite content with the union.

They return to her home place at Granbois. Mrs. Rochester’s love for the land is clearly shown over here and yet, Edward does not understand it. Both refuse to consider any other country, but their home land to be the greater place. They judge their traditions, their customs, and their people to be more important and intelligent. This, of course, increases the gap between the newly wedded couple. ‘‘Oh England, England,’ she called back mockingly, and the sound went on and on like a warning I did not choose to hear.

’ (Part Two) (Rhys and Jenkins 40).‘It was a song about a white cockroach. That’s me. That’s what they call all of us who were here before their own people in Africa sold them to the slave traders. And I’ve heard English women call us white niggers. So between you I often wonder who I am and where is my country and where do I belong and why was I ever born at all.’ (Part Two) (Rhys and Jenkins 63). This clearly describes Bertha’s feelings. She has a home but she is hated there, she can go to England but it is not her home.

She will not be fully approved there. Wherever she will go, there will be enemies. There is no place which she can call home. She is a mixed breed and does not have a proper identity.The last bit is about Bertha being captive in her husband’s home. She seems to be sane mostly, except when she forgets herself and turns into a mad woman. Due to this, she sets Thornfield Hall on fire and falls from the roof to her death.Bertha’s whole life has been quite difficult and these happenings shape her character.

She cannot help but lose her head, the circumstances are such. But it is also wrong to solely blame her for all the negative events in any of the two novels. The things she had to suffer through from her childhood to adulthood led her to insanity, it could not be helped.Works CitedRhys, Jean and Hilary Jenkins. Wide Sargasso Sea. Penguin Books, 2001.