close
Patriarchal Dominations in Wide Sargasso Sea
Wide Sargasso Sea is a work written by Jean Rhys who was born at Roseau, Dominica, one of the Windward Islands. Rhys writes this story to rewrite Jane Eyre, one of the Victorian novels, written by Charlotte Brontë. In Jane Eyre, Brontë doesn’t refer more about Rochester’s mad wife, Bertha, and Brontë doesn’t tell reader how Bertha becomes a mad woman. But in Wide Sargasso Sea, Rhys focuses on Antoinette’s life and makes Bertha could articulate her life about how she suffered in the racial dimension, the eye of Eurocentrism, and patriarchal domination and how she become a mad woman. This story totally subverts our impression from Jane Eyre and it makes us pity for Rochester’s wife, Bertha for her unhappy and unfortunate events through her narration. In this paper, I would like to focus on how the patriarchal dominations affect many characters’ life in this story.
There are many portrayals of patriarchal dominations in this story. And I would like to present this issue on three characters includes the protagonist, Antoinette, Antoinette’s husband, and Antoinette’s mother, Annette. Also I will refer Antoinette’s nurse, Christophine who is different from these characters dominated by patriarchy even enjoy to be dominated.
Firstly, I would like to focus on the protagonist, Antoinette’s life and reveals how her life is dominated and suffered by patriarchy. First of all, I would like to mention Antoinette’s marriage. Antoinette is a girl and rich because her stepfather, Mr. Mason gives her a lot of money after her mother dies. But Antoinette’s half-brother, Richard Mason who intends to get rid of his half-sister. So Richard Mason finds a man and makes a match between the man and Antoinette and Richard Mason tells her husband if you marry her, and then you will own a lot of money from her.
According to this English law, it shows the law becomes a tool of patriarchal domination:
A wife’s personal property before marriage became her husband’s absolutely, unless settled in trust for her. The husband could assign or dispose of it at his pleasure, whether he and his wife lived together or not. Any income that descended to her as an heiress and any money she earned belonged absolutely to her husband. (66)
In my own interpretation, Antoinette becomes an unhappy woman after her husband becomes coldly to her for her half-brother’s patriarchal domination on planning her marriage. In my view, English law becomes a tool of patriarchal domination. It oppresses women to make women can’t be independent after her marries. And it deprives women's rights of making herself living. For example, Antoinette tells her nurse, Christophine “You must understand I am not rich now, I have no money of my own at all, everything I had belongs to him” (66).
In the second place, I would like to claim that name works as a symbol of patriarchal domination. In this story, Antoinette’s last name totally alters three times in her life. For instance, before her biological father, Mr. Cosway dies, her name is Antoinette Cosway. But after Mr. Cosway dies and her mother remarries to Mr. Mason, her last name changes. Hence, Antoinette Mason becomes her name. Also her last name changes again when she marries to the English gentleman. In my own interpretation, name is the symbol of patriarchal domination on women. Because only women’s last name will change after she marries or remarries. In addition to, Antoinette has many surnames at her husband’s pleasure or intention. Surnames become a strategy for her husband in order to make Antoinette angry, Antoinette’s husband starts calling her names after he marries Antoinette. For example, Antoinette’s husband calls Antoinette as Marionette, the word means doll “to force her to cry and to speak” (93). In my own view, it portrays Antoinette like a doll unlike a human being.
Her husband may hug her and discard her at his pleasure. It also shows her husband treats her like treats a doll. As Jane Eyre refers Antoinette also called Bertha after she marries. For instances, “When he passes my door he says, ‘Good-night, Bertha.’ He never calls me Antoinette now” (68). It shows how Antoinette’s husband becomes coldly to her after she marries. In my own interpretation, Bertha means a deserted wife as Jane Eyre portrays. So Rhys intends to tell the reader what will happen after Antoinette’s name turns into Bertha in this story. It also shows Antoinette’s husband is self-centered after he gets a lot of money from his wife. Before he marries, he pretends to be kind to Antoinette. For instances, Antoinette’s husband tells his bride while Antoinette refuses to marry him “But don’t you remember last night I told you that when you are my wife there would not be any more reason to be afraid?” (46). Like the condition I have mentioned before, Antoinette’s surnames show how her husband dominates her. For example, “Of course, on this of all nights, you must be Bertha” (82). Her surnames also show how her husband dominates her at his pleasure. For instances, while Antoinette complains to her husband why you always call me Bertha, her husband responds that “Because it is a name I’m particularly fond of. I think of you as Bertha” (81). As the obeah tradition portrays, “Part of the ritual of creating a zombie is to baptize the victim with a new name. In traditional African societies, names are so important that a change of name is powerful enough to transform a person’s life.” (88). For example, “Bertha is not my name. You are trying to make me into someone else, calling me by another name” (88). According to the obeah tradition, in my view, Antoinette’s name turns to Bertha to show Antoinette is the victim who suffers from the society which is constructed by patriarchy.
What’s more, I would like to refer the room on the attic. Although Antoinette’s husband doesn’t love her, he still brings her to England and finds a woman to take care of his wife, Antoinette. In my view, it shows Antoinette’s husband wants to dominate and control his wife in her whole life. In my own interpretation, Antoinette likes an innocent person who is put in
jail for the sake of patriarchal domination. And the room on the attic likes a prison which is built by patriarchy. Also Antoinette’s guard, Grace Poole, in my own view, she likes the guard who owns the key and monitors the prisoner in the prison. Also I think Grace Poole is the supporter of the patriarchal domination. Hence, Antoinette must leave this room and becomes free and independent to release from the patriarchal domination. But unfortunately, in the end of story, Antoinette dies for the conflagration. So in my own view, Antoinette may regard as a woman who is dominated by patriarchy in her whole life.
In the second place, I would like to mention Antoinette’s husband also dominated by patriarchy. First of all, I would like to show how English law dominates him. According to the English law refers, “Patrilineal inheritance that granted all land to the eldest son” (41). Antoinette’s husband is a younger son in his family, he can’t inherited any money, land and property from his father so he leaves England and goes to the British colony, West Indies to find some chances to make money for living. Hence, when he hears from Antoinette’s step-brother, Richard Mason tells him if you marry his step-sister, Antoinette, and then you will own a lot of money from Antoinette. In my own view, English law may regard as the patriarchal domination to Antoinette’s husband. Because his older brother may inherit the money but he can’t. In addition to, I would like to refer the letters which are written by Antoinette’s husband. In this story, Antoinette’s husband often writes letters to his father to inform living condition. For instances, “Dear Father. The thirty thousand pounds have been paid to me without question or condition . . . I have a modest competence now. I will never be a disgrace to you or to my dear brother the son you love. No begging letters, no mean requests” (41). In my own view, these letters may regard as the symbol of the patriarchal domination. Because, it seems to, Antoinette’s husband has the obligation must inform his father he marries, his honeymoon, and so on. I don’t know why in these letters he writes to his father doesn’t show any resentments on the English law, his father, and his older brother. It only shows Antoinette’s husband treats his father kind. Because while he lives the West
Indies, Antoinette’s husband often writes his father, he doesn’t intend to forget his father. In my own interpretation, letters also may regard as the bond to the patriarchal domination. Hence, in my own view, Antoinette’s husband may portray as the younger son who enjoys to be dominated by patriarchy.
Besides, I would like to portray Antoinette’s mother, Annette also dominated by patriarchy in her whole life. Like her daughter, Annette’s name also changes twice in her whole life. Before she remarries, she is Annette Cosway. After her husband dies, she remarries to Mr. Mason, her last name turns into Mason. In my own view, Annette’s life is affected by the living condition. Although her husband dies, she can’t escape the control from another man. In order to make a living for her and her children, she remarries to Mr. Mason. In addition to, Annette’s life also dominated by her son. Annette has a son who is an idiot and she has to find a capable doctor who is able to cure her son’s disease. For instances, “She persuaded a Spanish Town doctor to visit my younger brother Pierre who staggered when he walked and couldn’t speak distinctly” (10). Annette loves and takes cares of her son very much than her daughter. There are many examples show how Annette loves her son, as follows. For example, while her daughter has a nightmare and wakes from the dream, Annette sighed and said “You were making such a noise. I must go to Pierre, you’ve frightened him” (16). I am surprised that Annette doesn’t express her comforts to her daughter even complain to her. It is strange. It also shows the patriarchal domination. In order to escape from the slaves’ anger, Annette tells her husband “I will not stay at Coulibri . . . It is not safe for Pierre” (20). While the conflagration happens, Annette saves her son even if her hand is harmful. But she only cares her son and said “His crib was on fire” (24). In my own view, Annette’s behavior may regard as her maternal love for her beloved son. It also shows she is dominated by her son, another kind of patriarchal dominations. In my own interpretation, Annette only cares her son than herself even her daughter, it reveals in her views, the patriarchal domination is reasonable, so she always keeps her son in her mind. It also shows
she can’t escape from the patriarchal domination, so she always bears her son in mind. After the fires, Annette complains and blames to Mr. Mason because he doesn’t accept her suggestion to escape from the slaves’ anger. After her complains, Mr. Mason leaves her and she becomes mad and dies. In my own interpretation, Annette may regard as a woman who is dominated by patriarchy, also deserted by the patriarchy includes her ex-husband, Cosway, her son, Pierre, and her husband, Mr. Mason in her whole life.
Lastly, although there are three characters who are dominated by patriarchy I have mentioned before, I would like to refer Antoinette’s nurse, Christophine who is the only one who escapes from the patriarchal domination to finish this paper. For example, while Antoinette’s husband becomes coldly to her, Christophine tells Antoinette to get away his house, leaves him, and never comes back. In my own view, Christophine is the only one who cares herself rather than the man. For instances, “All women, all colours, nothing but fools. Three children I have. One living in this world, each one a different father, but no husband . . . I keep my money. I don’t give it to no worthless man” (66). In my own interpretation, Christophine is a woman who keeps her female awakening in her mind. She may dominate men, but men could never become her husband.
In conclusion, there are many characters who are dominated by patriarchy. In this story, the male figures includes, father, half-brother, husband, son play an important role to dominate their female family. And the English law, name, surnames, room, attic also support the patriarchal domination. In my view, it is satirically because the only one who may escape from the patriarchal domination is a black woman in this story. In my view, it also shows Rhys’s struggle against the Eurocentrism because the English man, the Creole girl, and the Martinique girl who have the blood of white can’t escape from the patriarchal domination.
Works Cited
Rhys, Jean, and Judith L. Raiskin, eds. Wide Sargasso Sea. New York: Norton, 1999. Print.
Wide Sargasso Sea is a work written by Jean Rhys who was born at Roseau, Dominica, one of the Windward Islands. Rhys writes this story to rewrite Jane Eyre, one of the Victorian novels, written by Charlotte Brontë. In Jane Eyre, Brontë doesn’t refer more about Rochester’s mad wife, Bertha, and Brontë doesn’t tell reader how Bertha becomes a mad woman. But in Wide Sargasso Sea, Rhys focuses on Antoinette’s life and makes Bertha could articulate her life about how she suffered in the racial dimension, the eye of Eurocentrism, and patriarchal domination and how she become a mad woman. This story totally subverts our impression from Jane Eyre and it makes us pity for Rochester’s wife, Bertha for her unhappy and unfortunate events through her narration. In this paper, I would like to focus on how the patriarchal dominations affect many characters’ life in this story.
There are many portrayals of patriarchal dominations in this story. And I would like to present this issue on three characters includes the protagonist, Antoinette, Antoinette’s husband, and Antoinette’s mother, Annette. Also I will refer Antoinette’s nurse, Christophine who is different from these characters dominated by patriarchy even enjoy to be dominated.
Firstly, I would like to focus on the protagonist, Antoinette’s life and reveals how her life is dominated and suffered by patriarchy. First of all, I would like to mention Antoinette’s marriage. Antoinette is a girl and rich because her stepfather, Mr. Mason gives her a lot of money after her mother dies. But Antoinette’s half-brother, Richard Mason who intends to get rid of his half-sister. So Richard Mason finds a man and makes a match between the man and Antoinette and Richard Mason tells her husband if you marry her, and then you will own a lot of money from her.
According to this English law, it shows the law becomes a tool of patriarchal domination:
A wife’s personal property before marriage became her husband’s absolutely, unless settled in trust for her. The husband could assign or dispose of it at his pleasure, whether he and his wife lived together or not. Any income that descended to her as an heiress and any money she earned belonged absolutely to her husband. (66)
In my own interpretation, Antoinette becomes an unhappy woman after her husband becomes coldly to her for her half-brother’s patriarchal domination on planning her marriage. In my view, English law becomes a tool of patriarchal domination. It oppresses women to make women can’t be independent after her marries. And it deprives women's rights of making herself living. For example, Antoinette tells her nurse, Christophine “You must understand I am not rich now, I have no money of my own at all, everything I had belongs to him” (66).
In the second place, I would like to claim that name works as a symbol of patriarchal domination. In this story, Antoinette’s last name totally alters three times in her life. For instance, before her biological father, Mr. Cosway dies, her name is Antoinette Cosway. But after Mr. Cosway dies and her mother remarries to Mr. Mason, her last name changes. Hence, Antoinette Mason becomes her name. Also her last name changes again when she marries to the English gentleman. In my own interpretation, name is the symbol of patriarchal domination on women. Because only women’s last name will change after she marries or remarries. In addition to, Antoinette has many surnames at her husband’s pleasure or intention. Surnames become a strategy for her husband in order to make Antoinette angry, Antoinette’s husband starts calling her names after he marries Antoinette. For example, Antoinette’s husband calls Antoinette as Marionette, the word means doll “to force her to cry and to speak” (93). In my own view, it portrays Antoinette like a doll unlike a human being.
Her husband may hug her and discard her at his pleasure. It also shows her husband treats her like treats a doll. As Jane Eyre refers Antoinette also called Bertha after she marries. For instances, “When he passes my door he says, ‘Good-night, Bertha.’ He never calls me Antoinette now” (68). It shows how Antoinette’s husband becomes coldly to her after she marries. In my own interpretation, Bertha means a deserted wife as Jane Eyre portrays. So Rhys intends to tell the reader what will happen after Antoinette’s name turns into Bertha in this story. It also shows Antoinette’s husband is self-centered after he gets a lot of money from his wife. Before he marries, he pretends to be kind to Antoinette. For instances, Antoinette’s husband tells his bride while Antoinette refuses to marry him “But don’t you remember last night I told you that when you are my wife there would not be any more reason to be afraid?” (46). Like the condition I have mentioned before, Antoinette’s surnames show how her husband dominates her. For example, “Of course, on this of all nights, you must be Bertha” (82). Her surnames also show how her husband dominates her at his pleasure. For instances, while Antoinette complains to her husband why you always call me Bertha, her husband responds that “Because it is a name I’m particularly fond of. I think of you as Bertha” (81). As the obeah tradition portrays, “Part of the ritual of creating a zombie is to baptize the victim with a new name. In traditional African societies, names are so important that a change of name is powerful enough to transform a person’s life.” (88). For example, “Bertha is not my name. You are trying to make me into someone else, calling me by another name” (88). According to the obeah tradition, in my view, Antoinette’s name turns to Bertha to show Antoinette is the victim who suffers from the society which is constructed by patriarchy.
What’s more, I would like to refer the room on the attic. Although Antoinette’s husband doesn’t love her, he still brings her to England and finds a woman to take care of his wife, Antoinette. In my view, it shows Antoinette’s husband wants to dominate and control his wife in her whole life. In my own interpretation, Antoinette likes an innocent person who is put in
jail for the sake of patriarchal domination. And the room on the attic likes a prison which is built by patriarchy. Also Antoinette’s guard, Grace Poole, in my own view, she likes the guard who owns the key and monitors the prisoner in the prison. Also I think Grace Poole is the supporter of the patriarchal domination. Hence, Antoinette must leave this room and becomes free and independent to release from the patriarchal domination. But unfortunately, in the end of story, Antoinette dies for the conflagration. So in my own view, Antoinette may regard as a woman who is dominated by patriarchy in her whole life.
In the second place, I would like to mention Antoinette’s husband also dominated by patriarchy. First of all, I would like to show how English law dominates him. According to the English law refers, “Patrilineal inheritance that granted all land to the eldest son” (41). Antoinette’s husband is a younger son in his family, he can’t inherited any money, land and property from his father so he leaves England and goes to the British colony, West Indies to find some chances to make money for living. Hence, when he hears from Antoinette’s step-brother, Richard Mason tells him if you marry his step-sister, Antoinette, and then you will own a lot of money from Antoinette. In my own view, English law may regard as the patriarchal domination to Antoinette’s husband. Because his older brother may inherit the money but he can’t. In addition to, I would like to refer the letters which are written by Antoinette’s husband. In this story, Antoinette’s husband often writes letters to his father to inform living condition. For instances, “Dear Father. The thirty thousand pounds have been paid to me without question or condition . . . I have a modest competence now. I will never be a disgrace to you or to my dear brother the son you love. No begging letters, no mean requests” (41). In my own view, these letters may regard as the symbol of the patriarchal domination. Because, it seems to, Antoinette’s husband has the obligation must inform his father he marries, his honeymoon, and so on. I don’t know why in these letters he writes to his father doesn’t show any resentments on the English law, his father, and his older brother. It only shows Antoinette’s husband treats his father kind. Because while he lives the West
Indies, Antoinette’s husband often writes his father, he doesn’t intend to forget his father. In my own interpretation, letters also may regard as the bond to the patriarchal domination. Hence, in my own view, Antoinette’s husband may portray as the younger son who enjoys to be dominated by patriarchy.
Besides, I would like to portray Antoinette’s mother, Annette also dominated by patriarchy in her whole life. Like her daughter, Annette’s name also changes twice in her whole life. Before she remarries, she is Annette Cosway. After her husband dies, she remarries to Mr. Mason, her last name turns into Mason. In my own view, Annette’s life is affected by the living condition. Although her husband dies, she can’t escape the control from another man. In order to make a living for her and her children, she remarries to Mr. Mason. In addition to, Annette’s life also dominated by her son. Annette has a son who is an idiot and she has to find a capable doctor who is able to cure her son’s disease. For instances, “She persuaded a Spanish Town doctor to visit my younger brother Pierre who staggered when he walked and couldn’t speak distinctly” (10). Annette loves and takes cares of her son very much than her daughter. There are many examples show how Annette loves her son, as follows. For example, while her daughter has a nightmare and wakes from the dream, Annette sighed and said “You were making such a noise. I must go to Pierre, you’ve frightened him” (16). I am surprised that Annette doesn’t express her comforts to her daughter even complain to her. It is strange. It also shows the patriarchal domination. In order to escape from the slaves’ anger, Annette tells her husband “I will not stay at Coulibri . . . It is not safe for Pierre” (20). While the conflagration happens, Annette saves her son even if her hand is harmful. But she only cares her son and said “His crib was on fire” (24). In my own view, Annette’s behavior may regard as her maternal love for her beloved son. It also shows she is dominated by her son, another kind of patriarchal dominations. In my own interpretation, Annette only cares her son than herself even her daughter, it reveals in her views, the patriarchal domination is reasonable, so she always keeps her son in her mind. It also shows
she can’t escape from the patriarchal domination, so she always bears her son in mind. After the fires, Annette complains and blames to Mr. Mason because he doesn’t accept her suggestion to escape from the slaves’ anger. After her complains, Mr. Mason leaves her and she becomes mad and dies. In my own interpretation, Annette may regard as a woman who is dominated by patriarchy, also deserted by the patriarchy includes her ex-husband, Cosway, her son, Pierre, and her husband, Mr. Mason in her whole life.
Lastly, although there are three characters who are dominated by patriarchy I have mentioned before, I would like to refer Antoinette’s nurse, Christophine who is the only one who escapes from the patriarchal domination to finish this paper. For example, while Antoinette’s husband becomes coldly to her, Christophine tells Antoinette to get away his house, leaves him, and never comes back. In my own view, Christophine is the only one who cares herself rather than the man. For instances, “All women, all colours, nothing but fools. Three children I have. One living in this world, each one a different father, but no husband . . . I keep my money. I don’t give it to no worthless man” (66). In my own interpretation, Christophine is a woman who keeps her female awakening in her mind. She may dominate men, but men could never become her husband.
In conclusion, there are many characters who are dominated by patriarchy. In this story, the male figures includes, father, half-brother, husband, son play an important role to dominate their female family. And the English law, name, surnames, room, attic also support the patriarchal domination. In my view, it is satirically because the only one who may escape from the patriarchal domination is a black woman in this story. In my view, it also shows Rhys’s struggle against the Eurocentrism because the English man, the Creole girl, and the Martinique girl who have the blood of white can’t escape from the patriarchal domination.
Works Cited
Rhys, Jean, and Judith L. Raiskin, eds. Wide Sargasso Sea. New York: Norton, 1999. Print.
全站熱搜
留言列表
{{ article.title }}