Feminism In Wide Sargasso Sea

In her short novel Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys critiques the patriarchal structure of 19th century Jamaica through the story of the novel’s main antagonist, “madwoman” Antoinette. Living in a world where her European and indigenous heritage are clashing due to political events, Antoinette faces a crisis in choosing which culture to pursue and please. The Emancipation Act of 1833 destroyed the livelihood of many slave owners such as Antoinette’s father who drank himself to death shortly after the Act was passed. In her early childhood, Antoinette is ostracized by both her European heritage as her family’s fortune has crumbled, and her indigenous heritage as their servants maintain their distance from the failing family. Raised by a mother who makes no attempt to properly nurture her children, Antoinette lacks a strong female role model to guide her through adolescence. Taking after her mother, Antoinette is often faced with intense feelings of intimacy and embraces her sensuality. These feelings are often suppressed by European culture, especially for women. Yet, although convention discouraged her sensuality Rochester, her eventual husband, lusts after the Caribbean women, which only deepens Antoinette’s moral crisis. As the novel draws closer and closer to its final pages, Rochester fights to keep Antoinette’s sensuality suppressed and attempts to become the dominant

Alvarez 2 figure in a household once controlled by Antoinette’s surrogate mother, Christophine. By the end of the novel, Antoinette goes mad and decides to free her suppressed passion with the end of the book implying she lights the house on fire, symbolizing the final release of her passion.

Only one female character in the novel proves to be a positive role model...

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... is a woman shows her development and growth through trial and error. Throughout the novel, fire was a symbol of passion and in the last scene, Antoinette has finally controlled her passion, held by a single candle. As she walks it down the stairs, it becomes her decision

Alvarez 5 to envelope her femininity with the flames of her independence and sensuality. Antoinette awakens from this dream and accepts that this dream should be played out in her own reality. At this point, her awakening is not only literal, but figurative. It is at this point she chooses to abandon the role of a traditional woman and become independent. She gets up from her bed, lights a candle and walks it down the stairs. The flame, her passion and sensuality, is the only thing that can guide her through the darkness of the hall. Finally, Antoinette is a women free of all but her own actions.