Why? Sargasso Sea: A Poor Prequel

Wide Sargasso Sea

Book Review by Margaret

Jean Rhys

Rating: 5/10

Date read: 17 February to 2 April

    Wide Sargasso Sea is a 1966 novel written as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’, which serves as a postcolonial and feminist perspective on Bertha’s backstory. The novel presents themes such as ‘Victorian paternalism, sexualised racism and the complex social and political history of the West Indies’ (British Library). 

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Bertha, who is called Antoinette Cosway originally, and Rochester. It begins in Antoinette’s early childhood in her crumbling West Indian family estate and follows her life up until her imprisonment in Thornfield Hall. The story focuses on Antoinette’s relationships with those around her, particularly her mother, her maid Christophine and Rochester himself. The narrative is incredibly sensual and highly charged with anger, fear, bitterness, madness and erotica. This is enhanced by the exotic setting and the reader’s knowledge that all does not turn out well for Antoinette in the end.

I chose to read this book due to my AS Level studies in ‘Jane Eyre’, as it provides a wealth of useful contextual information in understanding and analysing Bronte’s original novel. However, I found the story itself very flat. The writing style was so disconnected and obscure that it was nearly impossible to engage with the characters or events. It is true that this writing style accurately and cleverly reflects the state of Antoinette’s troubled mind and her erratic behaviour, but I found it so incomprehensible as to actually act as a barrier between the reader and any sympathy for Antoinette. Thus, although the novel presents a perfectly valid case for Antoinette (Bertha), in humanising her and explaining her horrific state in ‘Jane Eyre’, it is completely sabotaged by the incoherent narrative.

It is to be confessed on my part that I am not of the Gilbert and Gubarian tribe in my opinion on Bertha and Rochester’s relationship in ‘Jane Eyre’. I cannot believe that Bertha’s madness was purely a result of ‘racism’ and ‘the patriarchy’– even ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ shows her generational and innate tendency towards mentally and emotionally unbalanced behaviour, not to mention her incredibly traumatic childhood. Thus, I am biased in Rochester’s favour in this respect (though many of his actions are inexcusable, though not unforgivable). I find it difficult to take Rhys’ interpretation of Bertha in ‘Jane Eyre’ very seriously, especially when it is presented in such an incongruous and outlandish manner. 

While I agree that the novel succeeded in leaving upon the reader an impression of the great injustice of Antoinette’s life, and the great injustice of Rochester’s treatment of her, I did not feel that it was sufficiently well-written or reasoned out to be considered impactful. Thus, my low rating– yet I must allow for the sublime use of the story’s setting to create the intensely sensual atmosphere which colours the story, a perfect complement to the plot.