Summary Of The Book The Wide Sargasso Sea takes the reader back to the time when the Jamaicans had just received freedom from being under the British rule.
There are three parts in this book, each of them documenting the life of Antoinette, from the time of her childhood to getting married to Mr. Rochester, followed by her relocation to England.
The first part of the book goes back to the time spent by Antoinette in Jamaica, along with the numerous tragedies that befall her brothers and the mental issues faced by her mother. Antoinette herself narrates this part.
In the second part, Antoinette gets married to Mr. Rochester, followed by a series of events that lead to mistrust among the young couple. All these factors contributed to the worsening state of Antoinette’s mental health, which was already disturbed.
In the third part of the book, Antoinette aka Bertha moves to the Rochester Mansion, which she also refers to as the ‘Great House’. Mr. Rochester keeps her secluded from society, and promises to come and spend time with her more often. Instead, he begins to carry on affairs with other women, after which Bertha decides to kill herself, assuming that it is her true purpose.
Wide Sargasso Sea is a prequel to the novel Jane Eyre, published in the year 1847, by Charlotte Bronte. The book was highly appreciated by its readers, which resulted in several adaptations. In the year 1993, a film adaptation of the book was released, followed by an opera adaptation in the year 1997, and a Television series in the year 2006. In the year 2011, a song adaptation of this book was written by Stevie Nicks.
About Jean Rhys The author of this book, Jean Rhys, was a renowned writer whose works gained recognition in the middle of the 20th century. Some of the books published by the author include The Complete Novels, Tales of the Wide Caribbean, and Tigers Are Better-Looking: With A Selection from ‘The Left Bank’.
The author hailed from Roseau, Dominica, and studied at the Convent School, followed by Perse School for Girls located in Cambridge. She also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the year 1909, but was forced to be leave, as she was unable to speak ‘proper English’. The author passed away in the year 1979, prior to finishing her autobiography.
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