Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - Essay Example The novella deals with the issue of how Antoinette falls in to madness, using a variety of narrators to look at this issue from different viewpoints; all of these narrators are taken from Bronte's novel, for example, Rochester, Grace Poole and Antoinette. The novella is therefore directly based on Jane Eyre, but changes the names of the characters, and uses characters taken from this book to expand upon the issues discussed within this book, using other techniques, such as changing the timeframe of the book (to the late 1830's), through which she is then able to discuss the issues she wishes to approach. As such, we can see that Wide Sargasso Sea shows much use of originality, whilst appropriating many of the main features (characters/events etc) from Jane Eyre. Whilst many of Bronte's characters are appropriated by Rhys, they are changed in subtle ways, in order that they can be used by Rhys as devices with which she can make her desired points in the novella. For example, one of the main aims of Wide Sargasso Sea is to discuss the issue of emancipation; Antoinette, and the different timeframe, and the different viewpoints of the narrators are thus used as tools by Rhys to be able to explore this issue. In add