The Postcolonial Rewriting of Colonial Stories: Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Rewriting Colonial Stories

1.1 The Need to Rewrite Jane's Story

1.2 Intertextuality in the Novels

2. The Construction of Otherness

2.1 The Dichotomy Between Europe and Its Others

2.2 Knowledge is Power

3. Other Modes of 'In-Betweenness'

3.1 Marginality and Madness

3.2 Translation

3.3 The Fear of “Going Native”

4. Beyond Rewriting

4.1 Local Knowledge

4.2 Limits of Speaking

Conclusion

Research Objectives and Core Themes

The thesis aims to examine how Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea functions as a postcolonial rewriting of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, specifically focusing on how the former grants a voice to the marginalized 'mad' figure of Bertha Mason while critiquing colonial power structures.

• The intertextual relationship between Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea.
• Postcolonial representations of Otherness and racial stereotyping.
• The link between knowledge, power, and cultural displacement.
• The concept of the 'subaltern' and the limitations of expressing native voices.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Introduction: Provides the contextual background of the two novels and outlines the thesis's goal of exploring the postcolonial perspective in rewriting colonial narratives.

1. Rewriting Colonial Stories: Discusses the necessity of rereading canonical texts through a postcolonial lens to challenge European-centred representations.

2. The Construction of Otherness: Analyzes how racial stereotypes and the binary division between the European 'Self' and the colonized 'Other' function in both novels.

3. Other Modes of 'In-Betweenness': Examines the psychological impacts of marginality, madness, and the cultural discomfort experienced by characters attempting to bridge different societal worlds.

4. Beyond Rewriting: Explores the role of local knowledge and the challenges of representing subaltern voices within the structure of a novel.

Conclusion: Synthesizes how Wide Sargasso Sea operates as an independent work that critiques colonialism while providing a necessary counter-narrative to Jane Eyre.

Keywords

Postcolonialism, Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys, Charlotte Brontë, Otherness, Rewriting, Intertextuality, Subaltern, Colonialism, Racial Stereotyping, Marginality, Antoinette Mason, Bertha Mason, Edward Rochester.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core subject of this thesis?

The work focuses on the postcolonial rewriting of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre by Jean Rhys in her novel Wide Sargasso Sea, specifically examining themes of identity, power, and marginalization.

What are the primary thematic fields covered?

The thesis explores postcolonial theory, intertextual literary analysis, the construction of 'Otherness', and the political implications of gender and colonial status.

What is the main objective or research question?

The main goal is to determine in which aspects Wide Sargasso Sea acts as a rewriting of Jane Eyre and how it enables the formerly silenced character of Bertha Mason to gain a unique, independent narrative.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The author uses literary criticism, postcolonial theoretical frameworks—drawing on scholars like Edward Said and Gayatri Spivak—and comparative textual analysis.

What topics are discussed in the main body?

The body chapters detail the intertextual connection between the characters, the binary construction of European versus non-European identities, the impact of cultural knowledge, and the challenge of representing the subaltern voice.

Which keywords define this work?

Key terms include Postcolonialism, Intertextuality, Subaltern, Otherness, Local Knowledge, and Colonial discourse.

How does the thesis define the 'subaltern' in the context of the novel?

It applies the term, primarily via Spivak, to characters who lack access to social mobility, such as Christophine, who serves as a native figure challenging colonial power despite being marginalized.

What specific conclusion does the author reach regarding the character of Christophine?

The author argues that while Christophine is arguably the 'subaltern' of the novel, she successfully delivers a frontal assault against colonial power structures and serves as a model of resistance.