Example English Literature Essay

The Theme of Isolation in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea

Compare and contrast the ways in which the writers presentthe theme of isolation to construct the characters of Rochester, Jane andAntoinette in "Jane Eyre" and "Wide Sargasso Sea".

The theme of isolation is utilisedin English literature to shape the principal characters and provide aparticular vision on some crucial aspects of their identities. The aim of thisessay is to compare and contrast the ways, in which Charlotte Bronte and JeanRhys interpret the theme of isolation to construct such characters as Rochesterand Jane from the novel Jane Eyre and Antoinette from Wide SargassoSea. In these literary works the ideas of isolation are presented as adirect result of characters' loneliness that they have experienced since earlychildhood, thus the writers apply both to social and inner isolation. Thereality, in which these people live, is so harsh that they isolate themselvesfrom the rest of the world. Such alienation is a complex psychological disorderthat influences the formation of characters' identities. Isolation results in theexpulsion of a person from all social affairs and interactions, preventinghim/her to become a full member of society. Although Jean Rhys utilises the similaridea of isolation as Bronte's narration, she provides her own interpretation ofthis issue. Contrary to Bronte, the writer considers that madness of a woman isnot innate, but rather is a consequence of the injured self that is formed in aperson because of isolation and oppression. In this regard, isolation isperceived by characters as a certain rescue that seems to save them for a timebeing, but, in fact, it gradually destroys these protagonists. The fact is thatthe identity of a person is created through certain social and culturalinteractions with people, but isolation deprives him/her of acquiring the completenessof identity.

Jane Eyre and Antoinette Cosway,the principal female characters of Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea,are portrayed as entirely isolated personalities who, despite the differentbackground and different living conditions, experience similar loneliness anddespair. Jane is a little orphan who is treated cruelly by her aunt and who isisolated from the rest of the household. When Jane is sent into LowoodInstitution, her isolation is aggravated; she is transformed into a reserved andserious woman with low self-esteem and lack of hopes. Similar to Jane,Antoinette's isolation starts at home and continues in the nunnery, influencingher identity. She spends almost all time in the room and close people regardher as mad, although she acts in a rather normal way. But, contrary to Jane, suchprolonged isolation results in more complex psychological destruction andfurther madness of Antoinette. As she claims at the beginning of thenarration, no one came near us. I got used to a solitary life (Rhys 18). Noone notices her and her family; instead people betray her trust and hopes. Antoinette'sisolation in childhood shapes her personality, negatively influencing her adultlife and relations with people. This vulnerable and emotionally destroyed womanlives in her own created world, and when Rochester, a person whom she loves,alienates from her, she can no longer endure this isolation. Antoinette seekslove and attention, but her own husband fails to understand her.

Rhys reveals that Rochester'sisolation can't be explained by his severity; instead he is portrayed as adestroyed personality who is forced to marry a person chosen by his family andwho has to live in a place alien to him. Antoinette regards Rochester'salienation as his inability to accept something that is different from hiswell-ordered life and habits. As a result of Rochester's alienation, hisattitude to Antoinette is sometimes negative, and gradually, she is transformedinto a mad female, like her own mother, but Rhys opposes to the view thatAntoinette inherits this madness from her mother. Instead, throughout thenarration she stresses on the fact that isolation inevitably brings a woman tothis psychological disorder. Antoinette's mind is split and she flees into thepast, isolating herself not only from the outside world, but also from herpresent life. Such isolation appears to be really dangerous for such asensitive woman, and, as Coral Howells puts it, Antoinette's moment ofauthenticity is also the moment of her destruction (121). In pursuit ofescaping this isolation, Antoinette commits a suicide.

Thus, Antoinette fails to eliminatethe negative emotions and feelings that are evoked by her loneliness andisolation. Although Jane Eyre also experiences anger and scorn towards herrelatives, she manages to destroy these emotions. Unlike Antoinette, this youngwoman who feels isolation since childhood meets a person who experiences thesame loneliness, and falls in love with him. This powerful feeling saves herfrom despair and finally destroys her isolation, she no longer wants toalienate from people, and especially from Rochester. The relations between Janeand Rochester differ from the relations between Rochester and Antoinette; inthe case of Bronte's narration both characters destroy their isolation and findnecessary strength in each other, they are identical in many ways and areunable to live apart. As Jane claims, I am mot talking to you now through themedium of custom, conventionalities or even of mortal flesh; - it is my spiritthat addresses your spirit equal, - as we are! (Bronte 238). Rochester'swives have really traumatic past that is aggravated by their isolation, butthey respond differently to it. Although Jane loses her parents and isconstantly ignored by society, her isolation helps her to develop some skillsthat provide her with necessary strength and allow her to overcome negativefeelings. She becomes a mature young woman who possesses own viewpoints and whois able to evoke powerful feelings in another person. Jane expresses her dreamsand loneliness in her beautiful drawings that allow her to successfully copewith her isolation. When Jane learns about Rochester's wife, she decides toisolate herself from him, but finally she feels that he needs her and returnsto him. Being an orphan, Jane understands that she has nobody to rely on, andshe learns to rely only on herself. Contrary to Jane, Antoinette lives with hermother at the beginning, but she is alienated from her, because her mother isattached only to her brother, and when she loses him, she is destroyed.

As a naive and lonely girl,Antoinette finds comfort in her isolation, but deep inside she strives forattention and love. When she marries Rochester, she believes and trusts him,considering that he is her closest person. But when his attitude towards herchanges, she isolates herself from him, destroying their relations. Accordingto Schapiro, Both characters are furious at being unrealised by the other(99). Unlike Jane who becomes mature in Lowood School, Antoinette remains alittle child who is greatly depended on other people and who is unable to actindependently. In this regard, Antoinette's madness aggravates alienation ofRochester who isolates himself even more after his unsuccessful marriage.Rochester finds it impossible to love a woman who is imposed on him, and whenhe starts to name her Bertha, he reveals his isolation from her. WhenRochester meets Jane, he is attracted to her from the very start, but he findsit difficult to trust a woman again. He makes constant attempts to alienatefrom her, but he is unable to escape his feelings. Therefore, Antoinette'sisolation from reality and from close people slightly differs from isolation ofJane and Rochester. Their isolation is of different nature, they are sociallyisolated human beings. This especially concerns Jane who is distinctlyalienated from society throughout the narration. When she marries Rochester, amember of the upper class, she still distances herself from others. Contrary toAntoinette who sometimes applies to provoking behaviour to attract attention ofpeople towards her, Jane limits her relations to some close people. But unlikeAntoinette, she doesn't isolate herself from reality, trying to overcome thedifficulties with her powerful spirit and moral principles.

Perhaps, Jane's social isolation isexplained by the fact that this young woman is unable to accept society thathas constantly pushed her away. In childhood, instead of playing with children,Jane sits in the room in Gateshead listening to the sound of the piano or harpplayed belowthe jingling of glass the broken hum of conversation (Bronte 21).She is prohibited to enter the drawing room; only these sounds unite Jane withthe world. Such isolation deprives Jane of any social interactions with other childrenor adults, resulting in her loneliness. As Jane claims, Long did the hoursseem while I awaited the departure of the company, and listened for the soundof Bessie's step on the stairs (Bronte 22). Bessie is the only person in thishouse who helps Jane to endure her complex position. Further in the school Janemeets Helen Burns and Miss Temple, the persons who have greatly influenced thecharacter's identity. Due to their close relations, Jane starts to feel warmth,love and sympathy, gradually destroying her negative feelings. Unlike Jane,Antoinette doesn't have such people in her life, thus her isolation andloneliness result in the tragic end. While Jane finally finds her identity,Antoinette's alienation complicates her relations with people. As Schapiro putsit, Rhys's novel explores a psychological condition of profound isolation andself-division (84).

Antoinette's lack of identity makesher rather helpless. Jane is simply isolated from society, but Antoinette isdestroyed by society, because she is depended on people that reject her. As aresult of her isolation, Antoinette is unable to understand her true self orform definite principles. Such inner tension deprives the female character ofnormal life and reveals a complex position of a woman in a patriarchal world.Although Jane is portrayed in the similar social context, she manages toovercome these biases and make other people respect her. She possesses morestrength and restraint than Antoinette, that's why Jane's isolation doesn'tdestroy her, as she finds her identity. But Antoinette's inability to acquireidentity deprives her of normal life and happiness. She is constantly utilisedas an object, but is never accepted as a woman with willpower and strength.Thus, Antoinette's madness is a tragic sequel of her isolation. When shemarries Rochester, she makes an attempt to overcome this isolation, but as Rhysclaims, You can pretend for a long time, but one day it all falls away and youare alone (130).

Analysing the ways in which thewriters present the theme of isolation to construct the characters ofRochester, Jane and Antoinette from Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea,the essay suggests that Bronte and Rhys provide both similar and differentinterpretations of this issue. Jane and Antoinette are brought up in thesimilar environment and are constantly isolated from society. It is in thisisolation that these young women find necessary solace from the cruel reality,but, though this isolation seems rescued for a while, it finally negativelyinfluences the characters' identity. Due to the fact that isolation of thesecharacters is of different nature, their destinies are also different. Jane issocially isolated throughout the narration, but she manages to find heridentity and overcome negative feelings, and, although she is still alienatedfrom the rest of society, she is very close with some people who love her.Antoinette is not only socially isolated, but she is also mentally isolatedfrom reality. Contrary to Jane, she fails to acquire her identity; as a result,isolation and loneliness finally destroy her mind and make her commit asuicide. The lack of social relations and solitude of Antoinette deprive her ofthe possibility to recognise her true self. Her sensitive nature wantsattention and love, but when she fails to receive them, she creates an unrealworld, isolating herself even from her husband. Rochester is also isolated fromsociety and from Antoinette, but his isolation is connected with his inabilityto accept an imposed marriage and everything that is different from hiswell-ordered existence. Rochester's attempts to isolate himself from Janereveal that he is afraid of powerful feelings; as his marriage with one womanfails, he alienates from other females as well. Besides, Rochester is fullyignored by his own family, thus all three principal characters are isolated inone way or another, either from society or from reality.