This paper analyses the liminal existence of Antoinette in Jean Rhys’ "Wide Sargasso Sea" and Bertha Mason in Charlotte Bronte’s "Jane Eyre". The paper analyses the condition of the characters, especially the creole heiress in both of these novels, under the light of Victor Turner’s theory of Liminality. In doing so, it aims to highlight the importance of a sense of belonging and a foothold in shaping a person’s identity and sanity.
Table of Contents
1. The portrayal of Antoinette in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea and Bertha Mason in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a Liminal persona
2. Analysis of liminal existence under Victor Turner’s theory
3. Attributes of the liminal entity
3.1. Silence and Submissiveness
3.2. The blank slate
3.3. Humility
4. Psychological liminality and surrealist threshold states
5. Conclusion on displacement and identity
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the liminal existence of Antoinette in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea and Bertha Mason in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, utilizing Victor Turner’s theory of liminality to explore how a sense of belonging and external pressures shape identity, sanity, and the experience of "otherness."
- The application of Victor Turner’s theory of liminality to literary characters.
- The contrast between colonial perspectives and the creole experience.
- The psychological impact of social isolation and the loss of agency.
- The symbolic meaning of "liminal spaces" such as the attic and the Wide Sargasso Sea.
- The role of silence, submissiveness, and identity formation in colonial settings.
Extract from the Book
The portrayal of Antoinette in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea and Bertha Mason in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a Liminal persona
The term “liminality” gained popularity in the twentieth century through the works of Victor Turner who expanded Van Gennep’s idea concept in his work. Turner in his “Liminality and Communitas” describes liminality as “passage”, “movement” and “shift in and out of time”. He defined liminal individuals as “neither here and there; they are betwixt and between positions assigned and arrayed by laws, customs ,conventions and ceremony” (359). Liminality is linked with “, invisibility, darkness, wilderness and to an eclipse of the sun and moon” (359) all these things are evident in Bertha’s character in Jane Eyre she looms as an invisible ghost throughout the novel. At time when she is not physically present in the novel her presence can be felt by the reader, outside, as well as the characters, inside the novel.
Summary of Chapters
1. The portrayal of Antoinette in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea and Bertha Mason in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a Liminal persona: Introduces the thesis that Antoinette/Bertha acts as a liminal persona, emphasizing the author's intent to give a voice to the "mad woman" of Jane Eyre.
2. Analysis of liminal existence under Victor Turner’s theory: Applies the three-phase liminal framework to Antoinette's life, arguing she remains stuck in a state of transition without successfully reaching adulthood or societal integration.
3. Attributes of the liminal entity: Examines specific traits defined by Turner, such as the inversion of master-slave roles, silence, submissiveness, and the concept of the "blank slate."
4. Psychological liminality and surrealist threshold states: Investigates the blurring of reality and dreams in Antoinette’s final mental state, linking her actions to Jungian shadow and psychological collapse.
5. Conclusion on displacement and identity: Summarizes how the protagonist's liminality reflects a deeper struggle with displacement, resulting in a fractured identity that cannot survive in a permanent social structure.
Keywords
Liminality, Victor Turner, Wide Sargasso Sea, Jane Eyre, Antoinette Cosway, Bertha Mason, Postcolonialism, Identity, Displacement, Alienation, Silence, Submissiveness, Psychological collapse, Creole, Gender studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper analyzes the characters of Antoinette and Bertha Mason through the lens of Victor Turner’s theory of liminality to understand their identity crises.
What are the primary thematic areas addressed?
Key themes include colonial identity, gender oppression, the transition between childhood and adulthood, and the psychological effects of social exclusion.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to highlight how a lack of belonging and a "liminal" (betwixt and between) existence contributes to the protagonist's loss of sanity and identity.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses literary analysis grounded in anthropological and sociological theories, specifically applying Victor Turner’s "Liminality and Communitas" to the narrative development of the characters.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The body analyzes traits of liminality such as silence, submissiveness, and the "blank slate" concept, while also examining the role of marriage and sexual relations in controlling the protagonist.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as liminality, postcolonialism, identity formation, and the critique of colonial perceptions in literature.
How does the author interpret the title "Wide Sargasso Sea"?
The title is interpreted as a metaphor for the protagonist's condition, representing a space that exists "in-between" cultures, much like the Sargasso Sea exists between two continents.
In what way does the author relate Antoinette’s madness to the liminal theory?
The author suggests that Antoinette’s madness is an "escapist strategy" and a result of her inability to resolve the tension between the world of her childhood and the world imposed upon her by marriage.
What role does the "blank slate" concept play in the analysis?
It is used to describe how external forces, such as her mother’s rejection or her husband’s manipulation, strip Antoinette of her identity, leaving her vulnerable to being defined by others as a "mad woman."
- Arbeit zitieren
- Inbisat Shuja (Autor:in), 2017, The portrayal of Antoinette in "Wide Sargasso Sea" and Bertha Mason in "Jane Eyre" as a Liminal Persona, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/366398
