An analysis of the protagonists' mad behaviour in Jean Rhys' "Wide Sargasso Sea" in Hegelian Terms (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Bonn (Institut für Anglistik, Amerikanistik und Keltologie), language: English, abstract: Madness plays an important role in "Wide Sargasso Sea". Therefore, this term paper has the goal of giving a good and detailed depiction of the different ways of madness as both, Antoinette and Rochester, become mad - though extremely different. Hegel's theory of madness will be taken into account in order to portray the protagonist's individual journey into madness and the differences in their self-development. As this psychoanalytical theory represents a good insight in a human being's mind and its constituents, it appears to be an adequate theory for a detailed analysis of Antoinette and Rochester's mental illness.

After having explained Hegel's theory of madness, there will be an overview about the occurrences in Antoinette and Rochester's lives that are significant for their self-development, i.e. their way down into madness. It is relevant to display those happenings since the number of painful experiences both have to endure is enormous and crucial for becoming mad. The last chapter will be the analysis of their individual madness in terms of Hegel. As a consequence, it can be depicted not only how they influenced each other but also how other characters in the novel influenced them. Moreover, the analysis may show how extremely different they try to cope with their painful experiences.

To conclude, at the end of this paper, readers will have alternative views on both, Antoinette and Rochester. Whether one is in favour of Rochester or Antoinette, will then be one's personal choice.