Monstrosity in Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Charlotte Bronte in her novel "Jane Eyre" and Jean Rhys in her novel "Wide Sargasso Sea" tell the same story of humanity and monstrosity, sanity and madness, but the monsters are different. The author points out that Bronte comes from romanticism and Gothicism movements in literature; whereas, Rhys, generations later, reflexes modernism and surrealism. The paper relates that Bronte's madwoman, "beastly Bertha Mason", imprisoned in the attic, is described as unfeminine and inhumane, and example of how a Victorian lady ought not to behave. The author highlights that Jean Rhys tells a more complete story of "Bertha Mason" who in this story is really Antoinette, the first Mrs. Rochester. The paper states that, in this version, this character is not regarded as being a monster but rather is pitied. The author concludes that, in Rhys' novel, Mr. Rochester is the monstrosity because of his lack of humanity and compassion.

From the Paper:

"It shouldn't go without saying, however, that some critics believe "Jane Eyre" was before it's time in its view of the humane and inhumane. It is believed that perhaps Charlotte Bronte, despite a Victorian upbringing, was making a statement about her society's expectation and marginalization of women. In "Jane Eyre", Bertha Mason, despite being described as physically frightening, ghastly and intimidating, is not described as being cruel to the protagonist, nor is she described as having inhumane personal qualities. In fact, it is quite the opposite."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Beaty, Jerome. Misreading Jane Eyre. Ohio: Ohio State University Press, 1996.
• Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Richard Nemesvari. Broadview Press: Jan. 1999.
• Edwards, Mike. Charlotte Bronte: The Novels. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999.
• Glen, Heather. Charlotte Bronte: The Imagination in History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic. The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. London: New Haven, 1979.

More papers on Monstrosity in Literature:

• Analytical Essay # 136716 : "Death in LIterature"
• Comparison Essay # 68783 : "Monsters in Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 31287 : "Searching for a History of Humanity"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: