Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Part of BBC’s “100 Stories that shaped the World” list, I thought it would be fun to keep track of all the works I have read that are listed.
I should begin by saying that this story is a sort of prequel to the original Jane Eyre, focusing on Mrs. Rochester.
If I still had my copy of this book, it would have a spot on my permanent book shelf. It not only holds a special place in my heart, but also played a crucial role in my academic and personal endeavours in studying and reviewing literature. 11 years ago I took my first English literature course as part of my undergraduate studies and Wide Sargasso Sea was part of the rather extensive required reading list, including Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Charles Dicken’s Great Expectations and an anthology of poems. I decided to read this one before reading anything else on the reading list, mostly because it was the shortest work and seemed less intimidating.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into, especially because I had no connection to Jane Eyre and did not understand any references to the characters. Nevertheless, it was haunting, made my skin crawl and had a lasting impression on me for the last 11 years. Obviously, I had many “aha” moments when I finally did read Jane Eyre and things made a whole lot more sense.
Looking back, I still can’t decide which to read first: Jane Eyre or Wide Sargasso Sea. Starting with the first many references and connections would make greater sense when reading the latter. But having read the latter first, it was possible for me to focus more on the work at hand, without continuously making comparisons with the first.
Overall, it is a story, I believe, everyone interested in English literature should read.
