Imminent Tragedy

     So far, Wide Sargasso Sea has not been at all a happy book. Antoinette is followed by anger, fear, and misfortune ever since the beginning of the book. The word "trouble" is the fourth word of the book, signaling to a galore of unhappiness in the next pages. When Antoinette marries Rochester we hear him say:

"Very soon she'll join all the others who know the secret and will not tell it. Or cannot. Or try and fail because they do not know enough. . . . She's one of them. I too can wait--for the day when she is only a memory to be avoided, locked away, and like all memories a legend. Or a lie. . . ."

      By saying this, Rochester transforms Antoinette identity to that of a lie and justifies his own misuse of her, causing more misfortune between the couple. Rochester is becoming more and more cold-hearted to Antoinette, and plans on leaving her, but then in the last moment Christophe comes in and spikes in him a rage that will make him decide to take Antoinette and lock her up and make her his secret. But it is the way that he tells us this that made me realize that he too is becoming a little crazy. The way he addresses her as "my lunatic" does not seem affectionate, but rather, desperate and slightly obsessed. It was it this point that I actually felt a little sorry for Rochester. In this moment we can see how weak he is, how feeble and desperate. He never knew what he was getting into by marrying her until it was too late, and now he is desperate to get something out of this. He is desperate for a type of ultimate control with which he can waive away the past. Rochester is like a child, who tries to hide his broken toy under his bed so he will never see it again. He knows what he has done, he sees what he is left with, and he is hopeless and pitiful. Everything just seems so glum.

      When Christophene comes in, the conversation seems like it could have an effect on Rochester. As the reader, we get a chance of change. Rochester could be hit in some spot of his heart where he would realize or reconsider his attitude. But then, a different chord is struck, and we see outright that there is no more chance. And those who have read Jane Eyre see that this is the point where imminent tragedy develops. In fact, having read Jane Eyre most likely escalates my sense of pity for Rochester near the end of Part 2. I already know that both will be stuck together in misery for a long time to come.