The Dialectics of Hysterical Desires in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea

• Main Authors: Liu, Hsuan-Yu, 劉軒妤
• Other Authors: Lim, Kien-Ket
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/07143083681830731484

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 外國語文學系外國文學與語言學碩士班 === 98 === This thesis adopts a psychoanalytic reading to analyze Jean Rhys’ novel Wide Sargasso Sea. Under such a framework, I discuss Rochester and Berthas’ hysterical desire and study the reasons why Bertha has gone mad and Rochester’s behavior has turned so cold and unfriendly. The thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter one introduces the main reasons why I want to make an analysis on Wide Sargasso Sea. Chapter two concerns what Rochester fears and desires. I will further elucidate Rochester’s hysterical desire as derived from his letter to his father. What Rochester longs for is his father’s love and recognition. Chapter three clarifies the origin of Antoinette’s madness. Her madness is not passed down by her mother; instead, her childhood memories and hysterical desire in gaining love from Rochester have both contributed to her madness. In chapter four, I respond to Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar’s view of Jane and Bertha being each own double. A discussion of Jane and Bertha relationship highlights Rochester as a hysterical subject who has falsely identified with his father’s desire. Finally, this thesis unveils what it would be like to falsely identify with the desire of the Other and what a hysterical subject means in this context. Using the findings above, I unearth the hidden message of Wide Sargasso Sea.