FAMILY INFLUENCE TOWARD ANTOINETTE COSWAY ALIAS
BERTHA MASON’S PERSONALITY CHANGES IN JANE RHYS’S
WIDE SARGASSO SEA
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
WIDHI ANUGRAH FITRIANINGSIH
Student Number: 044214044
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
WIDHI ANUGRAH FITRIANINGSIH
Student Number: 044214044
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
vi
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my highest gratitude to God who has given
me strength, power and love to accomplish this thesis. I will never be able to finish this
thesis without His help.
My deepest appreciation will be expressed to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti,
S.Pd., M.Hum., for guiding me in the process of writing this undergraduate thesis
patiently. Then I am indebted to my co advisor Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S.,
M.Hum., who has checked my thesis and given me valuable suggestions. I would also
like to express my grateful appreciation to Mbak Nik, all lecturers, and staff of the
English Letters Department for their valuable knowledge during my study in this
faculty.
I would also like to express my deepest respect and grateful gratitude for my
beloved parents, bapak and ibu, for their support and love. I will be nothing without
them. I also give my gratitude to my only sister for everything she has done for me.
I would like to say my thanks to my best friends Annie, Ruri, Melanie (I thank
God I’ve known all of you); all of my friends in my boarding house, Wanti, Rista, Aris,
Mbak Vivi, Mbak Nyit-Nyit, Mbak Asri, Eni (we have wonderful time together); all of
my friends in English Letters Department 2004, and everybody whom I cannot mention
one by one, I thank for everything I have learned from all of them.
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MOTTO PAGE ... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS... v
PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN KARYA ... vi
A. Background of the Study ... 1
B. Problem Formulation ... 4
C. Objectives of the Study ... 5
D. Definition of Terms ... 5
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ... 7
A. Review of Related Studies ... 7
B. Review of Related Theories ... 9
1. Theory of Character ... 10
2. The Relation between Literature and Psychology ... 13
3. Theory on Personality ... 14
4. Family Influence on Personality ... 20
C. Theoretical Framework ... 23
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 25
A. Object of the Study ... 25
B. Approach of the Study ... 26
C. Method of the Study ... 27
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. The Characteristics of Antoinette Cosway before Rochester Calls Her Bertha Mason ... 29
B. The Changes of Antoinette Cosway’s Personality after Rochester Calls Her Bertha Mason ... 37
C. The Influence of Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s Family toward her Personality Changes ... 47
1. Annette’s Influence ... 49
2. Rochester’s Influence ... 52
x
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 61
xi University. 2009.
Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea is a novel that tells about Antoinette Cosway’s life since she was a child until she married Rochester. During her life, Antoinette shows personality changes. As a woman who lives in a solitary life, her family gives a big influence toward her personality changes.
The first objective of this study is to discover Antoinette Cosway’s characteristics. The second objective is to reveal Antoinette’s personality changes. The third objective of this study is to find out the influence of Antoinette’s family toward her personality changes.
Library research was the method that is used in this study. This method means the writer uses books, theories that related to the topic. The theory on character was applied to answer the first problem. The second problem was solved by applying theory on personality, while to find out the answer of the third problem then the theory about family influence on personality was applied. The psychological approach was used as the device to analyze the problems because it provides psychological theories that are needed by the writer to analyze how the family influences toward Antoinette’s personality changes.
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ABSTRAK
WIDHI ANUGRAH FITRIANINGSIH.Family Influence toward Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s Personality Changes in Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University. 2009.
Wide Sargasso Sea adalah sebuah novel karya Jean Rhys yang bercerita tentang kehidupan Antoinette Cosway sejak dia masih kecil hingga dia menikah dengan Rochester. Dalam hidupnya Antoinette mengalami perubahan kepribadian. Sebagai seorang wanita yang hidup dalam kesendirian, keluarganya memberikan pengaruh yang besar terhadap perubahan kepribadian yang terjadi pada Antoinette.
Tujuan pertama penelitian ini untuk mengetahui sifat Antoinette Cosway. Tujuan yang kedua untuk menunjukkan perubahan kepribadian Antoinette. Tujuan yang ketiga untuk mengetahui peranan keluarga Antoinette dalam mempengaruhi perubahan kepribadiannya.
Metode studi pustaka digunakan dalan studi ini. Metode ini menggunakan buku-buku, teori-teori yang berkaitan dengan topik yang dibahas. Teori tentang tokoh digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan pertama. Permasalahan kedua diselesaikan dengan menggunakan teori kepribadian, sedangkan untuk menjawab permasalahan ketiga digunakan teori tentang pengaruh keluarga terhadap kepribadian. Pendekatan psikologi digunakan sebagai alat untuk menganalisis peranan keluarga dalam mempengaruhi perubahann kepribadian Antoinette karena pendekatan ini memberikan teori-teori yang dibutuhkan oleh penulis.
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A. Background of the Study
Literature is not defined easily. Barnet, Berman, and Burto state in An
Introduction to Literature that the word literature can be used to refer to anything
written (1993: 1). However, that definition is too broad and too narrow; it is too broad
because it includes any types of writing such as recipes, news report, application letter,
and so on. On the other hand, that definition is too narrow because it excludes play
performance, ballads that are sung, or stories that are recited. Eagleton also finds that
literature is difficult to be defined. Eagleton argues if literature is defined as imaginative
writing, it is not always true because literary work may use both true and fictional
events (1996: 1). Finally, Eagleton concludes that literature cannot be objectively
defined; it leaves the definition of literature up to how somebody decides to read a
literary work, not to the nature of what is written (1996: 7). When someone reads a
literary work as an image of human life or because of its artistic style, it means he reads
it as literature. However, when someone reads a work to get information about historical
event or knowledge he does not read it as literature.
Besides play and poetry, a novel is also an example of literary work. A novel can
be fiction, non fiction, or combination of fiction and non fiction. A novel is called
non-fiction when it is based on the true story and called non-fiction when it is just the
imagination of the author. Rohrberger and Woods say that a primary assumption of the
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and abundant to create the illusion of authenticity to the material facts of the everyday
world. Because of that we can describe a novel into one word that is “realistic” (1971:
29). The fact that novel is a realistic work makes the writer decides to analyze a novel
because something realistic is closer to our daily life. Therefore, it will be easier to
imagine and analyze something that is close with the daily life. In this study the writer
will study a novel that is written by Jean Rhys titled Wide Sargasso Sea. Rhys’s Wide
Sargasso Seais a novel which tells about Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s life,
how her life when she was young until she married Rochester.
Abcarian and Klotz in Literature: The Human Experience state that writing
about literature is an act that compel the students to discover and come to terms with an
author’s work and his own often complex response to it (1978: 1141). So, in this study
the writer will analyze an intrinsic element of a novel which is character as the writer’s
responses after reading Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea. According to Stanton in An
Introduction to Fiction, a novel usually presents in details the development of a
character, or a large complex social situation, or a relationship involving many
characters, or a complicated event covering many years, or a complex relationship
among a few characters (1965: 44). It means that a character in a novel is told in details,
so the reader can analyze his or her characteristic deeper. The character in this novel
that is interesting to the writer is Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason.Wide Sargasso
Sea tells about Antoinette’s life but the narrator of this novel is not Antoinette herself.
Thus, the novel becomes unique because it is told from different point of view. There
are three narrators in this novel, the narrator of the first part is Antoinette herself, the
third part is Grace Poole and Antoinette. Different narrators who tell about Antoinette
give the writer more information about Antoinette’s characteristics. Other’s opinions
about Antoinette make the writer’s analysis about Antoinette’s characteristics become
more objective. Moreover, the writer finds this character is interesting because she is the
same character in the same novel but she has different name. This character is
interesting not merely because she has different name but the changing of her name is
followed by the changing of her personality. Hurlock in Personality Developmentsays
that a person usually has desire to change his personality and the change can be either
for better or for the worse (1974: 108). Unfortunately, Antoinette’s personality change s
not for better but for the worse. Antoinette, who is silent and calm when faces any
problems, changes to be a brutal woman even people around her think that she is crazy.
Everybody must pass some stages of life as mentioned in Pikunas’s Human
Development: An Emergent Science that human stages of life are prenatal period, birth
and infancy, childhood, adolescence, adult phase of life, declining phases, final decline
and death (1976: 387-393). Human do not only grow older by passing those stages, but
their personality also develop. Munn in The Evolution and Growth of Human Behavior
says the conditions of which produce changes in personality as the individual grows
older also differ in nature and potency at various age levels (1959: 448). From that
statement the writer concludes that Bertha Mason must have passed some experiences in
her life so that her life is worse and make people think she is mad. Moreover, inHuman
Development, Hurlock cites Davis and Havighurst’s statement about how social and
environmental conditions can produce personality changes. They say that new situation
4
himself (1974: 107). It means, actually, personality changes cannot be separated from
social and environmental condition. Considering Antoinette lives in a solitary life, that
makes Antoinette just knows her family in her life, the writer will analyze how the
members of Antoinette’s family influence Antoinette’s personality changes. Antoinette
is afraid of stranger and she prefers alone to meeting people. Consequently, family is the
only place where she has social experiences. The writer’s choice to analyze how
Antoinette’s family influences her personality changes is supported by Stagner in
Psychology of Personality Development. Stagner mentions that the first social factor
influencing the individual is the family situation, the treatment received from parents in
terms of affection, authority, and discipline (1984: 344). For common people who
connect with the outside, family still becomes the first social factor influencing
individual’s personality. So, for a kind of person like Antoinette, who never makes
conversation to the others, family will play important role toward her personality
including influencing her to change her personality.
B. Problem Formulation
From the background above, then the problems arise. So, in order to limit the
discussion it is better to clarify the problems.
1. What are the characteristics of Antoinette Cosway before Rochester calls her Bertha
Mason?
2. What are the changes of Antoinette Cosway’s personality after Rochester calls her
3. What influences are given by Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s family
toward her personality changes?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to find out the answers of those problems above.
The first problem formulation is about the intrinsic element of the novel because the
understanding about intrinsic element of the novel will give deeper understanding about
the novel. Since the writer will analyze personality changes, so the intrinsic element that
is needed by the writer to analyze Antoinette’s personality is characteristic. Finding
Antoinette’s characteristics help the writer to analyze how Antoinette Cosway’s
personality changes because someone’s personality can be known through his
characteristics. Knowing Antoinette’s characteristics before Rochester calls her Bertha
help the writer to know what characteristics that are changing after Rochester calls her
Bertha. So, the writer knows what personality that changes through the changing of
Antoinette’s characteristics. It means the second problem can be answered. After
knowing the changes of Antoinette’s personality, the writer will find out what aspects
that influence her personality changes and the writer is narrowing the aspect that
influences her personality changes by analyzing the family influence only. The answer
of what influences are given by Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s family toward
her personality changes is the last objective of this study that also the focus of this
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D. Definition of Terms
To avoid misunderstanding, the writer gives the definition of some terms.
1. Character
According to Abrams, character is a person presented in a dramatic or narrative
work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional
qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do (1981: 20). In this
study, the writer discusses the character of Antoinette Cosway in Wide Sargasso Sea
and then Antoinette’s named will be changed into Bertha Mason by her husband. Even
though this character has different name but Antoinette Cosway and Bertha Mason is
the same person.
2. Personality Change
Hurlock in Personality Development defines change as to alter or to vary.
However it does not necessarily mean that the alteration or variation will be complete.
The personality can change in some areas and remain persistent in others (1974: 108).
So, when someone changes his personality it does not mean his personality will totally
change so he will transform into new person or he is like reborn, because there are some
traits that do not change.
3. Trait
Hornby in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionarydefines trait as an element in
someone’s personality (1995: 1268). As a general definition Hornby’s definition is not
really clear. Clear definition about trait as a psychological term is explained by Hurlock
which consists of a group of related and consistent reactions characteristic of a person’s
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
In this chapter, the writer presents review of related studies that contain some
criticisms about the novel. The writer also presents some applied theories in analyzing
this thesis. Theoretical framework will support the connectivity of those theories and
how they work together to support this analysis.
A. Review of Related Studies
Keunjung Cho in Contextualizing Racialized Interpretations of Bertha Mason's
Character, writes that in Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys retells Bertha Mason story in Jane
Eyrebut through Bertha’s voice.
Rhys' work "retells" portions of Bronte's story through the voice of the oppressed Bertha, whose imprisonment in Thornfield's attic arguably represented the oppression of a racial inferior, a half-Jamaican Creole (http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bronte/cbronte/cho10.html).
That opinion says that Antoinette’s characteristics that were created by Rhys later
transforms into Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre. It means Antoinette Cosway and the mad
woman named Bertha Mason inJane Eyreare same character. However,Wide Sargasso
Sea tells about Bertha Mason alias Antoinette’s life more completely than Jane Eyre
because the parts where Bertha Mason appears inJane Eyreare retold inWide Sargasso
Sea. Jane Eyre just tells about Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason after she is
locked by her husband in Thornfield Hall but Wide Sargasso Sea is told about
treatment toward Antoinette makes her depress and does brutal actions. Therefore,
people think that she is mad.
Lewis argues that Antoinette’s madness is created by the opinion of her husband
who believes that Antoinette’s mother madness must be passed down to her daughter
(www.english-literature.org/essays/bronte_rhys.html). Based on Lewis’ opinion actually
Antoinette’s madness is created by her husband opinion who believes that if
Antoinette’s mother is mad so, her daughter must inherit her madness.
The other opinion is stated by Judie Newman in The Colonial Voice in the
Motherland, Newman mentions that Antoinette Cosway loses her voice because her
husband controls her (1995: 48). According to Newman, the way Rhys arranged her
story shows that Antoinette loses her power because her husband controls her by taking
her voice. Antoinette’s husband, Rochester, takes Antoinette’s voice in part two of the
novel. The narrator in part one of this novel is Antoinette herself then, in the second
part, the story is changed into Rochester’s voice. Rochester’s control over Antoinette
leads her into misery. Antoinette’s marriage should give her happiness and a new life
but what she gets is the opposite. Antoinette loses her money, her freedom, her husband
and her marriage falls apart. A sign that Antoinette’s marriage will fall into unhappy
marriage, actually, can be seen when Rochester gives her a false smile in his own
wedding. It is just like what is stated by Clara Calvo and Jean Jacques Weber in
Laughter in Patriarchy and Colonialism.
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Those opinions above show that Rochester gives big influence toward
Antoinette alias Bertha Mason’s life. Unfortunately, he did not give good influence to
Antoinette even led her into misery. Calvo and Weber see that Rochester’s bad
treatment of his wife reveals the hypocrisy of a patriarchal society, a society where
women are considered to be different from, and inferior to men (1998: 117). It means
Rochester’s bad treatment to Antoinette is not merely because of Rochester’s wiliness;
his bad treatment is also influenced by the society. The reason why Rochester dislikes
his wife so, he treats his wife badly is stated by Talib in his book titledThe Language of
Postcolonial Literature. In that book he states that the reason for Rochester is growing
dislike his wife is her use of Jamaican variety of English (2002: 133). As a husband,
Rochester should accept his wife’s weakness. It will be unfair if he treats her badly
because of a weakness without considering her strengths.
In this study the writer will try to be different from the critics above. Different
from the studies above the writer will study about the family’s influence toward the
personality changes of Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason. In this study the writer
will study how Antoinette Cosway who is silent and affectionate woman can totally
change into a brutally woman even she is brave to burn her husband’s house. However,
the writer will just focus this study on the influence of her family members toward her
personality changes.
B. Review of Related Theories
To support this analysis the writer presents some theories that will be applied in
character, theory on relation between literature and psychology, theory of personality,
and theory on family influence on personality. Those theories are very important to
support the analysis.
1. Theory of Character
Every novel has a character. Roberts and Jacobs in Fiction: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing define character as an extended verbal representation of human
being, the inner self that determines thought, speech, and behavior (1987: 117).
However, Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction says that the term character is
commonly used in two ways: the first it designates the individual who appear in the
story and second it refers to the mixture of interest, desires, emotions and moral
principles that makes up each of these individuals (1965: 17). So, character can be said
as a representation of human being that appears in a story and as a human being he must
have desire, interest, emotion and moral principles.
In more details, Roberts and Jacobs mention those two types of characters in a
novel (1987: 120-121).
1. Round Characters
They are usually the major figures in a story. They have many realistic traits and
are relatively fully developed by the author. Round characters demonstrate their
capacity to change or to grow.
2. Flat Characters
They are essentially undistinguishable from their group or class. They are
11
mostly useful and structural in the stories, but they usually stay the same, they
are static.
In the real life people’s characteristics can be seen by learning his behavior.
Different from the real life, in a novel the reader cannot see the character’s behavior
directly. So, character in a novel just can be understood by some clues that appear in the
novel. Murphy in Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and
English Novel for Overseas Students mentions some clues that are given by the author
to make the character understandable (1972: 161-173). Those clues are as the following.
a. Personal Description
The author describes a person’s appearance and clothes.
b. Character as Seen by Another
The author does not describe a character directly but through the eyes and
opinions of the other characters. The readers also have to remember that
sometimes a person’s prejudices and interests distort what that person says. In
order to ignore unfair or untrue information, it is important to always consider
the context and source of all remarks before using them as the source of
evaluation as what Roberts and Jacobs say in Fiction: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing(1987: 124).
c. Speech
The author gives the readers an insight into the character of one of the person in
the book through what the person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he
is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he gives
d. Past Life
By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life, the author can
give the readers a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character.
This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s
thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation of Others.
The conversation of other people and the things they say about a person can be
the clue to a person’s character.
f. Reactions
The author can give us a clue to a person’s character by letting the readers know
how that person reacts to various situation and events.
g. Direct Comment
The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
h. Thoughts
The author can give the readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking
about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in real life because he
tells us what different people are thinking.
i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies, which
may also tell the readers about his character.
Instead of the clues that are given by the author, Roberts and Jacobs says that in
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human being to make judgments about the qualities of the characters being revealed
(1987: 123).
2. The Relation between Literature and Psychology
Literature and psychology are two subjects that explore human’s life. There are
some novels, short stories or dramas that arouse psychological issue like what Benedetti
says as follows.
The psychological traits in a play are the most essential category in terms of characterization. Psychological points of view refer to the search and analysis of the inner workings of the mind such as emotions, attitudes, motivations, and desires. Psychological traits always precede the action of characters (1997: 130).
From the quotation above it can be said that the role of psychological theory is very
important especially for analyzing character. So, the theory of psychology is very
important for this study because the focus of this study is about Antoinette Cosway’s
transformation into Bertha Mason especially her personality’s transformation.
Bornstein inPsychology and its Allied Disciplinesstates that literature is the best
in describing the human condition in dramatic form, while psychology has the strength
to investigating human character or behavior systematic ways (1984: 144). So, both
literature and psychology have one common purpose that is to describe human
condition. Literature tries to depict human condition into drama while psychology
studies human characteristic systematically and scientifically. Richard A. Kalish inThe
Psychology of Human Behavior mentions that a good novelist can communicate the
feelings of his functional characters and make them seem more life-like than real people
whose behavior the psychologist attempts to describe. Writers can use the understanding
understanding of human behavior by drawing from the deep sensitivity of good authors
(1973: 8).
The relation between literature and psychology also is also described by Wellek
and Warren, they say that psychology is one way to improve and develop
characterization in the works of literature. In the other way, through literature, people
can learn about psychological values or conditions of human even better than through
psychological itself (1956: 91-93).
3. Theory on Personality
Since Antoinette Cosway’s transformation in this study is related to her
personality transformation, so the theory of personality is needed to understand her
personality. According to Susan Nolen in Abnormal Psychology personality is all the
ways we have of acting, thinking, believing and feeling that make each of us unique
(2007:423). While according to Kalish in The Psychology of Human Behavior
personality is the changing and interacting organization of typical qualities into a whole
that leads a man to behave as he does and that makes him different from other people
(1973: 53). From those two definitions can be concluded that personality makes
someone different from other.
Everybody has different personality to make him different from other people. It
means in this world there are a lot of personalities, but Jung tries to classify personality
into two types like what Young stated inPersonality and Problems of Adjustment. Jung
divides personality into extroversion and introversion. The extrovert is one whose
fundamental orientation is toward the exterior world. His attitude and values center in
15
inner or subjective world, and his contact with the externalities around him is
predominantly colored and changed by his effort to retreat from the impress of this
outside world to his inner mental sanctum (1945: 305-306). From those two major types
of personality then Jung classifies them into eight subtypes.
a. The Extroverted Thinking Type
Young describes this type of person as a person who accepts the world from the
senses and uses his sensory impressions as the basis for logical analysis and
construction of his reality. This sort of thinking appears to be influenced essentially by
external data, and conclusions as to experience tend to agree with these objective facts
(1945: 306). Moreover, Fordham inAn Introduction to Jung’s Psychologyalso gives an
explanation about this type of person. She says that this type of person both dislikes and
fears the irrational, and represses emotion and feeling, and tends to become cold and
lacking in understanding of human weakness. However, the extroverted thinking can
produce either new facts or new conception (1956: 37-38).
b. The Extroverted Feeling Type
This type is determined by the feeling of the external object. The individual
tends to feel and act according to the demands and expectations of the situation. He
identifies himself easily with emotions of those around him (1945: 307). Fordham says
this type of person is sympathetic, helpful, and charming but this type of person is also
superficial and insincere (1956: 41).
c. The Extroverted Sensation Type
This type is most definitely conditioned by and oriented to the sensory, concrete
materialist. This type of person is great successes in social contacts with other (1945:
307).
d. The Extroverted Intuition Type
For a person of this type the external object does not so much control his
perception or sensation as offer him a suggestion for elaborating the possibilities of the
object at the moment as something to manipulate or control (1945: 307). The important
thing for thins type of person is all possibilities. This type of person dislikes intensely
anything that is familiar, safe or well-established. For this type of person not take a
chance is simply cowardly or weak (1956: 43).
e. The Introverted Thinking Type
Person in this sort tends to isolate himself from the world of material objects, to
live largely in the realm of theories, ideas, and ideals. If he has any close and intimate
friends, those are likely in a few numbers (1945: 307). According to Fordham what
makes the introverted thinking differ from extroverted thinking is the introverted
thinking is not interested in facts but in ideas; the chief value of this type of thinking lies
in the new view it presents. The introverted thinking type is interested in the inner, not
the outer reality (1956: 38).
f. The Introverted Feeling Type
Individual in this type live within his own internal world of emotion and
feelings. The inner life of this person follows strong ego wishes, he tends to go in for
daydreams and inner elaborations dependent on immediate emotional and feeling tone.
They are often silent and retiring and seem to others to be thoroughly at peace with the
17
feeling type because this type of person is silent, often giving impression of coldness,
and lack of expression while the extroverted feeling type is friendly, warm, and love
joining large gathering and every social and communal activity (1956: 41).
g. The Introverted Sensation Type
This type of person so completely dominates his perception of it by his
subjective, internal states that the given perception is always recast into predetermined
patterns or meaning of his own. He reacts much more egocentrically than extroverted
sensation type (1945: 308). Fordham explains that for the extraverted sensation type the
important thing is the object arousing the sensation, while for the introverted sensation
type the sensation experiences is more important, and objects are secondary even do not
count at all. This type of person has difficulty in expressing themselves and is difficult
to understand (1956: 42).
h. The Introverted Intuition Type
This type of person directs his attention upon his own imagery. He lives within
himself, using the imagery as points of departure for still other images and inner
experiences, for giving him a meaning of life (1945: 308). The extraverted intuitive is
concern with what is commonly known as the world of reality while the introverted
intuitive is concerned with the collective unconscious, the dark background of
experience and all that is subjective, strange and unusual to the extrovert (1956: 44).
Since human nature is by no means simple, one rarely finds the absolutely pure
type; often the main function is sufficiently clear to dub the person is a thinker, an
intuitive and so on, but is it the seconded by another function which modifies and blurs
to, it can be seen from his thought and behavior as what Hurlock states in Personality
Development that personality may be expressed in speech, in reaction to people and
things, in mannerism, in fantasy and in other ways, are all consciously, sub consciously,
or unconsciously directed toward the specific goal of enabling the individual to adjust to
his environment (1974: 8).
It is rare that there is a person who is completely satisfied with his personality.
Everybody must have a desire to have a better personality and in order to have a better
personality so personality’s changes are needed. However, change can be either for the
better or for the worse. When someone changes his personality it does not mean his
personality will totally change so he will transform into new person or he is like reborn,
because there are some traits that do not change. Hurlock mentions two types of
changes. The first is quantitative changes. In quantitative changes, traits already present
are strengthened or weakened. Quantitative changes are, for the most part, far more
common and far more frequent than qualitative changes. The second type is qualitative
changes. In qualitative changes, an already present trait usually an undesirable one, is
replaced by another trait, usually a desirable one. Sometimes in qualitative changes
desirable traits are eliminated and replaced by undesirable ones.
In fact there are some factors that influence personality changing. Hurlock in
Personality Development states that personality is the product of learning during the
course of prolonged social relationships with people both within and outside the home.
Further she some conditions that are responsible for personality change (1974: 124 –
19
i. Physical Changes
Unfavorable changes in the person’s physical condition, such as illness,
overweight, glandular disturbances, or blindness, often result in personality changes
because they affect the person’s self –concept unfavorably.
ii. Changes in Environment
Changes in either the physical or social environment may produce changes in the
person’s self-concept and, in turn, in his characteristic behavior. A change in
environment will not guarantee an improvement in personality. In fact, the change may
and often does have opposite effect. The effect of new environment toward personality
changing depends on how well the person is accepted in the new environment and how
well the new environment meets his needs.
iii. Changes in Significant People
When the significant people in an individual’s life change, and when he tries to
adapt his pattern of behavior and his attitudes, beliefs, and aspiration to theirs, so
changes in personality pattern are inevitable.
iv. Changes in Social Pressures
As childhood progresses, the child becomes increasingly aware that some
personality traits are admired while some are dislike. And since everyone normally has
a strong desire to be accepted by those who are significant to him, he tries to change any
personality trait that will militate against his being accepted. Strong social pressures to
conform to a socially approved personality pattern thus encourage changes in certain
aspects of the personality. Pressures to conform to the approved pattern are provided by
v. Changes in Roles
Role changes result in status changes within the group. Whether the changed
role will have a favorable or unfavorable effect depends not so much upon what the new
role is as upon how well it fits the person’s needs and whether it has greater prestige in
the eyes of the social group than the old role.
vi. Strong Motivation
When the motivation to improve the personality pattern is strong enough,
changes can be effected. Ordinarily people are most strongly motivated to change those
traits which they believe will improve their social relationship and earn them greater
acceptance.
4. Family Influence on Personality
Pikunas in Human Development: an Emergent Science states that a family is
formed by marriage and blood relationship (1969: 60). Considering Pikunas’s statement
so, marriage is the base to create family. When a man and a woman get married and
then have children they will create a family. In marriage relationship husband and wife
have different role. According to Evelyn and James White head in Marrying Well:
Stages on the Journey of Christian Marriagea husband expected to hold an outside job
that enables him to support his family financially. A husband also has a duty to be a
companion to his wife and to spend time with his family. On the other hand a wife is
expected to work in the home to carry out many demanding tasks of family life. She
also holds primary responsibility for raising the children (1983: 272).
When a parent have children they must be responsible for their children’s life.
21
unquestionable that family gives big influence toward someone’s personality. Hurlock
in Personality Development states that relationship between the individual and the
member of his family unquestionably rank first in influencing personality development.
Further she explains some reasons why family is the dominant influence for personality
development, those are (1974: 351-352).
a. Time Spent in the Home
Family influence on personality is greatest when the major part of one’s time is
spent in the home and with members of the family. The amount of time you spends with
a person is one of the chief determinants of how significant that person will be in your
life and how much influence his attitude, values, and behavior will have on your
behavior and on your attitude toward self.
b. Control over Behavior
Family member exert more control over a person’s behavior than any other person
or group of persons. Within a family group, even when it is considered equalitarian,
husband and wife have more control than do children, and in some areas of family life
the wife has more control than the husband, and vice versa.
c. Emotionally-Toned Relationship
The persistence of family relationships reinforces the effect of emotional ties. Even
when a family relationship is broken by death its influence on the family members who
survive may be greater than it was during the lifetime of the deceased member.
d. Early Social Experience
At the time when foundations of the personality pattern are being laid, the child’s
the child acquires his attitudes, values and patterns of social behavior. Since the child’s
social experiences are mainly with his parents, it is they who play the dominant role in
molding his personality pattern. When parents are rejecting, their adolescent children
are glum, suspicious, timid, insecure, anxious, introverted and tense. When they are
loving, their children become extroverted, warm, conscientious, composed, and happy.
When they are neglectful, their children become serious, retiring, aloof and anxious.
e. Security of Environment
To be happy and secure, a person must feel that he has an anchorage ground, a place
to which he can go with his joys and triumphs as well as his sorrows and defeats.
Without this haven, he feels cut adrift, inadequate, and unhappy.
Pikunas in Human Development: an Emergent Sciencestates that husband and wife
or mother and father are crucial members of the family, and the family is considered
incomplete when either is absent (1976: 25). As a primary group where a person grows,
family must influence someone’s personality. Hurlock says that females, introverts, those
in poor health, the very young, and the very old are the most influenced by their
relationships with their families (1974: 380). Furthermore, Pikunas mentions some
family’s functions, those are: (1) providing affection, support, and companionship, (2)
bearing and raising children, (3) teaching and transmitting culture, religion, economics,
and moral to the young, (4) developing personalities, and dividing and discharging labor
within the family and outside (1976: 25). In every family each member is expected to play
certain role. Each role is clearly defined by family members and contributes to a
23
by family members to meet their own needs and interests, regardless of how other family
members feel about them.
Hurlock in Personality Development (1974: 352) says that family influence
personality development through two ways. The first is direct influence. Directly the
family influences personality development by molding and by communication. In
molding personality pattern, two methods of learning are dominant. The first is learning
through guidance and control of behavior by another, and the second is learning through
imitation of the belief attitudes and behavior patterns of another (1974: 89-90). When too
little control is exercised over his behavior, the child becomes insecure and confused. He
feels unprepared to meet life’s problems. The second one is indirect influence. Indirectly
the influence comes from identification, from unconscious imitation of attitudes, behavior
patterns, etc, and from the mirror image of self one develops by viewing oneself through
the eyes of family members. Hurlock finds that some studies reveal that identification
with parents affects the personality development of the child most notably in the areas if
behavior, values and attitudes. Through identification the child learns behavior patterns
similar to those of his parents (1974: 100-101). Further she says that communication is
important because communication is a direct method of personality transmission by which
family members try to influence the personality development of other members (1974:
353).
C. Theoretical Framework
The writer analyzes novel’s character that is Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha
changes to be a mad woman it is very important to know her characteristics because
characteristics are close to personality. It is like what Corwell states in A Student’s
Guide to Literature that character involves two basic qualities both of which affect
current use of the word. The first quality is morality and the second quality is
personality (1968: 10). So, the theory of character will be very useful to analyze
Antoinette Cosway’s characteristics. The theory of relation between literature and
psychology will be helpful to relate between psychology and literature, so the analysis
will be more scientific because the writer will study about human personality so it is
needed to relate between literature and psychology. By relating them the writer will see
the character as a human being that really exists in the world, not only a character in the
novel. In order to analyze Antoinette Cosway’s personality changes the theory of
personality is applied to know how her personality changes. How the family influences
Antoinette Cosway’s personality changes will be analyzed with the theory of family’s
influence on personality.
Review of the related studies is also very important because their opinion is the
starting point of the writer to do this study. Their opinions increase the writer’s curiosity
to study how Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s family influences her personality
25
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
In this study the writer uses a novel by Jane Rhys titled Wide Sargasso Sea.
Wide Sargasso Sea was published in 1966. Jane Rhys wroteWide Sargasso Sea as her
response toward Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre. Rhys was annoyed to find that
Charlotte Bronte had made the first Mrs. Rochester, who is a white Creole like herself,
into a monster. Therefore, she rewriting the story of Jane Eyre from the view of the
rejected wife, who is Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason (2001: ix). Rhys herself
confesses Wide Sargasso Seais Jane Eyre’s prequel when she sends a letter to Francis
Wyndham. In that letter Rhys mentions that Wide Sargasso Sea can in fact be turned
into a novel about “the first Mrs. Rochester”, the shadowy West Indian character in
Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre
(http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8787).
As a prequel, Wide Sargasso Seais a success novel. It is proved by winning the
Royal Society of Literature Award and the W. H. Smith Award in 1966.Wide Sargasso
Seawas also named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels
since 1923. This novel was also adapted into film in 1993.
In this study the writer uses Penguin Student Edition that was published in 2001
by Penguin Books. Wide Sargasso Sea consists of 169 pages and divided into three
parts with different narrator in each part. The first part’s narrator is Antoinette herself.
its relation to Jane Eyre then he is known as Rochester. The third part’s narrator is
Grace Poole, a servant who takes care of Antoinette in England. However, in some parts
the narrator of part three is Antoinette. This part takes place in Thornfield Hall, the
same place where Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre lives. Grace Poole is also the same
servant who takes care of Bertha Mason inJane Eyre. This novel tells about Antoinette
Cosway’s life. Antoinette lives in a solitary life; therefore she grows to be a silent and a
coward. However, she is an affectionate. Antoinette’s marriage gives her spirit to live
and happiness. Antoinette enjoys her happiness in a short time because her husband
suddenly treats her badly. Her husband treats her badly after he knows that Antoinette’s
mother is mad and he believes that Antoinette inherits her mother’s madness. Antoinette
who losses her spirit to live starts changing her personality after she realizes that
Rochester never love her. Antoinette who firstly faces any problems calmly starts doing
brutal action.
B. Approach of the Study
In relation to the topic of this study the writer uses psychological approach. The
writer analyzes Antoinette Cosway’s personality changes that makes this approach is
suitable to be applied in this study. Rohberger and Woods inReading and Writing about
Literature say that psychological approach uses psychological theories to explain
human motivation, personality, and behavior pattern written in literary object (1971:
13). Leary strengthens the choice of this approach to this study by mentioning that a
psychological approach is an approach that applies principles of modern psychology to
27
57). Applying psychological approach means using psychological theories to explain
and analyze the characters. This approach is applied when the focus of the study is on
the psychological interpretation for enhancing the understanding and appreciation of
literature.
The reason why the writer chooses this approach in analyzing this topic is
because the writer studies Antoinette Cosway’s personality changes. In analyzing
personality the writer needs psychological theory. Therefore, the writer chooses
psychological approach because this approach will be supported by some psychology
theories. Those theories will help the writer in analyzing the problem. Thus,
psychological approach will be applied in this study.
C. Method of the Study
This study applied library research method and internet sources. The primary
data of this study, of course, Jane Rhys’s novel,Wide Sargasso Sea.
The secondary data that were mostly used in this study are Fiction: An
Introduction to Reading and Writing by Roberts and Jacobs, Understanding Unseens:
An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Studentsby Murphy,
and An Introduction to Fiction by Stanton provided information about theory on
character to solve the first problem formulation. Kalish’s The Psychology of Human
Behavior, Fordham’s An Introduction to Jung’s Psychology, and Young’s Personality
and Problems of Adjustmentprovided the theory about personality that helps the writer
to solve the first and second problem. Hurlock’s Personality Development was not less
to guide the writer to answer the third problem. A book by Leary,American Literature:
A Study and Research Guide, helped the writer very much to find the theory of
psychology and how to apply that approach in this study. Related studies that were
written by Keunjung Cho titled Contextualizing Racialized Interpretations of Bertha
Mason's Character,Judie Newman titledThe Colonial Voice in the Motherland,and the
others were not less important because those studies became the starting point of this
study. The related studies gave the writer an idea to study this topic.
The study was conducted firstly by looking for the background of the study that
was why the topic was chosen by the writer. The second was formulating the focus of
the analysis or the problem formulation as the guidance of the analysis. The third was
collecting secondary sources of the study to support the analysis. The second sources
were review of previous study and theory that were applied in this study. The next was
to answer the problem formulation based on the theory and review of related study. The
analysis depended much on the information provided in Chapter II that is the review of
related studies and theoretical review. The study was ended with conclusion in Chapter
IV, which was done by relating all the data in the analysis and making them into general
29
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
As stated in the first chapter the analysis of this study will be divided into three
parts. The first part is the analysis of Antoinette’s characteristic before her personality
changes, the second part is the changes of Antoinette Cosway alias Bertha Mason’s
personality, and the last part is how the family influences Antoinette Cosway alias
Bertha Mason’s personality changes.
A. The Description of Antoinette’s Characteristics before Rochester Calls Her Bertha Mason
Antoinette Cosway is a white Creole woman who lives in Jamaica in the mid
1830. She spends her childhood in Coulibri Estate with her mother, her brother and
servants. She grows as a beautiful woman and her husband admits how beautiful
Antoinette is. Even Rochester does not express it once.
She was sitting on the blue sofa and I wondered why I had never realized how beautiful she was (2001: 46).
As I looked she moved and flung her arm out. I thought coldly, yes, very beautiful, the thin wrist, the sweet swell of the forearm, the rounded elbow, the curve of her shoulder into her upper arm. All present all correct (2001: 88).
Rochester is not the only one who admits Antoinette’s beauty, Daniel Cosway also says
that Antoinette is a beautiful woman when he sends a letter to Rochester. In his letter he
says that Antoinette is as beautiful as her mother, Annette. In his letter, Daniel says that
he knows Antoinette’s beauty from what people is said. It means that people around her
….I hear too that the girl is beautiful like her mother was beautiful, and you bewitch her. She is in your blood and your bones (2001: 59).
Antoinette’s beauty is not a guarantee that she can have a friendship or relation
with people around her easily. Apparently she grows to be an introverted woman.
Fordham in Introduction to Jung’s Psychology says that an introverted child is shy and
hesitant. Introverted child also dislikes new situations, and even approaches new objects
with caution and sometimes with fear. Introverted children also prefer to play alone and
have one rather than many friends (1956: 32). Therefore, when she was child Antoinette
can be categorized as an introverted child. When she was child, Antoinette only had a
friend named Tia. As Fordham said about the characteristics of introverted children, one
of them is afraid of approaches new object. Antoinette is afraid of a strange person, so
when her mother marries Mr. Mason she prefers hiding herself in the garden to joining
with the guests.
I was bridesmaid when my mother married Mr. Mason in Spanish Town. Cristophine curled my hair. I carried a bouquet and everything I wore was new – even my beautiful slippers. But their eyes slid away from my hating face. I had heard what all these smooth smiling people said about her when she was not listening and they do not guess I was. Hiding from them in the garden when they visited Coulibri, I listened (2001: 11).
Antoinette’s fear toward something new makes Antoinette reluctant to go from Coulibri
when her house is burnt by the Negro. She knows her mother is injured and her brother,
Pierre, dies but she still wants to stay in Coulibri. Antoinette’s hope to live in Coulibri
causes Antoinette runs to her only best friend, Tia, immediately when she sees her.
Antoinette runs to her with a hope that she can live with Tia.
31
Antoinette’s wish to stay in Coulibri does not merely show that Antoinette is afraid of
facing something new, but it also shows her ego. Her family faces huge trouble but she
just thinks about her own wish, how she can stay in Coulibri, without thinking what
happen to her family.
As stated above, Antoinette is an introvert, but her attitude is mostly influenced
by her feeling. Fordham stated that the introverted feeling type is silent, often giving
impression of coldness, and lack of expression (1956: 41). It means Antoinette who is
silent can be classified into this type. The fact that she cannot express herself shows
Antoinette is a silent woman. When she has an opinion she often keeps it for herself.
Antoinette hears Mr. Mason disagrees with Antoinette’s mother who wants to leave
Coulibri. Actually she agrees with her stepfather but she says nothing to anyone.
Antoinette’s silence has shown since she was child. When she was a little girl, she loved
spending her time in the garden because she did not have someone to listen or to talk to.
Therefore Antoinette felt comfortable when she was in the garden.
When I was safely home I sat close to the old wall at the end of the garden. It was covered with green moss soft as velvet and I never wanted to move again. Everything would be worse if I move (2001: 7).
Silence also becomes her protection when she faces troubles. After her house is burnt
she lives with her aunt. When she wants to go to school she meets a boy and a girl who
mock her by calling her a crazy girl but she just keeps silent without replying them
(2001: 26–27). However, silence still becomes Antoinette’s protection although she has
already married especially when Antoinette does not want to answer her husband’s
….one afternoon when I was watching her, hardly able to believe she was the pale silent creature I had married, watching her in her blue chemise, blue with white spots, hitched up far above her knees (2001: 52).
Then I would look at her for long minutes by candlelight, wonder why she seemed sad asleep….. In any case she had given way, but coldly, unwillingly, trying to protect herself with silence and a blank face (2001: 54).
As an introverted person, Antoinette likes to be alone and silent. However, most
of her action is influenced by her feeling. As stated above that her fear toward a strange
person makes Antoinette hide herself in the garden and does not join with the guests.
Her fear toward strange people also makes Antoinette like taking another way when she
wants to go, so she will meet nobody.
I went to the parts of Coulibri that I had not seen, where there was no road, no path, no track. And if the razor grass cut my legs and arms I would think ‘It’s better thatn people’. Black ants or red ones, tall nest swarming with white ants, rain that soaked me to the skin – one I saw snake. All better than people (2001: 11).
Antoinette is afraid of obeah, her fear toward obeah makes her imagine something scary
about obeah when she is in Christophine’s room. However, she just imagines it without
having bravery to prove her imagination by entering Cristophines room or to ask it to
Cristophine.
Yet one day when I was waiting there I was suddenly very much afraid. The door was open to the sunlight, someone was whistling near the stables, but I was afraid. I was certain that hidden in the room (behind the old black press?) there was a dead man’s dried hand, white chicken feathers, a cock with its throat cut, dying slowly, slowly. Drop by drop the blood was falling into the red basin and I imagined I could hear it. No one had ever spoken to me about obeah – but I knew what I would find if I dared to look (2001: 13).
Moreover, Antoinette is afraid of dark. She feels her peaceful feeling leaves when the
dark comes (2001: 18). Antoinette’s fear toward many things makes her used to sleep
33
‘I used to sleep with a piece of wood by my side so that I could defend myself if I were attacked. That’s how afraid I was’ (2001: 42).
Antoinette’s fear does not disappear immediately by protecting herself with a piece of
wood when she sleeps. She still needs to be told that she is safe by her husband. Her
husband’s utterance that she is safe makes Antoinette believe that her husband takes
care of her, so she will be safe.
‘You are safe,’ I’d say. She’d like that – to be told ‘you are safe.’ Or I touch her face gently and touch tears (2001: 56).
Antoinette’s fear toward something strange or new makes her cancel her marriage. She
decides to cancel her marriage emotionally; even she does not ask her family about her
decision.
She was sitting in a rocking chair with her head bent. Her hair was in two long plaits aver her shoulders.
From a little distance I spoke gently ‘What is the matter Antoinette? What I have done?’
She said nothing
‘You don’t wish to marry me?’ ‘No.’ she spoke in very low voice. ‘But why?’
‘I’m afraid of what may happen.’
‘But don’t you remember last night I told you that when you are my wife there would be any more reason to be afraid?’
‘Yes.’ She said. ‘Then Richard came in and you laughed. I didn’t like the way you laughed.’ (2001: 45).
The quotation above is taken after Rochester knows that Antoinette cancels their
wedding, so he comes to her to ask why she cancels their wedding. Surprisingly
Antoinette says that she cancels their wedding because she dislikes the way Rochester
laughs, her decision is an emotional decision because she does not ask Rochester’s
explanation why he laughs that way. She does not ask her family’s consideration to
does not ask her. However, then she decides to continue her wedding after Rochester
explains that he laughs that way because he is laughing himself and not laughing at
Antoinette. Rochester also promises to give her peace, happy, and safe life to convince
Antoinette that she will be happy if she marries him. Antoinette is very happy in the
beginning of her marriage. However, she is not used to happiness and the happiness that
she felt makes Antoinette afraid because she does not know whether she will always be
happy or not. Antoinette’s fear that she will lose her happiness makes her want to die
when she fells happy, so she can die in happiness.
‘I am not used to happiness,’ she said. ‘It makes me afraid.’ ‘Never be afraid. Or if you are tell no one.’
‘I understand. But trying does not help me.’
‘What would?’ She did not answer that, then one night whispered, ‘If I could die. Now, when I am happy. Would you do that? You wouldn’t have to kill me. Say die and I will die. You don’t believe me? Then try, try, say die and watch me die.’ (2001: 55).
Besides her fear, Antoinette’s attitude is also influenced by her affectionate
feeling. Antoinette loves her mother, so her mother’s bad treatments toward her does
not make Antoinette hate or take a grudge toward her own mother. Her mother is
careless, she never asks her where she had been and what she had done (2001: 8). Her
mother also rejects her. When Antoinette tries to touch her mother, her mother pushed
her away (2001: 5). However, after her house is burnt she still cares of her mother.
Antoinette shows her care toward her mother by going to see her mother. Unfortunately,
her mother rejects her.
35
Antoinette also has no doubt to show her affection toward her servants. Antoinette hugs
and kisses Cristophine in front of her husband. Her husband says that he dislikes what
Antoinette does but Antoinette does not care.
‘Why do you hug and kiss Christophine?’ I’d say. ‘Why not?’
‘I wouldn’t hug and kiss them, ‘I’d say, ‘I couldn’t’ (2001: 55).
Antoinette also shows her affection toward her servant. When her husband says that her
servant, Hilda, is a stupid girl she defends her by saying that Hilda is shy.
Hilda brought coffee and there were always two roses on the tray. Sometimes she’d smile a sweet childish smile, sometimes she would giggle very loudly and rudely, bang the tray down and run away.
‘Stupid little girl,’ I’d say.
‘No, no. she is shy. The girls here were very shy.’ (2001: 54).
Antoinette’s affection makes her do not take a grudge toward Tia, her only friend, who
has stolen her dress, taken her money and left her alone in the bathing pool but when her
house is burnt she runs to her with a hope that she will help her because for her Tia is
still her best friend. After she marries Rochester, her love toward Rochester makes her
very afraid and worries when Rochester got lost. So, she asks her servant to look for
him.
I was lost and afraid among these enemy trees, so certain of danger that when I heard footsteps and a shout I did not answer. The footsteps and the voice came nearer then I shouted back. I did not recognize Baptiste at first. He was wearing blue cotton treasures pulled up above his knees and a broad ornamented belt round his slim wrist. Is machete was in his hand and the light caught the razor-sharp blue-white edge. He did not smile when he saw me.
‘We look for you a long time,’ he said ‘I got lost.’
Her love toward her husband does not merely make her worry about him, but her love
toward her husband also makes her try to make him happy. Her treatment toward her
husband shows how she loves him so much.
I felt sweat on my forehead and sat down, she knelt near me and wipe my face with her handkerchief (2001: 42).
Antoinette loves her husband so much and she does everything to make him happy. So,
when her servant, Amelie says to her that her husband is tired of their honeymoon she is
very angry to her. Even she is able to treat her rudely.
Your husban’ he outside the door and he look like he see zombie. Must be he tired of the sweet honeymoon too.’
Antoinette jumped out of bed and slapped her face.
‘I hit you back white cockroach, I hit you back,’ said Amelie. And she did. Antoinette gripped her hair. Amelie whose teeth were bared, seemed to be trying to bite.
‘Antoinette, for God’s sake, I said from the doorway.
She swung round, very pale. Amelie buried her face in her hands and pretended to sob, but I could see her watching me through her fingers.
‘Go away, child,’ I said.
‘You call her child,’ said Antoinette. ‘she is older than the devil himself, and the devil is not more cruel.’ (2001:61).
Antoinette Cosway is a good girl. She prefers keeping silent to making trouble.
However, Antoinette’s attitude is mostly influenced by her feeling, especially her fear
and love. Even though Antoinette is a silent woman but her love to Rochester makes
Antoinette able to do something rude toward Amelie when Amelie says that her
husband is not happy with their honeymoon. Antoinette loves Rochester so much, so
she tries to make Rochester happy but Amelie says that Rochester is not happy because
of that Antoinette is very angry to Amelie. As an introverted person whose attitude is
influenced mostly by her feeling Antoinette can be categorized as an introverted feeling
37
B. The Changes of Antoinette Cosway’s Personality after Rochester Calls Her Bertha Mason
Antoinette Cosway is a round character because of the development of her
characteristics. Round character demonstrates her capacity to change or to grow (1987:
120). The changing of Antoinette’s characteristics can be seen clearly after her husband
calls her Bertha. As stated in the analysis above Antoinette prefers ignoring trouble to
making trouble. Antoinette loves her husband very much, on the other hand her husband
does not love her. At first, Rochester shows that he loves Antoinette too, but then his
treatment toward Antoinette changes. The changing of Rochester’s treatment toward
Antoinette makes Antoinette desperate. Finally Rochester does not call her Antoinette
anymore and Antoinette fells that what Rochester has done by changing her name is a
sign that Rochester does not love her anymore.
‘You talk foolishness. Even if I can make him come to your bed, I cannot make him love you. Afterward he hate you.’
‘No. and what do I care if he does? He hates me now. I hear him every night walking up and down the veranda. Up and down. When he passes my door he says , Goodnight, Bertha.” He never calls me Antoinette now. He has found out it was my mother name. “I hope you will sleep well, Bertha”- it cannot be worse,’ I said. ‘That one night he came I might sleep afterwards. I sleep so badly now. And I dream.’ (2001: 70).
The changing of Antoinette’s name is not only a sign that Rochester does not love her
anymore, but it is also a sign of Antoinette’s personality changing. Before Rochester
calls her Bertha, Antoinette faces a trouble silently and calmly. Antoinette’s attitude
changes dramatically after Rochester calls her Bertha. Antoinette is hopeless to get her
husband’s love , her money and her freedom. Thus, what Antoinette can do is just
