Passage Summary:
Jane Eyre, published in 1897, is a novel written from the first-person perspective about a plain governess named Jane who falls in love with her employer, Mr. Edward Rochester.
When and How to Pair:
Have students read this text before they begin Wide Sargasso Sea, both as a literary comparison and to spark discussion on Rhys’ decision to write a prequel to Jane Eyre. Pair “Excerpts from Jane Eyre” with Wide Sargasso Sea and ask students to compare the two texts, particularly the characters of Rochester and Antoinette Cosway/Bertha Mason — why did the author likely choose to tell Antoinette’s/Bertha’s story? How does she frame her story and what does Rhys focus on that Brontë did not? Alternatively, you may wish to introduce this text after students have completed Wide Sargasso Sea, in order to generate the above questions in the context of a post-reading discussion.