In part two of Wide Sargasso Sea Antoinette's husband, Mr. Rochester takes on the majority of the narration, and throughout the entire section, he realizes that something isn't quite right. Mr. Rochester always notices that the maids look like they are secretly laughing at him behind his back and that theres something about Antoinette that he doesn't know. And there is always a strong theme of alienation between Antoinette and Rochester, between Antoinette and the towns people, and between Rochester and the towns people. The only person that was willing to talk to Rochester about this issue was Daniel Cosway, supposedly Antoinette's half-brother, who wrote Rochester a letter that basically confirmed all of Rochester's fears about his marriage to Antoinette and what she's been hiding, and eventually Rochester goes to meet Daniel after he threatens Rochester.
The first letter that Daniel seemed sincere at first. It was a nice gesture because he was the only person that was finally letting Rochester know that there was actually something going on, but at the same time, I don't think Daniel's intentions were the most sincere. It almost seems like he was getting revenge on his father (Alexander Cosway) by messing with Antoinette's life. "You ask what proof I have and why I mix myself up with your affairs. I will answer. I am your wife's brother by another lady, half-way house as we say. Her father and mine was a shameless man and of all his illegitimates I am the most unfortunate and poverty stricken" (96). Daniel seems to really dislike his father, and the fact that he was the "most unfortunate" of the off-spring probably makes him even more jealous of the rest. While this probably isn't the only reason, I think it might be a important part. It was also stated that Alexander Cosway had many illegitimate children, but none of them seem to make an appearance into Antoinette's life.
Then after Rochester doesn't respond, Daniel continues to pursue this issue. In my opinion, if he had sincere intentions of just letting Rochester know what was going on, the first letter would've been more than enough. Rochester learned from the first letter that Antoinette had a mother that went mad. Then Daniel begins to threaten Rochester in the second letter, and this is where I became even more convinced that he had a more malicious intent. "You want me to come to your house and bowl out your business before everybody?" (119). This threat gets Rochester to go to Daniel's house, and after Daniel vehemently tells Rochester about how he was rejected by his father and about Antoinette's past, he urges Rochester to ask Antoinette about herself. "Ask her and she tell you. But not everything I think" (125). Upon Rochester leaving, Daniel can already tell that Rochester sort of believes him, in the sense that he really thinks that he should be wary of his wife now. Immediately after Daniel sees this, he demands 500 pounds, which to Daniel is his life. This transition from finishing his deed to demanding money can be seen as Daniel knowing that he's thoroughly convinced Rochester, and now he wants to get some gain out of this. It seems to me like he's let Rochester know what information he should be afraid of getting out, and used it as a threat to get money. However, Daniel doesn't ever get the money, and he doesn't seem to cause much problem after that, which once again makes me question his intent.
The first letter that Daniel seemed sincere at first. It was a nice gesture because he was the only person that was finally letting Rochester know that there was actually something going on, but at the same time, I don't think Daniel's intentions were the most sincere. It almost seems like he was getting revenge on his father (Alexander Cosway) by messing with Antoinette's life. "You ask what proof I have and why I mix myself up with your affairs. I will answer. I am your wife's brother by another lady, half-way house as we say. Her father and mine was a shameless man and of all his illegitimates I am the most unfortunate and poverty stricken" (96). Daniel seems to really dislike his father, and the fact that he was the "most unfortunate" of the off-spring probably makes him even more jealous of the rest. While this probably isn't the only reason, I think it might be a important part. It was also stated that Alexander Cosway had many illegitimate children, but none of them seem to make an appearance into Antoinette's life.
Then after Rochester doesn't respond, Daniel continues to pursue this issue. In my opinion, if he had sincere intentions of just letting Rochester know what was going on, the first letter would've been more than enough. Rochester learned from the first letter that Antoinette had a mother that went mad. Then Daniel begins to threaten Rochester in the second letter, and this is where I became even more convinced that he had a more malicious intent. "You want me to come to your house and bowl out your business before everybody?" (119). This threat gets Rochester to go to Daniel's house, and after Daniel vehemently tells Rochester about how he was rejected by his father and about Antoinette's past, he urges Rochester to ask Antoinette about herself. "Ask her and she tell you. But not everything I think" (125). Upon Rochester leaving, Daniel can already tell that Rochester sort of believes him, in the sense that he really thinks that he should be wary of his wife now. Immediately after Daniel sees this, he demands 500 pounds, which to Daniel is his life. This transition from finishing his deed to demanding money can be seen as Daniel knowing that he's thoroughly convinced Rochester, and now he wants to get some gain out of this. It seems to me like he's let Rochester know what information he should be afraid of getting out, and used it as a threat to get money. However, Daniel doesn't ever get the money, and he doesn't seem to cause much problem after that, which once again makes me question his intent.
