Thesis: This paper will examine the texts Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea, and Rebecca in order to discuss the relationship between ideal woman and the fallen ideal woman label. Taking a look at the characters Bertha Mason, the new Mrs. de Winter, and Jane Eyre will reveal that the labels are simultaneously contrasts and interchangeable.
I.
The ideal woman vs. the fallen ideal a.
These two are not necessarily contrasts and can often be considered interchangeable. i.
“It may not be surprising that female demons bear an eerie resemblance to their angelic counterparts, though characteristics that are suggestively implicit in the angel come to fore the demon” (Auerbach 75). ii.
Auerbach gives information about Holt’s paintings and how they show
Christ-like women and demon women responding to one another (Will go into much more description for the actual paper, this will be one of my secondary sources).
1.
Shows how women are often both the angel and the demon. iii.
Discuss similarities between Jane and Bertha. These include marrying the same man, being locked up. Bertha is considered insane and Jane hears voices. Also, they both try to stop Rochester’s plans. iv.
For comparison purposes, I will discuss the similarities between Rebecca and the new wife’s marriages to Rochester.
1.
One aims to be the ideal wife but the other does not. However, neither marriage is happy.
2.
I will use the Rebecca text and Nigro’s “Rebecca as Desdemona” essay.
3.
Bertha/Jane and Rebecca/The new wife appear to be alter egos of one another. a.
Analysis: I will use these sources to support the fact that the fallen ideal and the ideal woman are often the same concept in two different bodies. Therefore, on the outside the ideal woman and the fallen ideal woman look different, but on the inside they are often quite similar. Either way, succumbing to the male desire of an ideal woman results in a demonic or angelic representation of the woman. Falling in to either of these categories causes distress for the woman.
II.
The expectations of the ideal woman and the results of not living up to those expectations. a.
I will use the text of Jane Eyre to describe Bertha’s insanity. This will describe
Jane’s description of her and the crazy actions Bertha takes such as trying to set
Rochester on fire and biting Mr. Mason.

i.
Use the text Wide Sargasso Sea to describe Rhys’s take on why Bertha
(Antoinette) went mad.
1.
Her marriage failed and she was paranoid b.
I will use the text of Rebecca to describe the new wife’s mental instability. This includes her hearing voices, confusing herself with Rebecca, and being constantly paranoid. This is all because she wants to be the perfect wife and have the perfect marriage. a.
Analysis: Neither of these women have a sense of individuality. Their sense of self is taken away by their desire for the perfect marriage and their autonomous husbands. Antoinette is even renamed by her husband. The new Mrs. de Winter only really desires to please her demanding husband. As a result, their minds are unstable for they are unable to maintain the ideal woman image.
This further indicates that trying to be the ideal woman leads to being a fallen ideal woman. Since both are essentially leading to the same fate, both ideals can be considered interchangeable.
III.
The fallen angel Bertha represents Jane’s fate if Jane gives into societal demands of the ideal woman. a.
I will use Wide Sargasso Sea to support this clam. i.
Bertha is the death of a hopeful happy ending.
1.
The desire for the ideal woman drives her to the fallen ideal. Both ideals are coinciding. ii.
Wide Sargasso Sea will provide evidence for who Bertha was before her madness. The text states she was a lonely woman with no mother or friend’s love.
1.
When having a marriage did not fix everything and make life better, she truly went insane. Therefore challenging the Victorian influential claim that married woman is not perfectly content being married. b.
Jane Eyre gives evidence to Jane’s reluctance to be either the fallen ideal or the ideal woman. i.
For example: She does not want Rochester to dress her up like a rich wife.
Also, she acts quite sassy to Rochester and teases him (I could not find a good quote for this yet… suggestions?) c.
The Victorian Era was very familiar with traditional angelology as a result of
John Milton’s Paradise Lost.

i.
“Milton’s
Paradise Lost , a text, which devout Victorian readers were as familiar as they were with the Bible…is still a more explicit guide to traditional angelology” (Auerbach 71).
1.
Bronte is challenging this ideal through Jane. d.
Further, Jane refuses to give into doing what the man wants her to do. In this case it was to move away and pretend to be husband and wife. This shows Jane does have independence, a mind of her own, and assertiveness. a.
Analysis: Throughout the entire novel, Jane maintains her ability to assert herself and maintain her human dignity.
Her reluctance to being the “wife” Rochester wants her to be while he is still marries to Bertha shows this to an even greater amount. She does not simply want to be another mistress. She desires gender equality, meaning she wants to be taken seriously as a woman. This fact challenges the typical Victorian prejudice against women and their capabilities. The significance of Jane’s assertiveness and individuality and of Bronte’s challenges to Victorian ideals is shown through Bertha. Although extreme, Bertha reveals how woman truly feel about their unhappy marriages.
Bertha wanted to have the ideal woman image which eventually led her to the fallen ideal. These ideals are shown as being interchangeable through the same woman.
Jane rejects both ideals which is Bronte’s challenge to
Milton’s submissive Eve.
IV.
Conclusion: Discuss Bertha as a significant literary figure. a.
Her full story is not bothered to be told by Rochester, it is ignored. i.
Similar to the future text, Rebecca.
1.
Both these mysteries lead to the authors revealing how having individuality (like Jane) or lack thereof (like the new Mrs. de
Winter and Bertha) can affect your life. a.
The ideal women and the fallen ideal are proved to be negative paths to take. They look different but lead to similar circumstances, causing them to be considered interchangeable. i.
Personally, I think that DuMaurier wrote the new wife in response to Bertha. In other words, Bertha represents insanity from trying to be the ideal woman (like Mrs. de Winter was).

ii.
Only through rejecting both sides of the spectrum can woman truly find happiness in themselves and their relationships.
Note: I have not finished reading Wide Sargasso Sea yet, my info on here is from
Wikipedia/sparknotes. Will add quotes from the texts in the Final Paper.
You put a LOT of work into this outline! I can see connections and ideas coming together here.
Good job. Here is an abbreviated revision of your thesis and outline (suggested revisions).
Thesis: This paper will examine the interchangeability of the angel and fallen angel stereotypes in three novels written by and about women: Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) , Jean Rhys
Wide Sargasso Sea, and Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca . The central female characters in these novels all negotiate these stereotypes, demonstrating both the fluidity and disparity of these figures.
I.
The cultural context of this figure in Auerbach (liked your ideas about this). a.
This paragraph should identify significance of Auerbach’s findings. b.
Identify the limitations of Auerbach’s findings – how you are ADDING to this conversation (hint – Auerbach only examines work by MEN). Perhaps you can
EXPAND Auerbach’s argument by comparing/contrasting how women writers negotiate this stereotype (this seems to be what you move towards in the conclusion).
II.
The character Bertha models the fluidity of the angel/fallen angel stereotype in Jane
Eyre . Jane Eyre must negotiate the path of destruction modeled by Rochester’s first wife. a.
This section should include the material you looked at in the FIRST and the
THIRD section.
III.
Jean Rhys examines the (possible/imagined) cultural/gendered pressures that caused
Bertha to get caught in the angel/fallen angel stereotypes. a.
Again, should include material from the FIRST and THIRD sections.
IV.
Like Bertha, Rebecca DeWinters models the rise and fall of the angel. Like Jane
Eyre, the second Mrs. DeWinters negotiates the stereotypes set by the previous wife.
V.
Conclusion: I will use these sources to support the fact that the fallen ideal and the ideal woman are often the same concept in two different bodies. Therefore, on the outside the ideal woman and the fallen ideal woman look different, but on the inside they are often quite similar. Either way, succumbing to the male desire of an ideal woman results in a demonic or angelic representation of the woman. Falling in to either of these categories causes distress for the woman.

i.
Consider the SIGNIFICANCE of the fact that the first (dead) wives model stereotypes and the new, living wives all try to escape their examples. ii.
Contrast with the MALE authored examples in Auerbach/own interpretation of Milton. iii.
What is the CULTURAL significance of this contrast?!?!
This outline streamlines your points (without changing your conclusions, I believe).
Note: I have not finished reading Wide Sargasso Sea yet, my info on here is from
Wikipedia/sparknotes. Will add quotes from the texts in the Final Paper.