The concept of character doubles, also known as doppelgangers, is prevalent in Gothic literature. These characters are either opposites or closely related in significance. Such doubles are used to explore the contradictory identities of human beings. One such example is seen in the novel Jane Eyre, where the protagonist, Jane, struggles to uncover her true identity and find her place in the world. Her compassionate nature and resolute attitude towards oppression and injustice contrast with the character of Bertha Mason, who is depicted as the "mad woman in the attic." This paper will delve into the journey of these two women, who face different forms of oppression but eventually end up marrying the same man.

From a young age, Jane experiences a life filled with hardship. Her parents and her uncle pass away, and she is left to face the world alone. When her aunt Reed locks her in a room, Jane realizes that her life always seems to be one of constant suffering. She feels like an outsider to her cousins and the children at Lowood school. Instead of spending her time learning, making mistakes, and growing, Jane is forced to become an adult before her time. In Victorian society, being a good wife and mother was considered the primary duty of middle-class women. Jane succumbs to this societal norm and becomes a woman who has lost herself in fulfilling these expectations. Her life of oppression follows her everywhere, even when she later goes to live with Mr. Rochester.

Ironically, Bertha Mason's life mirrors Jane's in many ways. She is labeled as crazy and violent by her husband and is imprisoned in a room on the third floor of Thornfield. Bertha has no voice of her own in Jane Eyre, and she is portrayed as all things evil through the eyes of Mr. Rochester. Like Jane, Bertha suffers from oppression. She is married off to Mr. Rochester to secure her inheritance, only to later experience ill-treatment at his hands. The servants, too, have contributed to Bertha's state of madness.

In conclusion, the concept of character doubles is a common theme in Gothic literature, and it is used to explore the contradictory identities of human beings. In Jane Eyre, Jane and Bertha's journey and eventual marriage to the same man highlight the different forms of oppression women faced during the Victorian era. Despite their differences, both women suffer from being locked away and denied their freedom.

After assuming the identity of Bertha Mason and becoming Antoinette Cosway, Rhys granted Antoinette the role of narrator and the power to reclaim her story and her character. Throughout the novel, other characters consistently portrayed Bertha as mad, evil, and crazy without ever attempting to understand her circumstances. The question arises as to why Antoinette, who possessed originality and vulnerability, was viewed as a villain. Was it because of her mixed race heritage or because she fell in love with someone who loved her wealth rather than her? Antoinette suffered from toxic emotional damage, and her "demonic laughter" was a plea for help, perhaps to warn Jane of the harm that marrying Rochester could do. Both Antoinette and Jane grew up in an environment that did not support their mental health, and Antoinette's Creole heritage was likely a contributing factor to her "lunacy."

Marriage to the wrong person profoundly changed Antoinette's future for the worse. Rochester's controlling nature undermined Antoinette's confidence and left her vulnerable and emotionally puzzled. Rhys aimed to challenge the patriarchy by highlighting the appalling treatment of women like Antoinette, who suffered at the hands of their husbands due to their creole identities within male-dominant, sexist communities.

Ultimately, Jane and Bertha were two sides of the same coin, reflecting each other's struggles. Bertha served as a mirror for Jane, exposing her inner turmoil. Throughout her life, Jane experienced various forms of oppression, and perhaps Bronte intended to impart the importance of learning from one's experiences and mistakes by allowing her protagonist to experience an ending her counterpart never received. Bertha acted as a medium for Jane to discover her identity, and it is possible that she also protected Jane by revealing the potential harm of staying with Rochester. Bertha's sufferings, slander, and mental torture resulted in her being made into a monster by men and her circumstances, and yet, she still did justice to her sufferings by burning Thornfield. Bertha was not a born monster, but rather, one who had been created through a series of unfortunate events.

In conclusion, Bronte and Rhys' novels portray the difficulties and injustices imposed upon women in male-dominated, sexist societies, and how those circumstances ultimately make them who they become. Works Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre, Rhys, Jean. Wide Sargasso Sea, Stevens, Kevin. "Eccentric Murmurs': Noise, Voice, and Unreliable Narration in Jane Eyre," Yurdakul, Selin. "The Other Side of the Coin: The Otherness of Bertha/Antoinette Mason in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea."