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WIDE SARGASSO SEA, 1834-1838 - former slaves under apprenticeship system,…
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1834-1838 - former slaves under apprenticeship system, where slave owners were compensated for slaves considered as 'property', whereas slaves received nothing
former masters required to provide apprentice labourers with food, clothing, housing and medical care, sometimes even land
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Sugar planters, responding to decline in production, began a campaign disparaging black labour and resulted in the characterisation of black workers as lazy // research has found they were very productive, many of which becoming small proprietors and landowners, and contributed to the diversification of the British West Indian economy
a 'white apology' for and defense of slavery was that African societies acquired or sold slaves that were recent prisoners of war, thus not considered part of the society
Creole:
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Anglo-European descent born in colonies to indicate racial purity // also referred to slaves and animals locally born; white later added to differentiate between white and black Caribbeans
Beginning of 19th century - indicated racial mixture of African and European languages, food or cultural forms
Tropicalised, emotionally high-strung, lazy and sexually excessive
Massacre, Dominica
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Thomas 'Indian' Warner:
half-Carib son of one of foremost English colonists in West Indies, Sir Thomas Warner
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represents Caribbean history and mythology, the position and alienation between two cultures
Patois
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derogatory, low social status of speaker and dialect
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JE: narrated in 1818-1819, takes place between 1798-1808
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Begins in Jamaica, honeymoon in Dominica, eventually finish in England
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Jamaica - English colony, captured by Spain in 165, became British in 1670
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Dominica - passed between France and England in second half of 18th century // during novel, it was sold to England
Emancipation Act 1833, took effect a year later
Jamaican population census of 1844 - only 4% white. When Jean Rhys grew up in Dominica, this was only 1%, so white people were considered a minority within a minority because they had been born in Dominica rather than in the ruling colonies
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Maroons: [Jamaica] runaway slaves and descendants to the mountains and lived in small communities and were successful in guerrilla techniques [English] meanings of wild and untamed and wild boar
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'Sleeping in the moonlight': belief that looking at or sleeping under full moon for extended period of time leads to madness // 'lunacy' described insanity interrupted by lucid intervals influenced by changes in the moon
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Primogeniture: inheritance granting land to eldest son // key to continuity of aristocracy, British constitution and culture // sons married heiresses to support themselves - relevant in Jane Eyre when Rochester received 30,000 pounds through an arranged marriage
Married Woman's Property Act of 1870 [not in effect in novel]: before act, wife's belongings became husband's and was controlled by him as well
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Vodou: creolised, syncretic religion, adapted to new social and political situation of slavery which overlapped with Christian symbols // often used poisons and offerings
Obeah: system of beliefs and practices, African in origin, practitioner works to get client success, money, love, cures and protection and cause trouble for enemies // healing and spiritual leaders // great influence in slave communities and received attention from white legislators in Jamaica // Christians believed this was a dangerous superstition incited by the devil
Soucriant: blood-sucking creature, female, travels by night as a ball of fire but looks like an ordinary person by day
Zombi: person's soul put to sleep by bokor, sorcerer, who takes full command of their body // alienation of zombi a powerful metaphor for experience of plantation slaves // created by magic of Vodou // disorientated, amnesiac, a living dead // changing name changes a person entirely