Hypocrisy: A Literary Analysis

When rewriting classic novels, authors generally have specific agendas. Sometimes their purpose is to correct or clarify certain aspects of the original texts; another motivating factor could be to emphasize particular elements. A common literary technique authors often employ is the continuation of major themes from classic works to the rewrites. A prevalent theme in eighteenth and nineteenth-century literature is examining the effects of British presence in foreign countries from a variety of perspectives. In Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, the interaction between Crusoe and Friday explores how the English justified their actions when dealing with savages, while J.M. Coetzee’s Foe portrays a more accurate representation of the master-slave relationship. Similarly, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre focuses more specifically on illustrating the disparity between an individual who meets English standards of propriety and a savage from an uncivilized world. Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea highlights the hypocrisy of invading foreign countries and insisting the natives assimilate to British culture while refusing to educate themselves on the local’s traditions. Although each novel approaches the issue in a different manner, the overall point of the classic texts and their rewrites is to present readers with varying perspectives …show more content…
In this text, the glaring hypocrisy of the protagonist’s unnamed husband (who is presumably Rochester from the original novel) in regards to his wife’s native culture is meant to emphasize the self-benefiting motivation behind the European presence in foreign countries. His behavior reflects how, when establishing colonies, the desire to learn about and understand the local culture and traditions was not a factor for the English. Their focus was solely to force their customs upon the natives in order to