Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea

Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) is a postcolonial and feminist prequel to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre that reclaims the voice of Antoinette Cosway, the Creole heiress remembered as the "madwoman in the attic." Set in 1830s Jamaica and Dominica following the abolition of slavery, the novel chronicles Antoinette's tragic unraveling as her rigid English husband, alienated by the lush Caribbean landscape and local culture, systematically strips her of her identity, independence, and sanity.

magistrate

A civil officer or lay judge who administers the law in a local district. Example: The plantation owner threatened to summon the workers before the local ___ to face charges.

patois

A regional dialect of a language, especially one spoken by common people and distinct from the standard variety. Example: The servants spoke rapidly in their local ___, making it difficult for the English visitors to understand.

gilt

Covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint to give the appearance of gold. Example: The ornate mirrors in the grand drawing room were framed in tarnished ___.

shingled

Covered with overlapping rectangular wooden tiles or pieces. Example: The old plantation house had a weathered, ___ roof that leaked during heavy tropical rainstorms.

double up

To bend the body forward suddenly, typically due to severe physical pain or laughter. Example: The sudden stomach cramp caused the laborer to ___ in agony in the middle of the field.

tumbler

A flat-bottomed drinking glass with straight sides and without a stem or handle. Example: He poured a generous measure of rum into a heavy glass ___ and pushed it across the table.

sly-boots

A cunning, mischievously clever, or secretive person. Example: She gave a knowing wink, revealing that the clever ___ had orchestrated the trick all along.

draught

A cool current of air moving through an enclosed room. Example: A sudden cold ___ swept through the shuttered veranda, causing the candle flames to flicker.

sparse

Thinly dispersed or scattered; thinly grown. Example: After months of drought, only ___ patches of dry grass remained across the pasture.

straggly

Growing, spreading, or hanging in an irregular, untidy, or uneven manner. Example: She tucked a lock of wet, ___ hair behind her ear as she stepped into the parlor.

velvet of the moss

A soft, plush, and dense green growth that carpets damp surfaces. Example: The decaying stone fountain was completely blanketed by the deep green ___.

cretin

A foolish, deformed, or mentally impaired person. Example: Cruel village gossips mocked the isolated boy, derisively labeling him a ___.

clove tree

A tropical evergreen tree of the myrtle family whose dried aromatic flower buds are harvested as a spice. Example: The rich, warm scent of the flowering ___ drifted through the humid island air.

oleander

A poisonous evergreen shrub with clusters of showy white, pink, or red blossoms and leathery leaves. Example: Clusters of bright pink ___ bloomed along the estate driveway, concealing their dangerous toxicity.

royal palm

A tall, majestic tropical palm tree featuring a smooth columnar gray trunk and large feathery fronds. Example: An avenue lined with the towering ___ led straight up to the entrance of the great house.

moonflower

A tropical climbing vine whose large, fragrant white flowers open at dusk and close with the dawn. Example: At twilight, the luminous blossoms of the ___ unfurled along the garden fence.

vetiver (vetivert)

A fragrant tropical grass whose aromatic roots produce an essential oil used in perfumes and cooling mats. Example: Dried bundles of aromatic ___ were tucked between stored linens to give them a fresh, earthy scent.

frangipani

A tropical shrub or tree with thick branches bearing clusters of highly fragrant, waxy blossoms. Example: She picked a sweet-smelling blossom from the ___ to tuck into her hair before dinner.

cinnamon tree

A tropical evergreen tree whose dried, aromatic inner bark is peeled and rolled into spice quills. Example: The warm, familiar fragrance of spice rose from the freshly stripped bark of the ___.

lime tree

A small thorny citrus tree that produces acidic, juicy round green fruits. Example: She squeezed the sour juice of a fresh citrus from the ___ into her cold cup of water.

stephanotis

A tropical woody vine bearing glossy leathery foliage and clusters of intensely sweet-scented white star-shaped blooms. Example: Tendrils of blossoming ___ wound around the veranda posts, perfuming the evening breeze.

jasmine

A climbing or shrubby plant with intensely fragrant, delicate star-shaped white or pale flowers. Example: The evening air was laden with the intoxicating floral aroma of blooming ___.

fern

A non-flowering vascular plant that reproduces via spores and produces delicate, feathery green fronds. Example: Dense green fronds of wild ___ crowded the damp, shaded banks of the mountain stream.

arrowroot

A herbaceous tropical plant whose fleshy rootstalks yield a delicate, easily digestible starch. Example: The nurse prepared a soothing medicinal porridge made from powdered ___ for the sick child.

calabash

A tropical tree that produces large, hard-shelled round fruits dried to create water vessels, bowls, and rattles. Example: The servant carried cool spring water up the hill in a hollowed, dried ___.

pitch pine

A North American pine tree rich in resin, yielding strong, decay-resistant timber used in construction. Example: Heavy floorboards crafted from resilient ___ resisted rotting in the damp island climate.

screw pine

A palm-like tropical tree characterized by spirally arranged spiny leaves and supporting aerial stilt roots. Example: The distinctive aerial prop roots of the ___ kept it firmly anchored against coastal winds.

nutmeg tree

A tropical evergreen tree yielding an aromatic seed and its lacy scarlet covering, mace. Example: Ripe fruit split open on the branches of the ___ to reveal the glossy brown seed within.

ginger lily

A tropical plant with lush foliage and showy, intensely fragrant butterfly-like flowers. Example: Clusters of white ___ grew wild along the ditch, releasing their sweet perfume at dusk.

honeysuckle

A climbing vine bearing tubular flowers containing sweet nectar that emit a strong fragrance at night. Example: Trailing vines of wild ___ clung to the garden wall, attracting hummingbirds and moths.

tree fern

A giant fern that develops a tall, woody trunk resembling a palm tree, topped with a crown of huge fronds. Example: Walking beneath the giant ___, she felt dwarfed by the prehistoric canopy of arching fronds.

bamboo

A giant woody grass with hollow, segmented stems that grows in dense, fast-growing groves. Example: Strong winds rattled through the thick grove of ___, making a rhythmic clattering noise.

hibiscus

A tropical shrub or small tree bearing large, flamboyant funnel-shaped blossoms with long projecting stamens. Example: A brilliant scarlet ___ was plucked from the garden and placed in a vase on the table.

guava bush

A tropical shrub or small tree yielding sweet, fragrant fruit with edible pink or yellow pulp and hard seeds. Example: The children spent the afternoon picking ripe, sweet fruit directly from the low branches of the ___.

Seville orange tree

A citrus tree producing intensely bitter, aromatic oranges used primarily for marmalade and flavorings. Example: The fruit picked from the ___ was far too tart to eat fresh, so it was boiled down for marmalade.

orchid

A diverse family of flowering plants celebrated for their complex, exotic, and brilliantly colored blooms. Example: An exquisite wild ___ hung from the trunk of the cedar tree, drawing moisture from the humid air.

coffee tree

A tropical evergreen shrub that produces bright red berries containing seeds harvested to make a stimulating dark beverage. Example: Field hands moved down the terraced rows of the ___, picking only the ripest red cherries.

tree of life

An evergreen tropical hardwood tree prized for its extraordinarily dense wood and medicinal resin. Example: The wood from the ___ was so heavy that a block of it would sink directly to the bottom of the river.

Martinique

A rugged volcanic French Caribbean island located in the Lesser Antilles. Example: Having spent her youth in ___, she spoke French with a charming Creole cadence.

hurricane months

The period of late summer and autumn in the Caribbean when severe tropical storms frequently develop. Example: During the anxious ___, the shutters were secured each night against incoming gales.

infrafluvial dark

The profound gloom, murky obscurity, or shadowy depths lying beneath the flowing surface of a river. Example: The lost coin vanished beneath the rippling water, disappearing into the ___.

cutlass

A short, heavy sword or machete with a broad curved blade, used in agriculture and maritime combat. Example: The field hand swung his heavy ___ through the thick brush to clear a path.

chemise

A classic loose-fitting, sleeveless linen or cotton undergarment worn under a dress. Example: In the humid summer heat, she unbuttoned her heavy gown and rested in her lightweight cotton ___.

tricorne hat

A three-cornered hat with the brim folded upward on both sides and at the back, popular during the 18th century. Example: The naval officer tipped his velvet-trimmed ___ as he greeted the ladies on the pier.

petticoat

A woman's underskirt worn beneath a gown to provide warmth, shape, or decorative fullness. Example: The rustle of her stiff, silk-lined ___ alerted everyone in the hall to her approach.

canvas chair

A folding chair constructed with a wooden or metal frame and a suspended seat made of heavy woven fabric. Example: He unfolded a lightweight ___ on the shady veranda to watch the sunset.

patchwork counterpane

A bed covering made by stitching together varied pieces and patterns of leftover fabric. Example: The colorful ___ covering the bed was lovingly assembled from worn calico scraps.

copperplate

An elegant, disciplined style of cursive penmanship featuring flowing strokes with alternating thick and thin lines. Example: The legal contract was written in an exquisite, sweeping ___ that resembled an engraving.

head pad

A small, coiled ring of cloth or woven fibers worn atop the head to cushion and stabilize heavy carried loads. Example: The market vendor adjusted the coiled ___ beneath her basket before walking into town.

privy seat

The wooden bench with an opening built over an outhouse pit for sanitation. Example: The rustic wooden outhouse contained only a plain scrubbed ___ and a bucket of lime.

flambeaux

Flaming torches, often made of bound wood or pitch-soaked tow, used to provide outdoor light at night. Example: Servants carried burning ___ to light the dark carriage path through the plantation gates.

sangoree

A refreshing West Indian alcoholic punch made of sweetened spiced wine, water, and citrus. Example: Guests gathered under the arbor to sip chilled glasses of fruit-infused ___.

glacis

A gentle sloping bank or open incline designed to expose advancing intruders to defensive fire. Example: The military fortification was surrounded by an open, gently sloping ___ that offered zero cover.

tread machine

A disciplinary apparatus powered by inmates stepping continuously on rotating steps or paddle wheels. Example: As punishment for disobedience, prisoners were forced to walk for hours upon the grinding ___.

tim-tim story

A traditional Caribbean folk riddle or story, typically beginning with the ritual phrase Tim-tim. Example: The children sat around the fire listening raptly to an old ___ about Anansi the trickster spider.

plantation

A large agricultural estate worked by resident laborers, focused on cash crops such as sugar or coffee. Example: After emancipation, many abandoned the decaying great house and overgrown fields of the former sugar ___.

cassava cake

A traditional flatbread baked from the grated, squeezed pulp of the manioc root. Example: For supper, she toasted a crisp, round ___ over the coals and served it with salted fish.

guava jelly

A sweet, translucent spread made by boiling down the juice of tropical guavas with sugar. Example: She spread a glossy layer of red ___ across her freshly baked biscuit.

mutton

The rich, distinctively flavored culinary meat of an adult domestic sheep. Example: The tavern keeper served a hearty stew filled with root vegetables and braised ___.

rheumatism

A general term for medical conditions causing chronic inflammation and pain in muscles and joints. Example: The damp weather caused an ache in his knees that he attributed to his recurring ___.

effluvia

Noxious, foul-smelling vapors or waste exhalations given off by rotting matter. Example: A dreadful stench arose from the stagnant marsh, filling the stagnant air with sickly ___.