The love potion-drug that Antoinette gives to Rochester symbolizes the larger incompatibility of West Indies and colonialist British cultures. First, Antoinette tries to use obeah magic on Rochester, a British man. This attempted crossover between the two cultures ultimately fails. Rochester even describes it as "poison". This failure happens because they are fundamentally incompatible: Rochester is the colonist, and the obeah magic comes from those who were colonized. As Christophine puts it, "it's too strong for beke".
This failure also occurs, though, because Antoinette does not belong to either culture. As Christophine says to Rochester, Antoinette is "not beke like you, but . . . beke, and not like us either". Thus, when she tries to use obeah magic, she fails, because she is not truly Jamaican; when she tries to connect to Rochester, she fails, because she is not truly English.
Additionally, Antoinette and Rochester's main relationship issues seem to stem from their inability to bridge their cultures: they each think that the other's world is like a "dream". Therefore, it is fitting that Antoinette's desperate attempt to bridge their cultures is the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. Rochester's statement that Antoinette "need not have done it", as well as the simple fact that Antoinette raped him, demonstrate the fundamental disconnect between the two characters.
In sum, the love potion distills Antoinette and Rochester's relationship and its problems into a single object.
This failure also occurs, though, because Antoinette does not belong to either culture. As Christophine says to Rochester, Antoinette is "not beke like you, but . . . beke, and not like us either". Thus, when she tries to use obeah magic, she fails, because she is not truly Jamaican; when she tries to connect to Rochester, she fails, because she is not truly English.
Additionally, Antoinette and Rochester's main relationship issues seem to stem from their inability to bridge their cultures: they each think that the other's world is like a "dream". Therefore, it is fitting that Antoinette's desperate attempt to bridge their cultures is the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. Rochester's statement that Antoinette "need not have done it", as well as the simple fact that Antoinette raped him, demonstrate the fundamental disconnect between the two characters.
In sum, the love potion distills Antoinette and Rochester's relationship and its problems into a single object.
Good post! We've talked in class about how the potion fails because Rochester is English, but I hadn't thought how it might have failed in part too because Antoinette is not truly Jamaican. It's another example of Antoinette tragically being caught between the two cultures, unable to bridge the gap to either one.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that the love potion and its use mark a major turning point in the relationship between Antoinette and Rochester. I think that Antoinette's failure is somewhat emblematic of her inability to fit in with Jamaican culture- just as Christophine warns, obeah doesn't mix well with beke, and Antoinette is beke, but she is not beke enough to connect with Rochester, who is Beke with a capital B. The love potion is Antoinette's attempt to bridge the wide sargasso sea, and, tragically, it fails.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As a slight addition to the "poison" observation the general perspective of Colonists on Obeah was of distrust. They viewed the potions that the "witches" produced as poison and often wrote such in primary sources.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the love potion is a complete failure but I never thought of it from the perspective that Antoinette isn't truly Jamaican either. I think that she was definitely caught between worlds and ends up not being accepted by either and the potion is a really good example of this.
ReplyDelete