Wide Sargasso

The British Isles are divided in two big islands: Great Britain and Ireland.

The union of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland forms the United Kingdom. Its flag is called "The Union Jack". It's important to point out that Ireland is divided in four provinces, one of them Ulster. Ulster is then divided in 9 counties, 6 forming Northern Ireland and the other three belonging to the Republic of Ireland.

The first thing to take into account when studying British geography is the importance of the sea in its History. Since the British Isles, as islands, are surrounded by the sea, they are isolated. The sea acts then as a good frontier and allows an independent life. Sea can be a way of getting into the British Isles (before 1.066 they suffered lots of invasions), but it is also a natural defensive barrier (nobody was able to invade the Isles from 1.066).

In relation with its geological history (which is important to consider when studying its History), till 5.000 BC Ireland and Great Britain were united to the continent, but then Ireland separated from Great Britain and later on, both islands separated from the continent, till they reached their present configuration. The facts that take us to this conclusion is the presence of animals both in the British Isles and in the continent and the absence of, for example, snakes on Ireland (since this specie couldn't cross the land before the division).

It's important to remember its position between two political blocks (Europe and America), and the strong relation with America (since it had been a colony, with lots of people emigrated there when colonisation time).

But the honeymoon is short-lived, as Rochester receives a malicious letter from a man who claims to be Daniel Cosway, Antoinette's stepbrother. The letter alleges that there is a history of sexual degeneracy and mental illness in Antoinette's family, and it also alleges that Antoinette had previously been engaged to a colored relative, Sandi Cosway. After receiving the letter, Rochester spurns Antoinette. Using an obeah potion obtained from Christophine, Antoinette drugs and seduces Rochester. On waking, Rochester realizes that he has been drugged, and sleeps with Antoinette's maid in revenge. Betrayed, Antoinette seems to go mad herself. Part II ends with their departure from Granbois to Spanish Town, where Rochester plans to have Antoinette declared insane and confined.

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