Bertha mason full name bertha antoinetta mason is a fictional character in charlotte brontë s 1847 novel jane eyre she is described as the violently insane first wife of edward rochester who moved her to thornfield hall and locked her in a room on the third floor.
Bronte wife in attic.
The 1966 parallel novel wide sargasso sea by jean rhys serves as a prequel to brontë s novel.
Through the concise plot summary of jane eyre that follows the reader will get an overview of the book that made charlotte brontë famous.
The real life attic that was the inspiration for a section of jane eyre where mentally ill character bertha mason is confined before she commits suicide is now open to the public.
But astonishingly this may not have all been fiction.
Charlotte brontë s jane eyre is well known for the shocking discovery of mr rochester s scandalous hidden wife a deranged woman locked away in an attic.
Gilbert and gubar draw their title from charlotte brontë s jane eyre in which rochester s wife née bertha mason is kept secretly locked in an attic apartment by her husband.