Analysis Of Clotel Or The President's Daughter

Reading analysis of Clotel or the President's daughter places the topic of the historical setting of slavery where white men would clover slave or black women and slave women would ironically indulge themselves in their white oppressor. The characters of the story each stand for an actual platform during slavery. For example, the character Mrs. Green's hatred towards Mary, Clotel's daughter, even after selling her mother back into slavery shows how white women expressed their disdain towards black women. White women were opposed to slave women and even more disgusted at the fact they were sought after by white men. Though his writing is fictional it does offer the modern-day reader actual insight to past slavery. Brown also places a direct …show more content…
It can also be seen in today where a person of "lighter" skin tone is more privileged than a person of "darker skin" tone. During rhe story it shows that Currer is indeed a higher class of slave but is still reminded that her and her daughters were no different from ordinary slaves. For example, while Clotel was young she was purchased by a Horatio Green. While living with him she was living luxuriously compared to any other slave and soon became pregnant and gave birth to Mary. Horatio became wrapped up in his work in politics and eventually divorces Clotel and marries a rich man's wife who he is fond of in politics. The new wife, Mrs. Green then forces Horatio to sell Clotel back into slavery. This example shows that the mulatto woman is still with no defense being born of a black parent. Initially Currer thought that being mulatto would be a way out for her and her daughters from slavery. But in the reading, Brown demonstrates they were treated even worse by most mistresses in the south because they were seen as rivals. Mrs. Green goes further demanding to have Clotel sold outside of the state. Even if Clotel was mixed with white, her downfall was being mixed with black as well. So was there really a higher class because they were still subject to the will of their master or worse, a scorned new white mistress. Today's society still shares prejudices towards blacks in …show more content…
For instance, at the very beginning of Clotel the narrator tells us, “Society does not frown upon the man who sits with his mulatto child upon his knee whilst its mother stands a slave behind his chair". He seems to be disappointed in the state of this society but recognizes that there are also men such as Mr. Peck, for instance, a white man who can make powerful statements such as one of the important quotes from “Clotel or The President’s Daughter” by William Wells Brown, “Look at our great Declaration of Independence….and see what it said in these about liberty". By offering the reader different characters he shows us that there is no way to feel optimistic or pessimistic since there are so many viewpoints about the issue out there. In sum, however, the fact that the main characters come to tragic ends shows that there is still no hope for a slave, especially a slave woman and therefore the novel ends with the same more pessimistic