The Power Of Clotel: Tragic Moulatto Women

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Color boundaries define an individual’s position in life. From the antebellum south of the United States to the late 19th century pre-Harlem renaissance, ethnicity has been shown to influence the power and prestige bestowed upon African American men and women. Two tales– Clotel (1853) by William Wells Brown and “Natalie” (1898) by Alice Dunbar-Nelson - exemplify the trials and racism that mulatto women historically contended with through the trope of the tragic mulatta. Clotel upholds the traditional version of the tragic mulatta and “Natalie” transforms it into a play of power and success. The term mulatto is a color classification that refers to bi-racial men and women of Caucasian and African American descent. The trope of the tragic …show more content…

Clotel represents the struggle the institution of slavery and it’s innate biases to reunite herself with her young daughter, Mary. Clotel is a mixed race woman that is displaced in her own lineage as well as society. Born to Thomas Jefferson and his slave Currer, Clotel is representative of the farce of color lines. (Wells Brown, 50) Her “real albino” complexion and “pure chastity” – both Caucasian attractions – serve to commoditize her, bringing her monetary value to 1500 dollars. (Wells Brown, 53) Clotel embodies contradictions as the tragic mulatta should. She appears white but is black under the law. She upholds white morals, yet still functions as a sexual commodity to her new owner and pseudo-husband Horatio Green. She is an individual, but she is property. The real tragedy is found not in the sale of human flesh, but in the separation of family. After Clotel bears Horatio a child, his affections begin to dwindle as political ambition infects his heart and mind. Horatio marries a white woman named Gertrude to further his political gain and jealousy reigns in their relationship. Clotel is sold to another slave owner and Mary is brought under the frigid auspices of the Green home. (Wells Brown, 128) The

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