Beloved has impressed me in numerous ways, yet the one I keep coming back to is it's portrayal of women, both in terms of slavery and in a general sense. While societal expectations of free women in the 1800's seem archaic compared to those of today, the role of women in slavery was almost unfathomably more oppressive. Despite the Gardner's comparatively relaxed treatment of their slaves, Sethe was still expected to conform tightly to what her gender defined her as. She was not simply expected to cook, clean, and have children but instead was forced too under threat of violence. Although she speaks of her choosing of a husband favorably, having been given ample time and advocacy in the matter, Sethe was still forced to marry and reproduce to increase her owners capital. Having lived for many years under these horrible conditions one would think she would submissively conform to society's gender roles. Quite the opposite is true however; she lives and works independently to care for her daughter despite the judgement from her community.
What I find remarkable about Toni Morrison's portrayal of Sethe's strong willed feminism is how subtle and realistic it is. It's not hard to find a novel where an empowered female protagonist raves about gender inequalities and actively tries to fight them. This type of rhetoric certainly has a place and importance, but it often feels heavy handed within a complex narrative. Sethe however never goes on about how independent and capable she is, instead simply hunkering down and doing what needs to be done to take care of her family. I'm sure she could speak at great lengths about her journey and struggles as a slave woman, yet she chooses to remain humble. The realism in her actions really brings the character to life while also revealing a greater truth about feminism. Sethe shows how the fight for equality is not only at protests and in activism, but instead can be as simple as defying societal expectations and proving ones own strength.
I agree, I really like Sethe's character, and despite what we might know now, I still think that overall Morrison has created a strong, positive, but still interesting character. I like that Beloved is very progressive, without really making it overbearing, it fits very naturally.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Often times in novels, a female protagonist is characterized as a strong-willed woman who seems to overly state her power and strength. However, Sethe breaks this stereotype. The way she holds herself and cares for her family in a way that does not explicitly show her strength.
ReplyDeleteI like that you picked out the role that feminism and women's agency plays in this book. I think that it is especially important because it represents Sethe, a woman of color, as a complex fully human person-- something that is not too common in our society. Sethe is very strong, but she is also vulnerable and loving. Sethe's emotional complexity does more for feminism than embodying strength: a characteristic expected from women of color during this time.
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