The author writes in the preface of Bondwoman's Narrative, "In presenting this record of plain unvarnished facts to a generous public I feel a certain degree of diffidence… to those who regard truth as a stranger than fiction it can be no less interesting than on the former account," (Crafts 3). Bondwoman's Narrative is titled as a "novel," meaning there is no sustainable ground to prove this story to be an accurate biography. Then what aspects of this novel can be deemed true and verified with evidence? Within the narrative told by the main character, Hannah Crafts, there are certain themes and concepts that historical evidence authenticates, such as the distinctive marital constructs that were apparent during the 19th century. The couples that played significant roles within the narrative—The Master and Mistress, The Henry's and Charlotte and Henry— represent the different types of social paradigms that surrounded a marriage at the time the book was drafted. Through Hannah's religiously opinionated narrative and interactions with these different couples, this novel portrays historically cohesive accounts of marital constructs relative to its setting in the antebellum South and thus defying the fictitious air that surrounds it claim of being a novel. A marriage in the 19th century had many different expectations than it does today. Most marriages, especially for the upper class, were conducted as an exchange of assets and used for public display. Hendrik Hartog in his lecture titled, "Marital Expectations in Nineteenth Century America," writes, "At least until the middle years of the nineteenth century being married meant subjecting oneself to a known and coercive public relationship," (96). It was an agreement that publicly cha... ... middle of paper ... ...Essays on The Bondwoman’s Narrative. New York: Basic Civitas Books, 2004. Print. Geraldine Brooks." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 22 June 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/geraldineb511490.htm Hartog, Hendrik A. “Marital Exits and Marital Expectations in Nineteenth Century America”. The Georgetown Law Journal. 80.95 (1991): 95-129. Georgetown Law Library. Web. 16 Jun 2014 Johnson, William Courtland. “ ‘A Delusive Clothing’: Christian Conversion in the Antebellum Slave Community”. The Journal of Negro History. 82.3 (1997). 295-311. JSTOR. Web. 16 Jun 2014 Sinche, Bryan. “Godly Rebellion in The Bondwoman’s Narrative”. Gates and Rollins Smith, Erin Elizabeth. “ ‘Not Because My Heart is Hard’: The Bondwoman’s Narrative, the Gothic and Companionate Marriage”. MP: An Online Feminist Journal (2010): 101-115. Web. 16 June 2014
Bondwoman's Narrative is written by a person who called itself as Hannah Crafts. But since the book was a manuscript before the editor bought from an auction and published recently, it is not clear yet who actually wrote this book. However it is strongly supposed by its editor and other reviewers that the book is the first novel of a slave woman. The value of a narrative from a fugitive or former slave is significant in terms of historical context because of its relevance to understanding eighteenth and nineteenth century American history. (Andrews, 1) Therefore, if Bondwoman's Narrative is actually written by a slave woman, the book's historical value cannot be measured. Since the identity of the author is still in discussion, analyzing the text in different aspects comes across significant. Hannah Crafts, who believed as the author of this book and also the heroin of the story, described as house slave who has lighter skin color than other slaves. Although Hannah's narration seems sympathetic towards slavery, a close examination of her words indicates that she attempts to represents her identity as a non-slave rather than one of the slaves.
Blassingame, John. The Slave Community. United States: Oxford University Press, 1972. Print. October 31st 2013.
"UNITED STATES v. JONES." The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 18 Nov. 2013 .
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” was said by Mignon McLaughlin. Marriage is made up of components that not everyone can see or understand. Marriage for women between the 19th and 20th centuries has changed in certain aspects, but mostly stayed stagnant. The background of these marriages is supported by public literary works, laws enacted against women, and the overall treatment of women in marriages through the two centuries.
Harris, Leslie M. “In The Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626-1863. New York: University of Chicago Press, 2003. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/317749.html
I understood how the economy played a role in the concept of courtship and marriage when it came to a dowry or a woman’s desire to choose a man based on income and property. However, it just felt as though the marriage system was progressing so much socially in the eighteenth century, but the profits of the new system still only benefitted those with money. To expound upon that notion, “many of the men and women who advertised cam from a prosperous commercial milieu… They owned shops and collected rent” (Jones, 177). So, if this article was explaining the revolutionary new changes of the marriage system, the progress that society made when it came to breaking down the social walls only went as far as how much money one had to spend on advertising
Oct 1993. Retrieved November 18, 2010. Vol. 79. 134 pages (Document ID: 0747-0088) Published by American Bar Association
“The greatest marriages are built on teamwork, a mutual respect, a healthy dose of admiration, and a never-ending portion of love and grace” is a quote by Fawn Weaver which suggests that matrimony should be based upon the authentic ideals and principles of love and respect. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen ridicules Mr. Collins proposal because of his unauthentic and superficial approach on marriage. Through the analyzation of this self righteous clergyman's proposal, Austin implicitly displays the dynamics between female and male and also brings light on the objectification of women in the 18th century. Specifically, this essay will analyse Austen’s commentary of the inconsequential fundamentals of marriage through the investigation of Mr. Collins proposal structure and the key factors missing from his speech and Elizabeth's rejection of Mr. Collins and what it inherently says about women in the Victorian Era.
Northup, Solomon, Sue L. Eakin, and Joseph Logsdon. Twelve years a slave. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1968. Print.
Connections between texts of different eras illuminate the dynamic nature of those central values that have continued to resonate within different contexts. A comparative study of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice and Fay Weldon’s 1984 epistolary Letters to Alice highlights the evolution of autonomy within marriage, shifting away from traditional Regency values of marriage to become more liberal in Weldon’s society, while also exploring the value of self-reflection through the reconsidering of past superficial values of their respective Regency and Post-Modern milieus.
Traditionally in both 18th century England and 20th century America, marriage was centred far more around social class than it was love, a stark contrast to today's society. However, in this aspect, it is unsurprising that social
After more than one hundred and fifty years, since the abolition of slavery in The United States of America, for scholars there is yet still a lot to be discovered. Especially in regards to the effects that slavery had on African American communities throughout history, and its impact on that same community today. Nevertheless, to many, it is certain that more than two hundred years of slavery in America, is too long of a time for its remnant to be completely faded away, or to be considered only a “history”. During the relatively short period of time I have spent interning for Dr. Cheryl LaRoch, I have sensed since the time I was first introduced to the Hampton Project, that such work would not be so easy to conduct. While dedicating an anthropological
In her essay, Woman in the Nineteenth Century, Margaret Fuller discusses the state of marriage in America during the 1800‘s. She is a victim of her own knowledge, and is literally considered ugly because of her wisdom. She feels that if certain stereotypes can be broken down, women can have the respect of men intellectually, physically, and emotionally. She explains why some of the inequalities exist in marriages around her. Fuller feels that once women are accepted as equals, men and women will be able achieve a true love not yet known to the people of the world.
Defense." Southern Illinois University Law Journal 30.(2006): 533-571. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 2 Apr. 2014.