The Complicated Life Of The Venus Hottentot

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Agency or Complacency: the Complicated Life of the Venus Hottentot


In Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus, readers are introduced to a fictionalized version of Saartjie Baartman, a woman who was smuggled into London from South Africa in 1810 to perform in a freak show (Elkins). In both the play and in real life, Saartjie (known as the Hottentot Venus) is subject to both degradation and dehumanization throughout her short life. Some argue that The Venus has agency over her situation when she is prepositioned with different offers; due to The Venus’ circumstances and her status as a black woman during the 19th century, she does not have any control over the different offers she receives during the play.
At the beginning of the play The Venus is either …show more content…

Once she makes her appeal towards the Court, they respond positively to her words and end up allowing her to remain in the country. The Venus has learned to manipulate the dominant group in society in order to get what she wants, and she applies this tactic of manipulation to her conversation with The Baron Docteur. Before accepting his offer The Venus asks The Baron Docteur for many things, namely money, food, and clothing, all of which he agrees to (88). Because The Baron Docteur is already infatuated with The Venus, it is easier for her to get what she wants from him, and unlike The Brother, The Baron Docteur is more considerate towards The Venus. This can be seen when The Venus asks The Baron Docteur if she has a choice whether or not to go to Paris, to which The Baron Docteur replies, “Yes. God. Of course” (88). Here, she is more careful in her decision making because her naivety has already been taken advantage of, yet she ultimately accepts his …show more content…

Before The Baron Docteur approaches the Venus, he first speaks with The Mother-Showman with the intention of purchasing The Venus. The Mother-Showman is reluctant and tries to dissuade The Baron Docteur from purchasing The Venus by lying on her character but The Baron Docteur resorts to using his wealth in order to get what he desires, which in this case is The Venus (81-83). By the time he first approaches her, The Venus is his property, putting her into a position where it is extremely hard for her to say no. While The Venus does not refuse the offer of The Baron Docteur, because he owns her, it is clear that the only acceptable answer to this offer is a yes. Because of the master-slave dynamic that has been established between them without her knowledge, if she refused his offer, there is a possibility that she would have been forced to go to Paris regardless of what she truly

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