The most classic American, gothic theme that we encounter is the analysis of our dark side, or the piece of us that loses touch with our conscience and thrives on “evil.” Through this process, we lose our humanity. By enslaving someone, you’ve taken away that humanity. Victor Sejour’s “The Mulatto” confronts the horrors of slavery by employing this theme in the story of a slave who loses himself. I will bring his transitions from goodness to vileness to light and account for the effects of slavery on the farmer, or slave. As incessant evils are committed against the main character, Georges, he loses his mind and becomes the ultimate evil of the story, proving the mind and soul-altering results of slavery.
Georges, the protagonist, was the offspring of Alfred, one of the richest planters in the country and the eighteen year old slave he bid on and impregnated. She had no choice in the matter, so Georges was born not by will, but against it. Alfred denied any relation to the child and so he was raised believing that Alfred was only his owner. Sejour makes it clear that Georges had the makings to be a good man, but his obstinate nature could easily lead him down the wrong path, foreshadowing on his ambiguous anger for his father; “ His mother raised him with affection, love, and strong morals. Georges leads the beginning of his life this way, strong-willed and dedicated to his “master.” Upon discovering that Alfred is being plotted against, he attempts to warn him, as well as protect him. “Don’t worry, master, they’ll have to walk over my body before they get to you.” He is brave and noble, even to a man who has treated him far less than humanely. And even after Alfred accuses him of treachery, he still fights for him, getting seriously injured in the process. Georges proves himself to be a decent, noble man at his core.
However Georges is human and susceptible to the effects of evil in this world. While he is still recovering, Alfred rapes his wife. His condition prohibiting him from doing anything to save her, he can only fall down, “his eyes haggard, his hands clenched, his mouth gasping for air.” Georges begs at the feet of Alfred not to kill his wife, for he knows that it is an unjust murder. “Have mercy,” he repeats, yet Alfred never heeds his words and remains stoic against the heartfelt pleas. When he realizes that Alfred has no mercy, he stands and refuses to leave before Alfred knows he is a “lying coward.” In one moment he develops from pleading for pity to threatening; “I will kill you. I will drink your blood.” This transition is instantaneous, and as he watches Zelia being hanged on Alfred’s orders a piece of his humanity dies as well. And in its place is born a hunger for vengeance against Alfred. His position of inadequacy to his master, and helplessness to his fate, rendered “the gentles of men dangerous and bloodthirsty.”
While Alfred’s fear of Georges’ revenge subsided after three years, he became a husband and father.
George’s darkened heart waited for such a circumstance so he could physically and emotionally wound Alfred as severely as possible, and take from Alfred exactly what Alfred had taken from him. As he plots and approaches Alfred in his bedroom to kill him, he tell him to “commend his soul to God.” This is cruel and ironic, because when Alfred cries “In God’s name” a minute later, Georges responds, “I don’t believe in that any longer.” Alfred begs for mercy in the same manner Georges did years before, but Georges has no empathy and shows no pity. His connection to that part of his soul has been severed, and he no longer has any compassion. Paralleling his own torments, he kills Alfred’s wife in front of him, having the ability to save her in the palm of his hand. He has water that will save the woman’s life, yet he throws it away; like Alfred could easily have saved Zelia’s life, but he chose not to. Once he kills Alfred’s wife, he turns to kill Alfred himself. Upon committing this act, he learns that Alfred is his father, declares himself to be cursed, and kills himself as well.
Georges died faithless and hopeless, free from his bonds of slavery, but bound by his own darkness. The ultimate effects of slavery do not die. He killed his master, being his father or otherwise, so he was free in a literal sense. But the situation had rendered him with an empty and dark heart, which he could never be freed from. His enslavement determined the makings and developments of his soul. This transition and acceptance of the evil inside his soul determined his fate, to die by his own hand. He became free of Alfred, but could never be free of himself.
The theme of the evil inside us and being led to embrace it recurs in most gothic tales. The idea of what wickedness we are capable of, and what it takes to push us to doing such things is what creates a gothic tone. Georges fully submits to his darkness and renounces any goodness he once had as he chooses vengeance over redemption, proving the effects of slavery to be irrevocable and irreversible.
Help received: none
X_Sarah E. Lemon
