The 1850 United States Census offered for the first time three options in the category of color: In addition to ‘white’ and ‘black,’ the option of ‘mulatto’ was introduced (Douglas and Yates 44). The idea for this inclusion was forwarded by the northern states of the U.S. as the South was not keen on acknowledging any mixing of the races: A mulatto or mulatta is a child born to one white and one black parent. During slavery, thousands of mulatto children were born to slave mothers and white free men, most often the masters of the women. Due to the one-drop rule (which classified anyone with as little as one drop of African blood as black), these children inherited the race and status from their mothers.In the 1920s, when the author Nella Larsen came to fame, the ‘color line’ between black and white Americans was drawn more sharply than ever before (cf. Kaplan xv).
As mulattoes and mulattas can be of a very light complexion, they are predestined to ‘pass’ for white. This means that they can cross the constructed color line and live as white people. There are various, widely differing, guesses as to how many mulatto and black people passed in the late 1920s: The numbers range from 5,000 people in the U.S.each year to 75,000 people in only one city per day (cf. Kaplan xv). The concept of passing created two distinct feelings. The fact that people could simply assume another racial identity created fascination, on the one hand, and terror, on the other hand.
The two protagonists of Nella Larsen’sPassing (1929), Irene and Clare, are mulattas. Though they have grown up together, they have made different choices and lead different lives: Clare has passed for white formany years, whereas Irene has stayed within the black community.A detailed comparison shows that these two women do not only represent different options for mulatto people, but that they also share characteristics. As far as character types are concerned, Clare represents the tragic mulatta. Yet Larsen puts forth a revision of this literary tradition and character type. Irene exemplifies the moral black bourgeoisie, though it becomes evident that Larsen distances herself from Irene and the black bourgeoisie’s morals and ethics. Irene, in addition, also possesses tragic elements. Despite representing different character types, both Irene and Clare are the literary descendants of Iola Leroy, title character of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper’s novel Iola Leroy; or, Shadows Uplifted.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background Information
2.1 Passing and Passing Narratives
2.2 The Mulatto Character
3. Nella Larsen and Passing
4. Irene and Clare
4.1 Differences: Two Sides of the Color Line
4.2 Parallels: Irene and Clare as Halved Selves
5. Clare – Revision of the Tragic Mulatta
6. Irene – A Moral Black Bourgeoise?
7. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines Nella Larsen’s novella Passing to analyze the complex representations of "mulatto womanhood" and the protagonist's navigation of racial identity. It investigates how the characters Irene and Clare, while embodying distinct social choices, function as "halved selves" that challenge the traditional, restrictive tropes of the "tragic mulatta" and the "moral black bourgeoisie" within American literary history.
- The historical and social evolution of racial "passing" in the United States.
- The literary development of the "tragic mulatta" character type.
- A comparative analysis of Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry as contrasting yet interconnected protagonists.
- The intersection of fashion, etiquette, and performative identity in the 1920s.
- Nella Larsen’s critical engagement with and revision of established racial and class norms.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Differences: Two Sides of the Color Line
Without a doubt, the most significant difference between Irene and Clare is their way of dealing with being a mulatta and, in a broader context, their perceptions of race. Clare and Irene represent the different options mulatto people have: crossing the color line and passing for white or staying on one’s ‘side’ of the line.
Clare emblematizes passing in this dichotomy. In the beginning though, she was not an active agent in constructing a white identity for herself. As she grew up with her white aunts, nobody ever questioned her essential whiteness. In addition, her aunts forbade her to mention her African American heritage, and Clare asserts, “that omission was of great value to me” (Larsen 18). Since this time, Clare passes for white and this made her marriage to the successful white businessman John Bellew possible. By not telling him of her origins, Clare consciously decides to keep her white identity, and this is the point where she gains agency in her passing.
John Bellew is a racist. He declares, “I don’t dislike [blacks], I hate them. […] They give me the creeps. The black scrimy devils. […] Always robbing and killing people” (Larsen 30). In being married to Bellew, Clare risks everything. It almost seems as if life is a game for her. Only once, during the pregnancy with her daughter, Clare is terrified of Bellew finding out her secret by the baby’s being black: “I nearly died of terror […] for fear that she might be dark” (Larsen 25). Margery, however, does not show it.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of the "one-drop rule" and the emergence of racial passing in the 1920s, introducing the primary research focus on Nella Larsen's Passing.
2. Background Information: Provides a theoretical framework regarding the history of passing narratives and the literary evolution of the mulatto character in American fiction.
3. Nella Larsen and Passing: Details the biographical background of Nella Larsen and the critical reception of her novels, alongside the professional challenges that marked her later career.
4. Irene and Clare: Conducts a comparative analysis of the two protagonists, examining their divergent racial strategies and their shared psychological dependence as "halved selves."
5. Clare – Revision of the Tragic Mulatta: Analyzes how Larsen subverts traditional literary tropes by portraying Clare as a complex figure who knowingly maneuvers through racial boundaries rather than being a purely tragic victim.
6. Irene – A Moral Black Bourgeoise?: Critically evaluates Irene's identity, arguing that her adherence to bourgeois respectability masks an underlying insecurity and moral hypocrisy.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming that Larsen uses both characters to challenge binary notions of race and to critique the social constructs of identity in American history.
Keywords
Nella Larsen, Passing, Mulatto, Tragic Mulatta, Black Bourgeoisie, Harlem Renaissance, Racial Identity, Color Line, Social Construct, Literary Tradition, Irene Redfield, Clare Kendry, American Fiction, Performance, Identity Politics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the representation of racial passing in Nella Larsen's novel Passing, specifically through the lives of the two main characters, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry.
What are the central themes discussed in the analysis?
Key themes include the construction of racial identity, the sociological concept of "passing," the evolution of the "tragic mulatta" trope, and the critique of the black middle class.
What is the primary research goal of the author?
The goal is to demonstrate how Nella Larsen revises traditional literary stereotypes by presenting complex, layered characters who defy simple categorization as either "white" or "black."
Which academic methods are employed in this study?
The paper utilizes literary analysis, comparative character study, and historical context, incorporating perspectives from scholarly works on identity politics and the Harlem Renaissance.
What topics does the main body of the work cover?
The body covers historical definitions of passing, biographical details of Nella Larsen, a comparative look at the protagonists' differences and psychological parallels, and an investigation into their literary predecessors.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Significant keywords include "Passing," "Mulatto," "Nella Larsen," "Racial Identity," "Black Bourgeoisie," and "Literary Revision."
How does the author interpret the relationship between Irene and Clare?
The author views them as "halved selves" or "body doubles" who are mutually attracted and repelled by each other, reflecting suppressed desires and conflicting attitudes toward their shared racial heritage.
Why does the paper argue that Irene is not a simple "moral" character?
The paper suggests that Irene's excessive focus on security, her elitism, and her possible role in Clare’s death demonstrate that her adherence to bourgeois values is performative and masks her own deep insecurities.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kathrin Hoffmann (Autor:in), 2013, Mulatto Womanhood and Literary Traditions in Nella Larsen's "Passing", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/270357
