Christianity as a Tool for Oppression in Brown's Clotel or The President's Daughter

Introduction

Many critics have regarded William Wells Brown's Clotel or The President's Daughter as one of the most motivational fictions that gave hope and empowered the blacks during the times of slavery. His work is vital in modern society as he points out the ills, and ironies of the slave masters. Gayle (1975) states that "William Wells Brown's Clotel has been claimed as a safe, non-progressive novel, one that surfeits the black middle class with literature which point(s) out ways in which they might become like their oppressors." (5). Brown addresses the misfortunes that slaves encountered such as the issue of mulattas, not given fair treatment or not being protected by the laws, slaves running away from their masters to Canada with the help of some slave abolitionists and their unconsent marriages to the slave masters. Historical references to Jefferson and Horatio by satirizing their notion of equality and independence are also presented. This essay carries a thematic discussion of Christianity as a tool of oppression and how it was used and taught by masters in Brown's Clotel.

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In Katie Frye's "The Case against Whiteness in William Wells Brown's Clotel" (2009), Frye reveals that Clotel portrayed whites as the harbingers of death. According to Frye, apart from the few notable exceptions where the Quakers are seen helping the runaway slave called George, the whites repeatedly failed to help in the surviving of their slaves. Horatio is unable to save either Clotel or the daughter Mary and Dr. Morton's failure to free his wife Althesa before he dies leads to the death of Althesa and their children who commit suicide afterward. As Frye discusses the whites as the contributing factor to the death of slaves, the issue of Christianity becomes an interesting area for one to look at concerning whites being regarded as "harbingers of death." Frye focuses mainly on the death and damage that slave masters bring on their slaves, and I believe that is not enough. Since she does not touch on the use of Christian religion by the Christian slave masters to suppress the slaves, I see that as a loophole in Frye's article to be filled.

From the preface of the novel, it is revealed that the statesmen and doctors of divinity in the US were slave-owners. ."Were it not for persons in high places owning slaves, and thereby giving the system a reputation, and especially professed Christians, slavery would long since been abolished"...This statement shows that the statesmen and the professed Christians who were slave owners made it impossible to abolish the slave trade as they had more power and control in the society when compared to the commoners.

The quote by Whittier at the beginning of chapter six sets the tone for the entire chapter "What! Preach and enslave men? Give thanks--and rob thy own afflicted poor? Talk of thy glorious liberty, and then Bolt hard the captive's door (Brown 26)." Religious men interpreted the Bible in a manner that best suits their needs at the expense of the slaves at the same time they considered themselves at the pinnacle of the fight for equality and free will. The quote is a reflection of Mr. Peck. Mr. Peck is among the religious natives with proslavery arguments that utilize the scriptures to enforce their will rather than encourage abolishment. As a character, he is a symbolic representation of hypocrisy among the slaveholding Christians. While preaching the law and gospel, Mr. Peck advocated for the slaves called "his people" to be well fed and not overworked. However, according to his religious views, he should have the power to hold slaves who tender for his needs and wealth as they are protected from cruelty in return. While arguing with his old school mate friend Carlton about the morality behind slavery, Mr. Peck uses the Bible to advocate for slavery by stating that man had forfeited his right in life with the first act of disobedience (Brown 26). He also refers to the blacks as sons of Ham, and they should listen to the gospel (Brown 25). According to Genesis 9, Ham's sons were cursed by Noah for seeing him naked. The slaveholding Christians interpreted blackness as a sign for the curse. Most branches of Christianity including Calvinists, Methodists, Quakers, and reformers disagree with such notions as there is no scriptural evidence in support of the relationship between skin color and Ham curse. The masters, therefore, used the inability and prohibition of the slaves to read as an opportunity to twist the scriptures in support of their actions. Mr. Peck also refuses to heed his daughter's abolishment views regarding subjecting families to limitless Generations, bondage, and toil (Brown 27). The latter depicts he had no regard for the slave's wellbeing but was willing to pretend as long as it kept them happy and served his needs (plantation work).

The author also paints Mr. Peck as the "A Slave Hunting Parson" which is a contradictory title to what Peck wants. As much as he clothed and fed his servants well, he is among the cruelest of the masters. Mr. Peck made his driver work in the fields from dawn till late at night. He wants to appear as a moral Christian by indirectly (Snyder) convincing his servants that it is wrong to disobey the master. Christianity is therefore portrayed as a means of hiding his perception towards the slaves. Internally, he flamed with racism but risked not tainting himself as one. He made, Huckelby (unprincipled man) an overseer of his plantation such that he did not have direct contact with the humiliation of the slaves. The poem "My Little Nig" offered to Carlton by Mr. Peck compares the slaves to a pig (Brown 44). This is the actual perception of Mr. Peck towards slaves disguised in the name of Christianity.

Hontz Snyder also interpreted the scriptures to foster obedience and submission to the master's will. Snyder encouraged the slaves to be obedient to their masters and not complain about their status or fail to do their tasks when the masters were not looking like this will be an insult to God. "Consider that it is not yourselves, it is not the people that you belong to, it is not the men who have brought you to it, but it is the will of God who hath by his providence made you servants (Brown 29)." Here he uses the scriptures to encourage the slaves to be content with their current status in life as it is "God's will." In the catechism, Snyder depicts slaveholder's version of Christianity. "Q: Then is the master to blame for whipping his servant?--A. 'Oh, no! He is only doing his duty as a Christian." All of their answers are aimed to encourage submission and total disregard of their rights as fellow human beings or Christians for that matter. Even the slaves identify that the interpretation of the scripture is meant to serve only the needs of the masters. Sandy says, "Dees white fokes is de very dibble," said Dick; "and all dey whole study is to try to fool de black people (Brown 32)." Christianity is therefore used to prevent the slaves from rebelling the oppressive nature of their masters.

Carlton is a crucial figure advocating for the right of man to his liberty irrespective his religious beliefs. He, therefore, points out the subjugation subjected to slaves in the name of Christianity is a show that the Bible is not from God. And if God supports such acts, then he prefers being religion less as recommended by his widely read knowledge in philosophy. The latter is supported by Georgiana, Pecks daughter, who asks her father a favor not to support slavery with Christianity during his next conversation with Carlton. She believes she can change Carlton's "soulless" if she managed to make him understand that Christianity does not favor such system of sin (Brown 40). During her conversations with Carlton, Georgiana states that the bishops, elders, ministers, and deacons were all engaged in unlawful business and they did not consider their conduct to be in any way different from the perceptions of either the old or New Testament (Brown 41). Her father, Mr. Peck is a representation such individuals as he believed everything he did, he did for the "glory of God" and termed them as benevolent causes (Brown 39). Mr. Peck disregards the talks and advocacy of human rights and liberty by both her daughter and Carlton as mere humbug. He believes the Bible should be followed and not the constitution as the Bible is older and protects Christians from any form of attack. In this instance, he views his actions as heavenly and a necessary balance according to the will of God.

The church and Christianity advocated for slavery indirectly due to fear of conflicting the subjective views of the natives. The churches and ministers who did not hold slaves generously defended the people who did and even described their practices as a good Christian character. In her efforts to enlighten Carlton on the real value of Christianity, Georgiana recognizes that the church misinterprets the Bible by supporting the notion that slavery can exist without injury to the church or the Christian faith even if the victim is a fellow Christian (Brown 41). She identifies such acts an abuse of the scripture which is fundamentally wrong. The church was also given the role to play judge of character and assurance of good standing in the society. In Mr. Devenant willingness to marry Mary, he states that the trader who bought her in New Orleans showed him a certificate of ethical conduct and one from the minister of the church (Brown 103). These two documents assured him of her good standing and character in the society. Thus, the slaves who went against the church or demanded their rights were considered rebellious and not productive members of the community.

Conclusion

Christianity was the tool for oppression by Christian slave masters. Masters such as Mr. Peck pretended to have the interests of the slaves at heart yet they never wanted to hear slave abolishment as they believed that God created the slaves to serve the holy. Masters used various means of submission by supporting their actions through the scriptures and leaving the inhuman treatment of slaves to their white servants. The church was also given a considerable role in society. Being owners of slaves, the various factions of the church identified disobedience or questioning of the master's will a sign of being a sinner and generally a less productive member of the society.

Work Cited

Brown, William Wells. "Clotel; or, The President's Daughter: A Narrative of Slave Life in the United States. 1853." Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's (2000). https://www.sapili.org/livros/en/gu002046.pdf

Frye, Katie. "The Case against Whiteness in William Wells Brown's Clotel." The Mississippi Quarterly 62.3/4 (2009): 527.