Sentimental Fiction in Clotel

Sentimental Fiction in Clotel

by Autumn Meyer and Amber Mullins

What is Sentimental Fiction?

Sentimental fiction, broadly defined, is a form of literature that evokes the emotions of its readers, drawing on aspects like the beauty of nature, didacticism, and often the depths of tragedy. Some of the most prevalent topics touched on in sentimental literature are societal restraints such as women’s rights, the abhorrence of slavery, and realities of economic injustices. One of the most remarkable examples of sentimental fiction is Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Written as a direct response to the Fugitive Slave Law, the novel not only elicited compassion but also reflection and action against the prejudices caused by the slave system. Through emotional narratives, this genre helps reveal the impact of human nature and societal effects on individual lives and circumstances. Sentimental fiction continues to serve as an instigator for societal change, inspiring readers to change systemic thinking (Samuels).

How Does Clotel Fall into Sentimental Fiction?

Brown’s Clotel includes many of the elements that categorize a work as sentimental fiction: dramatization of emotions, “Angel of the House” trope, emphasis on emotions to make a political or social critic, a moralistic female protagonist who must navigate an immoral world, tragedy, and didacticism.

Examples of Sentimental Fiction Elements in Clotel

Dramatization of emotions to make a political or social critique:
One scene in which Brown dramatizes emotions to make a statement against slavery appears when Clotel witnesses Horatio driving past her house with his new wife. In this scene, Clotel becomes physically faint, and Brown employs strong words and emotional phrases for readers to connect with his characters and pity the countless women subjected to slavery.

“Angel of the House” trope:
Brown employs the “Angel of the House'' trope to point out the hypocrisy of slavery supporters. For example, Clotel embodies the ideals of the traditional “Angel of the House;” however, her race prevents her from being a traditional mother/wife, as everything in her life is uncertain. When Horatio tells her of his new wife, she must act the part of the “Angele of the House” even as she is denied a stable home: “Her head grew dizzy, and her heart fainted within her; but with a strong effort at composure, she inquired all the particulars, and her pure mind at once took its resolution” (86).

Moralistic female protagonist who must navigateanimmoral world:
Ellen’s death scene is a prime example of this element. Rather than be taken advantage off by her white master and face “degradation” (172), she takes her own life. Brown uses this scene to show that slavery kills all that is good.

Tragedy:
One of the main types of tragedy Brown uses to convey the horrors of slavery to his readers is that of female loss. The slave trade where Currer loses her daughters (47), Jane losing her lover (173), and Clotel losing her daughter (120) are just some of the examples of female loss in the story.

Didacticism:
Didacticism refers to literature that is written to teach a lesson or give information to the reader in order to make them realize something. Though Jefferson is not physically present in the novel, he serves as a didactic symbol, expressing just how unjust the nation was towards racial prejudice and slavery. Brown remarks, “But, sad to say, Jefferson is not the only American statesman who has spoken high-sounding words in favor of freedom, and then left his own children to die slaves” (128). This passage confronts the reader with the uncomfortable notion that important historical identities like Jefferson were complicit in the ideals and realities of slavery. Moreover, the emotional response sourced from this fact embodies the core of sentimental fiction through didacticism. Another instance of didacticism in this narrative can be found at the conclusion of Brown’s narrative. William Brown underscores the church’s ownership of slaves by directly speaking to his readers, revealing that every kind of Christian denomination in the United States owns people who are enslaved. He illustrates this for the audience by including a staggering statistic of “660,563 slaves owned by members of the Christian church” (Brown 207).

Works Cited

Brown, William Wells. Clotel, or, the President’s Daughter. Modern Library, 2000.

Samuels, Shirley. “Sentimentalism and Domestic Fiction.” Oxford Bibliographies, www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo
9780199827251/obo-9780199827251-0015.xml. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.