The Language of Romance in Clotel

Abstract

William Wells Brown’s 1853 novel, Clotel: or The President’s Daughter, is many things. It is considered the first novel published by an African American. It is the story of the trials of Thomas Jefferson’s fictional mistress and two daughters as they are sold and separated. It is an exploration of the many dimensions of slavery in the United States, ranging from the point of view of devout Christian slave owners to that of a jealous wife. It is also, seemingly incongruously, a series of love stories. The protagonist, Clotel and her sister, Althesa, both marry their masters, although Brown treats each relationship very differently. At times Brown narrates Clotel’s relationship in isolation, leading the reader to almost forget that it takes place in the context of slavery, and then pointedly returns them to reality by grounding the relationship back in the historical and social framework. Althesa’s relationship, on the other hand, is much more explicit; Brown employs no trickery in describing the partnership she has with her husband.