The mid-nineteenth century in the U.S. proved to be a very productive time for literary production: for the first time in the short history of American Literature the technical and economical progress enabled writers to live of their work as authors rather than having to earn their living through other jobs while writing on the side. With regards to content, the literary field was so fertile that about a century later Francis Otto Matthiessen defined the period of 1850 to 1855 as the American Renaissance and argued that especially the works of Whitman, Thoreau, Melville, Emerson and Hawthorne during these five years stood out in struggling to define an authentic American Literary Identity. Matthiessen commented that these five authors concerned themselves explicitly with language and the function of literature. This narrow conception of the American Renaissance has since then been commented on and expanded to encompass not only white men but women and persons of colour by various critics.
The rapid growth of readership and the publishing industry enabled those groups which were deprived of rights by the law (women, especially married ones, had scarcely any legal rights, slaves had none and were considered as property) to write and be read: female writers were producing bestsellers and slave narratives were also frequently read. I will argue in this text that Ruth Hall by Fanny Fern/Sara Parton and the eponymous slave narrative by Frederick Douglass called The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (referred to as Narrative further in the text) both reflect upon the function of literature as a means of gaining power by using language and the process of writing as central themes. I will use Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse in order to show how Douglass’s Narrative reflects upon the exclusion of slaves from the discourse and which possibility for counter discourse is presented in the text. Moreover, I will show how Ruth Hall refers to and engages with its contemporary discourse of female literature in order to subvert stereotypic gender norms. Both texts present writing as a possibility for gaining agency and taking part in the literary discourse, thereby showing that American Literary Identity was far more diverse in Antebellum America than Matthiessen’s choice of writers would suggest.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Power of Language in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
2.1 The Destructive Power of Language
2.2 Language and Community
2.3 Emancipation Through Reading, Talking and Writing
3. The Power of Writing in Ruth Hall
3.1 Economical Independence
3.2 Self-Assertion and Self-Confidence
3.3 Subvertion of Gender Conventions through Writing
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This work examines how writing serves as a primary tool for emancipation and the acquisition of agency in the 19th-century United States, specifically through the literary works of Frederick Douglass and Fanny Fern. It explores how both authors navigate and subvert contemporary discourse to overcome systemic oppression and establish their own voices.
- The function of language and writing as mechanisms of power and liberation.
- The application of Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse to analyze power hierarchies.
- The contrast between oppressed silence and the emergence of a counter-discourse.
- The subversion of gendered literary norms and conventions in Antebellum America.
- The role of economic independence and self-assertion in defining personal identity.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 The Destructive Power of Language
In analyzing Douglass’s use of the topic of language between the oppressor and the oppressed in the Narrative, it is striking to note who talks and who is heard. Language is presented to be as a tool for oppression in the hands of the slave-masters, it grants power to those who are able to use it and deprives those of power who aren’t heard. In the hands of the oppressors, language is a powerful tool: Douglass describes the connection between the spoken word and the action in his characterization of Mr. Gore: "His words were in perfect keeping with his looks, and his looks were in perfect keeping with his words. [...] He spoke but to command, and commanded but to be obeyed; he dealt sparingly with his words, and bountifully with his whip, never using the former where the latter would answer as well. (Douglass 22)"
The language of the oppressor is equalized to their actions, to speak means to command and what is said will lead to action. Mr. Gore’s words are described as so powerful that they are interchangeable with violence. This equation of word and action is repeated when Douglass later describes how “[t]o be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished; the one always following the other with immutable certainty.” (Douglass 21). In comparison to this, the language of the oppressed is not described as powerful: when Douglass describes a woman being whipped, her pleading words have the contradictive effect of causing an even longer and more cruel punishment (Douglass 6). The words of the oppressed are not being taken into account, the marginalized are not being heard and not allowed to speak (for example in Douglass 21: “There must be no answering back to him, no explanation was allowed a slave [...].”)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of the American Renaissance and establishes the thesis that writing acts as a means of gaining agency for marginalized groups.
2. The Power of Language in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Analyzes how language is used as a tool of both oppression and resistance within the context of slavery and Foucault’s theory of discourse.
2.1 The Destructive Power of Language: Examines how slave-masters use language to command and dehumanize, while the oppressed are systematically silenced.
2.2 Language and Community: Explores how language serves as a communal bond for the enslaved and functions as a form of counter-discourse through song.
2.3 Emancipation Through Reading, Talking and Writing: Details Douglass's personal journey from silent slave to active author who uses literacy as a path to freedom.
3. The Power of Writing in Ruth Hall: Investigates Fanny Fern's subversion of 19th-century feminine literary norms to achieve economic independence.
3.1 Economical Independence: Analyzes how writing provides Ruth Hall with the financial autonomy necessary to defy traditional gender-dependent roles.
3.2 Self-Assertion and Self-Confidence: Discusses the transformation of the protagonist's self-worth as she gains success and authority through her literary career.
3.3 Subvertion of Gender Conventions through Writing: Explores the use of androgynous pseudonyms and stylistic techniques to challenge stereotypes about women's writing.
4. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that both authors effectively utilize writing to disrupt mainstream power structures and secure personal agency.
Keywords
American Renaissance, Frederick Douglass, Fanny Fern, Ruth Hall, slave narrative, Michel Foucault, discourse, counter-discourse, emancipation, agency, Antebellum America, gender conventions, literary identity, self-assertion, authorship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work explores how writing acts as a transformative power for marginalized individuals, specifically examining how Frederick Douglass and Fanny Fern used literature to escape oppression and establish personal agency.
What are the central themes discussed in the analysis?
The analysis focuses on language as a tool of power, the subversion of gender and societal norms, the importance of economic independence, and the creation of counter-discourse against dominant societal narratives.
What is the research goal of this paper?
The goal is to demonstrate that American Literary Identity in the mid-19th century was far more diverse than traditional historical models suggest, by proving that writing allowed marginalized voices to gain authority and participation in public discourse.
Which theoretical framework does the author apply?
The author uses Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse to analyze how systemic exclusion operates and how marginalized figures create "counter-discourses" to reclaim power.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
It is divided into two primary sections: one analyzing Douglass’s narrative of emancipation through literacy and communal speech, and another examining Fanny Fern’s subversion of gender roles and financial dependence through professional writing.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include American Renaissance, emancipation, agency, Foucault’s discourse theory, slave narratives, female authorship, and counter-discourse.
How does Frederick Douglass use language to challenge his status as a slave?
Douglass progresses from being silenced to using literacy to access abolitionist discourse. By writing his narrative, he transforms from an object of property into a subject of his own life story, thereby gaining voice and influence.
What role does the pseudonym 'Floy' play in Fanny Fern's work?
The gender-neutral pseudonym 'Floy' is used to subvert expectations about "feminine" writing. It confuses readers who were accustomed to judging literature based on the author's gender, allowing Fern to critique contemporary biases against female intelligence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonymous (Autor:in), 2020, Writing for Power. Writing as a Means of Emancipation in Fanny Fern’s "Ruth Hall" and Frederick Douglass’ "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1718725
