1. Introduction
Louisa May Alcott is one of the best known American female writers of the 19th Century. Her work primarily dealt with the role of women in society, accompanied by other topics such as work and the issue of slavery. The short story “My Contraband”, first published in 1863 under the title “The Brothers”, depicts both gender and racial issues. Set in the sphere of the Civil war and war hospitals, it is the story of the encounter of a white nurse and a mulatto contraband. Throughout the plot, Alcott paints a fascinating and dense picture of female desire and the fascination emanating from the mulatto. Though no explicit sexual action happens between the two, there are many hints at a strong erotic desire on the nurse’s part.
This paper will investigate the way in which this mulatto is described, in which way this is linked to the forbidden desire of the white nurse and what her strategies are to make this desire less a taboo. My assumption here is that the nurse has to somehow “whiten” the contraband in order to make her desire more explicable and at least a little more “legal”.
To prove this thesis, I will begin with a short overview of the historical background against which the story is set. In the following chapter, after a synopsis of the story itself, I will firstly take a closer look at the introduction of the contraband, secondly at the description of the nurse and investigate in how far racial stereotypes are introduced and used and, in the description of the woman, in how far she does or does not correspond to the ideal of womanhood in the 19th century. Concluding, I will describe the tabooed relationship between the two and the woman’s strategy to deal with her desire.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Historical Background: Slavery, Abolitionism and the Civil War
3. Construction of Race and Gender in “My Contraband”
3.1. Description and development of the contraband
3.2. Description and development of Nurse Dane
4. Summary
5. Literature
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the intersection of race and gender in Louisa May Alcott's short story "My Contraband." The core research objective is to analyze how the white protagonist, Nurse Dane, constructs a narrative of forbidden desire for a mulatto "contraband" and the strategies she employs to reconcile this attraction with the rigid societal taboos of the 19th century.
- The construction of race through the lens of gender and power dynamics.
- The influence of sentimental and gothic literary traditions on the narrative.
- The socio-historical context of the American Civil War and the Abolitionist Movement.
- The negotiation of "True Womanhood" versus the emerging "New Woman" ideal.
- The transformation of the contraband through "whitening" strategies and religious redemption.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Description and development of the contraband
“Feeling decidedly more interest in the black man than in the white(…) I had seen many contrabands, but never one so attractive as this. All colored men are called "boys," even if their heads are white; this boy was five-and-twenty at least, strong-limbed and manly, and had the look of one who never had been cowed by abuse or worn with oppressive labor. He sat on his bed doing nothing; no book, no pipe, no pen or paper anywhere appeared, yet anything less indolent or listless than his attitude and expression I never saw. (…) His face was half averted, but I instantly approved the Doctor's taste, for the profile which I saw possessed all the attributes of comeliness belonging to his mixed race. He was more quadroon than mulatto, with Saxon features, Spanish complexion darkened by exposure, color in lips and cheek, waving hair, and an eye full of the passionate melancholy which in such men always seems to utter a mute protest against the broken law that doomed them at their birth. (…) I had seen colored people in what they call "the black sulks," when, for days, they neither smiled nor spoke, and scarcely ate. But this was something more than that; for the man was not dully brooding over some small grievance,-- he seemed to see an all-absorbing fact or fancy recorded on the wall, which was a blank to me. I wondered if it were some deep wrong or sorrow, kept alive by memory and impotent regret; if he mourned for the dead master to whom he had been faithful to the end; or if the liberty now his were robbed of half its sweetness by the knowledge that some one near and dear to him still languished in the hell from which he had escaped. My heart quite warmed to him at that idea; I wanted to know and comfort him (…)”
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on gender and racial tensions in Alcott's story and states the thesis that the nurse must "whiten" the contraband to legitimize her attraction.
2. Historical Background: Slavery, Abolitionism and the Civil War: Provides context on 19th-century societal norms, specifically the Civil War, the Abolitionist Movement, and the shifting ideals regarding women's roles.
3. Construction of Race and Gender in “My Contraband”: Analyzes the dual influence of sentimental and gothic literary features on the narrative style.
3.1. Description and development of the contraband: Examines how the nurse perceives and fantasies about the contraband, emphasizing his European physical traits while struggling with the reality of his past.
3.2. Description and development of Nurse Dane: Explores the nurse’s self-conception as a "teacher of self-respect" and her struggle to maintain professional authority while experiencing forbidden desire.
4. Summary: Concludes that the story reveals the insurmountable barriers of race and gender, leading to a tragic end that prevents a truly equal human connection.
5. Literature: Lists the academic sources utilized for the analysis.
Keywords
Louisa May Alcott, My Contraband, Race, Gender, American Civil War, Abolitionism, True Womanhood, New Woman, Interracial Desire, Gothic Literature, Sentimental Literature, Nurse Dane, Power Dynamics, Taboo, Slavery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
This paper explores the intricate relationship between race and gender in Louisa May Alcott's short story "My Contraband," specifically looking at how the protagonist, Nurse Dane, handles her forbidden attraction to a black man.
What are the central themes discussed?
The work centers on the impact of 19th-century societal ideals, the power dynamics between nurse and patient, the role of religion in "taming" the masculine "brute," and the influence of literary genre on character perception.
What is the main research question or thesis?
The thesis posits that Nurse Dane attempts to "whiten" the image of the contraband in her mind to make her erotic desire for him more explicable and socially acceptable within the context of the era.
Which methodology is used to analyze the story?
The analysis employs a literary-critical approach, examining the text through the lens of historical context, narrative voice (first-person autodiegetic narration), and comparative studies of the "True Woman" and "New Woman" concepts.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body investigates the historical setting of the Civil War, characterizes the protagonists through their interactions and physical descriptions, and discusses how Alcott blends sentimental and gothic literary elements.
What key terms define this work?
Key terms include "My Contraband," race, gender, "True Womanhood," "New Woman," interracial desire, and Alcott’s specific usage of racial markers.
Why does Nurse Dane rename the character "Robert"?
Renaming him is analyzed as an attempt to "christen" him, making him appear more respectable and "white," which further establishes the power dynamic where she acts as a motherly mentor.
How does the author interpret the ending of the story?
The author argues that the ending is not a happy one; while it concludes with religious harmony, it ultimately represents a tragedy where the woman loses her object of desire and the man is forced to sacrifice his life to prove his "mastery" over himself.
- Quote paper
- Cornelia Charlotte Reuscher (Author), 2006, Race and Gender in Louisa May Alcott's "My Contraband", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60172
