ABiblicalStruggleAgainstOppression:
ReligiousArchetypesinContendingForces
SincetheGreatAwakeningofthe18thcentury,whenslavesadoptedthe
religionoftheiroppressors,AfricanAmericanauthorshavetailoredChristianityto
theneedsoftheracethroughbiblicalallusionsandreferences.InTheTalkingBook:
AfricanAmericansandtheBible,AllenDwightCallahanarguesthatAfricanAmericanliteratureisfundamentallyimpactedbyAfricanAmericans’interpretation
oftheBible.HestatesthatAfricanAmericanliteraturedoesnot“beginwith
writing”,butinsteadthatit“beginswithreligion[Christianity]”(236).
AllusionstotheBibleinAfricanAmericanliteratureandabolitionist
literatureoftenappearthroughbiblicalarchetypes.Biblicalfiguressuchasthe
Christfigurewereintroducedasliterarydeviceslongbeforetheintroductionof
AfricanAmericanliterature.However,AfricanAmericanauthorshavesignifiedon
thebiblicaltropes,developingthemintoameansof“makingdirect,andatother
timessubtlestatementsaboutslaveryandfreedom”(Page,384).Associations
betweenablackcharacterandabiblicalcharacterarecommonlyutilizedtodisplay
toWhitesthehypocrisyofracismandslavery.
SimilartomanyAfricanAmericanwriters,inhernovel,ContendingForces:A
RomanceIllustrativeofNegroLifeNorthandSouth,PaulineHopkinsdevelopsa
religioussubtextthroughsignifyingonreligioustropestorelaymessagesofracial
equality.ManyscholarslikeSiobhanSomervillehavereadSapphoinaclassical
contextastheGreekpoetSappho,neglectingthesignificanceofhercharacterina
Biblicalcontext(Somerville,145-149).Asaresultscholarsaremissingoutonthe
messagesconveyedthroughthisbiblicalsubtextanddisregardinghowHopkinsIs
attemptingtodepictblackissuesthroughSappho’sidentityasabiblicalarchetype.
ThisessaywillidentifyreligiousarchetypesrepresentedthroughSapphoandtheir
functioninrevealingmessageswithinthenovel.Hopkinsutilizesbiblical
archetypessuchastheVirginMaryandChristtodefineSapphoClark’scharacter.
Sappho’abilitytoidentifywithbiblicalfiguresenablesHopkinstoconveymessages
totheAfricanAmericancommunity,aswellasemphasizesSappho’shumanity,
contradictingWhitesociety’sanimalisticperceptionoftheblackrace.Itisthrough
Sappho’sdivinecharactertraitsthatHopkinsisabletodirectlydeconstructthe
perceptionofracialsupremacy,whilealsoencouragingblackracialpride.
Throughoutthenovel,themostprominentbiblicalassociationmadeisthat
ofSapphoClarkwithChrist.Hercharacterisbestdefinedasa“ChristFigure”,a
characterwhopossessesmanyofthesameexperiencesandtraitsasJesusChrist’s
portrayalintheBible.ParallelsbetweenSappho’scharacterandChristareevident
andinclude:sufferingforothers’sins,beingbetrayed,resurrection,anddual
identity.AfricanAmericanshaveidentifiedwithChrist’sstrugglesincebeing
introducedtoChristianity,reading“theirowncollectiveexperienceintotheagony
andexaltationofJesus.ThestoryoftheChristchild,blessedbyGodyetborninthe
shadowofpovertyandviolence,wastheirstory.Jesus’humblebirthinantiquity
signifiedthehumbleoriginsofAfricanpeoplesinmodernity”(Callahan,236).By
evokingtheideaofChristthroughSappho’scharacteristics,Hopkinsisconveyinga
messageaboutthenatureoftheblackraceasawhole.
TheuniveralattributeofaChristfigureisthatheorshehasa“crosstobear”
thatistheresultofothers’sins.IntheBibleitiswrittenthatChrist“hathonce
sufferedforsins,thejustfortheunjust,thathemightbringustoGod,beingputto
deathintheflesh”(TheHolyBible,KingJamesVersion,1Peter3:18).Hisdeathfor
thesinsoftheworldisechoedinthesufferingoftheChristfigure.Inthecaseof
Sappho,sheisforcedtobaretheshameofthesinsofherrapistandhersubsequent
pregnancy.WhilstlivingwithherfamilyinNewOrleansattheageoffourteen,
Sappho,thenMabelleBaubean,waskidnapedbyheruncle,raped,andthenleftto
liveinabrothel.Withinthenovel,DoradirectlyreferstoSappho’ssufferingas“a
crucifixionforaproudspiritlikehers!”(Hopkins,330).Asafemaleduringtheera,
Sapphoisblamedbysocietyforlosinghervirtuedespiteherlackofchoiceinthe
matter.AlthoughitisherunclewhocommitssinfulactsagainstSappho,sheis
forcedtolivewiththeconsequencesofhisactions.Itisadirectresultofherrace,
thatherunclereasonsheisabletoabuseSapphosating,Sappho“’isnobetterthan
hermotherorhergrandmother.Whatdoesawomanofmixedblood,orany
Negress,forthatmatter,knowofvirtue?Itismybeliefthattheywereadirect
creationbyGodtobethepleasantcompanionsofmenofmyrace’”(Hopkins,261).
IgnorantracismagainsttheblackracesubjectsSapphotothesinsofheruncle,and
blackpeopleasawholetothesinsofwhitepeople.SimilartoChrist,Sapphoandthe
blackraceingeneralarepredestinedbysocietytobaretheburdenofothersactions,
despitebeinginnocent.ThroughrelatingtheblackracetoChrist,Hopkinsis
conveyingthatblackpeoplearetheinnocentvictimsofothers’crimes,writing“with
shouldersbentandmisshapenwithheavyburdens,theNegroplodsalongbearing
hiscross—carryingthesinsofothers”(Hopkins,332).
LiketheBetrayalofChristbyJudas,JohnLangley,amemberofherown
community,betraysSappho.JudasIscariot,oneofthetwelveDisciplesofChrist,
temptedbythirtysilvercoins,betrayedChristtotheSanhedrin,agoverning
assembly,withakiss(TheHolyBible,KingJamesVersion,1Luke22).Sappho
experiencessimilartreacherywhenJohnLangley,likeJudas,revealshertrue
identityandthreatenstoexposehertotheSmithfamilyasaformofmanipulation.
Outofgreed,heseekstogainherasamistressattheexpenseofloyaltytotheir
sharedrace,declaring“Ibetraymyfriend,andworsethanthat,thegirlwhoholds
mypromise;butmyexcuseisthatmypassionisstrongerthanhonor”(Hopkins,
319).SimilartoChrist’sdeathonthecross,Langley’streacheryforcesSappho’s
hopeofhappinesswithWillSmithtodieaswell.Itisbylikeningthetreacheryof
LangleytothatofJudasthatHopkinsisabletoemphasizethedutyofblackpeople
toremainloyaltotheirownrace.Thosewhobetraytheracearevillainsidenticalto
Judas.Onlythroughloyaltytotheracemayblackpeoplesucceedinovercoming
societaloppressionandracism.
AnothercommonalitySapphoshareswithChrististhatshehasadual
identity.InChristianity,ChristisdeemedtheHolyTrinity,“theFather,theSon,and
theHolySpirit”(TheHolyBible,KingJamesVersion,John1:1).TheChristfigurein
literaturehasbothanidentityasacommonmanandadivineidentity.Sappho’s
identityasacharacterisdividedbetweenherpastself,MabelleBeaubean,andher
presentself.HeridentityasMabelleBeaubeanisconsiderablymorecommonthan
heralternateidentity,Sappho.WhileSapphoisanaloofandmysteriousentity,
Mabellerepresentsthecommonmanwhosuffersfromhumanproblemslikerape
andself-loathing.TakingonanalternateidentityasSapphoenablesherto
seeminglytranscendherworldlyproblemsinsteadofconfrontingthem.LikeChrist,
littleisknownaboutSappho’syounglife.Asaresult,people’sinterestinherspans
beyondherbeauty,andisdrawntoherpeculiarnature.Itisthisdualidentitythat
alienatesSapphofromothers.Theconceptofhavingadualidentitycanbeapplied
totheblackraceingeneral.SocietyduringReconstructionandtheGildedAgesaw
beingcoloredandbeinghumanastwodifferentidentities.Whileablackpersonis
evidentlyhuman,societysegregatedtheracedeemingitlesshumanthanthewhite
race.Theblackcommunitywasforcedtoexcepttheideathrustuponitbysociety
thatitwassomehowmoreanimallikethanhuman,whilestillmaintainingtheir
identityashumans.Hopkins’sportrayalofSapphoasaChristfigurefightsagainst
themisconceptionthatblacksarenothumans,whilealsoencouragingblacksto
defendtheirstatusashumanbeings.
ResurrectionisalsoacommonexperienceoftheChristfigure.Either
emotionallyorphysically,theChristarchetypeisbroughtbacktolife,echoingthe
deathandreturnofChrist.Afterbeingcrucified,itistheChristianbeliefthatJesus
rosefromthedeadonEaster,twodaysafterhisdeathandappearedtohisfollowers
beforehisascenttoheaven(TheHolyBible,KingJamesVersion,1Corinthians15:5).
Sappho’sresurrectionisemotionalinsteadofphysical,likeChrist’swas.Herfirst
resurrectionofspiritcamewithWillSmith’smarriageproposalwhen“somethingof
lifethatwasdeadleapedagainintoexistenceandloosenedtheicyhandthathadfor
yearslockedupthefountainofyouthfuljoy”(Hopkins,312).However,the
resurrectionofherspiritultimatelyfailedwhenJohnLangleythreatenstoexpose
hertrueidentity,MabelleBeaubean,totheSmithfamily.Thepurposeofthisdashed
resurrectionisinsteadtoleadSapphoonapathofamoretransformative
resurrection.Leavinghertranscendentidentitybehindandacceptingher
responsibilityasAlphonse’smotherspirituallyresurrectsSapphoastheVirgin
Mary.Hopkins’sdistinctivechoicetodothiscomesfromherintentiontoendthe
novelwithSapphoasanembodiedwomanratherthanatranscendentsoul.
However,althoughSapphowasrebornintoaVirginMaryarchetype,Hopkins
intendstoimpartaChristrelatedmessage.Despiteracism,theblackracehasthe
abilitytotriumphoveroppressionandexcelmorallyandintellectually,likeChrist
triumphedoverdeathtwothousandyearsbefore.
ThemetamorphosisofSapphointotheVirginMaryarchetypeand
simultaneouslyAlphonseintotheChristChildarchetypeisintendedbyHopkinsto
bearesponsetotheperceptionofAfricanAmericanwomenduringthetime.Similar
toSappho’sexperienceasaChristfigure,HopkinsusesherexperienceasaMadonna
figuretocommunicateauniversaltruthaboutAfricanAmericansociety.However,
themessagesbeingconveyedbywayofthearchetypearedirectedatAfrican
AmericanwomenandworkstodevelopHopkins’sideaofthe“newwomanofcolor”.
WithinContendingForces,HopkinsformsanewpositionforAfricanAmerican
womenmeanttoencouragefemalestoescapethelimitsimposedthroughgender
andracediscrimination(Autori,2).
HopkinsemploysthearchetypeoftheVirginMarytotransformsSappho
fromawomantraumatizedbysexualabuseandscandaltoadivinevirgininorder
tocontradictthestereotypeofAfricanAmericanwomen’ssexualityduringthe
ProgressiveEra.Whitesocietyheld“thebeliefthatpracticallyallNegrowomenlack
virtueandsexualmorals”,whichisderivedfromthe“tigress”myththatblack
womenhavea“strongersexualurgeandthesuperiorsexualskillandcapacity”
(Myrdal,108).ThisblamethrustuponSapphobysocietyisdirectlyvoicedbyJohn
Langely,whodeclares“girlsoffourteenarefrequentlywivesinourSouthernclimes,
wherewomenmatureearly,”blaminghergenderandripeageforhersexualassault
insteadofherassailant(Hopkins,319).ThroughportrayingSapphoasaMadonna
figure,HopkinsdiscreditstheperceptionofSapphoasa“singlewomanwho
becomestaintedbysexualscandalandthusreadbyothersasaprostitute”(Brooks,
91).However,byinvokingtheVirginMaryarchetype,Hopkinsischallengingthe
condemnationandstigmatizationofwomenfollowingrape,aswellasthefemale
virtueandcapacityofAfricanAmericanwomentoexperiencemotherhood.
Nearingtheendofthenovel,Sapphoexperiencesamomentof
enlightenmentthatleadshertoacceptherroleasAlphonse’smother,similartothe
AnnunciationoftheVirginMary.TheAnnunciationtookplacewhentheangel
GabrielannouncedtotheVirginMarythatshewouldconceivetheSonofGod,Jesus
Christ(TheHolyBible,KingJamesVersion,1Luke:26-38).Comparably,while
leavingWilltoavoidexposinghimtotheshameofherpast,Sapphoconductsan
internalconversationwithGod,posingrhetoricalquestionssuchas“’Dostthou
questiontheprovidencesofGod?Knowthatmywaysarenotthewaysofmen.A
tendersoulwillbedemandedatthyhandsinthevateternity.Whoartthou,to
questionthewaysofInfinity?JesusChristcameintotheworldunderthelaw.Who
artthou,toquestionthewisdomoftheMostHigh?”(Hopkins,342).Thepurposeof
thispseudoannunciationsceneistorepresenthowAfricanAmericansexperience
thephenomenonofconscience.Thedehumanizationofblackpeopleduringthe
antebellumerapersistedintotheProgressiveeraasamethodtojustifyracismand
provethesuperiorityofthewhiterace.Hopkins’sportrayalofSapphoastheVirgin
Maryisintendedtodispelthismisconception.
Lastly,Sappho’sidentityasaMadonnafigureisafeministtransformation
meanttocommunicatethenewcoloredwoman’sroleinimprovingtheblackrace.
HopkinswasanactivememberintheWoman’sEraClub,andwasdeterminedto
inspireotherAfricanAmericanwomentoparticipateinimprovingtherace(Autori,
1).Sapphoisintendedtodemonstratethatwomenhavetheabilitytobetterthe
positionofAfricanAmericansinsociety.AsaVirginMaryarchetype,Sapphois
likenedtothewomanwhoChristiansbelievetohavebornethesaviorofthehuman
race.AsaChristChild,Alphonserepresentsafuturesavioroftheblackrace.By
acceptingherroleashismotherandasasingleparentSapphoisabletoimprove
herracewhile,asasinglemother,demonstratingtheindependentabilityofwomen
tocreateadifference.HopkinsfitsSappho“perfectlyfortheplaceshewastooccupy
incarryingcomfortandhopetothewomenofherrace”(Hopkins,346-347).The
feministinterpretationoftheVirginMarythatSapphoembodiesisdesignedto
inspirethe“NewColoredWoman”toworktobettertheblackraceanddepictthe
abilityofAfricanAmericanwomentoequalandevensurpasswhitewomenin
womanhood.
ThroughreligiousarchetypessuchasChristandtheVirginMary,Hopkins
formsSapphointoamultilayeredcharacterwithadepththatismeanttorepresent
theblackcommunity.Biblicalallusionsenablethenoveltorelayseveralmessages
abouttheblackraceasawholeandspecificallyblackwomen.Hopkinsutilizesthe
ChristfigureandtheMadonnafigure,bothcommonlyrepresentedinWestern
literature,andsignifiesontheminordertodisprovethemisconceptionthatblacks
aresub-humanandrelayanunderlyingmessagedirectedtowardAfricanAmericans
duringtheProgressiveera.ContendingForcesisanexampleofhowAfrican
AmericanliteraturemoldsChristianitytotheexperiencesoftheracethathasgone
unexaminedbyscholars.Instead,manyscholarssuchasSomervillehavefocusedon
SapphoasaclassicalallusiontotheGreekpoetofthesamename(Somerville,145149).AsaneffecttheyhavemissedtheracialissuesHopkinsisrelayingthroughthe
characterSapphoasabiblicalarchetype.
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Callahan, Allen Dwight. “7 Emmanuel.” The Talking Book: African Americans and the
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