African American Literature and Classical Works

As I mentioned in class, I was extremely interested in the parallels between Victor Sejour's "The Mulatto" and "Oedipus Rex", by Sophocles, the classical Greek playwright. I had read "Oedipus Rex a number of years ago in High school, and I noticed more parallels the longer I considered the work. I think that this mirroring of classical conventions of threatre is akin to Phillis Wheatley making allusions to classical works in her poetry. Both authors made a foray into creative works, venturing beyond the bounds of an autobiographical slave narrative. They had to not only display mastery of language and creativity in their works, but also prove themselves to be educated, fighting against the common notions of racial inferiority that permeated creative circles at the time. Wheatley's seamless use of references to the 'Illiad' and other characters that are recognized as part of Greek mythology showed her mostly white readers that she was in the same league of education as they were. Sejour could have used classical parallels in his fictional work "The Mulatto" for the same end; to put his work in the league of other well educated writers, and not just constricted to the genre of anti-slavery work. The protagonist's seeming inevitable fate to kill his father is akin to the inevitable fulfillment of a prophecy in "Oedipus Rex". While Georges did not know his mother, the thematic elements of a parent-less child who does not know his father is carried in both stories. Oedipus is left by his mother to protect him from fulfilling the prophecy she was told, and Georges mother tries to protect him from falling victim to rage against his father by hiding his identity as well. Both characters unknowingly interact with family later in life, and the plot lines have charged sexual elements. I could easily continue to list parallels; I think that the similarities may be too many for a learned and accomplished writer and playwright like Sejour to have included by chance. Though, like Wheatley, these elements would highlight his degree of education, there is also another reason for Sejour's use of a classical parallel. If these elements were recognized at the time, they could have led additional credence to a work that contained some thematic conflicts that were hard for the mainstream to stomach, as mentioned in the Norton prolougue. If classical Greek works could handle charged subjects and still be widely read, why not Sejour's work which is in the same vein?