An Imperative Duty is a short realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1891. The novel explores the idea of "passing" through the racially mixed character of Rhoda Aldgate, a young woman whose aunt informs her that she is one-sixteenth African American. Rhoda lived her whole life "passing" as a white person.
Rhoda Aldgate, a woman of one-sixteenth black ancestry
Rev. Mr. Bloomingdale, Rhoda's first suitor, a white man
Dr. Olney, Mrs. Meredith's physician and Rhoda's eventual suitor, a white man
Mrs. Meredith, Rhoda's aunt, a white woman
Plot summaryedit
The book is about Rhoda Aldgate, a young woman who discovers she is one-sixteenth African American, after living her whole life as a white person. Rhoda's father was Mrs. Meredith's brother, a white man, and Rhoda's mother was a southern woman of one-eighth black ancestry. In the nineteenth century, Rhoda's mother would have been referred to as an "octoroon."
Themesedit
The book is about a "Tragic Mulatta" character, a stereotype used by 19th-century American authors to explore racial miscegenation. [1][2][3]
Referencesedit
^[1] Drabelle, Dennis. Book Review of Broadview Press Edition of An Imperative Duty. "Book World: W.D. Howells's 1892 race-themed novella 'An Imperative Duty.'" The Washington Post',' 10 December 2010: no pagination.
^[2] Rosenthal, Debra J. "The White Blackbird: Miscegenation, Genre, and the Tragic Mulatta in Howells, Harper, and the 'Babes of Romance.'" Nineteenth-Century Literature 56.4 (March 2002): 495-517.
^[3] Daugherty, Sarah B. "'An Imperative Duty': Howells and White Male Anxiety." American Literary Realism, 1870-1910 30.3 (Spring, 1998): 53-64.
External linksedit
An Imperative Duty Full text HTML version scanned from 1893 edition published by Harper & Brothers. Scanned and proofread by D. Campbell.
An Imperative Duty 1893 edition, Harper and Bros. / Franklin Square, from Google Books
January 01, 1970
imperative, duty, short, realist, novel, william, dean, howells, published, 1891, novel, explores, idea, passing, through, racially, mixed, character, rhoda, aldgate, young, woman, whose, aunt, informs, that, sixteenth, african, american, rhoda, lived, whole, . An Imperative Duty is a short realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1891 The novel explores the idea of passing through the racially mixed character of Rhoda Aldgate a young woman whose aunt informs her that she is one sixteenth African American Rhoda lived her whole life passing as a white person An Imperative DutyAuthorWilliam Dean HowellsOriginal titleAn Imperative Duty A NovelCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishGenreLiterary realismPublisherHarper amp BrothersPublication date1891 First Edition Pages150 Contents 1 List of Characters 2 Plot summary 3 Themes 4 References 5 External linksList of Characters editRhoda Aldgate a woman of one sixteenth black ancestry Rev Mr Bloomingdale Rhoda s first suitor a white man Dr Olney Mrs Meredith s physician and Rhoda s eventual suitor a white man Mrs Meredith Rhoda s aunt a white womanPlot summary editThe book is about Rhoda Aldgate a young woman who discovers she is one sixteenth African American after living her whole life as a white person Rhoda s father was Mrs Meredith s brother a white man and Rhoda s mother was a southern woman of one eighth black ancestry In the nineteenth century Rhoda s mother would have been referred to as an octoroon Themes editThe book is about a Tragic Mulatta character a stereotype used by 19th century American authors to explore racial miscegenation 1 2 3 References edit 1 Drabelle Dennis Book Review of Broadview Press Edition of An Imperative Duty Book World W D Howells s 1892 race themed novella An Imperative Duty The Washington Post 10 December 2010 no pagination 2 Rosenthal Debra J The White Blackbird Miscegenation Genre and the Tragic Mulatta in Howells Harper and the Babes of Romance Nineteenth Century Literature 56 4 March 2002 495 517 3 Daugherty Sarah B An Imperative Duty Howells and White Male Anxiety American Literary Realism 1870 1910 30 3 Spring 1998 53 64 External links editAn Imperative Duty Full text HTML version scanned from 1893 edition published by Harper amp Brothers Scanned and proofread by D Campbell An Imperative Duty 1893 edition Harper and Bros Franklin Square from Google Books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title An Imperative Duty amp oldid 1175766414, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
