Purlie Victorious: Analysis of Major Characters
"Purlie Victorious" is a compelling play that explores themes of freedom, identity, and generational conflict within the African American experience, set against the backdrop of a Southern cotton plantation. The narrative centers on Purlie Judson, a determined preacher in his thirties who seeks to reclaim a sense of freedom by acquiring Big Bethel, a former church, symbolizing hope and liberation. To achieve this goal, he enlists the help of Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, a naïve and innocent young woman who yearns for a family, utilizing her to impersonate a deceased relative for an inheritance.
Key characters include Aunt Missy, Purlie’s supportive sister-in-law, who shares in his dream yet recognizes the challenges that accompany it, and Gitlow Judson, Purlie's brother, who embodies a more resigned acceptance of the oppressive realities of plantation life. In contrast, Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee, the white plantation owner, represents entrenched racism and authority, while his son, Charlie, signifies the potential for change in the new South, often clashing with his father's outdated views. Idella Landy, Charlie’s old nurse, provides a voice of caution and wisdom amid these shifting dynamics. This rich tapestry of characters invites audiences to reflect on the ongoing struggles for dignity and justice within the African American community.
Purlie Victorious: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Ossie Davis
First published: 1961
Genre: Play
Locale: A Georgia cotton plantation
Plot: Comedy
Time: The 1950's
Purlie Victorious Judson, the protagonist, an African American in his mid-or late thirties. Resentful of a beating received twenty years earlier from the owner of the cotton plantation where the play takes place, Purlie has become a preacher of the gospel, which for Purlie means freedom. Driven to acquire Big Bethel, an old barn that once was used as a church, Purlie will use any means necessary to obtain his goal. He uses a young woman to impersonate a dead cousin in order to obtain a $500 inheritance to purchase Big Bethel.
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, a young African American woman. Lutiebelle, from the backwoods of Alabama, has been a servant in a white household. Naïve, innocent, and good-hearted, she first met Purlie as a preacher and accompanied him back to the plantation. Purlie plans to have her impersonate the deceased Cousin Bee. Lutiebelle wishes to help Purlie, but her own desire is for a husband and family.
Missy Judson, called Aunt Missy, is Purlie's sister-in-law and the matriarch of the Judson clan. Missy, who is married to Purlie's brother, Gitlow, sees obstacles in Purlie's plans that he ignores, but she too is caught up in his dream of acquiring Big Bethel, which for her is also a symbol of African American freedom.
Gitlow Judson, Purlie's brother but in many ways his antithesis. He accepts the realities of plantation life. His accommodation to the white-dominated world results in the white owner selecting him as “the Deputy-For-The-Colored,” to lead his fellow African Americans and ensure that they remain in their place and that the cotton gets picked.
Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee, the white plantation owner and Purlie's antagonist. An unreconstructed white Southerner, the Ol' Cap'n intends life to go on as it always has. The symbol and at times the reality of his authority is his bullwhip. His financial manipulations in his country store keep his black workers in debt and unable to leave; they must continue to labor in the fields and serve his whims.
Charlie Cotchipee, the Ol' Cap'n's son, who represents the new South. Inspired in part by the influence of his old African American nurse, he is willing to accept the court decisions that challenge the racist institutions and Jim Crow practices that have long dominated American life. The Ol' Cap'n cannot understand his son's willingness to abandon the racial practices and prejudices that have always defined the old South.
Idella Landy, a tiny, old, African American woman who was Charlie's nurse and still is his confidant. Unlike Charlie, Idella is cautious about uttering her opinions, warning Charlie that discretion is often necessary. The Ol' Cap'n' blames her for his son's attitudes and ideas, but he knows that he relies on her assistance.