Sapphira and the Slave Girl: Analysis of Major Characters
"Sapphira and the Slave Girl" features a complex interplay of characters set against the backdrop of antebellum Virginia, illuminating themes of power, cruelty, and resistance. Sapphira Colbert, a slave owner confined to a wheelchair, embodies a duality of affection and control, showing care for some slaves while ruthlessly maintaining her authority. Her relationship with her husband, Henry Colbert, complicates the dynamics; while he is presented as a fair yet conflicted man grappling with the morality of slavery, he often fails to act decisively in protecting Nancy, a beloved slave who becomes the target of Sapphira’s jealousy and scheming. Nancy, a mulatto slave, navigates her precarious position within this oppressive environment, illustrating resilience through her eventual escape to Canada with the help of Sapphira's daughter, Rachel. Rachel emerges as an abolitionist, whose convictions lead her to a strained relationship with her mother, yet she finds strength in her actions against slavery. The character of Martin Colbert serves as a foil, representing the moral decay and exploitation of the era, as his pursuit of Nancy further complicates the power dynamics in the household. The narrative encapsulates the struggles of its characters against the backdrop of a deeply entrenched system of inequality, showcasing their journeys toward autonomy and moral clarity.
Sapphira and the Slave Girl: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Willa Cather
First published: 1940
Genre: Novel
Locale: Southwestern Virginia
Plot: Historical realism
Time: 1856 to c. 1881
Sapphira Colbert, a slave owner and mistress of Mill House, Back Creek, Virginia. An invalid now confined to a wheelchair, Sapphira is still the mistress of her home. Her cultivated and seemingly placid outward self-esteem masks cruelty and selfishness. Although she holds great affection for some of the slaves, she maintains the right to control their lives regardless of the consequences. Suspicious of the growing but innocent affection between her husband and Nancy, she tries to sell Nancy. When Henry blocks that attempt, she seeks another way to rid herself of Nancy. She invites Henry's nephew, Martin, a known rake, for a visit. Martin's blatant attempts to seduce Nancy, combined with Sapphira's obvious displeasure with the slave girl, compromise Nancy's position in the household and her relationship with the other slaves. Sapphira's long-strained relationship with her daughter, Rachel, is further damaged when Rachel aids Nancy in fleeing to Canada. Although Sapphira often displays uncompromising cruelty, she is also capable of unexpected, solicitous concern for others. When Rachel's daughter dies of diphtheria, Sapphira's love for her daughter and grief over the child's death overcome her feelings of betrayal, and she welcomes Rachel back to Mill House.
Henry Colbert, the miller of Back Creek, Virginia, and Sapphira's husband. Henry is a solid, powerful man whose quiet yet unquestionably fair nature allows him to be trusted, but not liked, by the community. Troubled by slavery, he cannot find a way to resolve his own feelings with his wife's ownership and treatment of slaves. Honest affection for Nancy, which is misinterpreted by Sapphira, is tested by Martin's lecherous pursuit of the girl. Warned by the slave Sampson that Nancy is in grave danger, Henry does little to dissuade Martin. Not until Rachel forces the issue and asks for money does he actually take any stand; then his help is only a feeble gesture. Although he agrees to leave the money in an overcoat, he refuses to have anything more to do with the situation. His guilt at betraying his wife is his greatest concern.
Nancy, a mulatto slave owned by the Colberts. Good manners and pleasing ways instilled by her mother once garnered her much favor with Sapphira. Nancy's honest affection for Henry, which he returns, and her eagerness to please him raise Sapphira's suspicions, which are confirmed in her mind when Henry refuses to allow her to sell Nancy. Sapphira's mistreatment of Nancy and Martin's lecherous and relentless pursuit make Nancy's position in the household precarious. With Rachel's help, Nancy flees for Canada with the assistance of the Underground Railroad. She returns twenty-five years later as a handsome, successful, and free woman.
Rachel Blake, the daughter of the Colberts and an abolitionist. Her views against slavery, formed at an early age, serve to make her reserved and introverted in the wake of her mother's ownership of slaves. At the age of sixteen, she marries Michael Blake, whose election to Congress rescues her from her family and life in Back Creek. The happiest time of her life is spent in Washington making a home for her husband. The deaths of Michael and their son Robert leave her with little money and force her to move back to Virginia. Taking up a new life in Back Creek, she provides what healing and support she can for the poor people of the area. Her opposition to slavery comes to a head with Martin Colbert's attempted seduction of Nancy. When Nancy appeals for her assistance, Rachel helps Nancy flee to Canada, thus incurring her mother's wrath. Rachel is secure with the righteousness of her conviction and her subsequent action to save Nancy.
Martin Colbert, Henry's nephew, a miscreant seeking to hide from his creditors. He accepts Sapphira's invitation for a long visit. His air of impudence and insolence amuses Sapphira and livens up the Colbert household but leaves his uncle speechless. Nancy's fresh prettiness catches his eye, and he unknowingly falls into Sapphira's plan to ruin Nancy. His lecherous attempts to compromise her catch the eye of Sampson, another slave, who appeals to Henry for help. Although he helps Nancy to leave, the master does nothing to discourage Martin. Twenty-five years later, at Nancy's return, it is revealed that Martin was killed in the army during the Civil War.