Sapphira and the Slave Girl (Masterplots II: American Fiction Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Willa Cather
- First Published: 1940
- Type of Plot: Historical realism
- Time of Work: From 1856 to c. 1881
- Setting: Southwestern Virginia
- Principal Characters: Sapphira Colbert, Henry Colbert, Nancy, Rachel Blake, Martin Colbert
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: Virginia, Escapes, Nineteenth century, Slavery or slaves, Jealousy, envy, or resentment
- Locales: Virginia
The Novel
The novel opens on a dinner quarrel. Sapphira Colbert has announced to her husband, Henry, her intention of selling a slave girl, Nancy, to neighbors. Henry refuses to countersign the necessary documents, although the slaves belong legally to Sapphira. “We don’t sell our slaves!” is Henry’s blunt reply. Sapphira, portrayed as a particularly strong-minded woman, begins to devise other means to rid herself of Nancy, who has lost favor (and an easy job as light maid) because of a perceived favoritism paid to the lovely girl by Sapphira’s husband, a favoritism...
[The entire page is 2011 words long]
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