"Sweat" unfolds in a small African-American community in Florida, not far from Orlando. The story begins with Delia Jones doing laundry on a Sunday evening, pondering the whereabouts of her husband, Sykes, who has taken her horse and carriage. Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted when Sykes, aware of her deep-rooted fear of snakes, drapes a bullwhip over her shoulder, leaving her petrified and him in hysterics.

The Encounter

Delia attempts to brush off Sykes's antics, but he persists in criticizing her for working on the Sabbath. Despite her regular church attendance, Delia cannot meet her deadlines for the white families she launders for if she abstains from working on Sundays. Breaking her usual submissive demeanor, Delia boldly declares she will not relinquish the home she has toiled for and even threatens Sykes with a frying pan. Momentarily startled, Sykes refrains from hitting her, instead deriding her slender frame before leaving to spend the night with his heavier-set mistress. As Delia reflects on Sykes's reckless spending, infidelities, and abuse, she recognizes her home as her sole remaining treasure and retreats to bed. When Sykes returns and callously disturbs her rest, she decides to adopt a stance of indifference toward him.

Community Gossip

The following Saturday, under the blazing sun, Delia passes by Joe Clarke's store en route to complete her laundry deliveries. The store's porch serves as a hub for the town's men, who gather to share jokes and rumors. On this day, they discuss Sykes, labeling him a notorious troublemaker who abuses Delia and is unfaithful. However, instead of confronting him, they indulge in a melon and disperse when Sykes arrives with his mistress, Bertha. Sykes's public display of purchasing lavish gifts for Bertha underscores his habitual misuse of Delia's earnings.

A Deadly Gift

Weeks pass with the oppressive heat, and Delia continues to labor over her washing. One evening, she returns home to find Sykes standing beside a large wooden crate covered in wire. Inside, to Delia's horror, is a rattlesnake, which Sykes insists he brought for her. Ignoring her desperate pleas for him to dispose of the snake, Sykes flaunts it to the townspeople, fueling Delia's rage. During dinner, she confronts him, declaring she has endured his physical and financial abuse but will no longer tolerate the snake. Unmoved, Sykes threatens further violence if she remains, prompting Delia to liken him to a "suck-egg dog," a creature that pilfers and drains eggs, and warns she will expose his actions to the white community.

Confrontation and Terror

The next day, Sykes's absence persists, and Delia heads to church. Rejuvenated, she returns home singing a hymn, only to silence herself at the kitchen door when she notices the snake's ominous silence. Searching for matches behind the stove, she is incensed to discover Sykes has brought Bertha into her home. She carries her dirty laundry to the small bedroom, resuming her song, but as she reaches into the basket, she recoils in terror at the sight of the snake.

An Unlikely Liberation

Overwhelmed by fear, Delia escapes to the barn, where she collapses and eventually falls asleep. She awakens to the sound of Sykes destroying the snake's crate, and she crouches beneath the bedroom window. From her hiding spot, she hears the snake's unsettling rattle. Sykes, regaining sobriety, is oblivious to the danger until he reaches for a match by the stove. Discovering they are gone, he becomes acutely aware of the rattling beneath him, sending him scrambling onto the bed. Delia is forced to listen to his agonizing screams as the snake bites him, causing her to feel faint. As she recuperates, she hears Sykes weakly call her name. She rises and approaches the doorway, where he crawls toward her, realizing she had been present during his ordeal.

The story concludes ambiguously, with Delia standing firm, embodying both a witness to Sykes's demise and a woman who has endured and risen above hardship.