Racial Representation in Langston Hughes' Mulatto and George L. Aiken's Uncle Tom's Cabin

 

The representation of race in various plays is important in showing the manner through which individuals in American society viewed one another. This is especially the case in plays that are set in the era of slavery, showing the manner through which the various characters see the members of other races, such as the way that whites view blacks, and the justification for the institution of slavery. Race and slavery are institutions that are tied together in such a way that promotes the idea that it is the right of one race to enslave the other; a situation that essentially leads to the conflict that is seen in plays such as Mulatto: A Play of the Deep South, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In this paper, there will be an analysis of the representation of race in these two plays and the manner through which the various characters within them deal with the issue of race and racial relations.

One of the most fundamental aspects of these plays is that they handle such issues as the statuses of mulattoes and the children of slaves. Mulattoes are depicted as being stuck in a world where they are neither white nor black but are instead in a confused state where they are not able to decide where they belong. This depiction is seen in Mulatto, where the character of Robert, who is the son of a white plantation owner and his slave, feels that he should not be treated any differently from the white people in society. A result is that there are constant warnings concerning the potential tragedy that Robert might bring not only to himself, but also to other slaves in the region (Hughes). In addition, Uncle Tom’s Cabin seeks to show the fate that awaits the children of slaves, especially in situations where their masters believe that they have to sell them. One of the first incidents that take place in the play is where Eliza escapes with her son in order to avoid having her son sold by her owners because the latter need the money. Furthermore, later in the play, the character of Cassy is introduced, and she is an individual who was separated from her son and daughter after they were sold. Her story is a tragic one because she ends up in a situation where she makes the terrible decision to kill her third child rather than get separated from it (Aiken). Therefore, the fate of the children of slaves seems to be doomed to slavery, and this is to such an extent that they are often separated from their parents.

Among the most significant aspects of the representation of race in these plays is the constant depiction, by some characters, of blacks being inferior to their white counterparts. This is especially the case in Uncle Tom’s Cabin where Uncle Tom is forced into situations that would daunt any other human being. For example, despite having a wife and children of his own, his owners do not hesitate to separate him from them when they sell him to a new owner. In addition, Uncle Tom is forced into a situation where he is tortured by Legree, his new owner, who is hostile to him because Tom will not submit to his will (Aiken). The brutality that Legree delivers on Uncle Tom is based on racial prejudice and this is to such an extent that it eventually causes the death of Uncle Tom. In Mulatto, Norwood is criticized by members of his society for having a relationship with his slave, with one, Higgins, going as far as suggesting that Norwood gets married (Hughes). He suggests marriage because of the belief that the presence of a white woman on the plantation will help Norwood not to treat his slaves so softly. This is an important indication of the belief that blacks are inferior because Norwood’s relationship with his slave, Cora, is seen as scandalous to such an extent that Norwood is torn between acknowledging his children and seeking to ensure that they are forced into becoming more submissive.

The humanity of the black people is depicted in both plays, especially considering that some of their white counterparts look upon them as little more than animals. In Mulatto, there is an attempt to depict the humanity of the characters, especially Cora and her son Robert. Robert is an individual who is proud of his white heritage and believes that it is a means of ensuring that his rights as a human being are recognized. Furthermore, he is an individual who, unlike his siblings, seeks to ensure that Norwood acknowledges him as his son, despite the scandal that it might cause as a result (Hughes). In the course of the play, Cora, following Robert’s murder of Norwood, is shown to have a sense of bitterness because Norwood did not acknowledge any of their children together. In Uncle Tom, there is also an attempt to depict the humanity of blacks through a diversity of methods, including showing the manner through which Eliza makes the decision to escape slavery because she does not want to be separated from her son (Aiken). In addition, Uncle Tom is shown to be a deeply religious individual, whose faith is the one thing that ensures that he is able to endure a life in slavery. His close friendship with Eva, a white girl, because of their common interest in their faith as Christians is also essential in promoting an image of Uncle Tom as being a very human individual. Also, it is Uncle Tom who encourages Cassy to escape their enslavement by Legree, which is an extremely brutal experience.

The theme of desire for freedom is another fundamental aspect of the two plays because it is essential to the understanding of the representation of race. Unlike their white counterparts, who are essentially born free, the black people or those with black blood are born into slavery because of their racial status. In Uncle Tom, the escapes made by Eliza, and later by Cassy, are based on a desire to achieve the same freedoms that are exercised by the free members of society. A consequence is that these characters seek refuge in a country where it would be declared free, that is, Canada (Aiken). This was at a period in history when the British had declared slavery illegal in their empire, meaning that it was a safe place for them to start their lives as free individuals. In Mulatto, Robert is seen to be an individual that is determined to attain his freedom, and this is based on his belief that because he is Norwood’s son, he has the right to be free. This is a fundamental aspect of the play because it depicts an individual who is able to make sure that he not only accepts who he is, but is determined to ensure that society accepts him as well, despite his having a black mother who is also a slave. Robert refuses to accept the reality of his enslavement and is determined to fight against it in order to become free.

In conclusion, Mulatto and Uncle Tom’s Cabin are essential plays when it comes to the representation of race. They suggest that race is made use of to enforce a social order where one race establishes dominance over another. A consequence is that there is both conflict and resistance on the part of some individuals as they seek to overcome the burdens established by the highly oppressive social order.

On the Translation of Culture Specific Concepts

 

In the contemporary world, where there has been an increase in instances of sampling of the literature from a diversity of cultures, translations have become common. This is an important aspect because it is a feature of the globalized world where individuals and cultures have essentially come to be seen as equal (Venuti, 2016). In addition, there has been an inspiration to ensure that there is the advancement of means through which the cultural practices of different peoples are understood. A consequence has been that there have been widespread instances where there is need to ensure that there are translations of texts aimed at bringing about this understanding. One of the biggest features of translations is that there is often language appropriation, where there is the inclusion of foreign words in the text of the language that the text is being translated to. It involves a situation where there is a potential of translations being used in the service of the ideology of the translator (Lefevere, 1992). This is an important means of making sure that there is the advancement of means through which aspects of the culture that is being translated are highlighted. A consequence is that the translated text ends up being interspersed with the text from the original language, which ensures that individuals who read it get a sense of the cultural aspect (Hermans, 2002). This situation can be one that encouraged readers to ensure that they seek to understand the meanings of the various words that have been used in the translated text, and read them in context so that the full meaning of the narrative can be obtained.

Translations into other languages can also face considerable dilemmas when it comes to the rendering of foreign words found in the original text. This is an extremely important procedure because it involves a situation where there is a need to render the foreign words in such a way that advances the retention of their meanings while at the same time making it possible to ensure that the cultural references are also left intact (Haroon and Daud, 2017). In most cases, translators seek to retain the original meaning through the use of approximate words in the language that it is being translated to because it allows the readers to not only effectively understand what is being referenced, but also helps them to come up with a means through which they can understand other cultures with direct reference to their own culture. However, there is often a diversity of translation procedures, and these are determined by the translator involved. In situations where words are difficult to translate and retain the original meaning, some translators choose to make sure that they either maintain the original word during translation, or seek to make use of words that are as close to meaning as possible to the words on the original text (Williams and Chesterman, 2014). In this way, the translation process could end up seeking to ensure that the text remains as faithful as possible to the original text while at the same time allowing for the comprehensibility of the text once the translation process has been completed. Therefore, texts are often translated in a manner that helps target readers comprehend the text that they are reading.

One of the most significant considerations that have to be made by translators is that different cultures tend to influence the way that members of that society perceive the world. This is an important principle when it comes to translation because it ensures that the translator is able to effectively convey the message from the source text to his audience (Maasoum and Davtalab, 2011). In this case, it is essential for all translators to ensure that they have some knowledge concerning the diverse translation strategies that they can apply towards the development of a comprehensive text that not only remains faithful to the original, but is also able to convey the intended message to the audience. Undertaking to translate culture specific items is pertinent to the overall comprehensibility of the text because it allows the translator to capture the original meaning of the text and come up with means through which to promote the cultural meaning of the words that are used. It is also essential for the translator to take note of those culture specific words that are important for the achievement of a true capturing of original meanings (Schmied, 2017). Culture specific words tend to be exclusive to their respective cultures and under these circumstances; the translator has to be extremely careful when rendering translations because they could end up completely changing the original meaning of the text that are translating. Therefore, even though there are words and concepts that are common to all languages, they tend to be expressed differently in certain cultural contexts, meaning that the translator has to follow a strategy that retains its faithfulness to the original text.

One of the main duties of a translator is to select an appropriate means of handling culture specific words and items because it is an essential means of making sure that the translation takes place effectively. The diversity of methods of translating culture specific items is important because they help translators come up with appropriate translations that reflect the cultures that they are referencing (Braçaj, 2015). There are instances where translators have a hard time finding words that completely correspond to the culture specific items or words that are found in original texts. It therefore becomes essential for them to come up with appropriate words that are essential in the advancement of the translation process, and these often either involve undertaking to translate them to their closest approximations, or maintaining the original form while at the same time providing an explanation based in the cultural context of the original text. A consequence of such a situation is that it leads the translated text to have instances where the original text is changed from the original one in order to adapt to the cultural context within which it has been translated (Newmark, 1988). Therefore, the achievement of a translation that essentially remains loyal to the original text, while feasible, can also be elusive because of the different cultural contexts involved in the language. It all depends on the methods used by the translator to come up with the most appropriate translation possible that makes it easier for the reader to understand the text.

Translations can be subject to change from the original text because of cultural differences. This is especially the case considering that languages tend to be subject to their respective cultures, meaning that it would be extremely difficult for the translation of certain items to be translated effectively (House, 2014, Katan, 2014). A consequence is that translators end up in a situation where they are forced to ensure that they convert the text into language that corresponds to the culture that the text is being translated to. There are a number of ways through which a translator can ensure that he conducts an effective translation of the text. The first of these is through the use of borrowing or undertaking a transference procedure. This is a process that involves the use of words or terms that essentially maintain the original forms of the words without any direct translations. In addition, there is the adaptation of two cultural words, which essentially involves a situation where the translator makes the decision to make use of words that correspond to the original words on the original text. Finally, the translator can adapt a procedure where rather than attempting to either use transference or adaptation; he or she can undertake a procedure of describing the cultural word (Wahid and Sukur, 2012). The description of the cultural word is an extremely effective means of making sure that the translation remains as close to the original in meaning as possible.