Class Year
2015
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Spring 2015
Department 1
English
Abstract
Literary authors and performing artists are redefining the image of the Jezebel archetype from a negative stereotype to an empowering persona. The reformation of the Jezebel’s identity and reputation, from a manipulating stereotype to an uplifting individual may not be a common occurrence, but the Jezebel archetype as a positive figure has earned a dignified position in literature and in reality. Jezebel archetypes wear their sexuality proudly. Her sultriness may be the first aspect of her identity that readers see, but readers must be cautious not to overlook her merit and moral standards as a character that has the potential to advance and mobilize her peers (within fiction and reality).
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Zakiya A., "Peering into the Jezebel Archetype in African American Culture and Emancipating Her from Hyper-Sexuality: Within and Beyond James Baldwin’s 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' and Alice Walker’s 'The Color Purple'" (2015). Student Publications. 332.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/332
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Cultural History Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Rhetoric and Composition Commons, Social History Commons, Women's History Commons, Women's Studies Commons
Comments
English Senior Thesis
This paper was written for Professor McKinley Melton's senior seminar, ENG: The Bible in African American Literature and Culture, Spring 2015.