Critical Analysis of the Octoroon

The Octoroon, still considered second amongst nonmodern melodramas, is a bit written by Irish author Dion Boucicaut. The job focuses on the Plantation Terrebonne, the Peyton res publica and its residents, namely its slaves. During the meter of its premiere, The Octoroon, inspired conversations about the abolishment of slavery as well up as the overall mistreatment of the African Americans. Derived from the Spanish language, the word octoroon is specify as genius who is 1/8th grisly. Zoe Peyton, , The Octoroon, is the supposedly freed biological daughter of Judge Peyton, reason owner of the plantation. In do, the lovers, Zoe and the judges rakehell nephew, George Peyton, are thwarted in their quest by head for the hills and the the evil maneuverings of a material-obsessed superintendent named Jacob MClosky. MClosky wants Zoe and Terrebonne, and schemes to buy both. Boucicaults play focuses on the denial of liberty, identity, and dignity, darn ironically preserving comm on black stereotypes of the antebellum period. The play does this with and through several characters, most importantly, through Zoe and the Household slave Pete. age the author attempts to evoke anti-slavery sentiments, the play is largely in slothful of being a received indictment of slavery by further perpetuating the African American stereotypes.\nZoe, the octoroon, serves as a actor for the author to explore themes of racial prejudice without an excessively black protagonist; she is black, just not too black. She plays the business office of the tragic mulatto a contrast character that was typical of antebellum literature. The purpose of the tragic mulatto was to countenance the indorser to pity the take of oppressed or enslaved bleeds, but only through a veil of whiteness. by dint of this veil the reader does not truly pity one of a different race but rather the reader pities one who is made as close to their race as possible. This is made evident oddly in Zoes speech patt...