Toni Morrisson and the translation of history in Margaret Garner

TONI MORRISON AND THE TRANSLATION OF HISTORY IN MARGARET GARNER Leon James Bynum Columbia Uni e si y Abs ac This a icle p obes how Toni Mo ison ansla es biog aphical his o y in Ma ga e Ga ne in ela ion o Black women’s sel -de e mina ion. Ma ga e Ga ne was ega ded wi h bo h ep oach and e e ence o mu de ing he wo-yea -old daugh e o p e en he child om being e u ned o sla e y a e hey escaped in 1856. W i ing he 2005 ope a Ma ga e Ga ne , Mo ison made a numbe o changes o he his o ical na a i e o he eponymous he oine. The ocus o he ansla ion is no on p esen ing an accu a e ecoun al o his o y; a he , he goal is o ed ess he limi a ions placed on Black women’s sel -de e mina ion by g an ing hem agency h ough his in e p e a ion o Ga ne . Key Wo ds: Ma ga e Ga ne ; Toni Mo ison; agency; his o y; ansla ion; ilicide; Belo ed; ope a In oduc ion Ma ga e Ga ne was ega ded wi h bo h ep oach and e e ence o mu de ing he wo- yea -old daugh e o p e en he child om being e u ned o sla e y. In he ensuing yea s, he 1856 inciden cap u ed he in e es s o w i e s o di e se poli ical sensibili ies, om F ances Ellen Wa kins Ha pe o John Jolli e o Dolo es Kend ick. The case also kindled he c ea ion o Toni Mo ison’s acclaimed 1987 no el, Belo ed. Following he wo k’s success, Mo ison once again in e p e ed Ga ne 's li e, his ime less obliquely in an ope a ha bea s he name. W i ing he 2005 ope a Ma ga e Ga ne mo e han a decade la e , Mo ison, wi h compose Richa d Danielpou , made a numbe o changes o he his o ical na a i e o he eponymous he oine. The cons uc ion o he ope a’s lib e o, cha ac e de elopmen , and physical p oduc ion ypi y Ga ne as a woman o s eng h, i ue, in elligence, and p inciple. The ocus o he ansla ion is no on p esen ing an accu a e ecoun al o his o y; a he , he goal is o ed ess he limi a ions placed on Black women’s sel -de e mina ion by g an ing hem agency h ough his in e p e a ion o Ga ne . TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER To es ablish ha Mo ison u ilizes he e sion o Ga ne o g an agency o sla e women, he ollowing h ee ocal poin s will be in e oga ed: Ga ne ’s his o y, om he escape om sla e y h ough he habeas co pus hea ing; Mo ison’s ansla ion o hose same e en s o he ope a; and how a ious elemen s o he inaugu al p oduc ion o Ma ga e Ga ne bu essed Mo ison’s aims. Ma ga e Ga ne ’s Ques o F eedom Bo n on June 4, 1833 on Maplewood plan a ion in Ken ucky, Ma ga e Ga ne was a bi acial sla e woman who spen mos o he li e as a domes ic wo ke in he home o he owne , A chibald K. Gaines. By all accoun s, Gaines was a cap iciously b u al owne . Ma ga e , he mo he , Cilla, and he ou child en we e owned by Gaines; he husband, Robe , and his pa en s we e owned by a neighbo ing plan e . Snow ell con inuously on ha a e ul las Sunday in 1856. The en i e Ga ne amily planned o end hei ensla emen by absconding ia he Unde g ound Rail oad. Ra he o ui ously, he Ohio Ri e , usually he ba ie o eedom, had ozen solid. In i s win y condi ion, he i e would se e as he b idge o libe y o he Ga ne amily. They in ended o s op b ie ly a he home o hei ecen ly manumi ed cousins in Cincinna i be o e a elling o sa e y and eedom in Canada. Howe e , hei sec e plo had been disco e ed wi hin a ma e o hou s and Gaines was in pu sui wi h a posse o en men. E en wi h he unin e up ed snow all, he acks made by hei sleigh p o ed easy o ollow. The Ga ne s had no been a hei cousins’ household long be o e Gaines and his men o ced hei way in. Pandemonium eigned as pis ol sho s we e exchanged. Calm ye s eely in he esol e, in an ins an , Ma ga e decided o kill he child en and hen he sel a he han be e u ned o sla e y. While any numbe o hough s could ha e been swi ling h ough he young mo he ’s head as his c i ical choice was made, one hing is ce ain: Ga ne is on eco d as ha ing s a ed ha she wished o kill he child en so ha hey would no be o ced back in o sla e y. Wi h such a o ce ha i nea ly decapi a ed he oddle , Ma ga e i s sli he h oa o wo-yea -old Ma y. She hen u ned he mo al a en ion o he wo sons and in an daugh e , bu was unsuccess ul in hei mu de s. The Ga ne s’ s o y and he inques ha ollowed added uel o Ame ica’s al eady incendia y sla e y deba e. The hea ing would DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 2 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER de e mine whe he he Ga ne s would be e u ned as sla es o hei Ken ucky plan a ions. Newspape s all a ound he coun y began ca ying he macab e de ails o Ma y’s mu de . The s o y mesme ized he na ion o mon hs, no doub because o he sensa ionalism o he e en . P o- and an i-sla e y commen a o s alike ook ad an age o he oppo uni y o supe impose hei ideologies on Ga ne ’s mu de o he daugh e . Fo p o-sla e y ac ions, he ilicide demons a ed ha A ican Ame icans we e inhe en ly in e io sa ages who needed he guidance and s uc u e o sla e y. By con as , om pulpi s o pamphle s and om newspape columns o s ee co ne s, aboli ionis s used he inciden o pain a po ai o sla e y causing such debasemen and deg ada ion ha o he wise decen people we e educed o heinous, inhuman ac s. The e we e consis en compa isons o Ma ga e Ga ne o e e yone om Vi ginius o Pa ick Hen y. As opposed o depic ing hem as wicked o insane, an i-sla e y agi a o s exempli ied mo he s like Ga ne as ca ing pa en s who lacked op ions and had o go o de as a ing leng hs o ba le he ins i u ion o sla e y. A ene ic a mosphe e pe aded he Ga ne hea ing om he e y beginning. The p esiding commissione , John Pende y, banned A ican Ame icans om he cou house in o de o limi acial ace bi y du ing he p oceeding. In he en i e annals o Ame ican ju isp udence, Ma ga e Ga ne is he only accused ugi i e sla e on eco d as ha ing es i ied a he own hea ing, which was also he longes and cos lies in his o y. Wha ew eco ds emain indica e he e was much con adic o y es imony. Famed aboli ionis and an i-sla e y w i e , John Jolli e, ep esen ed he Ga ne s; he used his ex ensi e knowledge o he Cons i u ion and he Bible o a gue o Ma ga e ’s eedom. Qui e explosi e was he es imony by his s a wi ness, aboli ionis Lucy S one. Su p ising and scandalous a he ime was he connec ion she made be ween Ma ga e ’s ac and he igh s and esponsibili ies o any Ch is ian mo he o p o ec he child. Despi e Jolli e’s passiona e se monizing and ca e ul legal maneu e ing, Commissione Pende y uled ha he Ga ne s should be e u ned o hei espec i e owne s. Ma ga e was ne e ied o he mu de o he daugh e . DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 3 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER Toni Mo ison and he Con empo a y Renaissance o Ma ga e Ga ne No much was hea d abou Ma ga e Ga ne o he nex cen u y and a hal . Then in 1987, Toni Mo ison’s Puli ze P ize-winning no el, Belo ed, debu ed and once again, he Ga ne ’s s o y ose o p ominence. In o de o con ex ualize Mo ison’s in e p e a ion o Ma ga e Ga ne , i is use ul o examine how she came o w i e Belo ed. Mo ison ook a “less is mo e” app oach o esea ching Ga ne ’s li e. I was in 1973, while wo king as a senio edi o a Random House and co-c ea ing The Black Book, a compendium o essays commemo a ing Black his o y, ha she i s encoun e ed a e y b ie a icle om 1856 on he Ga ne inciden . “A Visi o a Sla e Mo he Who Killed He Child”, w i en by a minis e , P. S. Basse , and published on Feb ua y 12, 1856 in Ame ican Bap is , desc ibed a b ie isi o Ga ne in jail, whe e she explained why she killed he daugh e . I is one o he ew ex an eco ds o Ga ne ’s wo ds. He imagina ion cap u ed, Mo ison was inspi ed o de elop he s o yline o Belo ed. Though she began an exhaus i e explo a ion in o sla e y and aboli ionism, she chose no o engage in addi ional esea ch in o Ga ne ’s his o y o he si es o he inciden . “I did no do much esea ch on Ma ga e Ga ne o he han he ob ious s u , because I wan ed o in en he li e, which is a way o saying I wan ed o be accessible o any hing he cha ac e s had o say abou i . Reco ding he li e as li ed would no in e es me, and would no make me a ailable o any hing ha migh be pe inen ”. (DARLING 1988: 4) De ails abou he li e and he inciden ma e ed less o Mo ison han he symbolism o Ga ne ’s choices. Upon de e mining ha he alue o Ga ne ’s s o y lay in he decision o asse he basic human igh s by killing he daugh e , he o he ac s we e ende ed expendable. Despi e ha Ga ne ’s ilicide plan ed he seeds o he no el in Mo ison’s head, Belo ed was in no way a biog aphical accoun o he exploi s. Se he’s li e di e ges om Maga e ’s in many subs an i e ways; hei ages, he da es o he mu de s, he a es o hei husbands, and he na u e o hei legal all di e . In eading Belo ed, an acknowledged wo k o ic ion, audiences an icipa e and unde s and ha de ails la ge and small ha e been al e ed o li e a y pu poses. Expec a ions o Ma ga e Ga ne , he ope a ha ca ies he name and ma ke s i sel as being abou he li e, ha e been somewha di e en o many. Fo Mo ison’s ansla ion, he d ama ic DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 4 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER needs o he ope a manda ed changing aspec s o he li e and appending elemen s o o he sla e s o ies in o de o uni e salize Ma ga e Ga ne ’s expe ience. Cons uc ing he li e as some hing oecumenic a he han uly biog aphical acco ded he license o change ac s and es uc u e e en s. Mo ison a e ed, “…[Keep] in mind ha his is no a his o ical ope a in he sense ha e e y hing is ollowed his o ically because, as a is s, we c ea e, some imes, an illusion in o de o keep a g ea e u h and a is s do his kind o hing. We ake a is ic license, bu he gis o he s o y and o hund eds o s o ies ha ha e, in a way, been assimila ed in o his wo k ha we pu oge he .” (FULLER 2004) A ce ain amoun o elescoping is s anda d o biog aphical adap a ions; o he sake o simplici y, cha ac e s and e en s a e equen ly combined, elided, o o he wise ende ed di e en ly. Howe e , Ma ga e Ga ne ’s edac ions we e done o o he a is ic easons; as will be discussed mo e in dep h in he nex sec ion, i s mission s a emen asse s ha he ope a’s pu pose o ini ia e dialogue abou “ he endu ing ques o eedom in… ou communi ies” (MISSION 2009). This dialogue is amed by Mo ison’s agency-g an ing, ac ually ansposed na a i e. (Re)Cons uc ing Ma ga e Ga ne , Pa I: The P oduc ion An a en ion o eclaiming he legacy o Ame ican sla e y was no limi ed o he c ea ion o he lib e o. The c ea o s and p oduce s sough ou he audience ha was mos likely o be ecep i e o ha message: he Black communi y. As only ou pe cen o Ame ican ope a-goe s a e Black, pa icula a en ion was paid o a ac ing a la ge han a e age A ican Ame ican audience. Subsequen o a ges a ion pe iod o mo e han se en yea s, Ma ga e Ga ne p emie ed in De oi on May 7, 2005 a he Michigan Ope a Thea e ; he inaugu al p oduc ion subsequen ly played a he Cincinna i Ope a in July 2005 and a he Ope a Company o Philadelphia in Feb ua y 2006. The aim was o p emie e he ope a in ci ies wi h sizable A ican Ame ican popula ions. Sales in all h ee ci ies we e e y s ong. In addi ion, Ma ga e Ga ne ’s co po a e sponso s had s ong ies o he Black communi y. P oc e and Gamble, Gene al Mo o s, and Cadillac ha e la ge Black clien eles and Mon gome y, McC acken, Walke , and Rhoads, LLP is acclaimed in Philadelphia o i s suppo o di e si y DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 5 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER ini ia i es. These sponso s helped o aise he ope a’s p o ile wi hin he Black communi y. The ope a’s mission s a emen plainly iden i ied a ac ing a non adi ional audience base as an objec i e: “Michigan Ope a Thea e, Cincinna i Ope a, and Ope a Company o Philadelphia ha e pa ne ed o c ea e a powe ul new Ame ican ope a o las ing a is ic signi icance ha will esona e locally and na ionally. The mission o Ma ga e Ga ne is o - Sha e he poignan and his o ically signi ican s o y o Ma ga e Ga ne wi h adi ional and non adi ional ope a audiences h ough he c ea ion o a new Ame ican g and ope a; - Po ay he s o y wi h in eg i y and espec h ough he ision o a wo ld-class c ea i e eam and a p oduc ion o he highes a is ic s anda ds; - Inspi e passiona e eac ions and meaning ul dialogue abou he endu ing ques o eedom in Ame ica ha eaches beyond he ope a house and in o ou communi ies.” (“MISSION” 2009) This “non adi ional” audience o a la ge ex en was cons i u ed by A ican Ame icans. Ca e was aken o gi e he ope a he g ea es appeal possible o A ican Ame icans. A ican Ame ican classical music supe s a s Denyce G a es, G egg Bake , Angela B own, and Jessye No man all essayed leading oles in Ma ga e Ga ne a a ious poin s. Kenny Leon, well ega ded o his s age appea ances and di ec ion o Hansbe y and Wilson plays, assumed his i s wo k in he ope a as di ec o o Ma ga e Ga ne . Bes known o he dances he c ea ed o se e al S e ie Wonde ou s, Pa d o Ha is se ed as he cho eog aphe . Mo ison and he p oduce s de eloped an ins uc i e elemen ha would in o m audiences abou he b oad implica ions o ha which was depic ed in he ope a. This educa ional componen accompanied he inaugu al p oduc ions; i was in ended o ensu e esponsible elling o Ga ne ’s s o y. Independen schola s, including Delo es Wal e s o he Na ional Unde g ound Rail oad F eedom Cen e , and S e en Weisenbu ge , au ho o Mode n Medea: A Family S o y o Sla e y and Child Mu de om he Old Sou h, we e b ough in o “communi y ou each.” They ga e p e- and pos -show lec u es o educa e he non adi ional audiences on he issues he p oduce s deemed cul u ally and his o ically signi ican . So success ul was hei aim o inc ease Black audiences ha he Philadelphia Inqui e ’s e iew o Ma ga e Ga ne began, “[…The] Michigan Ope a Thea e p emie e on Sa u day was a public- ela ions iumph… D ama u gical lapses a e he e, bu he s eng hs o Ma ga e Ga ne a e so conside able and wide- anging ha he piece is legi ima ely des ined o make new iends o ope a wi hou aliena ing old ones.” (STEARNS 2005) DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 6 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER Da id Pa ick S ea ns seems o be mo e imp essed by he ope a’s abili y o augmen Black iewe ship han by he ac ual wo k i sel . The c ea o s we e ca e ul o c ea e an ope a ha was lashy enough o appeal o hose who do no ypically equen he ope a, ye su icien ly conse a i e o appease hei adi ional audience base. Tha eage - o-please sensibili y a ec ed he sco e. Danielpou ’s easily accessible, audience- iendly music was no s ong enough o suppo Mo ison’s powe ully complex, ye au ly w i en lib e o. Danielpou ’s neo- oman ic sco e shows hin s o gospel, blues, R&B, and jazz, wi h mo e han sligh ly anach onis ic sugges ions o Leona d Be ns ein’s, Aa on Copeland’s, and Ca lisle Floyd’s composi ions. The Whi e cha ac e s o en sing Nine een h Cen u y wal zes, P o es an hymns, blueg ass, and pa lo songs while he Black cha ac e s mos ly pe o m jazz-in lec ed spi i uals and wo k songs. Leon desc ibed he sco e as “ope a, bu i eels like a classical bed o all he music ha embodies ou musical pale e” (BENNETT 2008). Howe e , wi h he hea y eliance on pas iche, Danielpou ’s ue musical oice is some imes di icul o disce n. Mo ison encou aged him o w i e s ylis ically in he modes wi h which he was mos com o able, and acco dingly, he music has a pala able, con empo a y eel ha does no always suppo he ope a’s mo e epic elemen s. Ye Danielpou ’s musical choices do se e an impo an pu pose. They o ge a link be ween con empo a y audiences and an ebellum socie y o d aw he audience in o he ope a’s e en s. The o ches a ion’s u iliza ion o ins umen s ypical o Nine een h Cen u y music, including a co anglais, a celes a, and a con abassoon, o play con empo a y Ame ican melodies s eng hens his link be ween e as and cul u es and he eby u he uni e salizes Ma ga e Ga ne ’s s o y. Danielpou desc ibes i as “ he spi i o he music ha migh ha e been hea d in he 1850s, bu expe ienced now h ough he il e o all he music we’ e hea d in ou li es – hy hm and blues, jazz, gospel” (JOHNSON 2005). This keeps he music accessible o he non- adi ional audiences in a endance. Fu he mo e, many o he jazz-in luenced melodies ha e mo e in common wi h he wo k o Ge shwin han o he con empo a y classical compose s. Conside ing his mas e y o composing in a ange o gen es, his is likely an in en ional choice on he pa Danielpou , who migh ha e ealized he bene i s o modeling his ope a in he s yle o Po gy and Bess, DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 7 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER he mos amilia ope a wi h A ican Ame ican subjec ma e . Audiences mo e immedia ely could iden i y wi h ma e ial ha eels so amilia . (Re)Cons uc ing Ma ga e Ga ne , Pa II: The Na a i e Ma ga e Ga ne begins in he own o Richwood S a ion, Ken ucky in Ap il 1856. In he opening sequence, he ownspeople desc ibe he sla es as in an ine onuses ha equi e domes iciza ion, as he sla es con ey o each o he he joys hey expe ience ea ing and lo ing hei child en. The p o agonis s a e in oduced in quick succession. Agg essi e and in ole an , Edwa d Gaines is making his e u n o Maplewood plan a ion a e an absence o mo e han wo decades. Wi h him is his o wa d- hinking adul daugh e , Ca oline. Ma ga e Ga ne , s unningly a ac i e wi h a ie y empe , is quickly no iced by he new owne . The wel a e o he amily is always o pa amoun impo ance o Ma ga e , an ex emely de o ed wi e and mo he . Sha ing Ma ga e ’s home a e Robe , his mo he , Cilla, and he couple’s young daugh e . Cilla wa ns Ma ga e o he dange s o becoming oo a ached o he child because as a sla e, she is no acco ded all o he na u al, o e en expec ed, pa en al igh s. As ime passes, Gaines equi es Ma ga e o spend an inc easing amoun o ime oiling in his ki chen and less wi h he husband and daugh e . Demo alized and b owbea en, Ma ga e expends mos o he ene gy ying o s a e o Gaines’s iolen ly lasci ious ad ances. He e en ually apes he in he summe o 1858. The second ac begins la e in he win e o 1861, jus p io o he s a o he Ci il Wa . By now, Ma ga e has gi en bi h o he second child. F us a ed wi h sla e y’s limi a ions, Ma ga e and Robe asse con ol by deciding o lee Maplewood. In he escape, Robe is o ced o kill hei sadis ic o e see , Casey. Immedia ely, hey lee o he ou ski s o Cincinna i, whe e Ma ga e and Robe hide wi h hei wo child en in an unde g ound shed o mo e han h ee weeks. The p ospec o he eedom ha hei child en will enjoy has hem op imis ic o he i s ime in yea s. Howe e , an ineb ia ed Gaines and a la ge c ew o sla e ca che s suddenly o e ake he amily. The posse o ces i s way in o he shed and lynches Robe in e enge o his mu de o Casey. Upon seeing he husband’s limp body hanging om a ee, a dis augh Ma ga e immedia ely ealizes ha he mo he ly du ies a e o shield he child en DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 8 TONIMORRISONANDTHETRANSLATIONOFHISTORYINMARGARETGARNER om all o he ho o s and indigni ies o sla e y; she sli s he h oa o one child and hen s abs he o he o dea h. Alone wi h he hough s, she gauges he ami ica ions o he ac ions and accep s hem wi h he audaci y o digni y. Two mon hs elapse and Ma ga e is on ial in Ken ucky. She is cha ged wi h he capi al o ense o des uc ion o p ope y o he slayings o he wo child en. Despi e aboli ionis s’ pleas o Ma ga e o be iewed as a human being – and hus be cha ged wi h he mu de o he child en a he han me ely p ope y damage – he panel o judges inds he guil y. They a e ha as a sla e, she lacks any legal igh s o he li e o he child en’s, and sen ence he o dea h by hanging. Upon hea ing he e dic , Ga ne boldly asse s in on o he en i e cou oom ha she is an indi idual o e whom no one has any powe . Compunc ion inspi ed by a con e sa ion wi h Ca oline leads Gaines o in e ene on Ma ga e ’s behal . His in e cession success ul, he judges ule ha Ma ga e ’s li e will be spa ed and she will once again be emanded o Maplewood i she only allocu es and epen s. Feeling ha she has been b u alized enough by sla e y, Ma ga e a ows ha she wishes o li e in a ai and jus communi y. Comp ehending ha none exis s in 1860s Ame ica, she delibe a ely ips he s ool o hang he sel . Th ough dazed by Ma ga e Ga ne ’s choice, he ownspeople a e le in a s a e o deep con empla ion o e he signi icance o he ac . As he c owd lamen s ha which has p oceeded, Gaines is le alone o con empla e he lack o eedom ha he eels, leading a li e absen o ue mo ali y o cha i y. T ansla ing His o y Ob iously, he ope a is mo e o an in e p e a ion o his o ical e en s han a di ec ecapi ula ion. One immedia e ins ance is he ea men o he imeline in he ope a. The e en s o he his o ical Ga ne s’ escape om sla e y and he esul ing ial all happened be ween Janua y and Ma ch 1856. They a e d awn ou o e he cou se o i e yea s in he ope a, which does no e en begin un il Ap il 1856. Mo ing he ope a’s e en s close o he ou b eak o he Ci il Wa unde sco es he signi ican ole ha Ga ne ’s case played in he inc easingly con en ious na ional sla e y deba e. Expanding he pe iod o e which he ope a akes place u he illumina es he de elopmen o Ga ne ’s sense o agency o e ime, as well as how i was a ec ed by changing socie al mo es. DOLETIANA 3 OPERA AND TRANSLATION 9