There’s a very delicate and complex relationship between Jacobs and her mistress Mrs. Flint in the text. Although the mistress in the narrative isn't as brutal and abusive towards Jacobs like her white male owner Dr. Flint, Mrs. Flint, is equally oppressive towards Jacobs as her husband. When jealousy appears between the mistress and the slaves in the text and it’s interesting to see how a free wealthy white woman can be jealous of a slave with no rights or protection.
Naturally, women can be jealous creatures who lash out against those whom they perceive as a threat but Jacobs mistress seems to be at ends with every slave woman in her presence. Mrs. Flint understands that her husband is sexually attracted to Jacobs, which makes her very malicious towards Jacobs. During the text Jacobs states, “Moreover, my mistress, like many other, seemed to think that slaves had no right to any family ties of their own; that they were created merely to wait upon the family of the mistress” (823). Jacobs goes on to detail how her mistress abused a slave when she asked if she could marry another negro man by telling her “I will have you peeled and picked my lady… if I ever hear you mention that subject. Do you suppose that I will have you tending my children with the children of that nigger?” (823). The idea that slave women are not entitled to love, marriage, and children so how slave mistresses, especially Jacob’s mistress, wanted to strip slaves of their womanhood. By denying slave women the right to have control over their own homes and affairs the mistress exerts as much ruthless power as her husband.
The highlight of being a woman is the ability to give life and raise children. By stating that the slave woman has not right to create her own family, shows how oppressing white women could be towards the needs of slave women. Mrs. Flint harbored jealousy and anger towards Jacobs which was clearly expressed in her behavior towards her. But Mrs. Flint also represents a whole demographic of slave mistresses, fueled by jealousy and control, Mrs. Flint sees no place for womanhood or even humanity in her slaves. Although Dr. and Mrs. Flint had the power to stop Jacobs from building her own home and family, they could not stop her from dreaming about the love she desired. "This love-dream had been my support through many trials; and I could not bear to run the risk of having it suddenly dissipated" (823). Even though her dream of love and marriage was eventually crushed, the power of faith and belief that a woman should be allowed to make her own decisions about love, is what truly defined Jacobs's descent into womanhood.
Naturally, women can be jealous creatures who lash out against those whom they perceive as a threat but Jacobs mistress seems to be at ends with every slave woman in her presence. Mrs. Flint understands that her husband is sexually attracted to Jacobs, which makes her very malicious towards Jacobs. During the text Jacobs states, “Moreover, my mistress, like many other, seemed to think that slaves had no right to any family ties of their own; that they were created merely to wait upon the family of the mistress” (823). Jacobs goes on to detail how her mistress abused a slave when she asked if she could marry another negro man by telling her “I will have you peeled and picked my lady… if I ever hear you mention that subject. Do you suppose that I will have you tending my children with the children of that nigger?” (823). The idea that slave women are not entitled to love, marriage, and children so how slave mistresses, especially Jacob’s mistress, wanted to strip slaves of their womanhood. By denying slave women the right to have control over their own homes and affairs the mistress exerts as much ruthless power as her husband.
The highlight of being a woman is the ability to give life and raise children. By stating that the slave woman has not right to create her own family, shows how oppressing white women could be towards the needs of slave women. Mrs. Flint harbored jealousy and anger towards Jacobs which was clearly expressed in her behavior towards her. But Mrs. Flint also represents a whole demographic of slave mistresses, fueled by jealousy and control, Mrs. Flint sees no place for womanhood or even humanity in her slaves. Although Dr. and Mrs. Flint had the power to stop Jacobs from building her own home and family, they could not stop her from dreaming about the love she desired. "This love-dream had been my support through many trials; and I could not bear to run the risk of having it suddenly dissipated" (823). Even though her dream of love and marriage was eventually crushed, the power of faith and belief that a woman should be allowed to make her own decisions about love, is what truly defined Jacobs's descent into womanhood.