Transcending Race and Gender in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat”

Abstract

Zora Neale Hurston is an eminent African American writer who is prominent in the Harlem Renaissance, a predominantly black cultural movement of the 1920s and 1930s. Being a respected African American author in 1920s America was no small feat. The black Americans faced routine discrimination in almost all aspects of life. On top of all that, Hurston mainly wrote about the experiences of southern African Americans — a segment of the population that remained largely disenfranchised until at least the late 1960s. She has written a number of award-winning plays, novels and short stories. Her short story “Sweat” is a female empowerment text about a woman overcoming her abusive husband. It portrays a story of domestically abused, religiously devout laundress, Delia and her adulterous, deadbeat husband, Sykes. Hurston’s black female identity is clearly reflected in this story. Her gender and race have undoubtedly shaped the story, imbuing its content with a deep political statement on social inequality. As in many of Hurston's works, symbolism plays a key role in understanding the story. Hurston addresses a number of themes, such as the trials of femininity, which she explores with compelling and efficient symbolism. Zora Neale Hurston’s work represents a noteworthy milestone in the fight for equality for black female authors, and will forever be celebrated in literature as a strong black female voice. While the content “Sweat” may have been influenced by her gender and race, her skill as a writer transcends both gender and race.