In Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat,” there are many aspects of modernism present. One of the most prominent aspects of modernism used by Hurston is the welfare of African Americans during that period. Hurston continually depicted African American characters in her work, as well as female African Americans to promote progress in the feminist movement. She had a significant influence over other authors during the Harlem Renaissance which in turn made her one of the most significant contributors to modernist movement.
“Sweat” features a hardworking and kind young woman, Delia, who is married to an abusive, mean, and unfaithful husband. She works very hard to please him and occasionally attempts to stand up to him, but it is clear that she has suffered many long, hard years under his abusive wrath. In one moment, her husband Sykes come home and steps all over a pile of clean laundry that Delia had just washed and folded (Hurston 519). Sykes represents everything that is bad about masculinity. He is abusive, mean, and unfaithful to his wife, even paying other women to be with him. Delia hates him, quite deservingly. What does this character say about how Hurston feels about masculinity and men themselves? It certainly does not depict it in a good light. There are many instances of this “good man” in modernist text. He must be ‘dangerous and desirable yet loving and kind. He must be experienced sexually, yet faithful to one woman.” He also often abuses alcohol and drugs. Clearly, none of these are very desirable or good traits. The modernist man is hard to be and not well looked upon. The modernist woman seems to always be understanding, patient, sweet, and willing to put up with a lot from men. This piece goes a long way as a feminist literature, exposing the hardships for women due to abusive men.
Feminism is a very important aspect of modernism. There was a clear and strong presence of women writers during the modernist period and much of the writing has a preoccupation with femininity. While this is true, misogyny was still ever-present during this movement. Despite the male-domination and misogynist tones in their writing, femininity was a very central part of the feminist movement during the modernism period. Zora Neale Hurston’s pieces, such as “Sweat” pushed towards feminism in modernism with her constant use of female black characters. Her writing also helped push diversity in writing, in writings such as “How it Feels to be Colored Me.”
“Sweat” deals with a very important topic of physical and mental abuse between two partners. Delia is a hardworking washerwoman who slaves away long and hard hours to provide for herself and her husband. Her husband Sykes is unemployed, yet constantly complains that Delia is working for white people. One of Sykes’s favorite ways to mentally abuse Delia is to play on her extreme fear of snakes. For years, he would hide snakes to terrify her and mentally manipulate her (Hurston 520). He was also physically abusive to her and began beating her a few years after the start of their marriage. Sykes is a detestable husband and person, abusing his wife, complaining while providing nothing, and even hiring mistresses. Delia grew very tired of his abuse and decided she was no longer willing to put up with his abuse. Eventually, Sykes hatches a plan to poison and kill Delia by hiding a rattlesnake in her laundry (Hurston 521). His plan, however, backfires as the snake bites and poisons him instead. Delia witnesses this all, and peacefully and calmly sits and waits for her husband to die as he screams for help. This is another example of feminism and female empowerment at play along with the topic of marital abuse. Delia knew she deserved better than an abusive husband and it seemed to be fate and karma that killed her husband. She felt no sadness or regret as he lay dying and screaming in agony. Her greatest wish had come true and she no longer had to deal with Sykes. If he hadn’t died at that point, she probably would have hatched her own plan to get rid of him eventually.
Hurston’s “Sweat” would complement “A Streetcar Named Desire” well. These both deal with the topic of domestic abuse and feminism. In “Streetcar”, Stanley is very abusive to his wife Stella. The two have a very extreme sexual and abusive marriage. He has an awful temper and takes it out on Stella often, screaming, hitting, and beating her. He is also very mentally abusive, saying awful things. When Stella’s older sister Blanche comes to stay with them, it becomes clear to her how dangerous and abusive their marriage is, and Blanche does not like it. She witnesses Stanley strike Stella in drunken rage, and soon after make up with her by apologizing and then making love. Blanche cannot believe that Stella would stay with Stanley after this kind of abuse and violence from him, but she loves him and does not seem to know any better. Blanche tries to get through to Stella, but Stella assures her that everything is fine between them and that she loves Stanley. She seems trapped in the marriage, and in her own brainwashed thoughts. She is also pregnant with Stanley’s child and could not just easily walk out of the marriage. In the end, Stella was not as lucky as Delia. Delia knew she did not deserve the abuse and wanted a way out with Sykes, which she was miraculously given. Stella was far too brainwashed by her husband to know how mistreated she was.
Another important theme of this short story that would be useful for this class to learn about is the idea of female empowerment and survival, going along with the important feminism theme. In the story, Delia is the sole provider for herself and her husband and she is doing all the hard work to keep them financially stable and alive. The title “Sweat” is in reference to the hard, physical labor that Delia carries out every day to make money and provide. This is a strong example of female empowerment because Delia does everything on her own to make money and does not need any help from a man to do so. By the end of the story, Sykes is just a burden to her—abusing her, providing nothing, and having the audacity to spend her hard-earned money on a mistress. When Sykes is finally dying, it is a sigh of relief for Delia (Hurston 522). She does not grieve or worry whatsoever, because she knows she is now rid of his burdensome, mooching self and that she will be just fine on her own. This story was an early example of normalizing women as breadwinners. Today, it can still be somewhat taboo, but it is leaps and bounds more societally normal and acceptable for a woman to be the main provider in a heterosexual relationship.
Hurston has much to offer in her writings, from themes of diversity, feminism, empowerment, survival, and shining a light on domestic abuse. I believe that “Sweat” would be a very essential add to this course’s literature because Hurston was such an influential writer at her time and this short story has so much knowledge and insight to provide as a modernist piece. “Sweat” provides basis of modernism, feminine empowerment themes, and discusses topics that are very important to discuss in this class. This story has much to provide as an add to this class.