Clotel · Chapter
Epigraph explained
The chapter opens with the Declaration of Independence's assertion that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, setting a foundational irony for the narrative about slave
What happens
The chapter opens with the Declaration of Independence's assertion that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, setting a foundational irony for the narrative about slavery.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy of American Democracy
The epigraph directly juxtaposes the Declaration's ideals of equality and liberty with the institution of slavery, highlighting the nation's foundational hypocrisy.
Key passages
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness .”
The Declaration asserts as obvious that everyone is born equal and has God-given rights to live freely and seek happiness.
This quote from the Declaration of Independence serves as the epigraph, framing the novel's critique of American slavery.