Sexuality and the Grotesque in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

Sexuality and the Grotesque in Toni Morrisons Beloved Grotesque images of rape, murder, and sexual abuse are recurring throughout Toni Morrisons novel Beloved. The ideals of the white oppressor, be it murder, rape, or sexual abuse were powerful forces that shaped the lives of many of the characters, especially the character Sethe. Rape and sexual abuse are two grotesque instances expressed throughout the novel. The most often referred to is the incident when Schoolteacher?s nephews stole Sethe?s breast milk but many other incidents included Paul D was forced to felicitate prison Guards on the chain gang every morning. Ella is locked up and repeatedly raped by a father and son she calls ?the worst yet?.†¦show more content†¦Violence and murder was also present throughout the novel, mostly caused by Schoolteacher. Schoolteacher burned Sixo, one of the sweet home boys, alive after attempting to escape. Paul A Garner, another sweet home boy, was tortured killed and hung ?headless and feetless? after being caught during escape. And after Sethe told on the boys who stole her breast milk to Mrs. garner, Schoolteacher ordered one of them to ?open up her back?. The beating she received from the nephews left a tree shaped myriad of scars ?with a trunk, branches, and even leaves? (Beloved 16). Another atrocious yet ?justifiable? murder was Sethe?s murder of her baby Beloved. ?Sethe kil ls her child so that no white man will ever ?dirty her,? so that no young man with ?mossy teeth? will ever hold down the child and suck her breasts? (Barnett 68). Her justification was to save Beloved from being returned to a life of slavery, rape, and murder. Another grotesque, a spiritual representation, was shown the character Beloved. ?The character Beloved is not just the ghost of Sethe?s dead child, she is a succubus, a female demon and nightmare figure that sexually assaults male sleepers and drain them of semen.? (Barnett 68) The character Beloved is able to take on different shapes to different people and haunts their dreams. At first driven out by the strong willed Paul D ?Beloved