|
This cartoon appears eight months into the
Civil War and a little more than two years after
D. H. Strother’s cartoon, "A Southern
Planter Arming Slaves to Resist Invasion."
Both cartoons address similar themes, but carry
very different messages. In this cartoon, like in
Strother’s, the master has given his slaves
bladed weapons to fight against the
"abolitionists." In this case, though,
the term refers not to actual opponents of slavery
in the South, but to the Union army. Confederates
incorrectly considered all Unionists to be
abolitionists. Instead of the compliant behavior
of the slaves in Strother’s cartoon, here, one
of the fierce-looking slave men asks, "Who
dey for?" The implication is that the slaves
might use the weapons against their master and
seek their own freedom. While the slaveowner may
think that he has grateful, loyal slaves, he is
only deluding himself.
|
