Plot Summary
The plot revolves almost entirely around Lula, an older white woman, and Clay, a young black man, who both travel the New York City subway.
Clay’s name represents the mutability of black identity and black manhood. It also represents integrationist and assimilationist beliefs within the current Civil Rights Movement.
Lula boards the train while eating an apple, a reference to Biblical Eve. Throughout the train ride, the characters have a long, flirty dialogue.
Lula takes a seat close to Clay. He is accused of looking at her buttocks. She disregards his protestations and employs stereotypes to correctly estimate where he lives, where he is going, and how Clay’s friend, Warren, looks and speaks.
Lula believes Clay attempted to have sex with his own sister when he was 10 years old. Clay is taken aback by her apparent knowledge of his past and assumes she is a friend of Warren’s.
Lula appreciates how easy Clay is to manipulate and places her hand on his leg. She gives him apples to eat. She tells Clay that he should invite her to the party he’s going to. At this moment, it’s uncertain whether Clay is going to the party, but he assures her that he is.
Lula faintly references to having sex with Clay at her “flat” after the “party”. We don’t know if they are true or fabricated by Lula.
Clay is encouraged by Lula’s obvious liking for him and remains optimistic about having sex with her. Yet, he does not force his optimism on her and instead waits for Lula to make the first move.
Clay’s refusal to fall for Lula’s deceitful tactics enrages her. She shifts tactics, mocking Clay’s Anglo-American speech, college education, and three-button suit.
She mocks him for being black and passive. She mockingly dances in an R&B style and invites Clay to join her “Do the heinous act. Belly rub “.
Clay, who first does not respond, eventually grabs her and throws her down. Clay accuses Lula of knowing nothing but “luxury”. He hits her twice and orders her to get away.
Clay begins his monologue. Clay proposes that whites allow black people to perform “black” dances and generate “black” music.
He says that these segregator practices alleviate black Americans’ wrath towards whites and distract them from accessing the “white man’s intellectual legacy”.
Clay claims that if black people stopped trying to cure their suffering through dance, music, civic activity, religion, or focusing on going ahead in American culture and instead became coldly rational like white people, black people would just kill all the whites and end racism in America. Clay believes that if he believes Lula’s comments, he should kill every white person he encounters.
Despite all of this, Clay strongly opposes this course of action. He claims that he does not want to kill and would rather remain unaware of the problem. He claims he would prefer to pretend to be unaware of racism than strive to eradicate it by battling whites.
Lula’s strategy shifts once Clay makes his confession. Clay attempts to flee, but Lula calmly and rationally stabs him twice in the heart. She orders the other passengers, both black and white, in the train car to toss his body out and exit at the next stop.
Lula looks towards another young black man who has just joined the now mostly empty train car as the play concludes. The old black train conductor enters the room and tips his cap to Lula.
Themes of Dutchman
Amiri Baraka’s (formerly known as LeRoi Jones) one-act play “Dutchman” premiered in 1964. The play delves into a variety of topics, including:
Racism is one of “Dutchman’s” primary issues. The drama illustrates the strong prejudices and biases against black people that persist in American society. During the play, the principal character, Clay, is subjected to racist slurs and insults by Lula, a white woman.
Identity: The drama delves into themes of identity, particularly as they relate to race. Clay is a multifaceted character who battles with his identity as an African-American man in America. He is divided between wanting to fit in with mainstream society and embracing his black identity.
Another key issue in “Dutchman” is power. Lula utilizes her white woman’s authority to influence and control Clay, a black guy. According to the play, power dynamics are frequently predicated on race, and white people have an inherent advantage in American culture.
Oppression is another theme addressed in the play. Clay is stuck in a train compartment with Lula, who oppresses him with her influence. The play implies that oppression involves not only the physical force but also psychological manipulation and control.
Sexuality: “Dutchman” delves into the subject of sexuality as well. Lula utilizes her sexuality as a tool to entice and control Clay. The play implies that sexual desire can be utilized to gain power and dominance.
Violence: Another major theme in “Dutchman” is violence. The play concludes with a violent fight between Clay and Lula as a result of the two characters’ power conflicts. According to the play, violence is an unavoidable byproduct of the power relations that exist in American culture.
What Does the Title Dutchman Mean?
Amiri Baraka’s (formerly known as LeRoi Jones) title “Dutchman” has numerous meanings and interpretations.
According to one interpretation, the term refers to Dutch traders implicated in the transatlantic slave trade. The Dutch were a significant European power participating in the slave trade, and their ships transported millions of Africans as slaves to the Americas.
By naming the play “Dutchman,” Baraka may be emphasizing slavery’s historical heritage and its impact on American society.
Another interpretation is that the title represents Clay, who is locked in a train car with a white woman named Lula. Clay is a black man who is striving to reconcile his black identity in a white-dominated culture.
The subway vehicle can be viewed metaphorically as a “ship,” and Clay as the “Dutchman” attempting to maneuver his way through a difficult environment.
Finally, the moniker “Dutchman” may be a wordplay, as “Dutch” is a disparaging epithet for a German. According to this view, Clay is a German-American who is striving to find his place in American culture but is continually reminded of his outsider status due to his race.
Ultimately, the title “Dutchman” is a complicated and multidimensional allusion that enables readers and audiences to engage with the issues and characters of the play in a more in-depth and nuanced way.
What Is the Meaning of The Apple in Dutchman?
The apple is a symbolic object in Amiri Baraka’s play “Dutchman,” carrying numerous connotations throughout the play.
Lula, a white woman seated next to Clay, the play’s protagonist, eats an apple and gives it to Clay at the start of the performance. Clay declines, stating that apples remind him of his youth and that he does not eat them. Lula keeps eating the apple until she throws it on the floor.
The apple can be seen as a sign of temptation and sin, alluding to Adam and Eve’s tale in the Garden of Eden.
Lula, who represents white society and authority, tempts Clay, a black guy battling with his identity, in the same way that Eve tempted Adam in the biblical account. The act of eating the apple might also be interpreted as Lula exerting her dominance over Clay.
The apple can also be seen as a symbol of lost innocence. Clay’s refusal of the apple reveals that he has a strained relationship with his history and youth. The apple on the floor symbolizes the loss of innocence as well as the harsh facts of life.
Ultimately, the apple in “Dutchman” is a complicated metaphor that embodies a variety of issues in the play, such as temptation, power, and the loss of innocence.