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“The tragic mulatta” exists in a realm of her own between black and white societies, struggling to assume an identity in one of the two. Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry, characters of Nella Larsen’s Passing , were born alike as mulattas but their decisions in life have led them to diverging paths that sets Clare on one side of the “tragic mulatta” and Irene on the other. Meeting by chance twelve years after Clare had left to pursue an identity in white society, the two develop a relationship of social and sexual desire for each other that cannot be satisfied and only serves to encumber each other’s life. The attempt to uphold such a relationship results in the destruction of both lives – the ultimate end of impossibility. The context and conclusion of their relationship reflects the impossibility of successful social boundary transgressions. Race transgression offers an escape to burdens of race, yet to fully benefit from transgression one has to cut off all ties to racial heritage. Wishing to regain security in her personal life, Irene is lost, “For the first time she suffered and rebelled because she was unable to disregard the burden of race. It was, she cried silently, enough to suffer as a woman, an individual, on one’s own account, without having to suffer for the race as well (Pg. 98).” Stressed by the fact that her personal desires conflict with her allegiance to race, Irene wishes for an escape found only by “disregard[ing] the burden of race.” Clare has proven that it is easy to transgress into white society and Irene sees the benefits: Clare maintains the high social status, remains carefree in life, and is not weighed down by family-life. For this, Irene envies Clare and desires this aspect of Clare’s lifestyle. Ironically, it is this very lifestyle that Clare attempts to escape in order to be with her “own people,” a life similar to Irene’s. Clare admits, “It may be, ‘Rene dear, it may just be, that, after all, your way may be the wiser and infinitely happier one (Pg. 47).” Irene represents a strong tie to racial heritage, proving to Clare that racial transgression is not necessary to establish oneself in high-society. The fact that Clare views Irene as the “wiser and infinitely happier one” and her frequent visits exposes Clare’s yearning to take back her decision to completely pass – to reestablish herself in Black society.
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