Throughout the storied historical ethnic relations and the Black culture in the United States, the name Jezebel has carried a heavy burden of antiquity. The stereotype existed and still does allowing African American women to be viewed as promiscuous and sexual beings. During slavery, the Black females worked in the fields almost half-naked conforming to the request of their masters. The conditions led to a series of rapes that were blamed on the African American women for being promiscuous rather than criticizing the orders of the White slave owners. In a seeming manner, Olivia Pope exhibits characteristics of Jezebel based on how she carries herself throughout Scandal. This article conceptualizes on reasoning behind the classification of Olivia Pope as a Jezebel.
In the Bible, the character Jezebel portrays herself as a prophetess who seduces and teaches her servants to take part in fornication and the consumption of food that is meant for the idols. The depiction is purely negative making a person hesitant to classify Olivia Pope as a Jezebel. Her affair with the White President is the most common representation of the stereotype where she makes the man sexually intrigued. The President, Fitz, cannot take his hands of her and is willing to sacrifice his family to be with her (Maxwell, 2013).
Olivia Pope acts as his weakness such that he is prepared to put the nation at risk in the fourth season and pays almost one billion dollars to rescue her from a kidnapper. Fitz even hires the military to protect her (Walker, 2013). Olivia Pope’s tempting and seductive character aligns with the one of Jezebel in the Bible as well as the stereotype given to Black women during slavery (Jim Crow Museum, 2014). However, she is an example of modern-day Jezebel because she has power and riches that maintain her ability to be authoritative. Individuals listen to everything she says and respect her. Olivia Pope definitely morphs into the stereotype of Jezebel throughout Scandal.
References
Jim Crow Museum. (2014). Jezebel Stereotype. Retrieved February 13, 2016 from http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/jezebel.htm.
Maxwell B. (2013). Olivia Pope and the Scandal of Representation. The Feminist Wire. Retrieved February 13, 2016 from http://www.thefeministwire.com/2013/02/olivia-pope- and-the-scandal-of-representation/.
Walker T. (2013). “Scandalous” Controlling Images of Black Women. Reviewing the Media.
