In “Enlightenment,” Natasha Trethewey employs imagery, irony, and personal narrative to examine the complexities of American history, race, and the contradictions inherent in both the legacy of Thomas Jefferson and her own family. Trethewey opens with a description of Jefferson’s portrait, emphasizing the “two-toned” depiction of his face: “his forehead white with illumination… the rest of his face in shadow.” The lighting serves as a potent symbol, representing Jefferson’s celebrated intellect (“bright knowledge”) set in stark contrast to the “dark subtext” of his life, which is namely, his ownership of enslaved people and the sexual exploitation of Sally Hemings. This visual dichotomy effectively mirrors the profound moral contradictions at the core of American Enlightenment ideals.
The poem further highlights the irony of Jefferson’s position as both the author of the Declaration of Independence and a slaveholder. Trethewey’s father echoes familiar historical rationalizations, suggesting that Jefferson “hated slavery, though, out / of necessity… had to own / slaves.” The assertion that “his moral philosophy meant / he could not have fathered those children” underscores the conflict between Jefferson’s public ideals and private actions. Through this scrutiny, the poem exposes the ways in which historical narratives often obscure uncomfortable truths.
Trethewey skillfully intertwines her personal narrative with national history, recalling debates with her white father about Jefferson’s legacy. As they “gathered citations” and explored Virginia’s landscape, her father endeavored to reconcile Jefferson’s intellectual achievements with his moral failings, seeking “to prove / a man’s pursuit of knowledge is greater / than his shortcomings.”
The speaker’s mixed-race identity becomes central as she comes to understand her father’s belief that their own “mixture” constituted an “improvement,” echoing Jefferson’s own racist rhetoric regarding the “improvement of the blacks… with the whites.” This realization reveals the enduring impact of historical beliefs on personal relationships and self-perception.
The poem concludes by illustrating how the past “holds us captive.” The visit to Monticello, discussions surrounding Sally Hemings’ heritage, and the humor shared between father and daughter all underscore the ongoing struggle to navigate a legacy of racism and belonging. The final lines, “this history / that links us, white father, black daughter / even as it renders us other to each other,” encapsulate the poem’s central tension: the simultaneous connection and division produced by America’s racial history.
Ultimately, Trethewey’s “Enlightenment” utilizes Jefferson’s portrait as a lens through which to meditate on history, race, and identity. Through vivid imagery, deft irony, and the interplay between public history and private memory, the poem compels readers to confront the contradictions of the past and their enduring effects on the present.
Celeste Joy Writes 