Throughout the novel of King Solomon’s Mines, racism is clearly depicted through the narrator’s thoughts and actions. However, while we see how the novel is deeply racist in general, Quatermain, the narrator, also expresses empathy for the natives in Africa. Quatermain’s empathy isn’t sincere despite his movements to appear less racist as his colleagues and partners. The entire novel is a strategy of innocence and absolution to portray the Europeans as a good guys to hide the underlying racist jabs and thoughts of Europeans during the 1890’s.
While the narrator is reflected as a charming European who has a sense of humor within himself commenting on his appearance and his personality, Quatermain truly does have racist thoughts and not just him, but the entire book as whole. Readers can see how the entire book is racist as whole with the degrading language and the way the Europeans stride into Africa and take credit for the land by saying King Solomon’s Mine is in fact the European’s because King Solomon was originally from their region. This thought process depicts a racist state of mind because the Europeans don’t believe the natives could take ownership for such riches and resources that are valuable beyond belief. In addition, readers can discover racism with the way the Europeans view what the natives have and how behind modern days they were at the time. The natives didn’t have guns, alcohol, or basic resources that the Europeans did and this caused a superior mindset for the Europeans. One example of this is when Good was described as a God because he had fake teeth and the Africans had never see such an object because their resources were advancements and innovations were behind the Europeans. Although, even after these examples of how the Europeans degrade the natives with their holier status, more advanced technology and materials, we see a sense of absolution or innocence because Quatermain uses the justification that he is friends with black men that are bigger gentlemens than other white men he knows. Quatermain tries to relive his conscious of being racist by using the excuse of him having African American friends. While the novel in itself is deeply racist, there are instances were Quatermain is empathetic towards the native characters.
Previously stated above shows how profoundly racist the novel is, but in addition to the racist thoughts and actions, Quatermain expresses empathy for multiple characters. One example of Quatermain being empathetic is when Good started to develop an intimate relationship with the “damsel in distress” Foulata. Foulata is characterized as a nurturing and full of life woman, but she is a non-white woman. In most cases, white men only date or marry white women, but Good allowed himself to fall for the Kukuana maiden. Quatermain has a distaste for this relationship and struggles with overlooking the color of Foulata’s skin; however, he develops a sense of concern that Good will ultimately hurt Foulata in the end rather than perceiving the relationship a mistake. Another example of Quatermain is his shared value of friendship with the Ignosi. Initially, Quatermain had distaste for Umbopa/Ignosi, but the two have similar experiences due to their travels to King Solomon’s Mines.Although within in time, Quatermain views Ignosi with nobility and sense of dignity for the way the Zulu King is presented as a man. Also, Ignosi’s welcome to the only three white men that will be welcomed in his land allows the two men to share a virtue born out of traveling together and having homogenous desires causes Quatermain to be empathetic and create an affection towards the non-white King. Readers can see the genuine empathy towards his friend Ignosi because their friendship was conceived out of hardships. Moreover, there is an explanation for the reasons Quatermain acts empathetic towards these Zulu and Kuakana citizens.
The clear explanation for Quatermain treating non-white characters with empathy or a downgraded form of respect is to relieve his conscious for being so racist. The book uses strategies of innocence and absolution to give the reader a false illusion of liberalism throughout the book, but in reality the entire novel is deeply racist. While Quatermain did believe Good would harm Foulata, he also believe in this reason because Good was a strapping man that could spark romance with white and European women home. In addition, while Ignosi and Quatermain did grow a friendship through the quest of finding Solomon’s Mines, Quatermain initially was not fond of him. Also, Quatermain made comments towards Ignosi to remind him to his position which reveals how Europeans regarded themselves as superior to these Africans. However, Quatermain uses his small bursts of empathy as an absolution for not being as racist as other white me he knows. Quatermain claims that because he is friends with other black men than he is released from his racist comments and thoughts.
Europeans reading this novel in the 1890’s would undoubtedly did this novel humorous because it aligns with their stance of their race in relationship to others. King Solomon’s Mines is written with different techniques of innocence and absolution to hide the racist views and thoughts of Europeans in the 1890’s.
