19th-Century Spanish Writers and Their Portrayal of Afrodescendant Women

Abstract

This paper examines Francisco de Paula Gelabert’s stories “La Mulata de Rumbo� and “Un Chino, Una Mulata y Unas Ranas,� demonstrating through close reading how his depiction of mulatas as morally lax and manipulative reflects a broader trend in costumbrismo literature that asserts Spanish superiority over Afro-Cubans. As a Spanish official, Gelabert used his writing to promote colonial interests, marginalizing Black Cubans and portraying them as obstacles to progress.