Polygamy 411

Interesting enough, I’ve learned something about the Gens de Couleur Libre –“The Free People of Colour,” and the correlation between their way of life in the nineteenth century and polygamy. I re-watched a movie on DVD last night, “The Feast of All Saints” by Anne Rice. It was an insightful epic story about the Creole society in New Orleans in the nineteenth century.

The movie tells the story of white man who marries a white woman as part of a contract, and becomes the wealthy owner of a sugar plantation in New Orleans in the nineteenth century. He has a secret mistress as well, a black woman, a Gen De Couleur Libre-one of “The Free People of Colour”, and shares his time between the two families. The mistress, although she lives in a world of culture and refinement, feels slighted as she and her family aren’t recognized.  The lawful wife is bitter and full of hatred towards her husband, as he didn’t marry her for love, but for a handshake and a contract. She loathes the fact that he spends their wealth on his other family. The husband also had a child by one of his slaves, to further complicate matters.

The movie gives a picture of the suffering and the shame that a white wife shared with her husband’s secret mistress, a black woman, a Gens De Couleur Libre. It also depicted the turmoil and suffering of the children born of the unions.

I would recommend anyone who has an interest in getting a glimpse of what it is possibly like for wives living polygamy, including secret wives, and the children of polygamous relationships watch the movie, “The Feast of All Saints.”  It’s very informative and enlightening.  At least it was for me. If you get an opportunity to watch it or have watched it, please let me know your thoughts about it.

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