Sweat by Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston published her short story "Sweat" in 1926 in the literary magazine Fire!!. The story is set in a small town in Florida in the 1920s and follows the troubled marriage of Delia Jones, a hard-working, moral woman, and her husband Sykes, who is lazy, abusive, and unfaithful.

One Sunday night, as Delia prepares laundry for her job washing clothes for white families, Sykes plays a cruel trick, making her believe his bullwhip is a snake to scare her. He ridicules her work and disrupts her carefully sorted laundry, stomping on the white clothes. Delia, however, stands her ground and reminds him that she has supported him throughout their fifteen-year marriage and even bought the house they live in. Finding an unexpected strength, Delia raises a frying pan in defense, telling Sykes she knows about his affair with a woman named Bertha. Surprised by her defiance, Sykes leaves.

Delia reflects on her years of abuse at Sykes’s hands and resolves to hold onto her home, which she bought to secure her future. When Sykes returns early the next morning, he taunts her about the frying pan incident, but Delia silently resists him.

Meanwhile, the townsmen gather at Joe Clarke’s store, where they see Delia passing by in her laundry cart. Their conversation turns to Sykes, and they all agree that he mistreats Delia and doesn’t deserve her. They also discuss his affair with Bertha, with Jim Merchant sharing that Sykes once tried to charm his wife by bringing her pecans—only to be scolded for betraying Delia.

In "Sweat," Hurston captures the resilience of Delia as she faces her abusive husband and asserts her right to independence and dignity.

The Role of Religion 

Religion plays a significant role in Delia’s life and serves as a source of strength for her. Throughout the story, Delia is portrayed as a devout Christian who attends church regularly and seeks solace in prayer. Her faith helps her endure Sykes’ abuse and provides her with a moral framework. At the same time, she struggles with her desire for justice and her religious teachings of forgiveness. Hurston uses Delia’s faith to highlight her inner conflict and her reliance on divine justice, which is ultimately fulfilled when Sykes meets his end, allowing Delia to escape her suffering without compromising her faith.