Clotel · Character

Horatio Green

A young man of ambition who loves Clotel, marries a proud white wife for position, and goes pale whenever the past rolls past him in a barouche.

supporting

Also known as young Green, Horatio

First appearance: vii the poor whites south

As a supporting figure in Clotel, Horatio Green is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A young white man who begins a relationship with Clotel and later marries Gertrude, betraying Clotel.

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Horatio Green is the man whose uneasy slumbers murmur Clotel's name, whose lips quiver and face turns deadly pale when he sees her and their child on the street. He chose ambition over the woman he truly loved, and now endures the wintry chill of his wife's polite propriety while sending remittances and begging letters Clotel never answers. His cowardice and lingering guilt make him the novel's portrait of respectable Northern complicity, a man who feels everything and dares to do almost nothing.

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The fuller portrait of Horatio Green sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Horatio Green in vii the poor whites south

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Horatio Green sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Family
Other

Character groups

Abolitionist allies
Protagonist
Diverse supporting characters
Slaveholders and enforcers
Sold and separated family

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

In this conclusion, the emotional and psychological peak occurs as the narrator shifts from personal testimony…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Clotel
romantic · negative
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though… How this plays out →
Gertrude
romantic · negative
Mr. Green
family · negative
Clotel
romantic · negative
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though… How this plays out →
Clotel
romantic · negative
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though… How this plays out →

Clotel
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though their relationship is marked by tragedy and betrayal.
Gertrude
Gertrude is Horatio's wife, and their relationship is strained by Horatio's prior involvement with Clotel.
Mr. Green
Mr. Green is Horatio's father, and their relationship involves filial duty and conflict over Horatio's choices.
Clotel
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though their relationship is marked by tragedy and betrayal.
Clotel
Clotel and Horatio are lovers, with Horatio being the father of Clotel's child, though their relationship is marked by tragedy and betrayal.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Horatio Green in vii the poor whites south

In the story

Horatio Green appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Clotel
A young white man who begins a relationship with Clotel and later marries Gertrude, betraying Clotel.
I: The Negro Sale
The young white man who purchases Clotel at the auction, intending to make her his mistress.
The Quadroon’s Home
The young white man who has installed Clotel in a cottage; his political ambitions and attraction to Gertrude begin to erode his commitment to Clotel.
VIII: The Separation
Struggles with guilt and shame as he prepares to marry Gertrude while still loving Clotel; he attempts to propose a continued liaison but is rejected.
XV: Today a Mistress, Tomorrow a Slave
Defeated in politics and estranged from his wife; agrees to sell Clotel and her child under pressure from his father-in-law.
Retaliation
Deeply humiliated and distressed by his wife's treatment of Mary, his daughter with Clotel, but unable to intervene.
The Escape
Mary's father; absent during Clotel's arrest, loses feeling for his child.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Horatio Green unlock in the free preview.

See Horatio Green in vii the poor whites south

See Horatio Green in Clotel