Sutpen's New Identities in A Mercy

Throughout Morrison's novel, A Mercy, it has become apparent that Senhor D'Ortega, while not the main character of the novel by any means, plays a role similar to that of Thomas Sutpen in William Faulkner's Absalom! Absalom!  D'Ortega is a condescending man preoccupied with his money and land, and owns slaves as does Thomas Sutpen.  However, D'Ortega's inhumanity is the most similar characteristic between the two men.  Both plantation owners view slaves as inhuman, but they also retain little compassion for even the free individuals in their lives.  Both ignore their wives, and further disrespect their marriages by keeping slave mistresses in the household.  Jacob Vaark, on the other hand, seems much more sensitive to his wife and family.  He holds the same desires as Sutpen and D'Ortega for sons to carry on his lineage, but this is characteristic of any Southern gentleman in the  17th century. Jacob and Sutpen also share their backgrounds in which they came from nothing, and make themselves in the South through acquisition of tracts of land.  Jacob, however, inherits his land from a family member through legitimate means, while Sutpen is alluded to have wrested his land immorally from the unwilling hands of a Native American. Jacob also feels concern and compassion for his wife, and even gratitude toward her for being able to keep the farm without the help of a slave.  He even refuses to bring in a male slave in fear that the slave will rape his wife. While there are basic similarities between Jacob and Sutpen, the morals and character of D'Ortega and Sutpen are much more similar and important.