“Harriet” is based on the initial name of a free black woman, Harriet Tubman (after her original name, Araminta Ross Tubman), who created a movement with the help of the Underground Railroad Network to fight against the despotic ideology of black slavery that reigned in Pennsylvania. Harriet joins this elite network as a conductor, earning special training and powers to return to the Brodess estate and save her friends and family as her life slowly improves. She assists them in crossing the border into Philadelphia on foot and living as free individuals for as long as the law allows.
Minty is married to John Tubman, whom she loves deeply. When they both approach the Master of the estate to be set free and given papers certifying their freedom, the Master tears up an official document ordering him to do so, destroying their chances of ever being set free. Minty is enraged and rushes to the tree that provides her with peace, telling it that her Master is terrible and that it must take him.
Master Brodessa sadly passed away the same night. Minty’s life is turned upside down when his son Gideon decides to sell her for her power to cast destructive spells out of concern for his estate’s future. Let’s look at how Minty finds the inner strength to run so far away from the estate and into the city of Philadelphia, where she finds true independence.
Who Is Araminta Ross Tubman? Why Does She Run Away From The Brodess Estate?
Minty is a 30-year-old lady who has spent her entire childhood as an enslaved person on the Brodess Estate. Gideon, the Master’s son, has been in her care since he was a child. Araminta’ Minty’ Ross Tubman is a stoic woman who is married to Johnny Tubman, who enjoys waking her up from her “spells” when she lies down in total silence with her eyes closed next to her favorite tree. Because Johnny is a free man married to an enslaved person, they both want to produce children who will be born free. What can they do when the power to be free is held in the hands of a white man who will never grant it to them?
It is 1849 in Bucktown, Maryland, where the Brodess Estate lies on the East Coast of the United States. Minty and Johnny are denied the right to live free on this estate, and Gideon tells Minty that he only saved her from being sold because he believed in her, and her prayers never stopped creeping him out. Minty never bowed down to the family, and this time, she decides to run away after the Master decides that it is time to sell this couple Down South, a destination claiming their lives. Determined with grit, the hitman comes along through the fields to shoot her dead, and Minty runs to the back of the estate and tells Johnny she cannot stay. She orders him to go to the gate and wait. She sings to her relatives on the field in a strong voice, expressing her final goodbye, and they know. They sing along with her as she says her goodbyes. It’s a stirring ode to her fate’s beginning.
Minty’s journey to freedom begins with her fleeing the estate on Reverend Green’s strict instructions about how to deal with the wolves of the night and fear, the only two opponents she must overcome on her journey. She must make it to a bridge with the river streaming downstream as her only guide. Gideon has discovered that she has escaped by this time, and Johnny has given up hope of ever seeing his wife again. Gideon and his men attempt to find Minty, but Gideon comes across a young boy scout who claims to be a tracker and has a sketch of Minty.
Minty reaches the bridge with the dogs on her tail, and when Gideon meets her, he assures her that he will never harm her. Minty’s sole option for survival is to jump into the river from the bridge and flee downstream, following the river. Minty jumps into the river and is swept downstream by the raging current. Will Minty make it? Will the rocks suffocate her? If she survives, what will she do next? Let’s see how Minty continues her trek to the other side of Pennsylvania now that she has escaped Gideon and left her husband and family behind.
How Does Minty Communicate With God? What Is The Outcome Of It?
Minty must keep walking till she reaches Mr. Garrett’s house when she wakes up on the riverbank heading downstream and continues her adventure on foot. She collapses in his arms when she finally does. She makes it to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after a long and grueling journey. She notices that black people walk with respect beside white people, which makes her feel at ease. She introduces herself to William Still. When she sits down with him to tell him her story, William actually analyses her, probing her about her abuse at the estate. However, one could wonder how nature has such an effect on Minty and her spells.’ Is it true that the Master of the Estate died because she asked and demanded that the tree kill him?
William Still gradually gains a better understanding of Minty’s backstory and origins. She describes her life as being full of upheaval and suffrage. Happiness was not something she was born with, and she had to learn to live without it. A measuring stone weight was thrown at her head, causing her skull to split open in the center of her forehead, just over both of her eyes. When William learns of her prophetic visions, he notes that she could be suffering from brain damage.
In Minty’s defense, it is God and his love for her that protects her by showing her things before they happen. Others have witnessed and listened to those visions in several cases. Her techniques gradually reveal themselves as the moon has a peculiar effect on her. In this story, she adopts a new moniker, “Harriet Tubman,” to commemorate her newfound freedom as a free black woman.
Her instincts awaken as a result of these abilities, telling her that she must return to the estate. Minty meets Marie Buchannon, a black woman who runs a boarding house for women who have fled slavery and are yearning for a new beginning. When things look bleak, Marie becomes her confidante. When it’s time to look into her past, what does Harriet do? Will the prospect of her return alter her past? Will she be able to save her family, or will she return empty-handed?
Harriet appeals to William for assistance in finding a route back, but he strongly cautions her against it, given the current state of the mission’s safety. After so many people began moving to Philadelphia and other places that recognized black people’s freedom, Congress is on the verge of approving the Fugitives Slaves Act. Harriet misses her spouse and is desperate to see him. When she does, things suddenly change. She does not receive the best news when she returns. Johnny informs her that he has taken another wife named Mary, a free woman like himself, who is pregnant with his child. He had no option after knowing that he might never see Harriet again. His feelings for her, on the other hand, will not change. Her stomach is turned inside out as a result of this. She collapses to her knees and sobs because the pain is unbearable. Despite this, she gets up and goes in search of her family. Her family agreed to accompany her, but she was only willing to bring one male.
Harriet has a vision that there may be men on the bridge who want to kill her and her family, so she quickly redirects them to the river they must cross. Nine members successfully return to William Still’s care by a miracle, which astounds him. He is on the verge of falling out of his chair. William has discovered a new way to restore black people’s dignity, but Harriet has no idea that what occurs next will transform her into a renowned human rights activist.
How Does Harriet Become Moses, The Enslaved Black Person’s Savior?
William Still is a well-known journalist with deep ties that grant him exceptional powers. He does everything he can as a free black man to ensure that the men and women who flee can live dignified lives with the correct paperwork to establish their freedom. Harriet proves to be an invaluable tool in this situation when she is by his side. But he is concerned for her safety, knowing well that she cannot read and is not highly educated, despite her tenacity.
Harriet warns Marie of the dangers and pleads for William’s help and money. Both reluctantly assist her but yet support her, given that she went 100 miles to freedom on her own, barefoot. After ensuring the safety of her friends and family, William introduces her to a top-secret committee meeting. The Underground Railroad network was a sophisticated combination of white and black officers and organizers that worked together to help enslaved Black people escape slavery and live dignified lives. After bringing back nine individuals alive and well with no casualties, William presents her as the Conductor of the Underground Railroad. This changes her life as she continues to return to Pennsylvania by various routes, using her voice to reach out to those in need of assistance. She is familiar with all of the routes and has all of the enslaved people following her. As word gets out, she is given the name Moses. The Masters of those several estates place bounties on her head, and Harriet ‘Moses’ Tubman is a wanted criminal.
Ending Explained: How Does Tubman Defeat Gideon Brodess And Rescue Her Family To Set Them Free?
Gideon Brodess is the son of ‘Massa’ (Master) Brodess, who permitted Johnny and Minty to marry despite Johnny’s status as a free man. When Gideon’s father died, Gideon became responsible for his father’s obligations. Eliza, his mother, and him battle to keep the farm afloat and pay the enslaved people’s wages as the farm suffers. When this becomes too much, they resort to nefarious means of survival, one of which is selling Minty’s brothers, the Ross brothers. They have lost money as a result of Minty’s rescue attempts of their slaves, which is nearly half of the estate’s value.
Eliza is dizzy with wrath as Harriet flees with the five of them. She gets enraged enough to smack Rachel, Minty’s sister, who is standing next to her with two children. When Gideon wants an explanation for how so many enslaved people are escaping, he tries to sell Rachel’s baby. When Rachel is pushed up against the wall by Gideon, she informs him that Minty has returned and is about to take them away. This enrages him even more, so he hires Bigger Long, the best slave catcher in the country, with the assistance of a black scout tracker youngster who identifies himself while Gideon is looking for Minty. They resolve to catch Minty at the bridge after the Boy Scout Tracker assists Gideon in meeting Bigger Long. The genuine objectives of the boy scout could be questioned. His eyes twinkle with malice for white folk but he must earn his wages as a free man and hence offers his services. Will the Boy Scout tracker Walter assist Gideon or turn against him?
Gideon has already found Minty when she attempts her first rescue. He expects to run into her on the same bridge. When the Boy Scout tracker, Walter, comes across Minty and her company, he climbs up a tree and hides. When he witnesses Minty miraculously crossing the river, his heart shifts allegiances. But when he returns to Bigger Long and Gideon, he lies and claims that he has lost them, when the truth is that he has let them flee.
Gideon and his mother are out of alternatives, but the fight is far from done. The masters of the various estates are becoming increasingly enraged as a result of Harriet’s journeys back and forth, as their slaves are fleeing with the help of Moses. The rumor grows that Moses is a black man who is creating mayhem on purpose and has a large bounty on his head. At a gathering, white nationalists try to figure out how to apprehend Moses. Bigger Long shows up at a conference one day and tells Gideon that everyone has the wrong idea about Moses. Moses’ true identity is revealed to him. Gideon chooses to partner up with Bigger Long once more to find Moses.
Gideon isn’t dealing with just one woman this time. He’s dealing with vigilantes who are part of a sophisticated network and are fully armed and outfitted for the part. Overnight, his skirmish became a war. What does Gideon undertake in order to apprehend Moses?
Gideon begins his search with Pepper Long and discovers Harriet at the docks with William, who is about to announce the passage of the Fugitive Slaves Act. This permits slave hunters to track down and apprehend any black woman or man in any city of any union at any time. When William alerts the audience that there may be hunters there, mayhem ensues, and Harriet locates Will, who advises her to travel to Canada’s northern border as soon as possible. Harriet makes a last-minute choice to go rescue her sister, mother, and father, who are still in the Brodess Estate, after seeing how bad things have gotten. Her sister, Rachel has a baby that is up for sale. She learns of this fact before she frees her father and mother. The townspeople summon Eliza Brodess and Gideon to account for recent information that Moses is the girl who ran away from their estate and took their slaves with her. Eliza shouts with sadness and rage that her estate and family are also victims. Harriet had beaten her to the house to fetch Rachel’s daughter, Anger. During this time, Eliza reveals to the locals that she has placed Harriet’s niece up for sale.
Harriet has won over Walter, the boy scout, who is now her ally with her, as a steadfast supporter and worker in the railroad network, after striking enough dread in Gideon’s siblings and sister. When Gideon catches up with Bigger Long, she distracts him from the boat that is taking her mother and father away. She is on her way to complete victory. She confronts Gideon after Gideon kills Bigger Long, who attempted to assassinate Harriet. When Harriet finally confronts her nemesis, Gideon, in the ultimate confrontation, her life hangs in the balance. She shoots Gideon’s hand, seriously hurting him, but she doesn’t kill him since she understands her purpose is more important than his. When Gideon realizes this isn’t going to be a conflict he can win, she mounts his horse and flees, leaving him on his knees with his bleeding hand.
Final words
Harriet Tubman’s tenacity encouraged millions to join her in her fight. She uprooted enslaved Black people from different estates and released them with a regiment under her command. Over the course of her life, she emancipated over 750 African slaves and assisted them in reclaiming their lives. Such incredible acts of humanity almost led to the construction of her statue, but it was postponed owing to unforeseen circumstances, as we would expect. Nonetheless, it is a commendable achievement. She led approximately 150 black men for the Union army during the Civil War and became a spy.
The film renews your inner resilience by touching your heart. In today’s world, she is qualified to serve as a Marine or a Navy seal. We hear the most honor in her strong voice, despite the fact that she carries a great deal of it. Cynthia Eviro, a Grammy and Tony Award winner, steals the stage with her immensely strong vocals, which lure the enslaved people out like the call of the Saviour. In our opinion, this is a highly recommended watch and a sincere Oscar recommendation. May today’s women never forget who they are and what they are capable of.
“Harriet” is a 2019 Drama Biopic film directed by Kasi Lemmons.
