The Emperor Jones: Scene 1 Summary & Analysis

The play opens onto the emperor's throne room. The walls and floor are white, and a wooden throne with red and orange pillows sits in the middle of the empty room. Through the arched doors, hills covered in palm trees stretch for miles. An old black woman sneaks into the throne room, looking as though she's afraid of being discovered. Assured she's alone, she tiptoes through the room—only to be intercepted by Smithers, a cruel white sailor. He grabs her by the shoulders and she frantically begs Smithers to not tell the emperor about her.

Smithers asks scornfully if the woman has been stealing, and she insists she hasn't. Smithers doesn't believe this, but admits that there's something strange going on, given that the palace is silent and all the black servants are gone. Threateningly, Smithers raises his whip and the woman cowers. She explains that the natives have all run away into the hills and she's the only one left. Smithers is astonished, but meanly admits that he's glad. He continues that the emperor deserves an uprising for putting on airs, given that he's black, and says he hopes that he's around to see the natives shoot the emperor.

Smithers suddenly asks if the emperor is still asleep, and the woman assures him that he is. Smithers releases the woman, who races away in fear, and he whistles loudly out one of the doors. Smithers reaches for his gun and calls out threats to the old woman, but finally lets her go with only a racist insult.

Jones, the emperor, enters the throne room, dressed in a blue and red military uniform covered in gold chains and brass buttons. When he sees that none of his servants are around, he shouts in irritation and threatens to beat whoever woke him up. Smithers, seeming half afraid, reveals himself to Jones and admits that he whistled, but explains that he has news. Jones contemptuously sits on his throne and asks Smithers to tell him the news.

Smithers asks Jones if he noticed anything funny earlier, and Jones declares that nothing is amiss. Sarcastically, Smithers inquires as to the whereabouts of Jones's court, but Jones replies that they're where they always are when he sleeps: in town, drinking rum. Jones mirrors Smithers’ sarcasm and asks how he's not aware of this, since Smithers drinks with the court every day. In an attempt to mask his offense, Smithers insists that drinking with people is part of his job.

Jones scoffs at the mention of Smithers’ job, and Smithers, enraged, reminds Jones that he helped him when Jones first came to the island—and back then, Jones didn't act high and mighty. Menacingly, Jones reaches for his revolver and tells Smithers to speak politely, since Jones is the boss now. Smithers holds Jones's gaze, but finally backs down and insists he meant no harm. Jones accepts the apology and says that there's no use in bringing up the past, as he's an entirely different person now. Further, he says that Smithers didn't help him out of kindness: Jones did dirty work and "brain work," and he was therefore once a valuable employee to Smithers.

Smithers reminds Jones that nobody else would hire him when they found out that Jones had broken out of jail in the United States. Jones replies that Smithers couldn't have been able to look down on him for being in jail, given that he's been in jail before too. Enraged, Smithers asks who told Jones this lie, but Jones insists that there are things he can see in a person's eyes. He pauses for a moment before admitting that Smithers did give him his start, but it didn't take long at all to subdue the natives. With pride, Jones says he went from a stowaway to emperor in two years' time.

Smithers asks Jones if he has money hidden somewhere safe, and Jones shares that his money is hidden in a foreign bank where he's the only person who can get it. He asks Smithers if Smithers thought he's been playing at being emperor for the glory. Jones continues, saying that the glorified part of being emperor is just to keep the natives' attention; they want a "circus show," and he gives it to them in exchange for their money. Becoming suddenly serious, Jones reminds Smithers that he paid Smithers back long ago and continues to protect Smithers’ corrupt trading even as he makes laws against it.

Smithers cautiously points out that Jones has been doing the same sort of thing with taxes, and the natives are out of money. Jones laughs again and says the natives aren't totally broke, since he's still emperor. Smithers smiles secretively and then changes the subject, insisting that Jones breaks the laws as fast as he makes them. Jones explains that the emperor doesn't have to follow the laws. He takes a serious tone and tells Smithers that there's “little stealing,” like Smithers does, and then there's “big stealing,” like he does. The little stealing lands people in jail, while big stealing gets a person crowned emperor. He shares that he learned this listening to white passengers on the trains, and now that he's had the chance to steal big, he's become emperor in only two years.

Admiringly, Smithers agrees that Jones successfully tricked the natives. He's never seen anyone with such luck. Jones is offended that Smithers thinks this was all luck, but Smithers insists that the trick with the silver bullet is absolutely luck. Jones laughs and agrees, but explains that he made that luck by cheating: when the native that Lem hired misfired from only ten feet away, Jones just shot him. He asks Smithers to repeat what Jones said at the time, and Smithers complies. He recounts that Jones said that he was charmed, and only silver bullets can kill him.

Jones says that he's smart and he thinks quickly, which isn't luck. Smithers points out that the natives will never be able to obtain silver bullets, and it was only luck that the native's gun malfunctioned. Laughing, Jones says that the natives are all fools—they all kneeled down and bowed like Jones was a biblical miracle, and from then on, they've done whatever he has told them to do.

Smithers sniffs, and Jones suggests that "talkin' big" is what makes a man powerful, assuming he can make people believe that the talk is real. He continues that he knows he can fool the natives, and that's enough to maintain the charade. Jones points out that he learned some of the native language and taught the natives some English, which was hard work. He reminds Smithers that in ten years, Smithers hasn't learned a word of the language, even though it would absolutely help him profit.

Smithers blushes and changes the subject. He asks Jones if the rumors are true that he actually had a silver bullet made, and Jones explains that he did. Jones says that he told the natives that when the time comes, he'll kill himself with it, as that reinforces the idea that he's the only man in the world who can bring on his own death—it's no use for them to even try. Jones laughs and says that this means he can take walks without fearing for his life.

Astonished, Smithers asks again if Jones actually had a silver bullet made. Jones pulls out his revolver, unloads it, and pulls out five lead bullets and one silver one. Jones looks at it admiringly and yells at Smithers to get back when Smithers reaches out his hand for the bullet. Jones explains that he's not afraid of Smithers stealing, but the silver bullet is his lucky charm.

Smithers venomously makes fun of Jones having a good luck charm, but says that he'll need all the help he can get before too long. Jones replies that he has six months before the natives become sick of him, and at that point he'll be ready to escape. He continues, saying that he knows his time as emperor will be short, and he has no intention of remaining on the island. Instead, when he smells trouble, he'll resign as emperor, take his money, and leave. Jones refuses to tell Smithers where he'll go, and Smithers says knowingly that Jones certainly won't go back to the states. Jones insists that the story about his escape from jail isn't true.

Smithers expresses disbelief, and Jones sharply asks Smithers if he thinks that Jones is a liar. Quickly, Smithers brings up Jones's lies that he killed white men in the states. Jones angrily asks why those are lies, and Smithers insists that Jones would've been in jail if he'd killed white men. He goes on to say that he's heard that it's dangerous for black men to kill white men in the US, as the white men then burn the black men in oil. Coolly, Jones says that lynching doesn't scare him. He levels a stare at Smithers and says that maybe he did kill a white man in the States, and he might kill another one before too long.

Trying desperately to laugh off this threat, Smithers insists that he was only joking, and reminds Jones that he said himself he's never been to jail. Jones suggests that maybe he (Jones) did go to jail for fighting with razors over a crap game (dice), and got 20 years when the black man he fought with died. Then, he suggests that he might've gotten in an argument with a prison guard while working on a road, and when the guard whipped him, Jones hit him with a shovel. Finally, he suggests he escaped the chain gang—though, maybe he did none of those things. Jones says that he tells this story so that Smithers understands that if he goes blabbing it all over, Jones will kill him.

Terrified, Smithers reminds Jones that he's always been a friend, and Jones relaxes and tells Smithers he should plan on staying that way. Smithers says that to prove he's Jones's friend, he'll tell him the news he mentioned earlier. Jones says it must be bad news, given the look on Smithers’ face. Smithers ignores this and suggests that it might be time for Jones to resign and use his silver bullet.

Jones is confused, and asks Smithers to elaborate. Smithers asks Jones if he's noticed that none of his guards or servants are around, and Jones nonchalantly says that they're all asleep, per usual—all he has to do is ring the bell and they'll run to him and insist they were awake and working. In a mocking tone, Smithers tells Jones to ring the bell. Jones looks alert and suspicious, but he maintains his tone of voice as he agrees and pulls out his bell. He rings it loudly and then goes to both doors to look. Nobody comes. Smithers looks pleased with himself and says that the ship is sinking and the rats have already left.

Enraged, Jones throws the bell and yells obscenities about the natives. He notices Smithers again and composes himself, laughs, and says he probably became overconfident. Jones says it's time to resign right now. Smithers compliments Jones's change of plan, and Jones says there's no point fighting it. He confirms that the natives ran to the hills and says that he needs to get going. As he heads for the door, Smithers says that all the horses are gone. Jones looks momentarily alarmed, but decides he'll just go on foot. He checks the time and discovers he has three hours before sunset.

Smithers cautions Jones and says that Lem, the native chief, is certainly behind the revolt. He says that Lem hates Jones so much, he'd rather chase Jones than take a break to eat dinner. Jones insults Lem and says he's not scared, and that Lem will die if he gets in Jones's way. Smithers reminds Jones that he'll need to go through the forest, and the natives can track people in the dark without a problem. Smithers says that a person would need to hurry to make it through the forest in twelve hours, even if he knew all the trails.

Indignantly, Jones insists he's not a fool: he's been going out in the forest to "hunt" for a while now, planning his escape. Contemptuously, he says that the ignorant natives aren't smart enough to know their own names, let alone catch Brutus Jones. He says that the white men chased him with bloodhounds in the states, and he just laughed—and it will be so easy to trick the black natives, it's almost shameful. Jones lays out his plan: he'll enter the forest by nightfall, and by morning he'll be on the coast, where a French boat is waiting to pick him up and take him to Martinique. There, he'll be safe and rich.

Smithers asks what'll happen if the natives do catch Jones, and Jones insists they won't. When pressed on the matter, Jones says he has five lead bullets to shoot the natives, and then he'll shoot himself with his silver bullet. Smithers jeers that Jones will die in style, and Jones says that he'll play this game as long as he can, and when he's done, he'll go out with a bang. Collecting himself, Jones reminds himself that these "trash" natives won't be able to kill him, and his silver bullet is just good luck anyway. He boasts that he can outrun, outfight, and outguess anyone, anywhere, anytime.

From the hills, Jones and Smithers hear a faint beating of a tom-tom. It beats at the rate of a human pulse. Jones looks suddenly worried and asks what the drum is for. Smithers looks maliciously at Jones and says that the drum is for Jones—the "ceremony" has begun. When Jones asks, Smithers explains that the natives are holding a meeting, dancing a war dance, and generally working up their courage before they start after Jones. Jones spits that the natives will need that courage.

Smithers says that the natives are also holding their "heathen" religious service, and are casting charms to help them. Jones asserts that it'll take more than charms to scare him, but sensing that Jones is actually shaken, Smithers says quietly that later, when the forest is pitch black, the natives will send ghosts after Jones. He says that the forest is a strange place, even in daylight, and you never know what might happen in there. Smithers admits that even he gets the shivers there.

Jones sniffs and declares that he's not scared of things like Smithers is. He says that the forest is his friend, and the natives are more than welcome to send ghosts, since he doesn't believe in them anyway. He says that he's a member in good standing of the Baptist Church, and the natives can do their best—but they'll all end up in hell, while the Church will protect Jones. He reminds Smithers again that he also has his lucky silver bullet.

Smithers laughs and says that it doesn't seem like Jones has given much thought to the Baptist Church since he became emperor, and he's heard that Jones follows the local witch doctors now. Jones insists he only pretends to, and that it's part of his game. He says that as soon as he discovers one of the natives' beliefs, he "embraces" it wholeheartedly. Jones says it doesn't do him any good to do missionary work, since he's just after money. He says that he's putting Jesus on the shelf for a while. Abruptly, Jones checks his watch and exclaims that he doesn't have time to waste. Jones reaches under his throne and pulls out a fancy hat. He bids Smithers goodbye and says he might see him in jail sometime.

Smithers wishes Jones luck, and Jones insists he'll have such a head start that the natives will never catch up. Smithers asks Jones to give his regards to the ghosts, but Jones just grins. He says that if he meets a ghost with money, he'll tell it to not haunt Smithers so that Smithers doesn't steal the ghost's money. Smithers is flattered, and asks Jones if he's taking any luggage. Jones explains that he travels light and he has food hidden on the edge of the forest. Grandly, Jones gestures around and wills the entirety of the palace to Smithers.

Jones walks to the main entryway and looks around, and Smithers asks if Jones is really going to go out the front. Jones insists he's not going to sneak out like a common black person; he's still the emperor and will leave like an emperor. Jones listens to the drum for a moment, comments that it must be a big drum, and says goodbye to Smithers again. As Jones whistles and walks off, Smithers remarks that Jones has nerve. Suddenly, Smithers reminds himself of his anger, insults Jones, and hopes that the natives get him. Smithers looks around and decides to look through the treasure.