Deerslayer: an Example of Romanticism

The story Deerslayer is a romantic one. It focuses on Natty Bumppo, a white man raised by Delaware Indians. The story gives us insight into how Natty feels. Natty is also described in one of the character’s speeches as an individual. Deerslayer is set in the forest, nature, which is a main focus of romanticism. Natty, the setting of the story, and the imagery within the story suggest a romantic story type. The character Natty Bumppo is romantic for a few reasons. When he first arrives to the clearing in which his trial is being held, Natty stands his ground against the Huron leaders: “I thank the voice whosever it may have been, Mingo, and will say it was a true voice as the rest were lying voices. A furlough is as binding on a paleface, if he be honest, as it is on a redskin; and was it no so, I would never bring disgrace on the Delawares, among whom I may be said to have received my education.” When he says this, Natty is telling the Hurons that even though he is white, he will respect Indian cultures and beliefs. When Rivenoak, one of the Huron leaders, gives his speech, he describes Natty as such: “We know you, Killer of the Deer. You are honest; when you a thing, it is so. You have but one tongue, and that is not forked like a snake’s. Your head is never hid in the grass; all can see it. What you say, that you will do.” Natty is described as a good person, and is given characteristics that mark him as an individual. The setting of Deerslayer is romantic for a couple of reasons. The simple fact that the story is set in nature is romantic. Deerslayer is set in the forest, nature, and is given an in-depth description: “The arches of the woods, even at high noon, cast their somber shadows on the spot, which the brilliant rays of the sun that struggled through the leaves contributed to mellow, and, if such and expression can be used, to illuminate.” Natty describes the clearing as having the branches of the nearby trees arching over head, and the sun shining