James Fenimore Coopeer's Leatherstocking Tales
James Fenimore Cooper’s Leathertocking Tales : 19th century American Frontier Literature.
1/ General overview:
The frontier romance is an imaginative form of literature giving shape and meaning to the American experience. It portrays the ambivalent drama of the frontier hero‘s encounter with the natural world and the feeling inspired by the American frontier spirit. The Leatherstocking Tales are also about the narrative exploration of historical episodes.
American Romance with Cooper is about the American landscape where the national character and identity are inseparable. Thus Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales reflect the Romantic impulse in America in the way they portray the conflicts within and without (landscape/ character/ national identity). The question is whether America is an Eden or a Wilderness and what kind of society is needed.
2/Illustration:
Focus on extract 1 from The Last of the Mohicans (Subtitled “A Narrative of 1757”):
The Last of the Mohicans introduces Hawekeye in his maturity (38 years old) during the Seven Years War (1754-1763: a war between Britain and France and in which many Indian tribes allied with the French). The novel is about a famous massacre during the French -Indian War. In 1757, a British-American force commanded by Colonel Munro was invested in Fort William Henry. Having been persuaded to surrender under the guarantee of safe conduct, Munro led his troops from the fort, but was attacked by Montcalm’s Indian allies. Cooper‘s novel consists of two parallel captivity narratives. The novel begins improbably with Cora and Alice Munro leaving the safety of southerly Fort Edward and journeying north to join their father in threatened Fort William Henry. They plunged in the wilderness with Major Duncan and Magua (treacherous double-agent) as Indian guide. They meet with Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas who recognize Magua’s treacherous intentions, but Magua succeeds in capturing the girls and taking them to Huron camp. Hawkeye
1/ General overview:
The frontier romance is an imaginative form of literature giving shape and meaning to the American experience. It portrays the ambivalent drama of the frontier hero‘s encounter with the natural world and the feeling inspired by the American frontier spirit. The Leatherstocking Tales are also about the narrative exploration of historical episodes.
American Romance with Cooper is about the American landscape where the national character and identity are inseparable. Thus Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales reflect the Romantic impulse in America in the way they portray the conflicts within and without (landscape/ character/ national identity). The question is whether America is an Eden or a Wilderness and what kind of society is needed.
2/Illustration:
Focus on extract 1 from The Last of the Mohicans (Subtitled “A Narrative of 1757”):
The Last of the Mohicans introduces Hawekeye in his maturity (38 years old) during the Seven Years War (1754-1763: a war between Britain and France and in which many Indian tribes allied with the French). The novel is about a famous massacre during the French -Indian War. In 1757, a British-American force commanded by Colonel Munro was invested in Fort William Henry. Having been persuaded to surrender under the guarantee of safe conduct, Munro led his troops from the fort, but was attacked by Montcalm’s Indian allies. Cooper‘s novel consists of two parallel captivity narratives. The novel begins improbably with Cora and Alice Munro leaving the safety of southerly Fort Edward and journeying north to join their father in threatened Fort William Henry. They plunged in the wilderness with Major Duncan and Magua (treacherous double-agent) as Indian guide. They meet with Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas who recognize Magua’s treacherous intentions, but Magua succeeds in capturing the girls and taking them to Huron camp. Hawkeye