Analysis of the novel The Last of the Mohicans Cooper. Film The Last of the Mohicans

"Last of the Mohicans"— historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper

"The Last of the Mohicans" summary

The novel is set in the British colony of New York in August 1757, at the height of the French and Indian War. Part of the novel is devoted to the events after the attack on Fort William Henry, when tacit consent the French, their Indian allies massacred several hundred surrendered English soldiers and settlers. The hunter and tracker Natty Bumpo, introduced to the reader in the first (in order of development of the action) novel "St.

During this turbulent time, the daughters of Colonel Munro - Cora and Alice - decided to visit their parent in the besieged English Fort William Henry, which was located on Lake Lane George in the province of New York. To shorten the path, the girls, accompanied by Major Duncan Hayward and an absent-minded music teacher, separated from the military detachment and turned onto a secret forest path. It was volunteered to be shown by an Indian walker Magua, nicknamed the Sly Fox. Magua, from the allied Mohawk tribe, assured travelers that along the forest path they would reach the fort in a few hours, while along the main road they would have an exhausting journey, lasting a day.

Cora and Alice look suspiciously at the silent guide, who only throws curt glances from under his brows and peers into the thick of the forest. Hayward also has doubts, but the appearance of a clumsy music teacher, who hurries to William Henry, defuses the situation. Under girlish laughter and songs, a small detachment turns onto a fatal forest path.

Meanwhile, on the banks of a fast-flowing forest stream, the white-skinned hunter Nathaniel Bumpo, nicknamed Hawkeye, was having a leisurely conversation with his friend, the Indian Chingachgook, the Great Serpent. The body of the savage was covered with black and white paint, which gave him a frightening resemblance to a skeleton. His clean-shaven head was adorned with a single ponytail with a large feather. Chingachguk told the hunter the history of his people from the bright times, when his forefathers lived in peace and prosperity, and until the dark hour, when they were driven out by pale-faced people. Now there is no trace of the former greatness of the Mohicans. They are forced to lurk in forest caves and wage a miserable struggle for survival.

Soon the young Indian Uncas, nicknamed Swift Deer, the son of Chingachgook, joins the friends. The Trinity organizes a hunt, but the planned meal is interrupted by the clatter of horse hooves. Bumpo does not recognize him among the forest sounds, but the wise Chingachgook immediately falls to the ground and reports that several horsemen are riding. These are white people.

By the river, in fact, a small company appears: a military, clumsy man on an old horse, two charming young ladies and an Indian. These are the daughters of Colonel Munro with their attendants. Travelers are quite worried - not long before sunset, and the end of the forest is not in sight. It seems that their guide has gone astray.

Hawkeye immediately questions Magua's honesty. At this time of the year, when the rivers and lakes are full of water, when the moss on every stone and tree announces the future location of the star, the Indian simply cannot get lost in the forest. Who is your guide? Hayward reports that Magua is mohoh. More precisely, the Huron adopted by the Mohoh tribe. "Huron? - exclaims the hunter and his red-skinned companions, - This is a treacherous, thieving tribe. The Huron will remain a Huron, no matter who takes him in... He will always be a coward and a vagabond... You just have to be surprised that he has not yet made you stumble upon a whole gang.

Hawkeye is about to shoot the deceitful Huron immediately, but Hayward stops him. He wants to personally capture the walker in a more humane way. His plan fails. The cunning Fox manages to hide in the thicket of the forest. Now travelers need to leave the dangerous path as quickly as possible. The traitor, most likely, will bring on them a warlike gang of Iroquois, from whom there is no escape.

Hawkeye leads the young ladies and their escorts to a rocky island - one of the secret hideouts of the Mohicans. Here the company plans to stay for the night in order to leave for William Henry in the morning.

The beauty of the young blond Alice and the older dark-haired Cora does not go unnoticed. Most fascinated by the young Uncas. He literally does not leave Cora, giving the girl various signs attention.

However, exhausted travelers were not destined to rest in a stone shelter. Ambush! The Iroquois, led by Sly Fox, still managed to track down the fugitives. Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas are forced to race for help while the Munro daughters are captured.

Cora and Alice are now in the hands of the Sly Fox. It turns out that in this way the Indian is trying to settle personal scores with Colonel Munro. Many years ago, he ordered Magua to be whipped for drunkenness. He held a grudge and waited a long time for the right time to pay. Finally, the hour has come. He wants to marry the elder Cora, but receives a decisive refusal. Then the enraged Magua will burn his captives alive. When the bonfire has already been laid out, Hawkeye is in time with help. The Hurons are defeated, Magua is shot dead, the beautiful captives are released and go with their companions to the fort to their father.

At this time, the French occupy William Henry. The British, including Colonel Munro and his daughters, are forced to leave the fort. On the way, the wagon train overtakes a warlike tribe from Magua. It turns out that the Indian only pretended to be dead in a fight on a stone island. He kidnaps Cora and Alice again. The Sly Fox sends the first to the Delawares, and takes the second with him to the lands of the Hurons.

In love with Alice, Hayward rushes to save the honor of the captive, and Uncas rushes to rescue the adored Cora. Through a cunning plan involving Hawkeye, the Major steals Alice from the tribe. Swift Deer, unfortunately, fails to save Cora. The cunning Fox is once again one step ahead.

Uncas, at this point already paramount chief Delawares, follows on the heels of the kidnapper. The Delaware, who buried their tomahawks years ago, are back on the warpath. In the decisive battle, they defeat the Hurons. Realizing that the outcome of the battle is a foregone conclusion, Magua takes out a dagger, intending to stab Cora. Uncas rushes to the defense of his beloved, but is a few moments late. The vixen's treacherous blade pierces Uncas and Cora. The villain does not triumph for long - he is immediately overtaken by a bullet from Hawkeye.

They bury young Koru and Uncas, the Swift Deer. Chingachgook is inconsolable. He was left alone, an orphan in this world, the last of the Mohicans. But no! The Great Serpent is not alone. He has a faithful comrade who is standing next to him at this bitter moment. Let his companion have a different skin color, a different homeland, culture, and lullabies were sung to him in a strange, incomprehensible language. But he will be nearby, no matter what happens, because he is also an orphan, lost in the border zone of the Old and New Worlds. And his name is Nathaniel Bumpo, and his nickname is Hawkeye.

James Fenimore Cooper and his heroes.

Cooper's highest achievement is the Pentalogy of the Leather Stocking. It includes five novels written in the following order: The Pioneers (1823), The Last of the Mohicans (1826), The Prairie (1827), The Pathfinder (1840), Deerslayer (1841). They are united by the image of the hunter Nathaniel Bumpo, who also has numerous nicknames: Deerslayer, Pathfinder, Hawkeye, Leather Stocking and Long Carbine. In the pentalogy, the whole life of Bampo passes - from youth to the day of death. But the order of writing books does not coincide with the stages of the life of the protagonist.

If we consider the parts of the pentalogy not in the order in which they were written, but according to the chronology of the events described (and this is how they are usually read), then the sequence of time and place of action is as follows: "St. the Susquihan Rivers; "Last of the Mohicans", Hudson River area;

"Pathfinder", the very end of the 50s, one of the great lakes - Ontario; "Pioneers", development and settlement of western forests; "Prairie", a region of prairies west of the Mississippi.

Thus, the path of the protagonist of the pentalogy is from a narrow strip of land on the Atlantic coast, where the first colonists landed, to the Great Lakes and further to the endless western prairies. This path took about sixty years both in life and in Cooper's pentalogy.

Fenimore Cooper's The Prairie is set in 1793 New York at the headwaters of the Susquihanna River in winter.

With this fourth book of the pentalogy about the adventures of Nathaniel Bumpo, the author wanted to say that until man comes into nature, everything is in balance.

The only one I liked this novel- this is his main character Natty Bumpo - Leather Stocking. IN difficult moments he saved everyone: Elizabeth and her friend from the brutal cougar, Chingachgook. Later - Elizabeth from the fire, in fear of being discovered by the court and again going to prison. I think that we should look up to Natty. He fought for what he considered the main and valuable: good name and friends.

After reading the novel. I thought about questions of disinterested friendship, honor, nobility. I also wanted to read the rest of the Natty novels.

Stepanov Daniil

James Fenimore Cooper's novel Pathfinder depicts scenes from the Anglo-French War of 1750-1760. In this war, both the British and the French, by bribery or deceit, attracted Indian tribes to their side. Natty Bumpo with his well-aimed carbine and Chingachgook participate in the battles on Lake Ontario and once again help their comrades to win. However, Natty condemns the war unleashed by the colonialists, leading to the senseless death of both whites and Indians. A significant place in the novel is occupied by the love story of Bumpo for Mabel Dunham. Appreciating the courage and nobility of a scout, the girl prefers Jasper, who is closer to her in age and character. Bumpo moves further to the West.

The plot of the novel is constantly in suspense. It is interesting how, thanks to the skill of Jasper and under the guidance of the Pathfinder, the whole company managed to avoid both steep river rapids and escape from the bloodthirsty Indians. Yes, the end of the novel is unknown: to which of the heroes will Mabel give her heart.

Fedotovskaya Elizabeth

In Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans, the plot is based on the story of the capture by the cruel and treacherous leader Magua - the Sly Fox of the daughters of Colonel Munro - Cora and Alice and the attempts of a small detachment led by Natty Bumpo - Hawkeye to free the captives. Together with Natty and Chingachgook, a young Indian warrior, Chingachgook's son Uncas, takes part in breathtaking pursuits and fights. He is in love with one of the captives, Cora, and dies in last fight trying in vain to save her. The solemn and touching scene of the funeral of Uncas, the last of the Mohicans, and Kora ends the novel. Hawkeye and Chingachgook go to the far -neck travel.

Most of all in the novel I liked the black-eyed Kora. She is brave and caring.The plot is dynamic and allows you to reveal the characters in action. I was struck by the descriptions of the various pictures of American nature. The author showed exotic world"redskins". We can recognize frontier life.

The book is very interesting, it makes it possible to think about the fact that no one needs war, because it can destroy entire nations.

Done by Marina Volkova, student of the 7th grade

Last of the Mohicans

"Last of the Mohicans"(English) The Last of the Mohicans listen)) is a historical novel by American writer James Fenimore Cooper, first published in 1826. It is the second book in the Leatherstocking pentalogy (both by date of publication and by the chronology of the epic), in which Cooper tells about life on the American frontier and is one of the first to depict the originality spiritual world and customs of the American Indians. A Russian translation of the novel was made in 1833.

Plot

The novel is set in the British colony of New York in August 1757, at the height of the French and Indian War. Part of the novel focuses on the events after the attack on Fort William Henry, when, with the tacit consent of the French, their Indian allies massacred several hundred surrendered Anglo-American soldiers and settlers. The hunter and tracker Natty Bumpo, presented to the reader in the first (in the order of development of the action) novel St. John's Wort, together with his Mohican Indian friends - Chingachguk and his son Uncas - participate in the rescue of two sisters, daughters of a British commander. At the end of the book, Uncas dies in an unsuccessful attempt to save Cora, the eldest of the daughters, leaving his father Chingachgook the last of the Mohicans.

In popular culture

The novel has been filmed numerous times, including the most famous 1992 version directed by Michael Mann.

Allegorically, the title of the novel is used to describe the last representative of some dying social phenomenon or a group, a supporter of any ideas that have outlived their time, etc.

Also, this work was presented in the animated series of the same name, comprising 26 episodes. (The Last of the Mohicans / The Last Of The Mohicans). Created in 2004 - 2007.

Notes

Categories:

• literary works alphabetically
• Works by James Fenimore Cooper
• Novels of 1826
• French and Indian War
• Historical novels
• Idioms
• Adventure novels

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See what "Last of the Mohicans" is in other dictionaries:

From English: The Last of the Mohicans. The title of a novel (1826) by the American writer Jace Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851). Its protagonist is the last representative of an extinct North American Indian tribe. Allegorically: the last ... ... Dictionary winged words and expressions

Adj., number of synonyms: 4 hero (80) Mohican (2) last (52) ... Synonym dictionary

Last of the Mohicans- wing. sl. The last representative of something community group generation, a dying social phenomenon. The source of this expression is the novel by Fenimore Cooper (1789 1851) "The Last of the Mohicans" (1826) (the Mohicans are an extinct tribe of North Indians ... ... Universal optional practical Dictionary I. Mostitsky

- (inosk.) The last of the known kind of people, figures, heroes Cf. (This) was depicted in such an erratic Burmic style (style perlé) that only the Mohicans of the forties can write. Saltykov. Collection. Funeral. Wed Our time is not the time ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

Razg. The last or oldest representative of what l. group, generation, a dying social phenomenon. /i> Based on the title of a novel by J.F. Cooper; The Mohicans are an extinct tribe of North American Indians. BMS 1998, 382 ... Big Dictionary Russian sayings

last of the mohicans- cm. last mohican … Dictionary of many expressions

The last of the Mohicans (inosk.) The last of the known kind of people of figures, heroes. Wed (This) was depicted in such an erratic Burmic style (style perlé) that only the Mohicans of the forties can write. Saltykov. Collection. ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

The Last of the Mohicans novel (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper A film adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans is a 1920 American film. The Last of the Mohicans (Der Letzte der Mohikaner) German film ... ... Wikipedia

The Last of the Mohicans Genre adventure film ... Wikipedia

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
Sevastopol City State Administration
Sevastopol city humanitarian university
Faculty of Philology

Department of Russian Language and foreign literature

The theme of the development of the continent in the novel by F. Cooper "The Last of the Mohicans"

Coursework on
discipline ISL 19th century.
students of the AR-2 group
Zatsepina Anna

Scientific director
Ph.D. Associate Professor Dashko E.L.

Sevastopol 2009
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………… ..…..….3
CHAPTER I THE PLACE OF F. COOPER'S CREATIVITY IN THE AMERICAN ROMANTIC LITERATURE OF THE XIX CENTURY……………...….…..…..4
1.1 general characteristics romantic era in the USA.….....4
F.Cooper…………………………………………………………8

CHAPTER II THE THEME OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTINENT IN F. COOPER’S NOVEL “THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS”…………………………………………...... 14
1.1 Reflection of frontier problems in the work………………14
1.2 Images of the British and French in the novel………………………16
CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………..….19
BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………. ..20

INTRODUCTION

This work is devoted to the theme of the development of the American continent, presented in the novel by F. Cooper "The Last of the Mohicans". This problem is quite relevant in our time, because in connection with various world political contradictions and problems, society needs a reliable history of its people. It must be remembered that all the benefits were given to mankind through hardships and bloody battles. And we see now that the situation in modern world little different from the not-so-distant past. Many states go to war for profit. Entire nations die, often as innocent victims of brutal aggressors who have lost their humanity in search of their well-being.
The purpose of the work is to explore the problems associated with the colonization of Europeans in America on the example of Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans".
The subject of the study is the conflict between the colonizers and local residents mainland.
The object of research is complicated relationship Europeans and natives, the influence of "whites" on the redskins.
Research objectives:
- characterize American romantic literature of the 19th century;
- to indicate the significance of F. Cooper's work in the literature of the era of romanticism in the USA;
- consider the images of the British and French in the novel;
The term paper consists of an introduction, two chapters (“The place of F. Cooper’s work in American romantic literature of the 19th century”, “The theme of the development of the continent in the novel “The Last of the Mohicans”), a conclusion and a list of used literature with a total of 20 pages.

CHAPTER I
THE PLACE OF F. COOPER'S CREATIVITY IN THE AMERICAN ROMANTIC LITERATURE OF THE XIX CENTURY
1.1 General characteristics of the romantic era in the United States
Romantic era in the history of American literature covers almost half a century: its beginning falls on the second decade of the 19th century, the end is illuminated by the flames of the Civil War of the 60s.
Romanticism is one of the most complex, internally contradictory and turbulent periods in American history. literary history. However, it is difficult to overestimate its importance. Enduring traditions developed here. national literature. But the process of its formation was full of dramatic conflicts, fierce controversy, large and small literary wars.
The foundation of the romantic ideology was the rapid socio-economic development of the country at the beginning of the 19th century, which raised it to the level of the most developed European powers and provided a springboard for subsequent capitalist progress. I didn't know such pace. XIX century no country in the world. In a matter of decades, the United States turned from a conglomerate of disparate agrarian colonies into a powerful power with a highly developed industry, trade, finance, communications network and a huge fleet. It was in this process that the ugly moral sense pragmatic ethics of bourgeois America.
Vigorous transformations in the economic and social structure USA in the 20s and 30s XIX years V. They explain not only the very fact of the emergence of romantic ideology, but also some of its specific features, in particular, a kind of dualism - a combination of patriotic pride in the young fatherland and the bitterness of disappointment caused by the rebirth of the democratic ideals of the revolution.
At further development romantic ideology in the United States, the initial balance of these elements quickly broke down. The first steadily decreased, the second increased.
The era of romanticism in the history of American literature is more or less distinctly divided into three stages. Early (20-30s) is the period of "nativism" - a romantic exploration of national reality, nature, history, an attempt at an artistic study of American bourgeois civilization, its delusions, mistakes and anomalies. It is significant, however, that this study proceeds as a whole from the belief in a sound basis of American democracy, capable of coping with "external" negative influences.
immediate predecessor early stage there was pre-romanticism, which developed even within the framework of enlightenment literature. The largest writers of early romanticism - V. Irving, D.F. Cooper, W.K. Bryant, D.P. Kennedy and others. With the advent of their works, American literature for the first time receives international recognition. There is a process of interaction between American and European romanticism. An intensive search for national artistic traditions, the main themes and problems are outlined (the war for independence, the development of the continent, the life of the Indians). The worldview of the leading writers of this period is painted in optimistic tones associated with the heroic time of the war for independence and the grandiose prospects that opened before the young republic. There is a close continuity with the ideology of the American Enlightenment. At the same time, critical tendencies are maturing in early romanticism, which are a reaction to Negative consequences strengthening capitalism in all spheres of life American society. They are looking for an alternative to the bourgeois way of life and find it in the romantically idealized life of the American West, the heroism of the War of Independence, the free sea, the country's patriarchal past, and so on.

Mature stage (late 30s - mid 50s), the onset of which is associated with economic shocks the end of the 30s, the powerful rise of radical democratic movements, the serious internal and foreign political conflicts of the 40s, is characterized by a number of tragic discoveries made by the romantics, and first of all by the discovery that social evil does not act from the outside on the supposedly ideal social structure, but heels in the very nature of American bourgeois democracy. Mature American romanticism is dominated by dramatic, even tragic tones, a sense of the imperfection of the world and man (N. Hawthorne), moods of sorrow, longing (E. Poe), consciousness of the tragedy of human existence (G. Melville). A hero with a split psyche appears, bearing the stamp of doom in his soul. At this stage, American romanticism is moving from the artistic development of national reality to the study of the universal problems of man and the world on the basis of national material, and acquires philosophical depth. IN artistic language Mature American Romanticism is pervaded by symbolism rarely found among romantics of the previous generation. Poe, Melville, Hawthorne created in their works symbolic images great depth and generalizing power. Supernatural forces begin to play a noticeable role in their creations, mystical motifs intensify.
The final stage (from the mid-1950s to the beginning civil war) - the era of the crisis of romantic consciousness and romantic aesthetics in the United States, as a result of which American writers and thinkers gradually came to understand that the romantic consciousness could no longer cope with the material public life, cannot give the keys to explaining its riddles and pointing out ways to resolve its contradictions. Through the hardest spiritual crisis, which sometimes entailed a complete rejection of creative activity, many writers of this time passed, including W. Irving, G. Longfellow, D. Kennedy, and others. Romantic ideology and romantic literature in the United States arose much later than in the advanced countries of Europe. By the early 1920s, when the American Romantics first attracted the attention of their fellow citizens, the Romantic movement in European thought and literature had already accumulated a wealth of experience. American thinkers and poets made extensive use of the conquests of European—especially English—Romanticism. It's about not only about imitations and borrowings, of which there were plenty, but also about creative use experience of European romantic philosophy, aesthetics and literature.
At all stages of development, American romanticism is characterized by a close connection with the socio-political life of the country. This is what makes Romantic literature specifically American in content and form. In addition, there are some other differences from European romanticism. American romantics express their dissatisfaction with the country's bourgeois development and do not accept the new values ​​of modern America. The Indian theme becomes a cross-cutting theme in their work: American romantics show sincere interest and deep respect for the Indian people.
American romanticism, to a greater extent than European romanticism, reveals a deep and close connection with the ideology and aesthetics of the Enlightenment. This applies to political theories, sociological ideas, methodology of thinking, genre aesthetics. In other words, American romanticism acts not only as a destroyer of the Enlightenment ideology, but also as its direct heir.
American romantics are the creators of the national literature of the United States. This, above all, distinguishes them from their European counterparts. While in Europe at the beginning of the XIX century. national literatures have secured for themselves the qualities that have evolved over almost a whole millennium and have become their specific national traits, American literature, like the nation, was still being defined. The American Romantics were entrusted with a rather serious task, in addition to the formation of national literature, they had to create the entire complex ethical and philosophical code of the young nation - to help it form.
In addition, it should be noted that for its time, romanticism was the most effective method artistic exploration of reality; without it the process aesthetic development nation would be incomplete.
Thus, following the history of the development of American romantic literature, we find that the search for romantic ideal, which opposes the inhumane reality, is provoked by disappointment with the results of the post-revolutionary development of the country. Poets and prose writers focused on the needs of the growing national consciousness of Americans. And Fenimore Cooper was one of the first literary figures to grasp these needs. His work was an important new stage, Cooper contributed to the establishment of the historical novel genre in American literature.

1.2 Features of the historical novel

James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851) with with good reason is considered the creator of the American historical novel, the founder of the "marine novel" in world literature, and, finally, the creator of that special type of romantic narrative in which national themes"borders", the historical fate of the Indian tribes, American nature, and which has not yet received a clear terminological designation.
The son of a landowner who became rich during the years of the struggle for independence, who managed to become a judge, and then a congressman, James Fenimore Cooper grew up on the shores of Lake Otsego, a hundred miles northwest of New York, where at that time the "frontier" - the concept in The New World is not only geographical, but to a large extent socio-psychological - between the already developed territories and the wild, pristine lands of the natives. Thus, from an early age, he became a living witness to the dramatic, if not bloody, growth of American civilization, cutting its way further and further west. The heroes of his future books - pioneer squatters, Indians, farmers who suddenly became large planters, he knew firsthand.
In 1803, at the age of 14, Cooper entered Yale University, from where, however, he was expelled for some disciplinary offenses. This was followed by a seven-year service in the navy - first merchant, then military. Cooper and further, having already made a big name for himself as a writer, did not leave practical activity. In the years 1826-1833 he served as the American consul in Lyon, however, rather nominally. In any case, during these years he traveled a considerable part of Europe, settling for a long time, in addition to France, in England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In the summer of 1828 he was going to Russia, but this plan was never to be realized. All this colorful life experience, one way or another, was reflected in his work, however, with a different measure of artistic persuasiveness.
In 1811, Cooper married a Frenchwoman, Delaney, who came from a family that sympathized with England during the Revolutionary War; its influence explains those relatively mild reviews of the British and the English government that are found in early novels Cooper. Chance made him a writer. While reading a novel aloud to his wife one day, Cooper remarked that it was not difficult to write better. His wife took him at his word: in order not to seem like a braggart, he wrote his first novel, Precaution, in a few weeks. Assuming that, in view of the already begun competition between English and American authors, English criticism would react unfavorably to his work, Cooper did not sign his name and transferred the action of his novel to England. The latter circumstance could only damage the book, which revealed the author's poor knowledge of English life and caused very unfavorable reviews of English criticism.
Cooper's creative biography can be conditionally divided into two periods: early (1820 - 1832) and late (1840 - 1851). Between them is a chronological strip of seven years, which is a kind of "journalistic interlude". The few works he created during these years of the "war with compatriots" have an openly polemical tone.
Cooper turned to literary activity already mature man, whose convictions, including socio-political ones, were largely established. He was a 100% Republican, supporter of Jeffersonian democracy.
Fenimore Cooper realized that the historical novel is a genre that can satisfy readers' interest in America's heroic past and at the same time give expression to a patriotic sense of pride in a young fatherland, which, as contemporaries imagined, opened a new page in the history of mankind by its example. These considerations prompted Cooper's literary experiment, which brought him instant fame.
One of Cooper's first novels, The Spy (1821), established the tradition of the American historical novel. Before Cooper, the very fundamental possibility of writing a historical novel based on the material of the history of the United States remained unclear. Its main events were in everyone's memory. The writer who undertook to portray historical figures and the course of the War of Independence was obliged to observe complete accuracy and completely suppress impulses of the imagination. In other words, he had to turn into a historiographer.
Cooper found a new way to connect history and fiction without sacrificing either imagination or historical accuracy. This foreshadowed the success of the experiment, and following The Spy, a flood of books poured into the American book market. historical novels and stories about the War of Independence. Obviously, the type of historical novel created by Cooper answered the moral task facing American literature: to establish the moral superiority of the New World over the Old, the republic over the monarchy, state independence over the colonial regime.
Another direction of Cooper's experiments is connected with an attempt to historically study some of the most important processes and phenomena of modern reality, which have a specifically national American character. First of all, we are talking about territorial expansion and the accompanying special social phenomenon, which is traditionally called "pioneerism", about the tragic fate of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent - the Indians, and ultimately about the future of the American people. It is this range of questions that forms the problematic of the Leather Stocking novels, which are the most valuable part of the artistic heritage of Fenimore Cooper.
He created more than 30 novels, of which five of the most famous and significant stand out, forming a whole series, a pentalogy about the Leather Stocking: "Pioneers", "The Last of the Mohicans", "Prairie", "Pathfinder", "St. John's Wort". This is a kind of "American epic", covering the 1740-1790s, the history of the development of the North American continent, the offensive of "civilization" on the pristine nature, the destruction of the way of life of the indigenous people - the Indians.
The novel The Pioneers (1823) was originally conceived as historical narrative about the mores of the "border". Here formed social relations, philosophical, economic and legal principles, social skills and moral laws - in other words, a special kind of civilization, which Cooper, not without reason, considered very important for the future of America. The action of the novel is set back, but not far - less than thirty years. There are no historical characters in the novel historical events. The duration of the action is only one year. Events develop slowly, interrupted by digressions, detailed descriptions, sketchy details. Key in ideological content novel is a problem of a philosophical and social nature, arising from a complex system of interaction in the "triangle": nature - man - civilization.
In the novel The Prairie (1827), the problem of squatterism is brought to the forefront, which is comprehensively explored by Cooper. Squatterism, as presented in The Prairie, is not simply the taking of uncultivated land, but life position, moral principle, aggressive psychological attitude.
At the heart of the plot of "St. In this deadly struggle, Natty's friendship with a young Mohican, Chingachgook, arises and grows stronger, a friendship that both of them will carry through the rest of their lives. The situation in the novel is complicated by the fact that Deerslayer's white allies - "Floating" Tom Hutter and Harry March - are cruel and unfair towards the Indians and provoke violence and bloodshed themselves. Dramatic adventures - ambushes, battles, captivity, escape - unfold against the backdrop of picturesque nature - the mirror surface of the Glimmering Lake and its wooded shores.
Pathfinder depicts scenes from the Anglo-French War of 1750-1760. In this war, both the British and the French, by bribery or deceit, attracted Indian tribes to their side. Bumpo with his well-aimed carbine and Chingachgook participate in the battles on Lake Ontario and once again help their comrades to win. However, Natty, and with him the author, sharply condemn the war unleashed by the colonialists, leading to the senseless death of both whites and Indians. A significant place in the novel is occupied by the love story of Bumpo for Mabel Dunham. Appreciating the courage and nobility of the scout, the girl, however, prefers Jasper, who is closer to her in age and character. Bumpo generously refuses the marriage (although Mabel was willing to keep her dead father's promise to marry Pathfinder) and moves further west.
Thus, the five novels are permeated with the theme of the tragedy of the American pioneers, which was the result of a discord between the noble goals of the pioneers and territorial expansion under capitalism.
Let's trace this topic more details in Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans"

CHAPTER II
THE THEME OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTINENT IN F. COOPER'S NOVEL "THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS"
1.1 Reflection of the problems of the frontier in the work
In The Last of the Mohicans, Cooper reproduces the events of the Anglo-French colonial war in the second half of the 1850s, i.e. refers to the more distant past of the country. Events unfold in the dense, almost impenetrable forests of America:
“A distinctive feature of the colonial wars in North America was that before they could meet in a bloody battle, both sides had to endure the hardships and dangers of wandering through the wild land. The possessions of France and England, which were at war with each other, were separated from each other by a wide strip of almost impenetrable forests.
Only the brave scouts Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas know the secret forest paths. They lead the British along them, having entered the service in their army.
The theme of the development of the continent is presented in the form of a conflict between civilization and nature. Namely, the clash of the "unnatural" civilization of aliens with the natural skills and customs of the red-skinned aborigines is clearly visible, and tragic fate becomes one of the leitmotifs of the story.
Cooper managed to reveal the topic of land development, using only reliable historical facts. To see how subtly and deeply Cooper covered this topic in his novel, let us turn to historical background.
The history of the development and conquest of North America proceeded as follows. Here, the indigenous people and newcomers from across the ocean from the very beginning did not find a common language, could not work out the principles of coexistence, did not recognize each other's rights. True, the tribes of New England, for example, greeted the first pilgrim colonists very hospitably and even helped them survive the famine. The response of the Christians was not long in coming. As soon as the English colonies got a little stronger, they began the unmotivated physical destruction of the "red-skinned pagans" and the seizure of their lands. Within a few decades of the start of the colonization of the east coast of North America, many tribes of New England and Virginia were simply exterminated. The colonies moved irresistibly westward, and their barbaric policy towards the native population remained unchanged.
The Indian policy of the colonialists is striking in its cruelty, cynicism and uncompromisingness. Unlike other continents, where white colonists more or less put up with the neighborhood of the local population, the English, and then the American settlers in the New World, with a truly maniacal persistence, sought to clear the occupied or acquired territories from the Indians. Whites absolutely could not stand the presence of redskins nearby. It was in North America that the phenomenon of the border (the famous "frontier") arose: on one side - whites, on the other - Indians.
Yes, indeed, Cooper devotes his novel to this problem. We observe on the pages of the novel, with what cruelty she asserted herself European civilization in new lands. Capturing the spaces on which they hunted for thousands of years, fished, engaged in agriculture, the original inhabitants of America - the Indians - the British and French colonialists mercilessly exterminated them. The natives fiercely resisted this invasion; but by inciting some Indian tribes against others, involving them in wars, soldering, deceiving, the Europeans broke the resistance of the courageous and proud people. For example, Magua from the Huron tribe complains about the colonialists:
“Is it the Fox’s fault that his head is not made of stone? Who gave him fire water? Who made him a rascal? Pale people"

Cooper shows the cruelty of the colonizers who exterminate the Indians, truthfully portrays the savagery and "bloodthirstiness" of individual Indian tribes. However, the process of colonization is reproduced and evaluated in this novel by Cooper, as if from the position of an English colonist who contributed to the creation of the United States. Cooper sympathizes with the British and opposes them to the French colonialists, condemning the unjustified cruelty of their policy of conquest. And it is precisely those Indian tribes that are on the side of the French against the British that are shown as inhumanly cruel (the Iroquois tribe).
Cooper is a supporter of the penetration of civilization not with the help of fire and senseless murders of innocent Indians, but in more humane ways.

1.2 The images of the English and French in the novel

The images of the English are clearly idealized in the novel. This manifested the limitations of the writer, which entailed a violation of the truth of life. However, at times the writer overcomes his inherent limitations and in a number of scenes truthfully portrays the cruelty of the treatment of the British and Indians and the hatred of the Indians for the enslavers, regardless of whether they are English or French:
“Are the Hurons dogs to endure all this? Who will tell the wife of Minaugua that his scalp went to the fish, and native tribe did not avenge his death?<….>What will we say to old people when they ask us about scalps, and we don't even have a pale-faced hair? Women will point their fingers at us. There is a stain of shame on the name of the Hurons, and we must wash it away with blood!
Cooper feared that the aborigines would face complete extermination and that in the eyes of posterity it would be an eternal disgrace for the cut of the white conquerors. In the position of the writer, it was not condescending pity for the vanquished that prevailed, but bitter regret about the irretrievable loss, about the perishing values ​​​​of the culture of the Indians, which could enrich the European settlers with the moral virtues of the ideal of man inherent in it: selfless courage, contempt for death and physical suffering, fidelity to duty, high feeling dignity, invincible love of freedom, which prefers death to slavery. This ideal is depicted as doomed to perish, like the whole people, whose fate is symbolized by the last two representatives of the Mohican tribe: Chingachguk and his son Uncas. The Great Serpent (Chingachgook) recalls how his ancestors died in the fight against white people:
“The whites gave my forefathers fiery water; they began to drink it, drank it greedily, drank until it seemed to them that the earth merged with the sky.
Cooper's own ideal was most fully embodied in the image of Nathaniel Bumpo. This is the son of a settler who grew up among the inhabitants of the "border" and the Indians. He reaches out to people, quickly converges with them, selflessly helps them. The author draws him as an original philosopher, faithful to his word, the duty of friendship and justice. The writer motivates the originality of his character with unusual conditions of formation. He learned the best of Indian customs and skills, but at the same time remained faithful to the humane aspects of European culture. His views bear the imprint of an enlightening cult of reason, liberation from racial, national and religious prejudices; he firmly believes that the Indians are the true masters of the forests.
Along with the scout Bumpo, the central place in the novel is occupied by the Indians from the Mohican tribe - Chingachgook and Uncas, embodying best features character of the Indian people. Chingachgook's harsh demands on his son are combined with deep, restrained love and pride. The Indians in Cooper's image are not only in no way inferior to the Europeans, but also surpass them in the depth and wisdom of their judgments, the immediacy of perception of the environment.
Thus, Fenimore Cooper, revealing the controversial struggle of the colonizers-Europeans and aborigines, highlights the theme of the development of the American continent. With sympathy and sadness, he writes about the extinction and extermination of the Indians. A sad note is already heard in the very title of The Last of the Mohicans, announcing, in the words of the writer, "the inevitable, apparently, the fate of all these peoples, disappearing under the pressure of ... civilization, as the leaves of their native forests fall under a breath of frost." The death of the brave young Uncas and his beloved Cora, as it were, symbolizes in the image of Cooper this historical tragedy of an entire nation. Cooper was able to show that ordinary Americans (whose personification is Natty Bumpo) do not want the destruction of the Redskins, they easily find with them mutual language live with them in peace and friendship.

CONCLUSION
Thus, following the development of American romantic literature and, in particular, the work of Fenimore Cooper, we can conclude that the theme he raised in the novel The Last of the Mohicans fully corresponds to the mentality of the Americans of the 19th century. However, the writer did not set himself the goal of depicting history with realistic accuracy. He was a writer of a romantic direction, therefore he used both exaggerations and sometimes embellished reality with fictions. But in their best novels, and in particular in The Last of the Mohicans, he managed to reproduce more expressively and brighter than any other of his contemporaries, very important events from the history of his country and his people: the colonization of the North American mainland and the death of the Indian tribes that make it up indigenous people. In The Last of the Mohicans, Cooper creates a complex that unites American nature and the indigenous population of America, a complex that embodies the idea of ​​a national heritage so dear to the heart of the romantics, which the Americans had yet to master when building a new “civilization”.
After the release of Cooper's historical novels, European criticism was forced to abandon the arrogant view of America as a "land of epigones" and recognize that the United States has its own original national writers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Anastasiev N.A. Cooper/ Big Encyclopedia Cyril and Methodius. - M., 2002
2. Elizarova M. E. History of foreign literature of the XIX century. - M.: Enlightenment, 1972
3. Foreign literature of the XIX century. Romanticism. Reader: Textbook for students philologist. specialties ped. in-tov / Ed. prof. Ya. N. Zasursky. - M.: Enlightenment, 1976
4. History of world literature. In 9 volumes. T. 6. - M .: Nauka, 1989
5. History of foreign literature of the XIX century. Part 1 / Ed. prof. A.S. Dmitriev. – M. 1979
6. History of foreign literature of the XIX century / Ed. N. A. Solovieva. - M.: Higher School, 1991. - 637p.
7. Cooper F. The Last of the Mohicans, or the Narrative of 1757. Roman/Trans. from English. P. Melkova. – M.: Artist. lit., 1990. - 303p.
8. The main works of foreign fiction: Lit-bibliogr. directory / Rep. ed. L.A. Gvishiani-Kosygin. – 5th ed. - M .: Book, 1983
9. http://feb-web.ru
10. http://articles.excelion.ru/science/literature/other...
11. http://www.mesoamerica.ru/indians/north/victims.htlm
etc.................

Cognitive aspect:

Offer to reflect on what meaning is invested in the concept of “prisoner”.

Development aspect:

Continue the formation of the ability to analyze the system of images, working on a fragment of a work of art.

Educational aspect:

To bring students to the understanding that any prisoner should be guaranteed life, and the attitude towards him should be humane.

1. Introductory speech of the teacher.

For the second year we have been discussing the problems raised in the book “Around you - the world ...” Perhaps the most burning of them is the human right to respect for his dignity. Remember, in the lessons we watched how Petya Rostov showed sincere sympathy for the little captive French drummer, openly pitied him? We tried to imagine how the prisoner felt. Is it necessary to think at all about what constitutes a captive enemy? What is he going through? It is difficult to feel sorry for a captive person of alien views, traditions, it is difficult to sympathize with him.

2. Conversation.

Can a prisoner count on humane treatment from his victors? (Voices of several students.)

Of course, it can, because “War must crush the enemy’s power, and not defeat the unarmed,” said the great Russian commander A. Suvorov. These words will be the epigraph to our lesson.

3. You have read an excerpt from Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. (Speech by a pre-prepared student. Brief biographical information about F. Cooper).

Thank you. Here are several works: "St. John's Wort", "The Last of the Mohicans", "Pathfinder", "Pioneers". I also want to thank those who, after reading the passage, expressed their feelings in the drawings. You have excellent illustrations for the work. See how clearly the character of Uncas is conveyed: strong, courageous. But the dwelling of the Indians, what is it called?

What impression did the passage from the novel make on you? (Answers guys.)

What seemed to you the brightest? (Student answers.)

4. Analysis of the episode.

Exercise 1.

List everyone who acts in this episode. (The teacher writes on the blackboard.)

Look at the entry. Are you satisfied with everything in it? Does this recording reflect the alignment of forces in the situation of conflict in this episode? (Student answers.)

(Uncas confronts everyone) The teacher removes Uncas' name and writes it in front of all the heroes.

So who is Uncas? (Uncas is a prisoner.)

Task 2.

Find expressions in the text that show the attitude of the crowd towards the prisoner.

Find a definition that more accurately conveys the state of the crowd. (Answers guys.)

What explains precisely this attitude of the crowd towards the prisoner? (Student answers.)

Who stands out in the raging crowd? (Witch and boy.)

Task 3.

Find in the text the words that allow you to make a portrait of the witch. (The description of the portrait of the old woman is displayed on the screen.)

Whose eyes do you think we see this old woman with? Explain your point of view by referring to the text.

And what additional emphasis does this episode acquire due to the fact that the figure of a boy appears next to the sorceress? (The contrast enhances the crowd's negativity.)

How does a prisoner behave among this crowd? (Student answers.)

Task 4.

Find in the text words, expressions that describe the behavior of the prisoner. What word is repeated most often? (Calm.)

At what point did calm leave him, and why? (Student answers.)

We note that Uncas carried himself with self-respect. How do you understand the meaning of the word “dignity”? (Writing on the board.)

Was there anyone among the participants in the episode who appreciated the captive's composure? (Leaders and most of famous warriors.

But, nevertheless, they were adamant in their decision. What do you think about the decision? What awaited the prisoner? (Student answers.)

Why do you think such a fate awaited him? (He was defenseless, powerless, people were led by hatred.)

What would be, in your opinion, the fate of a warrior taken prisoner by the Uncas tribe? (Same.)

Are the concepts of “captive” and “dignity” compatible for you? (Student answers.)

Does every prisoner, in your opinion, have honor and dignity? (Answers guys.)

5. Continuation of the conversation.

The treatment of prisoners of war has always worried the best people in the world. The fate of a person in captivity depends on compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law. In 1949, the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War was adopted. It states that prisoners of war are entitled to humane treatment regardless of race, color, nationality, religion or creed, sex, origin or property. The Convention prohibits inhuman actions towards prisoners (encroachment on life and health, insult and humiliation of human dignity.)

6. The final word of the teacher.

I would like each of you to keep in your soul what we talked about in the lesson. So that “conscience”, “nobility” and “dignity” be with you all your life.

Conscience, nobility, and dignity -
Here it is, our holy army.
Give him your hand
It’s not scary for him even into the fire ...

B. Okudzhava

7. Homework.

If you are interested in the story of Uncas and want to know the future fate of the characters, read the novel by J. F. Cooper "The Last of the Mohicans" in full and reflect on the meaning of the concepts of "conscience", "nobility" and "dignity" for the characters of the novel .