The Last Of The Mohicans By James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851) Essays

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851) The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851) Type of Work: Historical romance Setting Upper New York region; 1757 Principal Characters Hawkeye (Natty Bumppo), , a skilled white scout and frontiersman Chingachgook, , Hawkeye's lifelong Mohican (Delaware) friend Uncas, , Chingachgook's son and last heir to the title of chief of the Mohican tribe Major Duncan Heyward, , Hawkeye's Scottish soldier-friend David Gainut, , a psalm singer, and comical, naive, self-proclaimed missionary Magua (Le Renard Subtil--- "The Sly Fox"), a dis placed and bloodthirsty Canadian Huron Indian Colonel Munro, , defender of British Fort Henry Alice Munro, , fair and innocent daughter of Colonel Munro Cora Munro, her darker, elder half-sister, and the story's real heroine Story Overveiw War between England and France had spilled over into the North American continent. There, amid the various Indian tribal conflicts, a small party set out from the British Fort Edward toward Fort William Henry, defended by the Scottish veteran, Colonel Munro. Major Duncan Heyward, ordered to escort Colonel Munro's two daughters, Cora and Alice, to Fort William Henry, was followed by a tall, awkward, psalm singing missionary, David Gamut. Fort Edward's troops were in a weakened state. Now Major Heyward, in an attempt to reach Munro's fort before the French forces led by Montcalm could surround it, hired a renegade Huron Indian guide known as Magua, who claimed to know of a shorter route to their destination. But now, after traveling most of the day and finding themselves still only a few miles from Fort Edward, they at last decided the guide must be lost. Late that same afternoon, a seasoned white scout bearing the fitting name of Hawkeye, sat by a stream conversing with his Delaware Mohican friend Chingachgook. By their dress and weaponry it was obvious that they were not allied with the French or the Iriquois. The Indian lamented aloud the sad history of his people, who had dwindled after they foolishly parted with their land. He ended with a vision of his own death: "I am on the hill-top, and must go down into the valley; and when Uncas follows in my footsteps, there will no longer be any of the blood of the [Delaware], for my boy is the last of the Mohicans." As if conjured up by his father's words, another voice announced, "Uncas is here! Who speaks to Uncas?" and stepping between the two, a young warrior seated himself. Soon the three men heard "the horses of white men" approaching, and Hawkeye was appointed to speak to them in his native English tongue. He went out to meet Heyward's group. When told that the Indian guide, who was by this time lurking in the shadows, had lost his way, Hawkeye doubtingly asked what tribe he belonged to. He was Mohawk by birth, but an adopted Huron, came the reply. At this, both Chingachgook and Uncas sprang to their feet. "A Huron!" spat the scout. "They are a thievish race, nor do I care by whom they are adopted .... I should like to look at the creature." Now, Magua saw that his plan to betray Heyward and kidnap Munro's daughters had been foiled, and he fled into the forest. Hawkeye and the Mohicans, sensing the danger the little party now faced, agreed to see them safely to Fort William Henry. But as Hawkeye had feared, Magua and his fellow Hurons gave chase. The woodsman guided his travelers to an island cave and hid them behind a waterfall; but they had been too closely followed, and the cave was soon under attack. With little ammunition, the capture of the little group was certain. In order to secure their only chance for rescue, Cora gallantly persuaded Hawkeye and the Mohicans to try an escape - which they managed to do by swimming underwater downriver. Captured, Cora and Alice were taken by Magua on a path leading far away from the fort. As they walked, Magua spoke privately to Cora. Long ago, he divulged, after drinking the white man's firewater, he had lost control of himself, and Colonel Munro had ordered that he be publicly beaten. Magua's plan of revenge for this humiliation was to take Munro's daughter as his wife and slave. Cora hid her fear and responded calmly: she would not go with him. In fury Magua was about to massacre the whole lot, when Hawkeye and his comrades rushed the camp, killing all the Hurons - except their villainous leader, who once again escaped. The group then journeyed on in the darkness toward Fort William Henry. It was dawn when Hawkeye