内容简介
ThesecondofCooper'sfiveLeatherstockingTales,thisistheonewhichhasconsistentlycapturedtheimaginationofgenerationssinceitwasfirstpublishedin1826.It'ssuccessliespartlyinthehistoricalroleCoopergivestohisIndiancharacters,againstthegrainofaccumulatedracialhostility,andpartlyinhisevocationofthewildbeautifullandscapesofNorthAmericawhichtheFrenchandtheBritishfoughttocontrolthroughouttheeighteenthcentury.Atthecentreofthenovelisthecelebrated`Massacre'ofBritishtroopsandtheirfamiliesbyIndianalliesoftheFrenchatFortWilliamHenryin1757.Aroundthishistoricalevent,Cooperbuiltaromanticfictionofcaptivity,sexuality,andheroism,inwhichthedestinyoftheMohicansChingachgookandhissonUncasisinseparablefromthelivesofAliceandCoraMunroandofHawkeyethefrontierscout.Thecontrolled,elaboratewritinggivesnaturalpacetotheviolenceofthenovel'saction:likethenaturewhoseplunderingCopperlaments,thebooksplacidsurfacesconcealinexplicableanddeathlyforces.
作者简介
JamesFenimoreCooperwasthegreatprofessionalAmericanauthor.HewasbornonSeptenber15,1789,inBurlington,NewJersey,andgrewupinthefrontiervillageofCooperstown,NewYorrk,intheheartofthewildernesshewastoimmortalizeinhisfrontiernovels.Ahigh-spiritedyouth,hewasexpelledfromYalebecauseofaprankandwasfinallysignedbythenavybyhisstrong-willedfather.In1819atrflingincidentrepordatlyledtothewritingofhisfirstbook.ReadingaloudtohiswifefromapopulrEnglishnovel,heexclaimed,"Icouldwriteyouabetterbookmyself!"TheresultwasPrecausion(1820),whichfollowedin1821byhisfirstrealsuccess,TheSpy.Cooperbecameaprolificwriter,creatingtwouniquegenresthatweretobecomestaplesinAmericanliterature–thesearomanceandthefrontieradventurestory.ThefirstofthefamousLeatherstockingtales,ThePioneers,appearedin1823andintroducedthewildernessscoutNattyBumppo.ThisdetailedportraitoffrontierlifehasbeencalledthefirsttrulyAmericannovel.InTheLastoftheMohicans(1826)NattyBumppobecomesthewell-lovedHawkeyebefriendedbythenobleIndianChingachgook;thenovelremainsafavoriteAmericanclassic.OtherLeatherstockingtaleswereThePrairie(1827),ThePathfinder(1840)influencedbothHermanMelvilleandJosephConradandledtotheuseoftheseanovelasvehicleforspiritualandmoralexplorations.Cooperalsowrotepoliticalsatire,romance,andthemeticulouslyresearchedHistoryoftheNavyoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica(1839).BythetimeofhisdeathonSeptember14,1851,hewasconsideredAmerica's"nationalnovelist."
