英美文学资料4.pptVIP

James Fennimore Cooper(1789 - 1851) Leatherstocking Tales James Fennimore Cooper I. A Brief Biography 1．Life story 1) born in a rich family 2) attended Yale but expelled because of misconduct 3) five years at sea 4) inherited fortune and lived a comfortable life I. A Brief Biography 2. Major works In his lifetime Cooper wrote thirty-two novels, eight of which are set in the frontiers he and his family had known. His first novel was written on a dare from his wife. Warren Walker states that, I. A Brief Biography . . . In the customary practice of the day he was reading aloud to his wife one evening from a current English novel, but found the story dull. Throwing it aside, he declared, I could write a better book than that myself. And Susans challenge to make good his boast resulted in his writing Precaution (1820). . . I. A Brief Biography His novels fall into 4 categories: (1) historical novel---The Spy (1821) (2) socio-political novel (3) the sea adventure tale---The Pilot (1824) (4) the frontier saga--- The Leatherstocking Tales (1823 - 41)The History of the Navy of the United States of America, 1839. I. A Brief Biography 3. The Leatherstocking Tales (1823 - 41) 皮袜子故事集 The Deerslayer (1841) 杀鹿者 The Last of the Mohicans (1826) 最后的莫希干人The Pathfinder (1840) 探路者The Pioneer (1823) 拓荒者The Prairie (1827) 大草原 I. A Brief Biography The Leather-Stocking Tales account for five of these novels about pioneer life, and yet in popularity they have outweighed all of Coopers other works. The Tales contain a five volume biography of their protagonist Natty Bumppo. I. A Brief Biography Natty Bumppo: several names for the same character: Hawk-eye, the Pathfinder, the Deerslayer, Leatherstocking; a typical frontier man: honest, simple, innocent, generous; represents brotherhood of man, nature and freedom; an ideal American, or a perfect example / father image of the frontier man  I. A Brief Biography Theme: modern civilization advancing on the wilderness and the co