This analysis examines the role of the Bible and the authorial voice in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s "Uncle Tom’s Cabin". At its core, it asks how Stowe employs biblical references and religious rhetoric to convey her abolitionist message. The study demonstrates how the author establishes a morally superior, religiously grounded narrative voice while simultaneously invoking the Bible as an authority to condemn slavery. It also explores the limitations of this argumentative strategy and its impact on different readerships.
Diese Analyse beschäftigt sich mit der Rolle der Bibel und der Autor/innenstimme in Harriet Beecher Stowes "Uncle Tom’s Cabin". Im Zentrum steht die Frage, wie Stowe biblische Bezüge und religiöse Rhetorik nutzt, um ihre abolitionistische Botschaft zu transportieren. Die Arbeit zeigt, wie die Autorin einerseits eine moralisch überlegene, religiös fundierte Erzählstimme etabliert, und andererseits die Bibel als Autorität nutzt, um Sklaverei zu verurteilen. Auch die Grenzen dieser Argumentationsweise und ihre Wirkung auf verschiedene Leserschaften werden beleuchtet.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The Writer Response Criticism
- 3. The beginning of religious Anti-Slavery Rhetoric
- 4. Research on Uncle Tom's Cabin
- 4.1 Racism
- 4.2 Christianity
- 4.2.1 Sermon Genre
- 4.2.2 The Bibles in the Novel
- 4.2.3 Tom and Eva as "Stow's two dying Christs"
- 5. Uncle Tom
- 5.1 Uncle Tom as the Suffering Servant
- 5.2 Uncle Tom as Job
- 5.3 Uncle Tom as Martyr
- 5.4 Conclusion Uncle Tom's analysis
- 6. Eva as a Christ-like figure
- 7. Simon Legree as Satan
- 8. Conclusion and Outlook
- Works cited
Objective & Themes
This thesis primarily analyzes Harriet Beecher Stowe's *Uncle Tom's Cabin* by examining the intertextual use of biblical narratives, focusing on how key characters—Uncle Tom, Eva St. Clare, and Simon Legree—are constructed based on biblical figures such as the Suffering Servant, Job, Jesus, and Satan. The study aims to deepen the understanding of Stowe's moral and theological arguments against slavery and to appreciate her narrative strategy within its historical and cultural context.
- Intertextual analysis of biblical narratives in literature.
- The portrayal of Uncle Tom as a Suffering Servant and Job.
- Eva St. Clare as a Christ-like figure embodying love and sacrifice.
- Simon Legree as a representation of ultimate evil, akin to Satan.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe's strategic use of religious rhetoric to critique slavery.
- The novel's engagement with 19th-century American religious and social discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
UNCLE TOM AS SUFFERING SERVANT
In Isaiah the Servant's physical appearance is described as being marred and disfigured beyond recognition, which emphasizes the physical situation of his suffering and highlights the extent of his torment. Unlike the Suffering Servant, Tom's physical appearance does not immediately reflect his suffering. Instead, it highlights his inner strength and noble character suggesting that dignity and faith can even exist in the face of severe hardship. Therefore, his suffering is more psychological rather than physical, at least in the early parts of the novel. The strong contrast between the marred appearance of the Suffering Servant and the dignified appearance of Uncle Tom serves to highlight different aspects of suffering. While the Servant's physical deformation emphasizes the visible dimensions of suffering, Tom's robust appearance highlights his inner strength that remains unbroken despite hardship.
This is additionally highlighted by their character traits. In Isaiah the biblical figure is described as righteousness and innocence, but still he is scorned and disregarded by those around him (53:3). This also implies to the central figure of the novel. He is introduced as morally upright and hardworking. Described as "Mr. Shelby's best hand" (19), Tom is acknowledged for his loyalty, integrity and skill. When he meets Mr. St. Clare he feels gratitude and hope. He greeds him with "tears and a heartfelt blessing, saying God bless you, Mas'r!" (183). This reaction towards his new Master highlights his capacity for forgiveness and love. But still, later on in the plot he is "scorned and disregarded".
Stowe's excerpt carries several key points. The "Man of Sorrows" is a reference to Christ aka to the Suffering Servant who is aware of every pain and tear of the oppressed, showing a deep empathy and shared burden. Moreover, the oppressed are encouraged to bear their suffering with patience and continue to act in love. As the Servant is oppressed and afflicted but remains silent, the call to "bear thou, like him, in patience" suggests enduring suffering silently and with dignity - mirroring the behavior of the Suffering Servant who, through Tom, deals as a model for African American slaves.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the thesis, introducing Harriet Beecher Stowe's *Uncle Tom's Cabin* as a catalyst for the abolitionist movement and outlining the study's focus on biblical intertextuality.
2. The Writer Response Criticism: This section explains the methodological framework used, detailing how the Writer Response Criticism analyzes authors' engagement with existing literary and cultural traditions through intertextual references.
3. The beginning of religious Anti-Slavery Rhetoric: This chapter explores how 19th-century female abolitionists, including Stowe, utilized religious discourse and biblical allusions to challenge societal norms and advocate against slavery.
4. Research on Uncle Tom's Cabin: This chapter provides an overview of existing scholarship on the novel, specifically highlighting research branches concerning racism and Christianity within *Uncle Tom's Cabin*.
5. Uncle Tom: This extensive chapter analyzes the protagonist Uncle Tom's character through the lens of biblical figures, specifically the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, Job, and as a martyr, exploring parallels and differences.
6. Eva as a Christ-like figure: This chapter examines Eva St. Clare's role as a Christ-like figure, highlighting her angelic purity, compassion, and sacrificial death as symbolic acts for social change against slavery.
7. Simon Legree as Satan: This chapter explores Simon Legree as the embodiment of ultimate evil, comparing him to biblical depictions of Satan to emphasize the cruelty of slavery and contrast Tom's virtue.
8. Conclusion and Outlook: This concluding chapter summarizes the thesis's findings on biblical intertextuality in *Uncle Tom's Cabin* and its contribution to literary and cultural history, while also offering a critical perspective on the novel's problematic stereotypes and its relevance for contemporary activism.
Keywords
Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionism, biblical intertextuality, Suffering Servant, Job, Christ-like figure, Satan, Christian symbolism, 19th-century American literature, slavery, racial stereotypes, moral awakening, Writer Response Criticism, religious rhetoric.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work fundamentally about?
This work fundamentally analyzes Harriet Beecher Stowe's *Uncle Tom's Cabin* by exploring how the author uses biblical narratives and figures to construct her main characters and to convey moral and theological arguments against slavery.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central thematic fields include the intertextual use of biblical narratives, the portrayal of characters like Uncle Tom, Eva, and Simon Legree through biblical archetypes, the critique of slavery through religious rhetoric, and the engagement with 19th-century American religious and social discourse.
What is the primary goal or research question?
The primary goal is to demonstrate how characters in *Uncle Tom's Cabin* are influenced by biblical figures and narratives of both victimization and empowerment, thereby enriching the understanding of Stowe's narrative strategy and theological underpinnings.
Which scientific method is used?
The study primarily employs the Writer Response Criticism, a method of intertextual studies developed by Armin Frank, which examines how authors engage with and transform existing literary works and traditions.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part delves into specific analyses of Uncle Tom as the Suffering Servant and Job, Eva St. Clare as a Christ-like figure, and Simon Legree as a representation of Satan, detailing the parallels and differences between these characters and their biblical counterparts.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is characterized by keywords such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionism, biblical intertextuality, Suffering Servant, Job, Christ-like figure, Satan, Christian symbolism, and Writer Response Criticism.
How does the thesis critically view Stowe's portrayal of African American characters despite her abolitionist intentions?
The thesis critically notes that while Stowe intended to evoke moral outrage and promote abolition, her portrayal of African American characters, particularly Uncle Tom, has been criticized for reinforcing stereotypes of Black dependency and passivity, thus limiting the depiction of Black agency and resistance.
What is the significance of the different Bibles owned by characters in the novel?
The different Bibles—Uncle Tom's simple Testament, Miss Ophelia's annotated family Bible, and Evangeline's complete Bible—symbolize various approaches to faith and the changing material nature of Bibles in the 19th century, highlighting the active, living faith of Tom and Eva versus Ophelia's more rigid faith.
How does Stowe reconcile traditional gender roles for women with her public abolitionist stance?
Stowe, like other female abolitionists of her time, circumvented traditional gender roles by using sermonic literary discourse, interweaving Christian dogmas and biblical themes into her narrative to appeal to public morality and advocate for abolition without overtly transgressing perceived gender and religious boundaries.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonymous (Autor), 2024, Authorial Voice and the Bible in and Beyond Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1609819
