In James Fenimore Cooper’s fiction, ‘women are of central social significance.
[Cooper’s] theme is society, and he defines women as the nexus of social interaction,’
Nina Baym argues1. She claims that the author is not interested in women’s personhood
or individuality, but rather in their usefulness for society. According to Baym,
matrimony is ‘the chief “statement” of the social language’.2 Therefore, if a woman is
apt for marriage, she is socially utile. One of the main aspects of The Last of the
Mohicans is the dichotomy between the half-sisters Cora and Alice Munro, to whom the
concept of social usefulness can be applied. On the one hand, Fenimore Cooper presents
Alice, who is fair, helpless and infant ile, as marriageable. On other hand, Cora, the dark,
courageous and initiated sister, is considered unsuitable for wifehood. Instead of letting
Cora be united in marriage with the Indian Uncas in the end of the novel, the author
decides to kill both of the m. Many of his contemporaries have urged Cooper to change
the unhappy ending. One critic, for instance, writes:
Every event as we go along points to a favourable termination, when just at the
winding up, the design seems to be capriciously reversed, and [Cora and Uncas]
are most summarily and unnecessarily disposed of. The vessel, having braved all
the dangers of her voyage, sinks as she is floating into smooth water.3
1 Nina Baym, ‘The Women of Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales’, American Quarterly 23
(1971), p. 697.
2 Ibid., p. 698.
3 Unsigned review, The United States Literary Gazette, iv (May 1826), pp 87-94,
reprinted in George Dekker and John P. McWilliams (eds.), Fenimore Cooper the
Critical Heritage, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1973, p. 100.
Table of Contents
1. Justifying Cora Munro’s Death: Social Usefulness in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the ideological motivations behind James Fenimore Cooper's decision to kill the character Cora Munro in "The Last of the Mohicans," examining how her perceived lack of "social usefulness" and her mixed racial background conflict with 18th and 19th-century gender and societal norms.
- The dichotomy of "social usefulness" between the sisters Cora and Alice Munro.
- Gender expectations and the role of women in patriarchal American society.
- The impact of racial identity and the author's underlying fear of miscegenation.
- Comparison between Cooper’s theoretical views on multiracialism and his practical literary decisions.
- The role of the "frontier" and adaptability in defining societal belonging.
Excerpt from the Book
Justifying Cora Munro’s Death: Social Usefulness in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans
In James Fenimore Cooper’s fiction, ‘women are of central social significance. [Cooper’s] theme is society, and he defines women as the nexus of social interaction,’ Nina Baym argues. She claims that the author is not interested in women’s personhood or individuality, but rather in their usefulness for society. According to Baym, matrimony is ‘the chief “statement” of the social language’. Therefore, if a woman is apt for marriage, she is socially utile. One of the main aspects of The Last of the Mohicans is the dichotomy between the half-sisters Cora and Alice Munro, to whom the concept of social usefulness can be applied. On the one hand, Fenimore Cooper presents Alice, who is fair, helpless and infantile, as marriageable. On other hand, Cora, the dark, courageous and initiated sister, is considered unsuitable for wifehood. Instead of letting Cora be united in marriage with the Indian Uncas in the end of the novel, the author decides to kill both of them.
Summary of Chapters
1. Justifying Cora Munro’s Death: Social Usefulness in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans: This chapter analyzes the contrasting character traits of Cora and Alice, situating their fates within the rigid gender and racial expectations of Cooper’s era and exploring why Cora’s independence leads to her narrative demise.
Keywords
James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans, Cora Munro, social usefulness, gender roles, racial impurity, miscegenation, Alice Munro, patriarchy, 19th-century literature, American identity, literary criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the literary and ideological reasons behind the death of Cora Munro in "The Last of the Mohicans," specifically questioning why the author deemed her "socially useless" compared to her sister, Alice.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the intersection of gender expectations, the concept of "social usefulness" for women, racial prejudices, and the author's conflicting attitudes toward a multiracial American future.
What is the main research question?
The research seeks to explain why, from the perspective of James Fenimore Cooper’s societal framework, killing the heroine was seen as preferable to allowing her to marry either Major Heyward or Uncas.
Which methodology does the author apply?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing feminist and post-colonial theoretical frameworks—such as Nina Baym’s concept of "social usefulness"—to deconstruct the gender and racial power dynamics within the novel.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the physical and characterological contrast between the two sisters, the historical context of 18th and 19th-century gender roles, the impact of racial background on social acceptability, and the broader political implications of "miscegenation" in Cooper's work.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans, social usefulness, gender roles, miscegenation, and racial impurity.
How does Cora's character trait of 'adaptability' influence the narrative?
Cora’s ability to adapt to the wilderness and her strength of character make her an ideal partner for Uncas, yet these same traits are viewed as threatening by a patriarchal society, ultimately sealing her tragic fate.
Why does the author argue that Cooper’s ending reflects a 'sense of racial doom'?
The ending is interpreted as a clear statement that Cooper believed the future of the United States depended on maintaining traditional racial and cultural boundaries, effectively excluding the possibility of a successful union between the different races represented by Cora and Uncas.
- Quote paper
- Nina Dietrich (Author), 2002, Justifying Cora Munro's Death: Social Usefulness in Cooper's Last of the Mohicans, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/19971
