Anthony Campitelli
Joe Lang
Flexo
Mike Dudenhaver
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The Romantic hero refers to a character that rejects
established norms and conventions, has been
rejected by society, and has the self as the center of
his existence.
The Romantic hero first began appearing in
literature during the Romantic Period, in works by
such authors as Byron, Percy Shelley, and Goethe,
and is seen in part as a response to the French
Revolution. As Napolean, the "living model of a
hero", became a disappointment to many, the
notion of the hero as upholding social order began
to be challenged.
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Possess an understanding of his inner-self or innerworld
Understands the value of his experiences through
emotions, intuition, and feelings rather than logically
reasoning
Drawn to nature and filled with intuition
Reject the standard guidelines of society and follow
own code of morality and justice
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Since the founding of
America, up to the early
1800s American authors did
not have their own
style. They stuck mainly to
European themes and
structures and were as
unsophisticated and
uncivilized “copy-cat”
authors. This insult
jumpstarted the creation of
the American Romantic
hero.
James Fenimore Cooper is
the American author
credited with defining a
true American Hero in his
Leatherstocking Tales
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The Leatherstocking Tales are a series of novels set in the early frontier
period of American history. The Deerslayer depicts Natty Bumppo's
experiences as a young man. The events take place in the 1740s in the upstate
New York, where Deerslayer is joined by his Mohican friend, Chingachgook,
to rescue two frontiersmen.
The Last of the Mohicans is set in the 1757 during the Seven Years' War
between the French and the British. Hawkeye / Bumppo and his friends
Chingachgook and Uncas with a group of English civilians are betrayed by
their Indian guide Magua. Hawkeye revenges the death of his friend Uncas
and an English lady, Cora, and kills Magua
The Pathfinder is also set during the war, and tells a story of betrayal and love.
The Pioneers is set in 1793 in Otsego County in the recently settled region of
New York state. Natty Bumppo, now known as Leatherstocking, and his
friend Oliver Edwards befriend Judge Temple and his daughter Elisabeth.
Prairie is set in 1804. Natty Bumppo meets a wagon train and helps it to evade
an Indian raiding party. The travellers endure a prairie fire, a buffalo
stampede, and capture by the Sioux. In the end of the tale Bumppo peacefully
dies on the prairie, surrounded by his friends
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Born in Burlington, New Jersey
His father was a United States Congressman
After his first birthday, his family moved to Cooperstown,
New York
At 13, Cooper was enrolled at Yale, but he did not obtain a
degree (was expelled for too many pranks).
At 18, Cooper joined the United States Navy
Left Navy in 1811.
Had seven children, five lived to adulthood.
Published his first book in 1820
Began writing his famous leatherstocking Tales in 1823 (this
is beginning of Deerslayer)
Wrote his most famous novel last of the Mohicans in 1826
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PRECAUTION, 1820
THE SPY, 1821 THE PILOT, 1823
THE PIONEERS, 1823
TALES FOR FIFTEEN, 1823
LIONEL LINCOLN, 1825
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS-1826
THE PRAIRIE, 1827
THE RED ROVER, 1827
NOTIONS OF THE AMERICANS, 1828
THE WEPT OF WISH-TON-WISH, 1829
THE WATER WITCH, 1830
THE BRAVO, 1831
THE HEIDENMAUER, 1832
THE HEADSMAN, 1833 )
THE SEA LIONS, 1849
THE WAYS OF THE HOUR, 1850
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A LETTER TO HIS COUNTRYMEN, 1834
THE MONIKINS, 1835
GLEANINGS IN EUROPE, 1836-38
THE AMERICAN DEMOCRAT, 1838
HOMEWARD BOUND, 1838
HOME AS FOUND, 1838
THE PATHFINDER, 1840 MERCEDES OF CASTILE, 1840
THE DEERSLAYER, 1841 THE TWO ADMIRALS, 1842
THE JACK O'LANTERN
WYANDOTTÉ, 1843
NED MYERS; OR, A LIFE BEFORE THE MAST, 1843
AFLOAT AND ASHORE; OR THE ADVENTURES OF MILES WALLINGFORD, 1844
SATANSTOE; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS, 1845
THE CHAINBEARER, 1845
THE REDSKINS, 1846 (also entitled RAVENSNEST; OR, THE REDSKINS)
JACK TIER; OR, THE FLORIDA REEF 1848 ( also titled CAPTAIN SPIKE; OR, THE ISLETS OF THE
GULF)
THE CRATER, 1847 (also entitled MARK'S REEF; OR, THE CRATER)
THE BEE-HUNTER, 1848
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Youthful, innocent, and pure of heart
Has a sense of honor based not on society’s
rules, but on a higher principle
Knowledge of life/people through intuition =
street smarts
Loves nature; avoids city-life
Look for a “higher truth” in the natural world
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Although the traditional Romantic Hero and
the American Romantic Hero share some if not
most of the same general qualities as each
other, there is certainly one distinct difference.
The American Romantic Hero focuses much
more heavily on nature, and man being pure as
a result from living a simplistic natural lifestyle
away from corrupt urban life. This heavy
reliance on nature and a more simplistic
Indian-like lifestyle has been characterized as
being a Noble Savage.
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The term noble savage usually refers to what an
American Romantic hero is portrayed as. It was
popularized from the Leatherstocking Tales by James
Fenimore Cooper.
The term refers to a person who usually is not
jaded or burdened by city life, and by being so
distanced from corrupt society and in touch with
nature is viewed as essentially good, as nature is
perceived as pure and simplistic. By being so close
to his natural settings has become more pure
himself…..
(Think DEERSLAYER!!!)
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Where was James Fenimore Cooper Born?
Name 2 novels Fenimore Cooper wrote?
What tribe did Deerslayer belong to?
Why was the American Romantic Hero created
and how does it differ from a traditional hero
at the time?
Explain to the best of your ability what a nobel
savage represents and provide an example?
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"James Fenimore Cooper." Online Literature. The
Literature Network. Web. 28 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.online-literature.com/cooperj/>.
Lieukonnen, Petri. "James Fenimore Cooper."
Kirjasto.com. Books and Authors. Web. 28 Mar.
2010. <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/jfcooper.htm>.
"The Deerslayer." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, Feb. &
March 2009. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
<http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deers
layer>.
"Romantic Hero." Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Web. 26
Mar. 2010.
<http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_
hero>.