‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ by Harriet
Beacher Stow can be described the
‘missionary’ novel. It is a powerful attack on the evil of slavery in the 19th
century American society. It is a very moving story which played an important
part riding away slavery. President Lincoln was not far wrong in greeting
Harriet Beacher with the words,
“So
you’re the little woman
who made
the book that
made the great
war.”-President Lincoln.
ÿ
The
novel is centre on evils of slavery .It presents a vivid picture of pitiable
conditions of the slaves. Novelist has depicted the plight and miseries of the
slaves. Now we critically appreciation on the novel.
Background:
Mrs. Stowe wrote this novel in
1851. At that time independent America was divided into two sections. The
Northern Federation of states did not all slavery while the southern federation
insisted slavery for agriculture and trade. The writer Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stove had seen the miseries of such slaves. She was an earnest Christian. There
was a great struggle to put an end to slavery. The writing of his novel was the
part of this struggle. Stowe herself said,
“All the
happenings of the
story
were true incidents
arranged
by her in the form
of continuous story.” - Mrs. Harriet Stow.
The
title Uncle Tom’s Cabin is
apt and as well as the meaning full. It suggests that the character of Uncle
Tom is the central character of the novel as. It is his loyalty, his suffering,
his unshaken faith in God, his victory over the evil forces reflected in the
novel. Right from the beginning of the novel to end, his character appears and
remains the centre of interest and suggests the suffering and cruelty faced by
slaved in the Southern America.
The
main theme of novel is the evil of slavery. The novel is centre on the
suffering and miserable condition of slaves. The novel described the condition
of 19th century America, where slavery was officially allowed. The condition of slaves was pitiable. They
were treated ruthlessly by their master. They had no rights, they could not own
property, not legally marry and no courts protected them. The novel is a
realistic picture of the life of slaves which is full of suffering and nothing
else. In connection of the intensity of their troubles, Cassy narrates to Tom,
“There’s
nothing here
but evil
and long, long
despair.”
Uncle
Tom is the hero of the novel. He is a martyr of unjust system of
slavery. In the end of the novel, oppression of Legree intensifies Tom’s spiritual quality. Tom’s faith in Jesus Christ
lightens his misery, makes his heart bleed at the pain and hopelessness of
other slaves at the plantation. It is for their sake that Tom resolves to make
the supreme self-sacrifice. There is beauty of Tom’s death. It is glory of
death shows victory of truth and love over evil. In this way, his
character is radiated with self respect and dignity as he says to Legree,
“My soul
ain’t yours, Mas’r”.
Religion
is an important theme in ‘Uncle Tom’s
Cabin’. Religion means unshakeable faith in the fatherhood of God and
love for mankind. Religion expresses itself in inner strength, goodness and
self sacrifice of Tom. Love, gentleness, charity, peace of mid, absence of
hatred even for one’s tormentors and surrender to Lord’s will are the virtues
that all great religions of the world teach us. Tom’s words reveals the
religious virtues as, he says to George,
“I love
every creature oh!
Mas’r
George, what a thing
it is to be a Christian! Who
shall
separate us from the
love of
Christ.”
The
plot of the novel is well built and very simple arranged. The novel has
double plot. (1) Tom’s story (2)
Eliza’ Story. Till the centre part of the novel these stories run
parallel. But after the story of Uncle Tom continued till the end of Tom the
started again Eliza’s story. So the two like two wings of a bird together and
give power and beauty to the novel. It is interesting to note that the story
processed arouse three geographical play-Kentucky in the beginning, New Orleans
in the middle and Legree’s plantation in Deep South in the end.
The
artistic feeling of horror and pathos are related, the first shocks and
revolts the reader and second brings fears of pity in his eyes. The sight of
Old women at Legree’s farm is very pathos. Tom’s dying words also creates
horror and pathos. Rumours about ghost at Legree’s plantation also arouse the
horror. The theme of the novel allows much play of these emotions. The author
has taken great care to restrain the emotion of pathos after Uncle Tom has
resolved to make the supreme sacrifice. The feeling is heightened and it is
elation rather than pathos of hour.
++ The novel is rich in characterization.
It is full of men and women who are kind and cruel, Black and White, large
hearted and selfish, sentimental and cruel, courageous and cowardly. Tom, Eliza, and Legree are the
dominant characters while the characters like George Harris, Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Shelby, Haley, St. Clare, Miss
Ophelia, Emmeline are of a middle size. Eliza and her husband have
matching personality. St. Clare and his wife are the opposite of earth other.
And so are Eva and Topsy, Tom and Legree
The
style of the novel is very simple. The writer who is very simple and
intelligent lady wrote this novel in very simple language because common people
easily understand. Overall the impression of the story is attractive. The whole
story written in prose style.
The
novel has the permanence of appeal. Slavery has long been abolished in
the US, still, the appeal of the novel remains. There are many basic human
emotions in the novel - which depicts so powerfully are permanent and universal
elemental of man’s destiny on earth. e.g. mother’s love for her child, courage
to resist oppression, the agony of the mute and the helpless
‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ is still a very
moving story and an example of the power of pen to influence the course of
history. It is packed with action and suspense, scenes of the horror and pathos
and there is lot of drama in it. It has a well-built plot and simple style. It exposes
the exploitation of slaves by their master in an inhuman way. The novel creates
powerful impression of slavery as the curse on mankind as Mrs. Shelby said,
“This is God’s curse on
Slavery.
It is a wicked and
cruel
thing…a curse to the
master
and a curse to the
slave. It
is sin to hold slaves.”
ÿ In a short, it is popular and will be
remember forever in the history of American literature.
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