Novel: Hope Leslie

Novel Information:

Catherine Maria Sedgwick’s novel is often overlooked in the early American canon of literature. Written in 1827, but taking place in colonial times, Hope Leslie is a rich resource for many areas of study. For one thing, this masterpiece lends itself to applications in Native American issues. Not only could this text be preceded by a unit on Indian history and folklore, but it could be utilized to study historical and contemporary stereotypes, persecution, and racism against all people. The novel also deals with women’s issues. Cultural ideals of marriage and gender stereotypes are obvious topics for discussion from the text. The prototype of the Indian heroine, Magawisca, is reason enough to read Hope Leslie, for she is an unprecedented heroine and a substantial step in the humanization of both women and the American Indian. Finally, the text has substantial merit as a commentary on colonial times and could be used to launch a unit on Puritan New England.

Novel Resources, Annotated Bibliography:

“Cartographies of Desire: Captivity, Race, and Sex in the Shaping of an American Nation.” Faery, Rebecca Blevins. Early American Literature 36:1 (2001): 127-132. 15 Feb 2002.
This article lends itself to a gender-focused reading of the text. It could be best incorporated in a curriculum which has studied other captivity texts from this era, such as Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative, as well as the story of Pocahontas.

“ ‘My Sister! My Sister!’: The Rhetoric of Catharine Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie.” Fetterley, Judith. American Literature 70:3 (1998): 491-516.
This article is a powerful tool in examining how Sedgwick’s language contributes to the identity of the cultural entities the literature touches. Useful in studying the significance in the voice of the woman in context of the new Republic.

A review of “Hope Leslie; or Early Times in Massachusetts.” Greenwood, F.W.P. The North American Review 26:59 (1828): 403-420. 15 Feb. 2000 .
This article is a review of the novel which praises Hope Leslie as the best of Sedwick’s works. The perspective of the author enriches a discussion on how “history” changes over time. Could be a useful tool to compare this review to more recent criticisms of the work.

“Catharine Maria Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie: The Crisis Between Ethical Political Action and US Literary Nationalism in the New Republic.” Karafilis, Maria. American Transcendental Quarterly: 19th Century American Literature and Culture 12:4 (1998): 327-344.
This article adds insight to the novel’s significance in relation to the republic. It deals with issues of individualism, communitarianism, and citizenship. It invites discussion on the topic of what citizenship means both at the birth of the republic and today.

“Magawisca’s Body of Knowledge: Nation-Building in Hope Leslie.” Stadler, Gustavus. The Yale Journal of Criticism 12:1 (1999): 41-56.
This article delves into a critical analysis of the character of Magawisca and the different elements that went into the creation of this interesting literary figure. It also analyzes the final outcome and significance of this character; what she truly represents.

Novel Resources, Annotated Bibliography with Links:

(due to the inconsistency of web page maintenence some of the links may no longer be available)

Early American Fiction. U. of Virginia Library. 15 Feb 2002
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/cms.html
This website includes many useful links for early American fiction. Included in this project are two biographies from relative contemporaries of Miss Sedgwick, providing an interesting perspective on how she was received by her peers. This site provides information, however, on various authors and works.

Early Native American Literature: Brief Outline Guide. Ed. Donna Campbell. 5 Jan. 2002. Gonzaga U. 26 Feb. 2002
http://www.gonzaga.edu/faculty.Campbell/enl310/native.htm
This website offers information regarding Early Native American Literature. It outlines basic devices, functions, and characteristics of myth and legend, as well as highlighting some of the leading figures and themes of Indian Literature. It also provides basic dates and general information for Native American History.

Electronic Archives for Teaching the American Literatures. Ed. Randy Bass. CEPACS, Georgetown U. 26 Feb. 2002
http://www.Georgetown.edu/tamlit.tamlit-home.html
This website offers various links to provide resources for teaching American Literature. While the database is not specifically catered to the Sedgwick’s novel, this site represents a rich resource of teaching materials for this and countless other works.

The American Colonist’s Library: A Treasury of Primary Documents. 26 Feb 2002.
http://personal.pitnet/primarysources/#16
This site is a vast library of virtually every document having to do with America as a nation. From classical literature that influenced the American Colonists to treaties drawn up between the Indians and the government, virtually any official document can be accessed through this link. An extremely valuable source for teachers of American history in any respect.

The Native American History Archive: A New Center for Native American Studies in Internetworked Classrooms. Institute for Learning Technologies. 26 Feb. 2002
http://www.ilt.Columbia.edu/k12/naha/
This website contains countless links to Native American resources. Information is available relating to historical as well as contemporary issues for Native Americans. Also, there are sites modeled for use by K-12 students, so this site is especially useful for educators.

Witchcraft in Salem Village. U. of Virginia. 15 Feb. 2002
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/
This site explores various documents and resources about the Salem Witch Trials. This site would be extremely helpful in collecting information about the colonial period, Puritan New England, and includes actual documents from this era.

Information compiled by Becky Schmidt

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