The Emergence of the American Frontier Hero 1682-1826: Gender, Action, and Emotion (American Literature Readings in the 21st Century)

This book defines the previously unaddressed, early evolution of the American frontier hero in literature and popular culture. Denise MacNeil resituates the literary origins of this hero from the nineteenth century to the seventeenth century by tracing its roots to Mary Rowlandson’s narration of her experiences as a prisoner. This study follows the subsequent evolution through works by Unca Eliza Winkfield, Charles Brockden Brown, James Fenimore Cooper, and the film-maker John Ford and actor John Wayne. This book exposes complex gender and racial roots and clarifies a cultural stereotype that has become one of those most highly coded as white and masculine within American literature and culture. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 1. The American Frontier Hero in Mary Rowlandson’s Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration......Page 12 2. Mythological Roots of the American Frontier Hero......Page 26 3. Mary Rowlandson, Puritan Hero......Page 50 4. Mothering the Adamic Hero......Page 74 5. Transcending Gendered English American Social Positions: Gender and Racial Multiplicity in The Female American; or, the Adventures of Unca Eliza Winkfield......Page 94 6. Dancing between Ferocity and Delicacy in Edgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker by Charles Brockden Brown......Page 112 7. Reconstituting the American Frontier Hero through James Fenimore Cooper’s Natty Bumppo in The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757......Page 144 8. Mary Rowlandson in Jeans: The John Ford/John Wayne Film The Searchers and the Mary Rowlandson Archetype......Page 168 Notes......Page 202 Works Cited......Page 220 A......Page 226 B......Page 227 C......Page 228 E......Page 229 G......Page 230 H......Page 231 M......Page 232 P......Page 234 S......Page 235 V......Page 236 W......Page 237 Figure 8.1 Relationship of the American Frontier Hero to the “Threshold of Adventure” and the Adventure Cycle (Campbell 245–246)......Page 170 This book defines the previously unaddressed early evolution of the American frontier hero in literature and popular culture. Denise Mary MacNeil resituates the literary origins of this hero from the nineteenth century to the seventeenth century by tracing its roots to Mary Rowlandson's narration of her experiences as a prisoner. This study follows the subsequent evolution through works by Unca Eliza Winkfield, Charles Brockden Brown, James Fenimore Cooper, film-maker John Ford, and actor John Wayne. This book exposes complex gender and racial roots and clarifies a cultural stereotype that has become one of those most highly coded as white and masculine within American literature and culture The study follows the early evolution of the American frontier hero, from its roots in Mary Rowlandson's narration of her experiences as a prisoner during King Phillip's war through works by Unca Eliza Winkfield, Charles Brockden Brown, James Fenimore Cooper, the film-maker John Ford, and actor John Wayne. The study follows the early evolution of the American frontier hero, from its roots in Mary Rowlandson's narration of her experiences as a prisoner during King Phillip's war through works by Unca Eliza Winkfield, Charles Brockden Brown, James Fenimore Cooper, the film-maker John Ford, and actor John Wayne Denise Mary Macneil. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [209]-214) And Index.