Last Of The Mohicans

The Last of the Mohicans is a novel written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826 that takes place during the French and Indian War, in which the Huron tribe fought with the French army and the Mohicans fought with the British army. It is highly influential and is deemed an indispensable work of American literature. It includes many romantic traits. The Last of the Mohicans is a romantic based novel that describes the traits of romanticism dealing with intimacy and the protection and care of family.

Hawkeye, also called Nathaniel and was a white man adopted by the Mohicans, showed many traits of romanticism. Throughout the entire movie, he displays these characteristics. He does not show his love for Cora Munro, Colonel Munro’s daughter, by intimacy at

first, but he does so by helping her remain safe throughout the war. Hawkeye helps Cora and her sister, Alice Munro, leave Monroe’s fort and travel to the French fort. Hawkeye keeps them safe from Indian attacks, also.
Another way Hawkeye displays a trait of romanticism is with his intimacy with Cora Munro. He falls in love with her and was willing to give up his own life to save hers. After the Indians captured Cora and were planning to hang her over a fire to burn alive, he told the Indians to take his life in exchange for Cora’s; however, the Indians did not understand Hawkeye because he spoke a different language.
Hawkeye’s closeness with nature is also a sense of romanticism. Even though Hawkeye was a white man, he was raised by the Mohican father, Chingachgook. This allowed Hawkeye to have the experts of hunting animals and the aspects of nature.
At the beginning of the movie, Hawkeye and his family were hunting in the forest for animals. They chased down a deer throughout the forest and lured the deer into a spot that was easy to aim and had a very clean shot. After Hawkeye shot the deer with his bow and arrow, he ran up to the deer and knelt down beside it. He then thanked the deer and acknowledge the deer’s agility and strength. Hawkeye sees animals just as he sees himself.
Major Duncan Heyward, a British officer, is another man that displayed characteristics of romanticism throughout the movie.

He has fallen in love with Cora Munro and planned to marry her when they returned back to England. After the British escaped the fort and surrendered the war, they were headed back home when they were attacked and captured by Indians. The Indians decided to release Alice Munro since she was the youngest of the two sisters so she could keep the family name going. However, the Indians decided to kill Cora Munro by burning her alive. Hawkeye tried to tell the Indians to take him instead of her, but he did not speak the Indians’ language. However, Major Duncan Heyward did. He responded to the Indians “Take me, not her. I am the one you want. I am the English soldier.” The Indians then captured Major Duncan Heyward and placed him in a fire to burn alive.

After Major Duncan Heyward was captured and placed in the fire, Hawkeye showed another trait of romanticism, not by intimacy but by compassion. Instead of letting Major Duncan Heyward suffer and burn to death, Hawkeye shot him from a distance to put him out of his misery so he would not have to suffer a long and excruciating

death.
Uncas showed a characteristic of romanticism. After the Indians had captured Alice Munro, who he had developed a strong sense of intimacy and love for, Uncas attacked the Indians hoping to free Alice. Magua, a Native American, stabbed Uncas, causing him to die and fall off of the side of the mountain. He demonstrated his love for Alice Munro by risking his own life to try to save hers.
After Alice witnessed Uncas get murdered by the Native American, Magua, she decided that her life would not be the same without Uncas by her side. She decided to end her own life by falling off of the side of the mountain. She would rather not live at all than to be held captive by the Native Americans.
Another trait of romanticism deals with how a family is very protective and caring for each other. After the Indians killed Uncas, Chingachgook, their Mohican father, expressed extreme anger and rage. He killed most of the Native Americans and especially Magua, the one who killed Uncas. He made sure Magua’s death was painful and slow.
When Cora Munro, Alice Munro, and Major Duncan Heyward were captured by the Native Americans, Hawkeye used his knowledge and skills of nature to help locate them. He noticed how a tree branch was broken and followed the path that led him right into the Indian’s tribe where they all gathered around to discuss the punishment of Cora, Alice, and Major Duncan Heyward.