Hope Leslie: Or, Early Times in the Massachusetts

by Catharine Maria Sedgwick

Book Overview

Hope Leslie (1827), set in the seventeenth-century New England, is a novel that forced readers to confront the consequences of the Puritans' subjugation and displacement of the indigenous Indian population at a time when contemporaries were demanding still more land from the Cherokees, the Chickasaws, and the Choctaws.

"This handsome reprint ... makes available after many decades the New Englander's tale of seventeeth-century Puritans,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813512220
• ISBN13: 9780813512228
• Release Date: May 1987
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher

Customer Reviews

A Gem Decoded

Hope Leslie starts out with conflict, with love, with deception, and willing exile to a new land. The story is neatly woven, with plenty of action, romance, and adventure. It is written in a bit difficult of a style, but this book is much worth the decoding. Sedgwick delicately places passeges of savory descriptions of the beauty of the wildlands of New England, and glorifies aspects of both Christianity and Native American theology, but does not disregard small ugliness hidden within both. If looked at carefully, one can see the way that Sedgwick has shown that the Native American and colonist cultures are not as different as they seem. This is a story of bravery, of love, and of the true nature of all of mankind. Think not, though, that there is no humor in it. Hope Leslie is a witty, passively rebelious girl who fights for what she believes in. She is an enigma that will remain in the hearts of all who read her story. Sedgwick has breathed the breath of life into all her characters and their stories, and their lives will leave imprints on all who read _Hope Leslie._

a wonderful glimpse in the past of our country

Sedgewick wrote this book almost 200 years ago. It was hard to read this book without comparing just about everything. I compared her vocabulary, her descriptions of indians vs the british, the descriptions of appropriate behavior, the mores of the puritans. Particularly delightful was the way she portrayed Native Americans speaking in old english "thither he went" "thy hands"I have read other books from this era, and normally they have a terrible ending, so we can all mourn the (dead) heroine. This book had some skillful twists and turns. Surely as some of our less sophisticated readers have remarked, the plot was rather romantic and maybe even foppish, but consider the era in which it was read. it is a valuable window to the past.I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read

subtexts give women options

Written in the early 19th century and portraying the New England Puritan lives of the late 17th century, Sedgwick creates multiple patterns for what women can be, maneuvering between what is "appropriate" behavior according to men and the church and what is the motivation of the heart. Hope Leslie, the eponymous character, is almost always motivated by her heart rather than the rules of Puritan New England, and this lands her in all kinds of trouble. Still, her heart wins almost everyone despite her breaking of rules. Catherine Maria Sedgwick offended readers from the West when this was published because they felt her representation of Indians, through her female character, was too noble. But for women reading the novel today, almost 200 years later, the inspiration of this book lies in the many female characters, all of which represent some "pattern" or model that individual women may find themselves identifying with. There is not ONE model of womanhood, femaleness, but many. Interestingly, there are two women blown up on a ship near the end of the book. One is given a funeral ceremony (although she was Catholic, not Puritan, masqueraded as a male, and lived with a male lover unmarried); the other woman is never missed by anyone. Reading to find out who and why is worth the ride. Enjoy the book!

Excellent example of early American literature

The book was required reading for my American Lit Before 1865 class. I had never heard of it or the author before then. I am glad I was introduced to both. The narrative is fast paced and will not lose your interest. Sedgwick used the storyline to comment upon several issues peculiar to this country. It is amazing how many of those issues are still with us nearly 170 years after the book was written and over 350 years after the story's setting.

This novel deserves some recognition.

I had to read this book for a college class on American Women writers, and found it especially intruiging. Sedgewick speaks with a literary voice that needs to be heard. You get so caught up in the story that you almost miss out on the intentions that the author has set out to convey through her story. The reader is captivated by the unfettered spirit of Magawisca, and feels remorse for Mrs.Fletcher and the hardships she must endure. While Hope becomes the main focus near the middle of the book, you find yourself rooting for other characters as well. Sedgewicks writing style is fresh, and you truly never know what to expect. She takes an old story and brings it to life with her own little twists and turns. You'll become absorbed, and although it is a rather long novel, you'll never want to put it down.