The American historical novel (on American themes) before 1860 : the early novels of James Fenimore Cooper (1821-1831)

Through a close reading of James Fenimore Cooper's first decade of novel‑writing, this study uncovers the ways his early works imagined a distinctly American past. By charting the shift from European‑styled romances to frontier adventures, the author shows how Cooper’s fascination with wilderness, sea life, and nascent national identity shaped a new literary form. The thesis also questions the long‑standing view that Cooper was merely a teller of Indian tales, suggesting his narratives carried a deeper social and political purpose.

Drawing on surviving correspondence, contemporary reviews, and the limited family papers that survived a deliberate purge, the researcher reconstructs Cooper’s creative process and his self‑conscious role as a historical novelist. Comparative analysis with Sir Walter Scott and later American writers highlights both the borrowings and the innovations that gave Cooper’s early novels lasting relevance. Listeners will gain a nuanced portrait of a writer navigating personal ambition, public expectation, and the emerging myth of the American frontier.