GOOD AND BAD SLAVE OWNERS

UNCLE TOM’S CABIN

STRUCTURE Slavery in H. B. Stowe’s American society

Features of the American slavery system in the 19th cen.

Types of slave holders in Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Good slave holders: • The Shelbys • The St. Clares

Bad slave owners: Simon Legree

George Shelby: the first slavery abolitionist

Impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin against slavery

Slavery in H. B. Stowe’s American society

legal institution in the U.S.A in between 18th-19th cen.;

firmly established by the time of the U.S.A’s Declaration

of Independence (1776);

Northern U.S.A-free states vs Southern U.S.A-slave states

more than three million slaves in America in the 1850s;

A.Lincoln: president in 1860-the South=The Confederacy

Civil War: slaves escaped or liberated by the Union army;

The 13th Amendment outlawed in 1865 slavery in U.S.A;

Features of the American slavery system in the 19th century

slave trade-major economic activity;

treatment: brutality, degradation,

inhumanity, whippings, executions,

rapes, deplorable living conditions;

rape and sexual abuse among women

slave-men: 80 pounds/day of cotton;

slave-women: 70 pounds/day of cotton

on large plantations: severe overseers;

Types of slave holders in Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Good slave ownersenlightened, generous, considerate

as Mr. Shelby & St. Clare

Bad slave ownerspersonal ugliness, coarseness and

profaneness of Legree

THE SHELBYS ‘mild form of slavery’

Good living conditions;

allowed marriage: George&Eliza;

inspired them Christian values;

Mrs. Shelby sacrifices for them;

financial mismanagement of

Mr. Shelby SLAVE TRADER

*Key facts and features of slavery to the Shelbys

‘I don't want to make my fortune on her.’(Mr. Shelby, p.4) ‘did anything that might contribute to the physical comfort

of the negroes on his estate.’(U T’s C, p. 8-Mr. Shelby) ‘I have taught them the duties of the family, of parent and

child, and husband and wife.’ (Mrs. Shelby, p. 33); ‘"This is God's curse on slavery!... a curse to the master and a curse to the slave!”...’ (Mrs. Shelby, p. 34); ‘If I could only at least save Eliza's child, I would sacrifice

anything I have.’(Mrs. Shelby, p.34) *her watch to be sold;

THE ST. CLARES ‘protective slavery’; liberal views vs cruel slavery;

sacredness of common humanity;

intuitive humanely natured slavery

A. St. Clare wields his power with

impunity;

one man can’t make a difference!;

Eva: a difference through one man

*Key facts and features of slavery to the St. Clares

My life is a contemptible non sequitur for it doesn’t follow from his own opinions.’ (A. St. Clare, p. 198);

‘Dolph was particularly huffy about it, and I had to talk to him like a father, to bring him round.’(St. Clare, p. 181)

‘I have been obliged to give him a little insight into his mistake.”’ (St. Clare, p. 180)

‘Why, send them to the calaboose, or some of the other places to be flogged. ..If I wasn't such a poor, feeble piece, I believe I should manage with twice the energy that St. Clare does.’ (Mrs. St. Clare, p. 180)

SIMON LEGREE ‘abominable slavery’;

slavery: a profitable business;;

freedom extremely limited and

pour living and working conditions;

boisterous, tyrannical treatment;

sexual abuses and no medical cure;

*Key facts and features of slavery at Simon Legree

‘Now, mind yourself,“…"I'm your church now! You understand-you've got to be as I say.’ (Legree, p. 353);

‘I don't go for savin' niggers. Use up, and buy more, 's myway;-makes you less trouble, and I'm quite sure it comes cheaper in the end;“ (Legree, p. 355) the cotton incident: Tom and Lucy: “What, you lazy beast!

short again! stand aside you'll catch it pretty soon!“(L.p.372) “the legal power of the master amounts to an absolute

despotism over body and soul, no protection for the slave's life or limb, family, conscience, but HIS CHARACTER.”

GEORGE SHELBY the first slavery abolitionist; acting on one’s own conscience

and one’s personal relationship to God;

the redemptive power of love and Christianity;

a testimony for education and moral values;

generosity, justice, individuality and freedom;

*Key facts about the abolition of slavery of G. Shelby

“Witness, eternal God! Oh, witness that, from this hour, I will do what one man can to drive out this curse of slavery from my land!”(George Shelby, p. 457);

“It will take you some time to learn, -- how to use the rights I give you as free men and women.” (G. Shelby, p. 458);

“This is an age of the world when nations are trembling and convulsed. Is America safe? Every nation that carries in its bosom great injustice has in it the elements of this last convulsion.” (The Author, p. 467)

Impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin against slavery

*moral battle cry for freedom* (L. Hughes)

contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War by personalizing the political and economic arguments about slavery;

helped many 19th-century Americans determine what kind of country they wanted;

looked at slavery from a slave's perspective and lighted a fire under the abolitionist movement;

inspired the free colored people with self-respect, hope, and confidence;

inspired universally through the country a kindlier feeling toward the negro race;

set an example on how literature helps us facing responsibilities not avoiding them;

Bibliography

1. Stowe, B. H., Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc., A.B.A.A., Boston, MA, U.S.A., 1992;

2. Stowe, B. H., A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Sampson Low, Son & Co., Stamford Street, 1853;

3. http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccernew2?id=StoCabi.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english

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