Summary
The Last of the Mohicans, published in 1826, is James Fenimore Cooper's most famous and enduring novel. Set during the French and Indian War in 1757, it tells the story of frontiersman Natty Bumppo, known as Hawkeye, and his Mohican companions Chingachgook and Uncas as they attempt to rescue the kidnapped daughters of a British colonel. The novel is the second book in Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales series and helped establish many of the tropes and character archetypes associated with frontier fiction. While modern readers may find some of the portrayals stereotypical or dated, The Last of the Mohicans was groundbreaking for its time in humanizing Native American characters and criticizing aspects of European colonization. The novel has remained widely read for nearly 200 years and is still frequently taught in American literature courses.
Plot
Set in 1757 during the French and Indian War, The Last of the Mohicans follows the dangerous journey of two sisters, Cora and Alice Munro, as they travel through the New York wilderness to reach their father at Fort William Henry. They are escorted by Major Duncan Heyward and guided by a Native American named Magua. Along the way, they encounter Natty Bumppo, a frontiersman better known as Hawkeye, and his two Mohican companions, Chingachgook and his son Uncas.
After discovering that Magua is secretly allied with the French and plans to betray them, Hawkeye and the Mohicans attempt to lead the group to safety. However, Magua manages to capture the sisters and Heyward. Hawkeye and the Mohicans give chase, rescuing the captives and escorting them to Fort William Henry. The fort soon falls to French forces led by General Montcalm, who allows the British to evacuate. But Magua and his Huron warriors ambush the retreating column, capturing Cora and Alice once again.
Hawkeye, Uncas, Chingachgook, and Heyward pursue Magua to rescue the sisters. Their quest takes them to a Huron village and then a Delaware village. Cora is given to Magua, according to tribal custom, while the others are freed. In the climactic battle that follows, Uncas and Cora are killed by Magua, who is in turn slain by Hawkeye. Alice is rescued, but Uncas's death marks the end of the Mohican line.
The novel concludes with the funerals of Uncas and Cora. Chingachgook mourns that he is now truly the “Last of the Mohicans.” Hawkeye reaffirms his friendship with Chingachgook, while Heyward and Alice presumably will marry. The Delaware sage Tamenund prophesies the eventual dominance of European settlers and the decline of Native American peoples in the American frontier.
