Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an anti-slavery novel written by an American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe. This was one of my favourite novels during graduation and today as well.

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) was an American eradicator and author. She is best known for her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

In the 17^th and 18^th centuries North America was a British colony. The southern part of the continent was suitable for growing cotton, which was sold for high prices. The settlers need lots of labour to develop their land. Thus, they bought slaves from the west coast of Africa and sold to the planters in the southern states of America.

The novel was written in 1852, at that time America was divided into two sections. The Northern Federation of States did not allow slavery, while the Southern Federation insisted that slavery was important for the development of agriculture and trade. In the Northern Federation, there was a great struggle to put end to slavery. The writing of this novel was part of this struggle. Mrs.Stowe herself said that all the happenings of the story were true incidents, arranged by her in form of continuous story. (Stowe)

Plot of the story:-

Uncle Tom’s Cabin from vaidehi Hariyani

 Tom’s story is the main plot of the novel, while Eliza’s story works as a sub-plot of the novel. There are many other incidents also which plays a vital role in the novel.

Here in this novel we can see that how the people were treated as things and how they were sold. Whenever we talk about colonialism, first we think of our own country. There were many other countries who have also suffered a lot in British colony not just India. We can imagine their plight as Stowe has described it very well.

“But those who are slaves are never safe from fear. They may enjoy a comfortable life, but according to law they are ‘things’. These men and women, fathers, mothers and children, are all nothing but belonging to a master. As things, they may be bought and sold at his will, or when his money is lost or death takes him away from them.”

The people were not even allowed to marry and stay together. Though at the end we see that Eliza and Tom both gained freedom in a different way.

The slavery had become so much habituated that Tom thought to get good master like Mr. Shelby and Augustine St. Clare, rather than freedom. However at last he gets freedom through death.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin describes conditions which no longer exist, but this novel worked as a powerful instrument in bringing this colonial torture to an end by rousing public opinion against their continuation.

In 1865, the northern federation won the civil war and slavery was abolished. The northern and southern federation merged as the United States of America.

It is still a very moving story and a wonderful example of the saying “Pen is mightier than a Sword”.

Reference

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Ed. A. S Martin. Madras: Oxford India, 1953. 1-2.