"Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a powerful anti-slavery novel that humanizes the victims of slavery and exposes its moral evils.
The story follows two main plotlines originating from the Shelby plantation in Kentucky. The devout and kind-hearted Uncle Tom is sold to settle his master's debts and sent downriver. Meanwhile, Eliza, a young slave woman, makes a harrowing escape to the North with her young son, Harry, to prevent his sale and the breakup of their family.
Eliza and her husband George eventually reunite in Canada and make plans to emigrate to Liberia. Tom, in his journey, is purchased by the kind Augustine St. Clare after saving his daughter, Eva, from drowning. But through an unfortunate chain of events, Tom is sold to the notoriously brutal plantation owner Simon Legree and faces an uncertain fate.
Stowe's narrative emphasizes the destruction of families and asserts that Christian love and action are incompatible with the institution of slavery, making it a pivotal work in the abolitionist movement.
This edition of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" includes footnotes and is presented in its original and unabridged format.
Autorentext
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) was an American author and abolitionist best known for her influential novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, she was the daughter of Lyman Beecher, a prominent preacher, and grew up in a deeply religious and highly educated family. Stowe's education at the Hartford Female Seminary - founded by her sister Catharine - shaped her belief in the power of education and moral reform.In 1836, she married Calvin Stowe, a professor and fellow abolitionist. Living in Cincinnati, she witnessed the harsh realities of slavery across the Ohio River, which inspired her to write Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852. The novel's vivid portrayal of enslaved people's suffering stirred national debate and strengthened the abolitionist movement. Stowe continued to write on social issues throughout her life. She remains a pivotal figure in American literature and the fight against slavery.