Anti-Tom literature consists of the 19th century pro-slaverynovels and other literary works written in response to Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Also called plantation literature, these writings were generally written by authors from the Southern United States. Books in the genre attempted to show that slavery was beneficial to African Americans and that the evils of slavery, as depicted in Stowe's book, were overblown and incorrect.
Image from The Planter's Northern Bride (1854) by Caroline Lee Hentz, one of the most famous examples of Anti-Tom literature
First published in serialized form from 1851–52 (in the abolitionist journal The National Era), and in book form in 1852, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe quickly became the best-selling novel of the 19th century (and the second best-selling book of the century after the Bible).[1] This abolitionist novel focused on the evils of slavery and was inspired by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act two years before, which punished those who aided runaway slaves. The book was highly controversial and fanned the debate over slavery in the country.
The response to Stowe's novel in the American South was one of outrage. To counter Stowe's novel, Southern writers produced many pro-slavery books, the vast majority of them novels. In 1852 alone, eight anti-Tom novels were published.[2]
These anti-Tom novels tended to feature a benign white patriarchal master and a pure wife, both of whom presided over childlike enslaved people in a benevolent extended-family-style plantation. The novels either implied or directly stated the view that African Americans were unable to live their lives without being directly overseen by white people.[3]
Today, these novels and books are generally seen as pro-slavery propaganda. The anti-Tom genre died off with the start of the American Civil War.[4]
Simms' The Sword and the Distaff came out only a few months after Stowe's novel and contains several sections and discussions that debate Stowe's book and view of slavery. The novel focuses on the Revolutionary War and its aftermath through the lives of Captain Porgy and one of his slaves.[4] Simms' novel was popular enough that it was reprinted in 1854 under the title Woodcraft.
The Planter's Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz was published two years after Uncle Tom's Cabin. Hentz's novel offers a defense of slavery as seen through the eyes of a northern woman—the daughter of an abolitionist—who marries a southern enslaver. Like other books in the genre, Hentz's novel tries to show that black people could not function well without oversight by whites. Her novel also focused on the fear of a slave rebellion, especially if abolitionists did not stop stirring up trouble.[2]
Simms and Hentz's books were two of between 20 and 30 pro-slavery novels written in the decade after Uncle Tom's Cabin. Another well-known author who published anti-Tom novels is John Pendleton Kennedy.[4]
^Notes on Book 2009-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, accessed Feb 16, 2007
^ abc"Caroline Lee Hentz's Long Journey 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine" by Philip D. Beidler. Alabama Heritage Number 75, Winter 2005.
^Joy Jordan-Lake, Whitewashing Uncle Tom's Cabin: Nineteenth-Century Women Novelists Respond to Stowe, Vanderbilt University Press, 2005
^ abcLucinda MacKethan, "An Overview of Southern Literature by Genre", Southern Spaces, February 16, 2004.
^Mary Henderson Eastman, Aunt Phillis's Cabin, University of Virginia, accessed 9 Dec 2008
^Philip J. Cozans, Little Eva: The Flower of the South, c. 1853
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Complete Text of The Sword and the Distaff by William Gilmore Simms
February 15, 2024
anti, literature, consists, 19th, century, slavery, novels, other, literary, works, written, response, harriet, beecher, stowe, uncle, cabin, also, called, plantation, literature, these, writings, were, generally, written, authors, from, southern, united, stat. Anti Tom literature consists of the 19th century pro slavery novels and other literary works written in response to Harriet Beecher Stowe s Uncle Tom s Cabin Also called plantation literature these writings were generally written by authors from the Southern United States Books in the genre attempted to show that slavery was beneficial to African Americans and that the evils of slavery as depicted in Stowe s book were overblown and incorrect Image from The Planter s Northern Bride 1854 by Caroline Lee Hentz one of the most famous examples of Anti Tom literature Contents 1 Uncle Tom s Cabin 2 The Southern literary response 3 Simms Hentz and other pro slavery authors 4 Selected anti Tom novels 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksUncle Tom s Cabin editMain article Uncle Tom s Cabin First published in serialized form from 1851 52 in the abolitionist journal The National Era and in book form in 1852 Uncle Tom s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe quickly became the best selling novel of the 19th century and the second best selling book of the century after the Bible 1 This abolitionist novel focused on the evils of slavery and was inspired by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act two years before which punished those who aided runaway slaves The book was highly controversial and fanned the debate over slavery in the country The Southern literary response editSee also Slavery as a positive good in the United States The response to Stowe s novel in the American South was one of outrage To counter Stowe s novel Southern writers produced many pro slavery books the vast majority of them novels In 1852 alone eight anti Tom novels were published 2 These anti Tom novels tended to feature a benign white patriarchal master and a pure wife both of whom presided over childlike enslaved people in a benevolent extended family style plantation The novels either implied or directly stated the view that African Americans were unable to live their lives without being directly overseen by white people 3 Today these novels and books are generally seen as pro slavery propaganda The anti Tom genre died off with the start of the American Civil War 4 Simms Hentz and other pro slavery authors editThe two most famous anti Tom books are The Sword and the Distaff by William Gilmore Simms and The Planter s Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz 2 Simms The Sword and the Distaff came out only a few months after Stowe s novel and contains several sections and discussions that debate Stowe s book and view of slavery The novel focuses on the Revolutionary War and its aftermath through the lives of Captain Porgy and one of his slaves 4 Simms novel was popular enough that it was reprinted in 1854 under the title Woodcraft The Planter s Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz was published two years after Uncle Tom s Cabin Hentz s novel offers a defense of slavery as seen through the eyes of a northern woman the daughter of an abolitionist who marries a southern enslaver Like other books in the genre Hentz s novel tries to show that black people could not function well without oversight by whites Her novel also focused on the fear of a slave rebellion especially if abolitionists did not stop stirring up trouble 2 Simms and Hentz s books were two of between 20 and 30 pro slavery novels written in the decade after Uncle Tom s Cabin Another well known author who published anti Tom novels is John Pendleton Kennedy 4 Mary Henderson Eastman s Aunt Phillis s Cabin was one of the bestselling novels of the genre Published in 1852 it sold 20 000 to 30 000 copies 5 In a note in the book Eastman proudly stated she was a descendant of the First Families of Virginia Little Eva The Flower of the South by Philip J Cozans was a rare example of anti Tom literature intended to be a children s novel 6 Selected anti Tom novels editAmong the novels in the anti Tom genre are The Sword and the Distaff or Fair Fat and Forty A Story of the South at the Close of the Revolution by William Gilmore Simms 1854 White Acre vs Black Acre A Case at Law by William M Burwell 1856 Antifanaticism A Tale of the South by Martha Haines Butt 1853 English Serfdom and American Slavery or Ourselves as Others See Us by Lucien B Chase 1854 Ellen or The Fanatic s Daughter by Mrs V G Cowdin 1860 Little Eva The Flower of the South by Philip J Cozans 1853 Uncle Tom s Cabin Contrasted with Buckingham Hall the Planter s Home by Robert Criswell 1852 Aunt Phillis s Cabin or Southern Life As It Is by Mary H Eastman 1852 The Ebony Idol A Tale by Mrs G M Flanders 1860 Liberia or Mr Peyton s Experiments by Sarah Josepha Hale 1853 Frank Freeman s Barber Shop A Tale by the Rev Baynard R Hall 1852 The Planter s Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz 1854 Tit for Tat by A Lady of New Orleans 1856 The Lofty and the Lowly or Good in All and None All Good by M J McIntosh 1853 Uncle Robin in His Cabin in Virginia and Tom Without One in Boston by J W Page 1853 The Cabin and Parlor or Slaves and Masters by Charles Jacobs Peterson 1852 under the pseudonym of J Thornton Randolph The North and the South or Slavery and Its Contrasts A Tale of Real Life by Caroline Rush 1852 The Black Gauntlet A Tale of Plantation Life in South Carolina by Mary Howard Schoolcraft 1860 Life at the South or Uncle Tom s Cabin As It Is Being Narratives Scenes and Incidents in the Real Life of the Lowly by W L G Smith 1852 Mr Frank the Underground Mail Agent by Vidi 1853 Life in the South A Companion to Uncle Tom s Cabin by C H Wiley 1852 The Leopard s Spots by Thomas Dixon Jr 1901 The Clansman by Thomas Dixon Jr 1905 See also edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Novels portalAfrican American literature Slave narratives Southern literatureReferences editNotes Notes on Book Archived 2009 02 28 at the Wayback Machine accessed Feb 16 2007 a b c Caroline Lee Hentz s Long Journey Archived 2015 09 24 at the Wayback Machine by Philip D Beidler Alabama Heritage Number 75 Winter 2005 Joy Jordan Lake Whitewashing Uncle Tom s Cabin Nineteenth Century Women Novelists Respond to Stowe Vanderbilt University Press 2005 a b c Lucinda MacKethan An Overview of Southern Literature by Genre Southern Spaces February 16 2004 Mary Henderson Eastman Aunt Phillis s Cabin University of Virginia accessed 9 Dec 2008 Philip J Cozans Little Eva The Flower of the South c 1853External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anti Tom literature Complete Text of The Planter s Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz Complete Text of The Sword and the Distaff by William Gilmore Simms Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anti Tom literature amp oldid 1188789320, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
