The Ebony Idol
Encyclopedia
The Ebony Idol is a plantation literature
novel first published in 1860
and written by G.M. Flanders.
in response to the 1852
abolitionist
novel Uncle Tom's Cabin
by Harriet Beecher Stowe
.
The majority of these works, such as Aunt Phillis's Cabin
(1852) and The Planter's Northern Bride
(1854) attacked Stowe for her allegedly inaccurate depiction of slavery, and in turn would make criticisms of abolitionists like Stowe in their works.
, which is inhabited entirely by white people, and coloured people are almost unknown among the townfolk.
The local pastor, the Reverend Mr. Cary, converts to the cause of abolitionism, and arranges for a fugitive slave named Caesar to take up residence in the town, to act as an "ebony idol" for the respect and sympathy of the people of Minton.
Cary's social experiment, however, has disastrous consequences for the town. The presence of Caesar splits Minton between pro- and anti-slavery factions, and Cary himself is questioned regarding his motives for keeping Caesar at all. Practically overnight, Minton changes from a quiet paradise into a violent slum.
In time, however, Cary is visited by a slaveholder from the south, and under pressure from the townsfolk, Cary agrees for Caesar to leave Minton to work on the plantations of the south, thus restoring Minton to its original, idyllic condition.
. Appleton & Co. had been responsible for the publication of several previous anti-Tom novels, including The Lofty and the Lowly, or Good in All and None All Good
by Maria J. McIntosh in 1853.
Anti-Tom literature
Anti-Tom literature refers to 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...
novel first published in 1860
1860 in literature
The year 1860 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*January - First issue of the Cornhill Magazine*June 9 ****- Malaeska: The Indian Wife of the White Hunter becomes the first dime novel to be published....
and written by G.M. Flanders.
Overview
The Ebony Idol is one of several novels written in the Southern United StatesSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
in response to the 1852
1852 in literature
The year 1852 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Manuel Antônio de Almeida - Memoirs of a Police Sergeant*Wilkie Collins - Basil: A Story of Modern Life...
abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
novel Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War", according to Will Kaufman....
by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
.
The majority of these works, such as Aunt Phillis's Cabin
Aunt Phillis's Cabin
Aunt Phillis's Cabin; or, Southern Life As It Is by Mary Henderson Eastman is a plantation fiction novel, and is perhaps the most read anti-Tom novel in American literature. It was published by Lippincott, Grambo & Co of Philadelphia in 1852 as a response to Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, published...
(1852) and The Planter's Northern Bride
The Planter's Northern Bride
The Planter's Northern Bride is an 1854 novel written by Caroline Lee Hentz, in response to the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852.- Overview :...
(1854) attacked Stowe for her allegedly inaccurate depiction of slavery, and in turn would make criticisms of abolitionists like Stowe in their works.
Plot
The novel takes place in the fictional town of Minton in New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, which is inhabited entirely by white people, and coloured people are almost unknown among the townfolk.
The local pastor, the Reverend Mr. Cary, converts to the cause of abolitionism, and arranges for a fugitive slave named Caesar to take up residence in the town, to act as an "ebony idol" for the respect and sympathy of the people of Minton.
Cary's social experiment, however, has disastrous consequences for the town. The presence of Caesar splits Minton between pro- and anti-slavery factions, and Cary himself is questioned regarding his motives for keeping Caesar at all. Practically overnight, Minton changes from a quiet paradise into a violent slum.
In time, however, Cary is visited by a slaveholder from the south, and under pressure from the townsfolk, Cary agrees for Caesar to leave Minton to work on the plantations of the south, thus restoring Minton to its original, idyllic condition.
Publication history
The Ebony Idol was published in 1860 by D. Appleton & Co. of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Appleton & Co. had been responsible for the publication of several previous anti-Tom novels, including The Lofty and the Lowly, or Good in All and None All Good
The Lofty and the Lowly, or Good in All and None All Good
The Lofty and the Lowly, or Good in All and None All Good is a novel by Maria J. McIntosh published by D. Appleton & Company in 1853. It was one of many anti-Tom novels published in response to Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. The story is set is Georgia and tells of a plantation owner's...
by Maria J. McIntosh in 1853.
External links
- The Ebony Idol at the University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...