The Water-Witch

1830 novel by James Fenimore Cooper

The Water Witch
Illustration of an episode from The Water Witch, from a musical composition inspired by the story

The Water-Witch is an 1830 novel by James Fenimore Cooper. Set in 17th-century New York and the surrounding sea, the novel depicts the abduction of a woman, Alida de Barbérie, by the pirate captain of the brigantine Water-Witch, and the subsequent pursuit of that elusive ship by her suitor, Captain Ludlow.[1][2]

Cooper wrote the novel while on an extended tour of Europe, during his stay in the villa Palazzu detta del Tasso near Naples.[1] Cooper tried to print the novel while he was in Italy in 1829 but Papal censors forbade its publication there.[1] He was eventually able to print the novel in Dresden before also sending copies to his publishers in the US and England.[1] Critic Allan Axelrad describes the novel as heavily influenced by the Italian context of its writing, noting that it even compares the landscapes of New York with that of Italy.[3]

The unincorporated community of Waterwitch, New Jersey is named after the novel.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Baym, Max I.; Matenko, Percy (January 1970). "The Odyssey of The Water-Witch and a Susan Fenimore Cooper Letter". New York History. LI (1): 33–41 – via James Fenimore Cooper Society.Open access icon
  2. ^ "The Great Snow Storm: Extract for a Letter from William E. Waples, Esq". The Register of Pennsylvania. Vol. 7, no. 16. April 16, 1831. p. 246. ProQuest 91284032.
  3. ^ Axelrad, Allan M. (July 1993). James D. Wallace (ed.). Epiphany at Ischia: The Effect of Italy on James Fenimore Cooper's Literary Landscape Painting. 9th Cooper Seminar, James Fenimore Cooper: His Country and His Art. State University of New York College at Oneonta. pp. 1–27.
  4. ^ Paul T. Hellmann (14 February 2006). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 722. ISBN 1-135-94859-3.

Further reading

  • Lampe, David (July 2013). Steven Harthorn (ed.). Double Dutch Delights: Irving's Knickerbocker History and Cooper's Water Witch. 19th Cooper Seminar, James Fenimore Cooper: His Country and His Art. State University of New York College at Oneonta. pp. 18–24.
  • The Water-Witch at Project Gutenberg
  • Scans and transcription of the Original Dresden printing of the novel
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Works by James Fenimore Cooper
Leatherstocking Tales novels
Other novels
  • Afloat and Ashore
  • Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief
  • The Bravo
  • The Chainbearer
  • The Crater
  • The Headsman: The Abbaye des Vignerons
  • The Heidenmauer
  • Homeward Bound
  • Home as Found
  • Jack Tier, or the Florida Reef
  • Lionel Lincoln
  • Mercedes of Castile
  • Miles Wallingford
  • The Monikins
  • The Oak Openings
  • The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea
  • Precaution
  • The Red Rover
  • The Redskins
  • Satanstoe
  • The Sea Lions
  • The Spy: A Tale of the Neutral Ground
  • The Two Admirals
  • The Water-Witch
  • The Ways of the Hour
  • The Wept of Wish-ton-Wish
  • The Wing-and-Wing
  • Wyandotté
Short stories and plays
  • Tales for Fifteen
  • No Steamboats
  • Upside Down
  • The Lake Gun
Non-fiction
  • The Chronicles of Cooperstown
  • The Eclipse
  • The History of the Navy of the United States of America
  • Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers
  • Ned Myers
  • New York: or The Towns of Manhattan
  • Notions of the Americans
  • Old Ironsides
  • Proceedings of the Naval Court-Martial in the Case of Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, &c.
Political writings
  • Letter to General Lafayette
  • A Letter to His Countrymen
  • The American Democrat
Travel writings
  • Gleanings in Europe: Switzerland
  • Gleanings in Europe: The Rhine
  • A Residence in France
  • Gleanings in Europe: France
  • Gleanings in Europe: England
  • Gleanings in Europe: Italy
  • Commons
  • Wikiquote
  • Wikisource texts
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