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''The Wizard'' is a novel by Henry Rider Haggard, first published by Longmans, Green, and Co., in 1896. ''The Wizard'' is one of the many examples of imperialist literature. According to Rebecca Stott, author of the article “The Dark Continent: Africa as Female Body in Haggard’s Adventure Fiction,” Haggard’s fiction is still popular today and attempts to expose a “cultural and historical definition of white masculinity at its most rugged and its most terrified.”〔Stott, Rebecca. "The Dark Continent: Africa as Female Body in Haggard's Adventure Fiction." Feminist Review 32 (1989): 69-89. Print.〕 The story is a third-person narrative that follows the journey of Reverend Thomas Owen as he seeks to carry out missionary work in south central Africa, specifically in the tribe of Amasuka. The novel starts in England in the parish of Reverend Thomas Owen and moves to South Central Africa, where the tribe of Amsauka (People of Fire) is located, which is where the majority of the novel takes place. While there, he encounters Hokosa, the chief of the Wizards who essentially wishes him to prove that his God is greater than their god through trials of lightening. The novel is placed in the imperialist literature of 19th-century England. Just like many of his other works, this novel is inspired by Rider Haggard’s experiences of South Africa and British colonialism. The character Noma is meant to be representative of the theme of female authority and feminine behavior. Some scholars have called the novel “a tale of victorious faith.”〔https://librivox.org/the-wizard-by-h-rider-haggard/〕 It has received both praise and criticism for its representation of the imperialist novel and of womanhood. == Synopsis == The novel begins on a Sunday afternoon in summer at a church in the Midland county called Busscombe. Reverend Thomas Owen had a preacher for the day called a “Deputation,” who was sent to arouse the indifferent to the duty of converting the savage tribes by collecting money. As the “Deputation” told about his experience with a south central African tribe called the “Sons of Fire,” Reverence Owen became very interested in the mission to convert this tribe of Amasuka and converting them. Reverend Owen ultimately decides to take on this task and gives his old job to the “Deputation.” Two years go by as Reverend Owen lives in a hut outside of the tribe’s town and he sends his newly converted native of the tribe, John, to send a message to King Umsuka which is that Reverend Owen wants to learn their language so that he can administer the word of God to them. After being warned that the People of Fire have their faith too, John informs Rev. Owen that if he cannot perform the magic they want him to perform, he will be killed. Reverend Owen learns of Hokosa and Hafela’s plot to kill the king with poison in order to gain the throne through a vision. Rev. Owen learns of the anecdote to the poison in another vision of the Tree of Death and uses this knowledge to his advantage by giving it to Umsuka to revive him at the Feast of the First-Fruit and therefore “proves” his God’s power over the People of Fire’s god. In the “First Trial by Fire,” Hokosa and Umsuka show Rev. Owen their god – a oddly sized stone – and explain that the lightening god knows Hokosa and the other wizards so they won’t harm them, but will harm Rev. Owen if he goes through the trial in the plain full of iron. When the lightening from the storm does not harm Rev. Owen, the People of Fire respect him but many are convinced it is magic, not the work of God. In the second trial by Fire, Hokosa and his counsel stand on one side of the plain while Rev. Owen, John, and Nodwengo stand on the other with the cross and the instructions that whomever is left standing is more powerful. After the storm, the only ones left standing are Hokosa, Rev. Owen, John, and Nodwengo – finally proving that Rev. Owen’s God is more powerful, even though many in the tribe were still suspicious of this new religion. After the death of Umsuka and the rise of Nodwengo, Hokosa and his new wife, Noma, go to the grave of Umsuka to ask for his counsel through magic. Umsuka speaks through Noma’s body and tells him that he will conquer Rev. Owen but that at his death he will await his trial for his sins during his life. Following this event, Noma gives birth to a stillborn child and Hokosa tells her that she must go on a journey of purification. On this journey he instructs her to find Hafela and give him the message that Hokosa will help him regain his throne if he is made second in command. Hokosa sends poison and poison fruit with a woman from the town and the fruit is given to Rev. Owen to eat. After feeling regret for his actions, although it is too late for Rev. Owen, Hokosa asks for forgiveness and is converted to Christianity and is ultimately baptized by Rev. Owen. In the meantime, Noma has found Hafela and tells him of the plans to fight Nodwengo. When Noma comes back to Hokosa, she learns that Hokosa has already told Rev. Owen and Nodwengo of all the plans that Hafela has to attack the town so that they may be ready when the time comes. After Rev. Owen’s death from the poison given to him, the fight between the army of Nodwengo and Hafela ensues. On the second day of the battle, Noma makes a plan to bring Hokosa out in the open so that they can kill him since he is the one with Rev. Owen’s power now. Hokosa is captured and crucified on top of the Tree of Death. As Hokosa is dying on the cross, he instructs Nodwengo to spare the life of Hafela’s army so that peace can be in the land. Hafela says he will go and take his servants with him and stabs himself in the heart and dies. Noma climbs the Tree of Death to Hokosa, stabs him in the heart and jumps from the tree, lands on a rock and dies. The cross ultimately prevails in the end. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Wizard (novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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