| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - February 14 2006 : 11:09:15 PM
He gave up his life so Cora and Hawkeye could be together. My question is why did he sacrifice himself since she did not want him. I guess he truly must have loved her to do what he did being burned alive. Why didn't he let Hawkeye do it like he wanted to, then Cora would have had no one as Alice would have been lost forever since Uncas and Chingachkook would have tried to save Hawkeye and gotten killed in the process. Cora would have had no one and perhaps might have married him after all. He was some guy I tell you, being barbequed alive for a woman who turned him down. Let the man who loved her sacrifice himself for her. Duncan was foolish indeed. |
| 22 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Highlander |
Posted - March 16 2006 : 5:19:03 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Highlander
Yes,Uncas tried to go hand-to-hand with Magua. What was he thinking?Magua eats guys like him for breakfast.
Get it? Eats guys like that for breakfast. O.K. then,have a  Col.Munro.Redcoats,the other white meat. |
| mountainheart |
Posted - March 16 2006 : 1:32:00 PM
I guess I'm the optimist and would like to think this was Duncan's way of making things right. He had failed Cora over and over and proved himself unfit for her. Something "noble" rose up within him and he knew he had to do the right thing for the woman he loved. |
| Highlander |
Posted - March 10 2006 : 05:49:11 AM
Yes,Uncas tried to go hand-to-hand with Magua.What was he thinking?Magua eats guys like him for breakfast. |
| MeggieD |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 11:38:13 PM
Lurking Huron 2503 I've thought of that angle as well. It seems that he's almost trying to save face for betraying Nathanial earlier, now he's trying to redeem himself in Cora's eyes. It would seem that Duncan wasn't the only young man to do something "foolish" and pay the ultimate price. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 11:34:45 PM
Lurking Huron2503 I like your take on the situation. He certainly did notice that Cora was developing some affections for Hawkeye and must have felt some form of jealousy. He knew he could not compete with such a man as Hawkeye who came from a completely different world to Cora and himself. Still if it indeed was an impulse without much thinking, it was a very costly impulse. No wonder he told them to leave as quickly as possible although there would have been no opportunity to "change his mind". I doubt the Indians would have let him do that. Poor Duncan, I do feel sorry for him and the sad end he came to all for a woman who did not even love him and had lost respect for him. We can only be thankful that they raced as fast as they could to Chingachkook and Hawkeye put him out of his misery. |
| Lurking Huron2503 |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 10:10:56 PM
I think Duncan naturally felt jealous since he noticed the relationship developing between the woman he wanted to marry and another man and as a cosequence he felt an urge to compete with Hawkeye. His offer of being BBQd instead of Cora was a reaction to the same offer made first by Hawkeye. He was impressed by Hawkeye's noble intention and did not want to be any worse. So, his reaction was an impuls without much thinking and he regretted it immediately but it was too late to change his mind. How about that for an explanation? 
On the other hand, maybe when he did those "foolish" things he was going through some kind of crysis, but the ultimate sacrifice finally showed his true amazing personality? |
| Lurking Huron6420 |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 1:54:45 PM
I like to think that since Duncan represents the educated sophistication which contrasts with Leatherstocking's romantic heroism and belief in the freedom of the individual that Duncan sacrifices himself more out of his duty to his country. He has been assigned to protect Cora, and aside from his love for her, will do what it takes to honor that assignment. |
| Fitzhugh Williams |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 10:54:38 AM
quote:
If you recall the decision of the Sachem,SOMEBODY was getting burned at the stake that day,so why not Duncan?
A Brit would be my choice.
Vive le Roi! |
| Highlander |
Posted - March 09 2006 : 02:19:08 AM
If you recall the decision of the Sachem,SOMEBODY was getting burned at the stake that day,so why not Duncan? |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - March 08 2006 : 11:28:37 PM
If he truly loved her then why did he abandon her and Alice and take to the water leaving them behind. If he was such an Officer and Gentleman he would not have done that. Even if he thought Nathaniel, Chingachkook and Uncas would protect them he still should not have just taken off. He could not be certain that our 3 heroes would not be killed thus leaving the women to "fend for themselves". He was no Officer or Gentleman in my opinion. He made the ultimate sacrifice in the end for Cora but I still can't fathom why. He maybe felt guilt about the way he acted earlier by lying and abandoning them and wanted to "make things right". It certainly was not "the least he could do" being BBQ'd alive. He could not have done anything greater for Cora but I still feel he was foolish so maybe he did love her afterall. Just don't care for Duncan much despite his act of "bravery" or "foolishness" whichever way you care to look at it. |
| Lurking Huron2503 |
Posted - March 08 2006 : 9:46:41 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Highlander
I think that Duncan gave his life because he was an officer & a gentleman as well.Besides,it was the least that he could do for Cora after lying to Col.Munro about the massacre on the frontier.
If that was the least he could do, what was the most?? |
| Keira |
Posted - March 07 2006 : 10:24:11 AM
I believe that Duncan really loved Cora so much that he was ready to die for her.He sacrificed himself for her and it was extremely brave thing to do. To be burned alive- what an afwul and painful way to die.. |
| Highlander |
Posted - February 24 2006 : 11:28:09 PM
I think that Duncan gave his life because he was an officer & a gentleman as well.Besides,it was the least that he could do for Cora after lying to Col.Munro about the massacre on the frontier. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - February 24 2006 : 11:52:26 AM
Uncas dives into the water and swims across to Duncan's canoe to help paddle it as there are too many people in their canoe anyway with Nathaniel, Alice, Uncas, an unknown soldier, Cora and Chingachkook. Watch carefully and you can see him dive into the water and then climb into Duncan's canoe. I still can't believe that Duncan took off and left the girls to fend for themselves. What kind of man is he anyway? Still he does redeem himself in the end by paying the ultimate sacrifice. Maybe since Cora turned his proposal of marriage down then he felt he owned her nothing and did not have to protect her. |
| MeggieD |
Posted - February 24 2006 : 10:18:01 AM
I believe you're right. More proof that Duncan hit the water before the rest is that he turns around to exchange "pleasantries" with Nathanial. Also, when does Uncas move from Nathanial's canoe to Duncan's? I've missed that every time. Was that to lessen the load in one canoe and help paddle the other?? |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - February 23 2006 : 11:06:54 PM
Another thing I noticed when watching the DVD again today, after the massacre when Nathaniel, Chingachkook, Uncas, Cora and Alice go to the canoe's and take to the water, Duncan is already in a canoe and taking off. Am I mistaken here? What kind of a man is he anyway that he would leave Cora and Alice to fend for themselves unless he knew that our 3 heroes were protecting them. Still he supposedly wanted to marry Cora so he must have cared for her if in fact he did not love her already. Just my thoughts. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - February 16 2006 : 2:50:26 PM
Well said. I could not have said it any better myself. Not my type either. |
| Light of the Moon |
Posted - February 16 2006 : 12:03:11 PM
Something else I thought about.
If I were Cora I don't think I'd have even considered Duncan's proposal anyway.
Call me shallow but I just don't like the whole strawberry blonde, pale pinkish skin and bulbit nose. Other than that he seems to be a nice guy except for the fact that he'll lie when he's under the gun. |
| Light of the Moon |
Posted - February 16 2006 : 11:39:31 AM
Cora would never had turned to Duncan if he allowed Hawkeye to burn at the stake. What woman could marry a man of "morality" who would lie about families being slaughtered right in front of those who spoke the truth. Her daddy dearest kinda' ruined it for them by telling him to keep his eyes fixed on his duty. If Cora knew that I still think she'd turned down Duncan for not having enough backbone to speak the truth. Cora didn't hesitate to speak the truth to her father after Hawkeye was thrown in the slammer! So yea, I think Irishgirl is right, he is foolish. |
| Lurking Huron6322 |
Posted - February 15 2006 : 11:47:53 AM
I think it may have been that he was an officer and a gentleman and morally he had to protect her. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - February 15 2006 : 09:18:08 AM
What men willing to be roasted for the women they love. |
| MeggieD |
Posted - February 15 2006 : 09:12:07 AM
Duncan truly loved her and wanted her to be happy. |
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