Book Description

The Wizard is a novel by Henry Rider Haggard, first published by Longmans, Green, and Co., in 1896.[1] 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."[2]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 Amasuka (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 lightning.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." It has received both praise and criticism for its representation of the imperialist novel and of womanhood.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 lightning 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 lightning 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....Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE, Kt ( 22 June 1856 - 14 May 1925), known as H. Rider Haggard, was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the Lost World literary genre.