THE GODS DEPART

by Kathleen Dickinson Mellen ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 9, 1956

Continuing her own studies of Hawaii (see In A Hawaiian Valley and The Lonely Warrior) and adding to a recent appearance of other books on the subject (see Hawaii and Its People by A. Grove Day and Yankees in Paradise by Bradford Smith) Mrs. Mcllen presents a moving account of the events which shaped Island history during the mid 1800's and up to the waning of the kingdom. Unlike the Day which had no marked bias and covered a longer period, or the Smith, written in favor of the missionaries and their work, this plays out a tragedy and sympathizes with the Hawaiians in their inevitable capitulation to western powers. Unique as one of the few primitive lands that continued to rule itself after the arrival of Europeans and Americans, Hawaii was nevertheless doomed almost from the start. After Kamehameha I, the powerful unifier, subsequent kings were weak in comparison; traders in sandalwood and whole oil brought their measure of disease and corruption; missionaries, seeing the chance to save souls, both from their pagan beliefs and the evils brought by traders, came and puzzled the Hawaiians by creating new and illogical needs, and then became traders themselves; foreigners wangled their way into the government and made laws in their own favor. Despite these factors there were strong waves of Hawaiian re-ascendancy yet these too broke on the shores of incident. Kamechameha IV's shooting of a good friend was not the only misfortune. A sad, evocative account in which the writer projects herself into the part to portray a people whose warmth merited hers for them. Well documented.

Pub Date: June 9, 1956

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Hastings House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1956

Categories: NONFICTION