Uncle Tom's Cabin
how did Agustine treat his slaves?
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Augustine was St. Clare is Tom's second master, for which Tom feels fortunate. Sensitive, kind and contemplative, St. Clare adores his daughter, Eva; tolerates his demanding wife, Marie; enjoys debating political issues with his cousin Ophelia; and indulges his slaves. Reflecting his name, St. Clare is "gay, airy, [and] handsome," but he is something of a fallen idealist. As a very young man, St. Clare's nature had been one of "romantic passion," but the defining event of St. Clare's life was the loss of his one true love. To his cousin's consternation, St. Clare refuses to read the Bible or to call himself a Christian. In spite of the fact that he is a "heathen" slaveholder, St. Clare has surprisingly humanitarian views that come to light when he discusses slavery and race relations with Ophelia, Marie, or his brother Alfred. St. Clare tells Tom that he plans to emancipate him, but he is unexpectedly killed before he can do so.