The headsman; or, The Abbaye des Vignerons. A tale, Complete set volume 1 and 2 ( novel ) The Headsman: The Abbaye des Vignerons is an 1833 novel by James Fenimore Cooper set in Switzerland.The novel was inspired by one of Cooper's trips during his European travels in 1832.The novel is one of three of Cooper's "European" novels, following The Bravo and The Heidenmauer, all of which use the European setting to deal with socio-political contrast with American institutions.Themes--The novel explores a number of themes related to how society structures itself, including justice, authority, friendship, parental relationships, love and marriage. Critical reception--The novel is typically described for its socio-political commentary, but critics have argued the importance of treating the novel as part of Cooper's deliberate artistry.Constance Ayers Denne describes this artistry as largerly reflected in the novel's powerful structure and successful thematic treatment.Many critics who have read the novel for socio-political themes, were unsatisfied with its ending.Critic Thomas Palfrey argues that the novel has structural and thematic similarities to Balzac's works, such as Jesus Christ in Flanders. James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 - September 15, 1851) was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. His historical romances of frontier and Indian life in the early American days created a unique form of American literature. He lived most of his life in Cooperstown, New York, which was founded by his father William on property that he owned. Cooper was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church and, in his later years, contributed generously to it.He attended Yale University for three years, where he was a member of the Linonian Society, but was expelled for misbehavior.Before embarking on his career as a writer, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Midshipman, which greatly influenced many of his novels and other writings. The novel that launched his career was The Spy, a tale about counterespionage set during the Revolutionary War and published in 1821.He also wrote numerous sea stories, and his best-known works are five historical novels of the frontier period known as the Leatherstocking Tales. Among naval historians, Cooper's works on the early U.S. Navy have been well received, but they were sometimes criticized by his contemporaries. Among his most famous works is the Romantic novel The Last of the Mohicans, often regarded as his masterpiece.