This final paper deals with the Old South, meaning the Southern States of the USA. It is concerned with the myth that has established around the old days and deals with literature in which myth-making becomes apparent. Apart from the Northern States, the Old South has acquired a different society due to the Civil War. The consequences are discussed within this paper.
Within this paper, the depiction of the Southern Myth in literature shall be aimed at. In this regard, it needs to be debated, whether or not the Myth of the Old South does qualify as such, while further exploring the circumstances, in which such a myth can flourish. It shall be shown, how nostalgia, resulting from the Lost Cause, fueled the makings of the Myth. In order to keep the topic focused on just the myth, it will be exemplified my thesis with chosen material instead of giving an overview of literature which would barely scratch the surface. The main focus is to be put on Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind, since it combines every last element which triggers nostalgia for the Old South and can therefore be seen as the main ingredient in preserving the Southern Myth as well as adding new components to it." Gone with the Wind" is a major piece of American literature, still sold by the thousands every year. It employs the status of plantation fiction, while simultaneously critically reviewing the planter aristocracy. Throughout my research, passages of Gone with the Wind shall be embedded into almost every chapter to support my thesis with this prime example of Southern plantation writing.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I. Nostalgia for the Old South
II. The Old Southern Myth
III. The Search for Identity
III.1 Southern Literary Identity
III.1.1 Plantation Fiction
III. 1.2 Apologists' notions
IV. The Interplay of Fiction and History
IV. 1 Myth-making in Gone with the Wind & Uncle Tom's Cabin
IV. 2 Gender in Gone with the Wind
IV. 3 Race in Uncle Tom's Cabin & Gone with the Wind
V. The New South
V. 1 William Faulkner
VI. The Myth prevails
VI.1 The Old South in Pop-culture: Hart of Dixie
Conclusion
Objectives & Research Focus
This thesis examines the construction and persistence of the "Southern Myth" in American literature, focusing specifically on how nostalgia—triggered largely by the Lost Cause—has shaped the literary representation of the antebellum South. The research investigates how historical realities, particularly regarding the plantation system and slavery, were idealized or obscured in fiction to create a stable Southern identity.
- Analysis of the "Old South" as a literary and cultural construct rather than a historical reality.
- Examination of the interplay between fiction, history, and the evolution of the Southern identity.
- Investigation of key literary works, with a primary focus on Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- Evaluation of how post-Civil War nostalgia and the "New South" creed contributed to the maintenance of the myth in modern pop culture.
Excerpt from the Book
III. 1.1 Plantation Literature
The makings of the Myth of the Old South can be traced back to one particular genre of literature: the plantation novel – themes of which are known to everyone who has ever visited the Southern states or read about them. Images can still be found on all levels of cultural heritage that is being displayed in museums or the like. By this, the myth is used nowadays to attract tourists.
William Taylor makes out two distinct periods of the development of plantation fiction, which created the base for twentieth-century authors of plantation fiction such as William Faulkner's or Margaret Mitchell's as well as contemporary popular culture dealing with the American South. According to Taylor, the years between 1832 and the mid-fifties appear to be the most fruitful, whereas between 1880 and 1900 plantation writers filled their works with rather “sentimental stereotyping” and composed “slick” and “predictable” stories (148). One enormous change in tone can be detected after the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
The former period experienced much less publication, the works of which were often “amateurish” and “rarely distinguished by imaginative force or creative originality”, yet polemical (Taylor 148). This polemical style of writing is mentioned by John M. Grammer (2004) as well, who categorizes plantation fiction as being a “version of the literary pastoral”, whereas the pastoral is a mode dealing with the tension between rural life and the possible danger of “eviction” (Grammer 58). Furthermore, “the uncertainty which Americans began to feel in the first half of the century about the general drift of their civilization led them to attach great significance to their pastoral setting” (Taylor 186).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter establishes the concept of the Southern Myth and the role of nostalgia in shaping Southern literary identity, highlighting the Civil War as a defining historical pivot.
I. Nostalgia for the Old South: Explores the etymology and medical origins of nostalgia, demonstrating how it functions as a mechanism to glorify the past and cope with historical trauma.
II. The Old Southern Myth: Defines the term "myth" and analyzes how the idealized image of the plantation South, particularly regarding the planter class and the "Cotton Kingdom," contradicts historical reality.
III. The Search for Identity: Traces the American quest for a national and distinct Southern identity in the 19th century and how literature became a primary vehicle for this construction.
III.1 Southern Literary Identity: Focuses on the development of Southern authorship and the shift toward plantation narratives as a means of defending Southern values.
III.1.1 Plantation Fiction: Details the genre of the plantation novel, examining how it served as a "literary pastoral" to address the anxieties of a changing Southern society.
III. 1.2 Apologists' notions: Analyzes the reactive literature published in defense of slavery, particularly in response to the abolitionist influence of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
IV. The Interplay of Fiction and History: Investigates the blurring lines between historical account and fictional narrative in the representation of the South.
IV. 1 Myth-making in Gone with the Wind & Uncle Tom's Cabin: Compares the contrasting approaches of Stowe and Mitchell in their respective myth-making processes and their lasting impact on the public perception of the South.
IV. 2 Gender in Gone with the Wind: Examines how the novel subverts and enforces traditional Southern gender roles through characters like Scarlett O'Hara.
IV. 3 Race in Uncle Tom's Cabin & Gone with the Wind: Discusses the representation of black characters and the use of racial stereotypes in both novels as tools for the authors' specific agendas.
V. The New South: Explores the post-Civil War socio-economic evolution of the South and the tension between "Old South" values and "New South" modernization.
V. 1 William Faulkner: Analyzes Faulkner's nuanced and complex literary portrayal of Southern decay, pride, and the fragmented nature of regional memory.
VI. The Myth prevails: Concludes that despite social and economic changes, the Southern Myth persists in popular culture and imagination.
VI.1 The Old South in Pop-culture: Hart of Dixie: Provides a case study of a modern TV show that incorporates and updates traditional themes of the Southern Myth for contemporary audiences.
Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis, reinforcing the idea that the Southern Myth, while historically contested, remains a powerful and enduring narrative force.
Keywords
Southern Myth, Nostalgia, Plantation Fiction, Gone with the Wind, Lost Cause, Southern Identity, American Literature, Slavery, Antebellum South, New South, William Faulkner, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Myth-making, Regionalism, Post-Civil War.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic work?
The paper examines how literature has been used to create, sustain, and evolve the "Southern Myth" in the United States, particularly looking at how nostalgia influences the representation of the antebellum South.
What are the primary themes addressed?
Key themes include the role of nostalgia in coping with the aftermath of the Civil War, the search for a distinct Southern identity, the use of plantation fiction as a defense of Southern institutions, and the adaptation of these myths in contemporary pop culture.
What is the primary research question or goal?
The main goal is to demonstrate that the Myth of the Old South is a "figment of imagination" or a narrative construct that was utilized to maintain a sense of Southern distinctiveness and pride, especially following the trauma of the Civil War.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research is a literary and cultural analysis. It utilizes primary sources (novels and contemporary documents) and secondary scholarly literature (history and literary criticism) to reconstruct the cultural and social conditions that allowed these myths to flourish.
What does the main body cover?
The body analyzes the development of the "Southern Myth" from the 19th century to modern times, specifically comparing the works of authors like Harriet Beecher Stowe, Margaret Mitchell, and William Faulkner, while also considering how modern television, such as Hart of Dixie, integrates these historical tropes.
How would you summarize the work in a few keywords?
Southern Myth, Nostalgia, Lost Cause, Plantation Fiction, Southern Identity, and Literary Construction.
How does the author characterize the role of Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind"?
Scarlett is portrayed as a transitional figure who subverts traditional "Southern Belle" gender roles through her survivalism and business acumen, yet she remains deeply connected to the plantation as a site of nostalgic value.
What is the significance of the "New South" concept in this analysis?
The "New South" represents the postwar attempt to reconcile Southern traditions with industrialization and Northern influence; the author argues that it often served as an extension of old myths rather than a complete departure from them.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Steppke (Author), 2015, The Old South in American Literature, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/340218
