The rhetorical structure of the southern lady: an analysis of the myth of southern womanhood

Abstract

Analysis of the rhetorical structure of the myth of southern womanhood through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with particular focus on its manifestation in feature films. The myth's origins, its relation to all southern mythology, and its relation to the women it represents are all examined. Analysis looks at the use of upper-class white southern women in films, with special focus on Gone with the Wind, its characterization of Scarlett O'Hara, and the characterization of women in subsequent plantation-story films. It is argued that later films explored and resolved dilemmas addressed in Gone with the Wind through Scarlett O'Hara. Study suggests that the myth of southern womanhood has been a boon and a bridle for southern women and that it has attracted audiences through its dual nature. The southern lady's familiar, yet unpredictable nature gratifies audiences and ensures the myth's preservation and enduring power.