Southern Gothic Literature

--After the Civil War, the South entered a period of decline and deterioration that would continue into the 20^th century. The lavish lifestyles of the plantation aristocracy were dead and gone, as there was no money left in many of these families; with the economy in decline, racism and violence were common among poor whites, who endured sporadic, low-paying employment and harsh living conditions

--For years, many southerners clung to the Old South ideals, as if nothing had changed. These ideals included a code of honor, an aristocracy, and an emphasis on polite manners (all similar to the days of chivalry in feudal Europe, which cultured Southerners read about in romances by Sir Walter Scott and other European writers).

--The changes of the 20^th century were slow to reach the South, and these changes were unwelcome by many southerners. Change was seen as a violation of the old, honorable ways; formerly poor individuals began to raise their status in the new world of commerce, but many lamented that status was no longer accompanied by manners and dignity that once ruled in the Old South.

--The South had long had a rich culture of oral tale-telling, owing partly to Scotch-Irish and African traditions. This tradition involved use of exaggeration and grotesque imagery to maintain the listener’s attention and provide entertainment value. The Southern Gothic stories of the 1940’s drew on both this tradition and the popular English romances of the 19^th century.

Literature 41