Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
Walt Whitman, Winslow Homer, Civil War, soldiers, American
College
Humanities
Department
Comparative Arts and Letters
Abstract
According to Eric Sundquist, “the actual Civil War has been concealed under layers of comforting legends and nostalgic sentiments” and has been inaccurately portrayed as “a panorama of colorful uniforms, heroic deeds, noble purposes, and sword-and-roses courtships” (45). Walt Whitman and Winslow Homer willfully and purposefully contributed to this idealized picture of the Civil War. Typifying all soldiers as heroes, Christ figures who willingly gave their lives for the freedom of their people, Whitman overlooked the many soldiers who joined the army for money, who deserted after only weeks of training, and who feared death and missed home. Homer also deliberately misrepresented the Civil War when he painted the Union army as victorious against Confederate troops at a time when the Union army suffered serious loses.
Recommended Citation
Lowe, Angela Dawn and Handley, Dr. George B.
(2013)
"Walt Whitman, Winslow Homer, and the Civil War,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013:
Iss.
1, Article 691.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/691