"Green in the mulberry bush" Quentin, Lancelot, and the long shadow of the Lost Cause /

by 1972- McDonald, Amy Rene?e

The purpose of this project is to examine the immensely popular post-Civil War “Myth of the Lost Cause” which developed in the Southern states after the Confederate defeat. Its primary tenet was the belief in a chivalric antebellum Southern society, complete with genteel plantation owners, faithful slaves, and an Edenic landscape. The myth also exalted the bravery of the Confederate soldier and the quiet heroism of the belles left behind. This carefully crafted fantasy was the product of an organized, sophisticated public relations campaign which originated in the former Confederacy and was quickly adopted by other parts of the country. The Lost Cause myth gained wide support at the time and its influence continues to be felt in contemporary American society. As part of this project, I will trace the development of the myth in the post-war Southern society, primarily through the literature of the time, but also in social and religious organizations. Furthermore, I will explore the connections between this mythology and the Scottish Highland myths developed and expanded by Sir Walter Scott. Finally, I will examine how this mythic background specifically influences the actions of William Faulkner’s Quentin Compson in The Sound and the Fury and Walker Percy’s Lancelot Lamar in Lancelot. iv