Tag Archives: Civil War

Pretending that Slavery Wasn’t a Big Deal

By Robin Bates | Published: June 5, 2023

Unlike Faulkner, the Southern Agrarians claimed that African Americans weren’t an integral part of Southern culture.

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How Weigh the Cost of the War Dead?

By Robin Bates | Published: May 29, 2022

In “The Watchers,” Whittier honors the fallen while seeing the necessity of war to bring about freedom.

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Les Misérables Aided Civil War Soldiers

By Robin Bates | Published: December 5, 2021

Hugo’s “Les Misérables” was a hit with Civil War soldiers. An article explores the reasons why.

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Crane’s Reenactment of War’s Horrors

By Robin Bates | Published: September 1, 2021

Leaders should “Red Badge of Courage” before sending their troops into battle.

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The Moment Has Come to Decide

By Robin Bates | Published: August 13, 2020

Educator Diane Ravitch’s favorite poem include two 19th century oldies that get at a teacher’s sense of mission.

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The Glory of the Coming of the Lord

By Robin Bates | Published: July 4, 2020

“The Battle of the Hymn of the Republic” is one of the most influential set of lyrics in American history–for good and for bad.

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Juneteenth & Freedom’s Challenges

By Robin Bates | Published: June 18, 2020

Rolle’s poem about Juneteenth makes it clear that freedom, no less than fighting for freedom, is hard

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U.S. Is Still Fighting the Civil War

By Robin Bates | Published: October 16, 2018

Michael Shaara’s “Killer Angels” has me thinking that a version of the Civil War is still on-going.

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Poetry Helped Feed Robert E. Lee Myth

By Robin Bates | Published: August 15, 2017

Herman Melville and Julie Ward Howe, although anti-slavery, unfortunately wrote poems which helped mythologize Robert E. Lee, whose statues have become symbols of white supremacy. And indeed, Lee was a white supremacist.

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