The Old South and John Crowe Ransom :: John Crowe Ransom Writers Poems Essays

The Old South and John Crowe RansomMost remember it as a time of dashing young heroes on horseback, fair damselsin distress, and majestic castles hidden from the vulgarity of daily life by the cool shade of fragrant magnolia and honeysuckle. It was a time and place so far aloof fromtodays fast moving, billboard covered world that one could easily imagine that this lostcivilization existed on some far make continent, or perhaps non at all. However, the factremains that once upon a time the archaic South did exist, and there are many commonwealth stillwho feel that the loss of this culture and its ideals is nothing short of a tragedy. One such individual was John Crowe Ransom, a man whose life was anneal with his intenseyearning for the tradition and stability that the old South embodied, and that has been lost forever amid the skyscrapers and factories that have replaced the cotton fields andplantation homes of long ago. The power that the old South held for Ransom drove hiswo rks, as can be evidenced in his poem, Old Mansion, which describes his ultimatelyfutile attempts to return to the old traditions.The common narration unifying Ransoms work is that of longing for the stabilityand tradition that the old South embodies. As in his essays, this poem explores thepossibilities of what unlocking the secrets of this lost era top executive entail, and what benefits could be reaped in todays society from such an undertaking. In this poem, Ransom fails however, the poem remains an important step in his journey to set about out the old traditions and integrate them into a modern framework. To begin this journey, Ransom introduces the old mansion as a concrete concept to represent the handed-down values and lifestyles sought. Every bit of the structure, from its ivied columns, crumbling graveyard, and ultimately, its inhabitants themselves, serve as parables for Ransoms search. The language in the opening stanzas clearly demonstrates the reverence andpe rsonal kinship Ransom feels for the plantation home, i.e. the old South. Yet despitethe fact that he wants nothing more than to return to this way of life, he still refers to himself as an interloper (ln 1) into this world that he cherishes so highly. Clearly,despite Ransoms desire for a return to these simpler times, he maintains a feeling ofrespect for the past itself, and is not attempting to relive it. He is an intruder in this past, yet he wants desperately to understand its meaning, rather than just appreciate its beauty.