Wild West Reality Behind The Myths /
This thesis deals with an era of hundred years in the American history: the Wild West. The main question about the period is in connection with the legends that outshone historical facts and reality. The aim of this work is to reveal the truth about the Wild West, to find the connection between myth...
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| Dokumentumtípus: | Szakdolgozat |
| Megjelent: |
1999
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| Online Access: | http://diploma.bibl.u-szeged.hu/77125 |
| Tartalmi kivonat: | This thesis deals with an era of hundred years in the American history: the Wild West. The main question about the period is in connection with the legends that outshone historical facts and reality. The aim of this work is to reveal the truth about the Wild West, to find the connection between myths and facts and to get familiar with the factors that influenced and shaped this legendary world. After introducing the historical background, the first main section deals with reality by giving historical facts and a summary of that era. The reason for discussing reality first is that it seems much simpler to begin with instead of referring back and forth all the time. In this main part I tried to introduce those elements and events of history that got part in the later coming myths, so it is written as a sketch. In the following unit some legendary figures of the Old West are introduced. They are on the borderline between myth and reality: they were living people but they were raised to the level of heroes because of their deeds or because of the fame they earned not always deserving or serving it. In the subtopics of that chapter I would like to throw light on both their real life and their legendary side that had been created around them. The last main section investigates the legends and the means that helped to create them. Namely the oral traditions of folklore, the written forms and the visual way of story telling. Some examples are also introduced and described. The final outcome of my thesis is that behind the exciting myths there is always some reality that seems to be boring sometimes. However, the brave people who had conquered the West did not have a boring life. They had to face plenty of hardships and dangers. These difficulties inspired people to praise the irregular deeds. Both Eastern coast people and the Westerners wanted to hear wonderful and exciting stories about the `Wild West', but for different reasons. Those from the Atlantic coast and from the industrial, urban regions were eager to hear fascinating stories about uncivilized people ,while on the other side of the continent people wanted to hear magic tales and great stories about a hero who was one of them and who they yearned to be. Both led to the creation of a fabled world of legends of the Wild West and the Americans seem to be very proud of that hundred years when they established a great nation theilater became the most influential country in the world. |
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