Grief Debate

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HIST 3560 History of Emotions

 

Second Midterm Essay REVISED

Death, Mourning, and Grief

QUESTION ONE

 

Some historians, like Drew Gilpin Faust, have argued that the Civil War was a pivotal historical event that permanently changed (i.e., we did not go back to the way things were before) the way Americans responded to death, mourning, and grief.  Other historians, like Mark Schantz, make an argument for continuity rather than wholesale change.  Schantz argues that Victorian views of death, mourning, and grief were already in place by the time of the war (1861-65), such that the massive death toll of the Civil War amplified, rather than significantly changed, Victorian views and behavior.

 

This question asks you to describe grief in the colonial period and the Victorian period, focus in on grief in the aftermath of the Civil War, and then wade into the Faust/Schantz debate.

 

  • Colonial period: Set forth views and practices around death, mourning, and grief in the 17th-18th (The colonial period, for our purposes, ranges from the Puritan times in the mid-17th c. to the early national period, in the first quarter of the 19th century.)Hint: while grieving the death of children is a part of this story, don’t make it the central focus.

Sources to use: – https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/topic_display.cfm?tcid=72

  • Word doc of : grief colonial period (death & mourning)
  • Wells epidemics death 18th colonial period

 

  • Victorian period:Then, contrast those views while describing Victorian views of death, mourning, and grief, and how those views manifested in performances of mourning and grief (i.e., focus on how things changed in the Victorian period). (The Victorian period ranges from about 1830 to 1920, but changes with regard to death, mourning, and grief begin in 1890, thus creating a transition period.)Hint: In giving an overview, focus on the Victorian period more generally, as you will focus more specifically on the Civil War next.Halltunen is your biggest (but not only) source for this question.

                       Sources to use: – History of death ppts

  • Haulttunen Mourning the Dead
  • Infant death 19th century

 

  • The Civil War specifically: Discuss how the Civil War affected mourning rituals and grieving the mass casualties in the wake of the war, focusing particularly on widows and mothers who lost sons. Discuss the politics around mourning the Union dead vs. mourning the Confederate dead and how that affected the way the dead were mourned, both nationally and in state and local communities.  Hint: Faust provides the big picture, while Janney, Mays, and Van Gorder provide the local color.

Sources to use: – Janney post-cwmourning

  • Mays Condolence letters confederate widows grief
  • Van Gorder, Civil war grief Illinois

 

  • Effect of the Civil War:Drew Gilpin Faust argues that the Civil War changed Victorian views of death, mourning, and grief. Steven Schantz argues that the Victorian patterns were already in place by the time of the war and that the war instead amplified those patterns.  Set forth Faust’s argument, and the evidence that she points to, to make a case that the Civil War changed Victorian views of death, mourning, and grief.  Based on your informed opinion, do you agree with Faust that it was a change, do agree more with Schantz that the Civil War as amplified views and practices that were already in place, or do you believe that there was some change and some amplification?Hint: Start with the articleIn the Mourning Store to get a sense of the debate.https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/01/21/in-the-mourning-store

 

In responding to Question One, provide a macro treatment of the subject, illustrated by specific examples drawn from the various micro studies posted on the course website.  Cite to sources when you rely on them and when you directly quote from them.  Paraphrase when possible.

 

 

QUESTION TWO

 

Review your responses to the grief reflection exercise.  Choose three aspects of death, mourning, and/or grief that you have identified in your experience.  For each aspect, reflect on which time period (colonial, Victorian (including the Civil War), 20th century, or late 20th/21st century) is most reflected in that experience.

Use source of  “GRIEF REFLECTION” (file attached)

 

 

Assignment Guidelines

 

  1. One inch margins all around, 12 pt. font, name(s) and e-mail address(es) in top right corner, number the pages. Remove auto-indent.

 

  1. Number/letter your essays and use the bolded headings provided in the prompt to organize your essay.

 

  1. Paragraph! A bullet point is not an invitation to write one long paragraph.  Begin a new paragraph when you shift topics, and begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.  Have at least one paragraph break per page for ease of reading.

 

  1. Cite to authority when you rely on material, as well as when directly quoting. Citations must include the page number unless the source lacks page numbers.  You do not need a work cited page for course material.  If you use outside material, provide a full bibliographic citation in a works cited page or footnote.  Citations refer to material above the cite, not below.

 

  1. Your essay will be evaluated for your understanding of the larger themes as well as your use of specific detail to illustrate those themes, your use of evidence to support your arguments, clarity of expression, and technical writing skill. You are invited to gain assistance with technical writing from a tutor at the Academic Success Center.

 

  1. Page limit: 10 pages. This essay probably cannot be done well in less than six pages.

 

  1. Upload your essay to the course website by Thursday, April 25th at 3:00 p.m.