Women on Southern Stages, 1800-1865

Download or read book Women on Southern Stages, 1800-1865 written by Robin O. Warren and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-10-24 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Women played an integral role in the theater of the Antebellum and Civil War South. Yet their contributions have largely been overlooked by history. Southern actresses were important public figures who helped mold gender identity through their theatrical performances. Although cast in parts written by men, they subverted the norms of femininity in their public personas and in their personal lives. Educated and often wealthy but never accepted by the landed elite, women distinguished themselves by carving out an in-between class status, and many proved to be sophisticated entrepreneurs. Southern actresses also helped shape racial perceptions and regional politics as the South entered the Civil War.