Owl Creek Bridge Romanticism

In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce narrates the hanging and the moments prior to the hanging of Peyton Farquhar. Peyton Farquhar, a rich, southern plantation owner, is tricked into sabotaging the Union Army. After failing to burn driftwood located near the bridge, Farquhar awaits his punishment: hanging. Bierce’s background adds to the depth and realism of the short story, as he himself served with the Ninth Indiana Infantry Regiment, an experience that unmistakably carried into his short stories. Moreover, having fought in the Civil War, Bierce often incorporated violence into his stories, and as Korb states, “He was one of the first American writers to hold up the act of war and show it, not humorously or as picturesque,

Previous to the Civil War, America began adopting a Romantic mindset; a major transition from the “Age of Reason”. Romantic ideals, which prevailed at the time period, included: imagination, heroism, and ceasing the day. Farquhar, as stated in the short story, for an unknown reason, was unable to serve in the Confederate Army which he deeply supported. This inability to help his army, lead to Farquhar’s willingness to do anything, no matter how naive, to “fight for his cause”. Lawrence Berkove of “Short Story Criticism” states, “He also longs for “the larger life of a soldier.” This is romantic claptrap, reflecting an ideal notion of heroism and fame” (121). Using Farquhar’s naivety and craving for heroism, Bierce criticizes the harsh reality of war and those who belittle the effects of it. Effectively, Bierce portrays, through the gruesome hanging of Farquhar, that the afterlife is the only thing “larger than life” for a soldier. Ironically, the Romantics supported the concept of transcendentalism, the philosophy where one reaches the ability to transcend from their body. However, Farquhar fails at transcending, leading to his death at Owl Creek Bridge. In the short story, driftwood represents Peyton Farquhar, who in turn represents Romantics. While anxiously awaiting his hanging atop Owl Creek Bridge, Farquhar notices a piece of driftwood dancing down the

Farquhar, who symbolically represent the Romantics, attempts to destroy Owl Creek Bridge. Heroism and a longing for adventure lead his way to failure. Bierce uses Owl Creek Bridge as a symbol to represent America and to further critique the Romantics. Author Herder Frieburg of “The Herder Symbol Dictionary” says, “Traditionally, the owl is a symbol of darkness and death as well as wisdom” (Owens 89). This makes sense, because, at the time previous to the Civil War, the enlightened and rational way of thinking proved to rule the country. Therefore, Owl Creek Bridge represents the rational America. While Bierce served in the army during the Civil War his regiment was located near Owl Creek. As Owens points out, “The creek had been a place to bathe and swim before the battle” (83). The innocence and purity connected to bathing in the creek reflect the innocence of America during the “Age of Reason”, soon compromised by the invading Romantic ideology. Bridges are meant to connect and unite; however, in the short story, the opposite happens. Located at Owl Creek Bridge, a conflict between two juxtaposing ideals, romanticism and rationalism, occurs. The innocent bridge, representing America, is attacked by Farquhar, but also by the Union Army, who hanged men off of Owl Creek Bridge. Accordingly, the bridge showcases the dangers Romantics pose