The Antebellum South

In 1887, Thomas Nelson Page published In Ole Virginia, a collection of short stories about the Old South, focusing on the time period immediately pre- and post-American Civil War. Throughout literature, the Antebellum South has been depicted as a place of sprawling plantations, Southern belles, chivalry, and glamorous balls. Following the Civil War, the South is often still depicted as quaint small towns characterized by Southern hospitality, but is far less romanticized. In his stories, Thomas Nelson Page supports these notions, and attempts to illustrate both the glory of the Old South as well as the view that the Civil War was ultimately an unnecessary bloodbath. This is shown primarily through the tone of the African American narrators

As such, he portrays a certain loving, almost familial relationship between African American slaves and their white masters. The slave owners are characterized heroically, as looking after their slaves to the extent that they are willing to risk their lives to ensure the safety and well-being of their slaves. In fact, the slaves themselves seem to hold this viewpoint. In “Marse Chan,” the African American narrator, Sam, is quoted as saying “dem was good ole times, marster—de bes’ Sam ever see! … Niggers didn’ hed nothin’ ‘t all to do—jes’ hed to … [do] what de marster tell ‘em to do; an when dey was sick, dey had things sont ‘em out de house, an’ de same doctor come to see ‘em whar ‘ten’ to de white folks when dey wuz po’ly. Dyar warn’ no trouble nor nothin’ (Page 10).” This indicates a very symbiotic relationship between the African American slaves and their White masters. This is less like a relationship between owner and property, and more like the tie between family members or very close friends. A relationship such as this is clearly beneficial to both parties, and should not be broken, which provides the basis of Page’s argument against the Civil

In particular, this is shown in “Unc’ Edinburg’s Drowndin’” when Marse George attempts to save Unc’ Edinburg from the river on Christmas Eve. The narrator says, “Marse George tun back an’ struck out for me for life, an’ […] jus as I went down de last time he cotch me an’ helt on to me tell we wash down to whar de bank curve (Page 75).” The relationship between Marse George and Unc’ Edinburg is shown as tipping to favor Unc’ Edinburg in this instance. Despite the risk to his own health and safety, Marse George makes a daring attempt to rescue Unc’ Edinburg from the freezing water. This posed the danger of cold or pneumonia from the cold water as well as the risk of bodily harm given by the high currents in the river. Marse George shows a clear love for his slave, and in true Southern style, follows the biblical ideal that “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (King James Bible, John