Keywords
gender, Civil War, music
Abstract
“Home, Sweet Home” is widely considered the most popular tune of the American Civil War, but its enduring popularity before, during, and after the war has never been fully explored. This thesis combines classic and modern histories of the music of the Civil War with some of the latest work in gender studies and the post-war era to explore the continued popularity of this song throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It begins by examining the life of the song’s unusual author, John Howard Payne, and why Americans were predisposed to find both Payne and his song so compelling. It then continues with its popularity in the Civil War before concluding with its legacy after the war until the turn of the century. In seeking to explain the song's popularity during and after the war, it utilizes accounts of Union soldiers both during and long after the conclusion of hostilities and the words of the next generation as Americans transitioned into a united, imperialist power on the world stage. Primary sources explored include sheet music, letters, newspapers, and other ephemera.
Completion Date
2024
Semester
Fall
Committee Chair
Barbara Gannon
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
History
Degree Program
History
Format
Identifier
DP0028971
Language
English
Release Date
December 2024
Access Status
Dissertation/Thesis
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Bock, Nathanial E., "Home, Sweet Home: Gender the Civil War and Reunion Through Popular Music" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024. 10.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2024/10
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