About the book
Between 1861 and 1865, approximately 200,000 women were widowed by the deaths of Civil War soldiers. They recorded their experiences in diaries, letters, scrapbooks, and pension applications. In Love and Duty, Angela Esco Elder draws on these materials—as well as songs, literary works, and material objects like mourning gowns—to explore white Confederate widows’ stories, examining the records of their courtships, marriages, loves, and losses to understand their complicated relationship with the Confederate state. Elder shows how, in losing their husbands, many women acquired significant cultural capital, which positioned them as unlikely actors to gain political influence.
Confederate officialdom championed a particular image of white widowhood—the young wife who selflessly transferred her monogamous love from her dead husband to the deathless cause for which he’d fought. But a closer look reveals that these women spent their new cultural capital with great shrewdness and variety. Not only were they aware of the social status gained in widowhood; they also used that status on their own terms, turning mourning into a highly politicized act amid the battle to establish the Confederacy’s legitimacy. Death forced all Confederate widows to reconstruct their lives, but only some would choose to play a role in reconstructing the nation.
Editions of Love and Duty
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469667737
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469667744
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469667768
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469667751
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890856890
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890856883
Read an Excerpt
Between 1861 and 1865, approximately 200,000 women were widowed by the deaths of Civil War soldiers. They recorded their experiences in diaries, letters, scrapbooks, and pension applications. In Love and Duty, Angela Esco Elder draws on these materials—as well as songs, literary works, and material objects like mourning gowns—to explore white Confederate widows’ stories, examining the records of their courtships, marriages, loves, and losses to understand their complicated relationship with the Confederate state. Elder shows how, in losing their husbands, many women acquired significant cultural capital, which positioned them as unlikely actors to gain political influence.
Confederate officialdom championed a particular image of white widowhood—the young wife who selflessly transferred her monogamous love from her dead husband to the deathless cause for which he’d fought. But a closer look reveals that these women spent their new cultural capital with great shrewdness and variety. Not only were they aware of the social status gained in widowhood; they also used that status on their own terms, turning mourning into a highly politicized act amid the battle to establish the Confederacy’s legitimacy. Death forced all Confederate widows to reconstruct their lives, but only some would choose to play a role in reconstructing the nation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Love and Duty about?
Between 1861 and 1865, approximately 200,000 women were widowed by the deaths of Civil War soldiers. They recorded their experiences in diaries, letters, scrapbooks, and pension applications. In Love and Duty, Angela Esco Elder draws on these materials—as well as songs, literary works, and material objects like mourning gowns—to explore white Confederate widows’ stories, examining the records of their courtships, marriages, loves, and losses to understand their complicated relationship with the Confederate state. Elder shows how, in losing their husbands, many women acquired significant cultural capital, which positioned them as unlikely actors to gain political influence.
Confederate officialdom championed a particular image of white widowhood—the young wife who selflessly transferred her monogamous love from her dead husband to the deathless cause for which he’d fought. But a closer look reveals that these women spent their new cultural capital with great shrewdness and variety. Not only were they aware of the social status gained in widowhood; they also used that status on their own terms, turning mourning into a highly politicized act amid the battle to establish the Confederacy’s legitimacy. Death forced all Confederate widows to reconstruct their lives, but only some would choose to play a role in reconstructing the nation.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Love and Duty?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Love and Duty?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469667737
How long is Love and Duty and how many pages does it have?
Love and Duty has 224 page(s)
Is Love and Duty part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Civil War America
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Love and Duty?
Angela Esco Elder
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Love and Duty is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469667737) and paperback(ISBN 9781469667744) and ebook(ISBN 9781469667768) and ebook(ISBN 9781469667751) and ebook(ISBN 9798890856890) and pdf(ISBN 9798890856883)
Where can I buy Love and Duty online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Love and Duty from below
Where can I buy Love and Duty?