A Perfect Embodiment Of American Heroism-the Hero Image And Cultural Significance In The Virginian

Praised as the father of American western cowboy novel, Owen Wister honors asignificant position in American literature and history. The Virginian：A Horseman ofthe Plains (1902), his masterpiece, has depicted a mode of cowboy image in Westernliterature and an icon of modern hero in American history. By establishing a freshwestern formula, Wister’s cowboy stories create a new kind of individualist andarchetypical hero that remains the popularity till the present day, which has beenproved by The Virginian. In Wister’s description, the Virginian is not only a manlycharacter, who has a handsome appearance, brave and upright spirit, but also is aperson of tenderness inside. Hence, The Virginian presents a full, colorful andrespectable hero.Based on the literature review about the researches on Owen Wister and TheVirginian both abroad and at home, the thesis finds out that The Virginian has beenstudied from many literature theory perspectives but not from heroic perspective.However, in The Virginian, American heroism has gained a perfect embodiment. Thisthesis is discussing the heroic characteristics of the Virginian. All excellent qualitiesof the cowboy are the reasons why the Virginian is worshiped by the public andregarded as an American hero. His manly appearance, his verbal ability, hismasculinity personality, his perception and tenderness are all the elements of hisheroic spirit. His personal characteristics impress the American public. From theaspect of the American heroic spirit, the American heroism, including theindividualism, the pragmatism and the American dream achievement, is perfectlyillustrated in the cowboy, which further enhances the deep meaning of heroism inAmerican literature and history.The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the qualities of the Virginian and theAmerican heroic spirit revealed through the perspective of American heroism, whichmanifest the charm and influence of The Virginian on American literature and history.To the American, it is the qualities and spirit of cowboys that have made and willmake them worship the cowboy heroes like the Virginian. With the popularity of thewestern novels and the increasing importance of cowboy movies in Americanliterature, more stress will be put on cowboy novels and cowboy culture.