Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Appalachian Studies
Date of Award
12-2022
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Jane MacMorran
Committee Members
Rebecca Fletcher, Phyllis Thompson
Abstract
This thesis applies qualitative literary analysis and ethnographic methods to examine the portrayal of Appalachia in the operas Susannah and Cold Mountain. The operas were premiered almost 60 years apart, yet they share many themes that epitomize roles, patterns, and stereotypes within the Appalachian region. One theme observed is the role and expectations of Appalachian women and how they have developed over time, as the plots are placed roughly a century apart. The depictions of Appalachian religious traditions and representations of violence are also explored as these themes play a considerable role in Susannah and Cold Mountain. By analyzing the representation of Appalachia in these operas, this study places the significance of opera among other forms of media and drama that are evaluated in the field of Appalachian Studies. Susannah and Cold Mountain depict some historically founded representations of Appalachian culture, yet some stereotypes also appear and are evaluated.
Document Type
Thesis - embargo
Recommended Citation
Bennett, Savannah, "Susannah and Cold Mountain: Examining the Portrayal of Appalachian Culture in Opera" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4132. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4132
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Appalachian Studies Commons, Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Literature in English, North America Commons, Music Commons, Religion Commons