Spectacle of Grief

Download or read book Spectacle of Grief written by Sarah J. Purcell and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This illuminating book examines how the public funerals of major figures from the Civil War era shaped public memories of the war and allowed a diverse set of people to contribute to changing American national identities. These funerals featured lengthy processions that sometimes crossed multiple state lines, burial ceremonies open to the public, and other cultural productions of commemoration such as oration and song. As Sarah J. Purcell reveals, Americans' participation in these funeral rites led to contemplation and contestation over the political and social meanings of the war and the roles played by the honored dead"--