This can be seen in the work of the influential historian Russel Ward, who wrote the book 'The Australian Legend ' which is considered by historians such as Davison to be a classic interpretation of Australian identity (DAVISON 2). Ward 's archetype of the national identity was the Australian bushman. That is, the 'rural proletariat ' who was often a shearer, drover, or pastoral worker. For Ward, the Australian bushman was “a practical man, rough and ready in his manners” and was someone who was deeply loyal to his friends. Furthermore, the bushman was egalitarian and anti-authoritarian (DAVISON 2-3). For historians such as Ward, national identity is to be found in the songs, legends, and folkways of the working class, especially those who lived the most basic lives, far removed from the urban population (DAVISON …show more content…
However, it has been asserted that Ward only accepted bush ballads as authentic so long as they expressed a narrative which fit with his notion of national identity (DAVISON 19). Historians have criticised Ward 's portrayal of the Australian bushman as a myth, and subsequently it is suggested that this effort to create a new identity was due to the increasing influence of communism in academia in the 1940s. In trying to create a new national identity, the likes of Ward created a myth out of an interpretation that sprang from the blend of left-wing ideology and bush folklore (DAVISON 3)(WIMBORNE