Civil War Tragedy Analysis

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Civil War: Drama, Spectacle, and Performance

War sets the world on fire. Often caused by differences in beliefs, war divides people based on perspective. One of the most bloody and divisive wars in history was the American Civil War. During the Civil War, America was pitted against itself in a bloodbath divided by geological, social and political differences. These geological, social and political differences, lead to drama spectacle and performance that can be seen. These characteristics during the Civil War were prominent both on the battlefield and within the American people at home. Today similar drama, spectacle and performance can be seen through Civil War reenactments. Reenactments attempt to mimic the same emotion and experiences that were reached during the Civil War. Yet a reenactment does not carry all the feelings and repercussions that were brought to America’s attention during the war.

==Drama Civil war

War itself is dramatic. The personal journal of John Ibaugh is an excellent example of drama that existed in
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Day in and day out, men, women, and children had to deal with the tension and action that was between the north and south. Spectacle for the soldiers was a lot more gruesome in general than the Civilians. The battles were spectacle in general. But the war as a whole was also a spectacle. Every battle was a different experience for a solider. The spectacle of a civil war battle has to do with the solider specific experience but for the most part all the battles were bloody and gruesome. Another spectacle that added drama to the war was the death of Abraham Lincoln. Although that Lincoln had many of the ideas that aligned with the north in John Ibaugh’s diary (3) he states how he still thought that the south will mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln. The spectacle of Abraham Lincoln’s death was an pivotal part of the Civil

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