Broncho Billy, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill - there hardly seems to be anyone in the world who has never heard about the heroes of American Western culture. Nowadays, cowboys are considered to be the embodiment of freedom and independence. Whereas cowboys have existed for hundreds of years, however, their image has changed over the centuries. In the 18thand 19thcentury, ‘cow boys’ were considered bad guys as they were bandits who remorselessly ambushed colonial farmers. It was not until the period after the Civil War that the word cowboy attained a positive connotation, being associated with rough men on horses who herded cattle. In the course of time, the cowboy figure was glorified and became a symbol of the American spirit. A plague in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Wyoming summarizes the glorification as it reads: “The cowboy is a mythic character in America. We admire him for his
independence, his honesty, his modesty and courage. He represents the best
in all Americans as he stares down evil and says, ‘When you call me that,
smile’.” When the motion picture was invented at the end of the 19th century, some of the first silent movies were documentations about cowboys, embodying the frontier spirit of the American culture, which has always been connected to the westward expansion of civilisation and the conquest of new unknown territories. Thus both the frontier and “the Western oppose[s] Wilderness to Civilization” as Will Wright puts it in his book Six Guns and Society. Edwin Porter’s The Great Train Robberycame to be the first Western narrating a story and fascinated the audience. In the following years, Western movies were most popular among the audience and were consequently produced in large numbers. Still today, they rank among the most beloved movie genres. Although the movie genre Western did not always stay at the peak of success, however, the boom was revived on a large scale in the 1950s. In this paper, I will try to reveal the fascination implicated in Western movies and analyse the figure of the cowboy against the background of the 1950s. In doing so, I will include the investigation of gender roles and the effects Westerns had on society. Casually, I will also draw on the popular TV Western series Gunsmoke which ought to serve as a demonstrative example. As far as the movie genre Western is concerned, the era of the 1950s was shaped by radical changes. [...]
Table of Contents
1. The American Western of the 1950s
1.1 An Analysis of Cowboy Culture
1.1.1 against the Background of the Era
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines the fascination with Western movies during the 1950s, focusing on the evolution of the cowboy figure against the sociological and psychological landscape of the post-war era, while analyzing how gender roles and commercial interests shaped the genre's development and enduring cultural legacy.
- The psychological transformation of the Western into 'adult' entertainment.
- The role of television, specifically the series Gunsmoke, as a cultural benchmark.
- Analysis of gender roles and the projection of masculinity in 1950s society.
- The interplay between the Western myth and commercial marketing strategies.
- The educational and moral function of the Western hero for the post-war generation.
Excerpt from the Book
The American Western of the 1950s
Broncho Billy, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill – there hardly seems to be anyone in the world who has never heard about the heroes of American Western culture. Nowadays, cowboys are considered to be the embodiment of freedom and independence. Whereas cowboys have existed for hundreds of years, however, their image has changed over the centuries. In the 18th and 19th century, ‘cow boys’ were considered bad guys as they were bandits who remorselessly ambushed colonial farmers. It was not until the period after the Civil War that the word cowboy attained a positive connotation, being associated with rough men on horses who herded cattle.
In the course of time, the cowboy figure was glorified and became a symbol of the American spirit. A plague in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Wyoming summarizes the glorification as it reads: “The cowboy is a mythic character in America. We admire him for his independence, his honesty, his modesty and courage. He represents the best in all Americans as he stares down evil and says, ‘When you call me that, smile’.”
Summary of Chapters
The American Western of the 1950s: This chapter introduces the Western as a core American genre and contextualizes the emergence of the 1950s Western boom.
An Analysis of Cowboy Culture: This section explores the sociological shift in Western movies, focusing on the psychological development of characters and the rise of 'adult' Westerns.
against the Background of the Era: This chapter connects the 1950s cultural environment, including gender dynamics and aggressive commercial marketing, to the pervasive influence of the cowboy myth.
Keywords
Western, 1950s, Cowboy, Gunsmoke, Masculinity, Gender Roles, American Spirit, Myth, Marketing, Post-War Era, Adult Western, Psychology, Hero, Villain, Pop Culture
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper explores the resurgence and evolution of the Western film genre during the 1950s, analyzing how it reflected the psychological and sociological needs of the post-war American public.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the transformation of the cowboy from a historical figure to a cultural icon, the impact of television on the genre, gender role divisions, and the intersection of myth-making with commercial marketing.
What is the core research question or objective?
The objective is to reveal the fascination with Western movies in the 1950s by analyzing the cowboy figure against the specific background of the era, including its role in shaping public perception of masculinity and morality.
Which scientific or analytical methods are utilized?
The author uses a qualitative analysis approach, examining historical context, media studies (specifically film and television), and sociological theories regarding gender and psychological archetypes in popular culture.
What content is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the transition from 'A' and 'B' movies to mature 'adult' Westerns, the use of irony and psychological depth in storytelling, and the influence of merchandise and media on the American population.
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
The analysis is characterized by terms such as the American Western, cowboy culture, the 1950s, masculinity, gender roles, media marketing, and the Freudian Western.
Why is the television series 'Gunsmoke' highlighted as a central example?
Gunsmoke is used as a case study because it represented a shift toward more complex, 'adult' storytelling that demanded audience reflection rather than mere passive amusement, making it the most significant example of 1950s television Westerns.
How does the author relate the 'cowboy myth' to the role of men in the 1950s?
The author suggests that the cowboy’s independence and power provided an aspirational escape for 1950s husbands, who often felt restricted by the social expectations of domesticity, stability, and providing for their families.
- Quote paper
- Julia Deitermann (Author), 2004, The American Western of the 1950s - An Analysis of Cowboy Culture against the Background of the Era, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/61102
