The Unregenerate South : The Agrarian Thought of John Crowe Ransom, Allen title: Tate, and Donald Davidson Southern Literary Studies author: Malvasi, Mark G. publisher: Louisiana State University Press isbn10 | asin: 0807121436 print isbn13: 9780807121436 ebook isbn13: 9780585300092 language: English American literature--Southern States-- History and criticism, Literature and history--Southern States--History--20th subject century, Ransom, John Crowe,--1888-1974- -Knowledge--Southern States, American literature--20th century--History and criticism, Davidson, Do publication date: 1997 lcc: PS261.M28 1997eb ddc: 810.9/975/09041 American literature--Southern States-- History and criticism, Literature and history--Southern States--History--20th subject: century, Ransom, John Crowe,--1888-1974- -Knowledge--Southern States, American literature--20th century--History and criticism, Davidson, Do Page i SOUTHERN LITERARY STUDIES Fred Hobson, Editor Page v The Unregenerate South The Agrarian Thought of John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, and Donald Davidson Mark G. Malvasi Page vi Copyright © 1997 by Louisiana State University Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 98 97 5 4 3 2 1 Designer: Amanda McDonald Key Typeface: Bembo Typesetter: Impressions Book and Journal Services, Inc. Printer and binder: Thomson-Shore, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Malvasi, Mark G., 1957 The unregenerate South : the agrarian thought of John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, and Donald Davidson / Mark G. Malvasi. p. cm. (Southern literary studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8071-2143-6 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. American literatureSouthern StatesHistory and criticism. 2. Literature and historySouthern StatesHistory20th century. 3. Ransom, John Crowe, 18881974KnowledgeSouthern States. 4. American literature20th centuryHistory and criticism. 5. Davidson, Donald, 18931968KnowledgeSouthern States. 6. Tate, Allen, 18991979KnowledgeSouthern States. 7. Southern StatesHistoriography. 8. Agrarians (Group of writers) I. Title II. Series. PS261.M28 1997 210.9'975'09041dc21 97-10950 CIP The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. Page vii For my father and mother Sempre con amore Page ix Have I forgotten The dead young men whose flesh will not reflower But in this single bloom which now I pluck, Weaving it into my spirit as victors weave A chaplet, gathered from mould, for honor's sake? This is my body, woven from dead and living, Given over again to the quick lustration Of a new moment: This is my body and spirit, Broken but never tamed, risen from the bloody sod, Walking suddenly alive in a new morning. Donald Davidson, "The Sod of Battlefields" Page xi Contents Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii Abbreviations xix Introduction: The Southern Conservative Tradition in the 1 Modern World 1 23 Ransom's Agrarian Aesthetic: What These Have Done in Love 2 61 Ransom and the Republic of Letters: A Faraway Time of Gentleness 3 89 Tate's Agrarian Faith: Knowledge Carried to the Heart 4 128 Tate and Southern Redemption: All Are Born Yankees 5 153 Davidson and the Southern Tradition: That Rage of Belief 6 189 Davidson's Defense of the South: A Land Still Fought For 7 220 The Southern Conservative Tradition in Retrospect and Prospect: Generations of the Faithful Heart Index 255