Southern Agrarians: Key Concepts and Critiques

The video discusses the Southern Agrarians, a group of writers who challenged industrial capitalism in the 1930s. They advocated for a return to an agrarian economy, critiquing the effects of modernization. The movement originated at Vanderbilt University and included key figures like John Crow Ransom and Robert Penn Warren. Known as Fugitive Poets, they faced criticism for their conservative views and eventually shifted focus to literary criticism, contributing to the New Criticism movement.

What was the primary goal of the Southern Agrarians?

• To return to an agrarian-based economy

• To support modern science and technology

• To promote industrial capitalism

• To establish a new political party

Where did the Southern Agrarians originate?

• Harvard University

• Yale University

• Vanderbilt University

• Princeton University

What was the name of the magazine published by the Southern Agrarians?

• The New Republic

• The Agrarian Journal

• The Southern Review

• The Fugitives

What was a major criticism of the Southern Agrarians?

• They ignored the benefits of mass production

• They supported racial equality

• They were too progressive

• They embraced modern technology

Who was a major poet among the Southern Agrarians?

• Walt Whitman

• T.S. Eliot

• Robert Penn Warren

• Robert Frost

What did critics accuse the Southern Agrarians of substituting for history?

• Myth

• Science

• Technology

• Economics

What was the Southern Agrarians' view on racial issues?

• They promoted racial equality

• They ignored racial issues

• They had a hypocritical stance

• They were leaders in civil rights

Why did the Southern Agrarian movement decline?

• They achieved their goals

• Their political ideals did not align with reality

• They were absorbed into another movement

• They were banned by the government

Which literary approach did some Southern Agrarians adopt after the movement's decline?

• Romanticism

• Realism

• Postmodernism

• New Criticism

What was the focus of new criticism, which some Southern Agrarians adopted?

• Political themes

• Formal aspects of poetry

• Author's biography

• Historical context