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Introduction
Death is a natural and inevitable part of life, feared by some and accepted by others. The article Civil War and the Art of Dying focuses on how death was perceived during that era and their ways of following the norms depicted in Ars Moriendi. This set of texts specifically focused on how to guarantee a Good Death, depicting all the necessary criteria for it.
Main Thesis
The main idea of the article revolves around the perception of death during the Civil War era. The author chose this specific period due to the contrast between peoples opinions about it in the past and the present1. Throughout the depiction, he also evaluated on the role Ars Moriendi played in their understanding of death. Faust also emphasized the number of casualties from that event and its impact on present day America.
Main Sources
The main sources were the texts from Ars Moriendi, because the people of the nineteenth century saw great value in the advice depicted in them. Faust explored the differences between the perception of death in the past and in the present, while being neutral. These sources were crucial for providing readers with the necessary historical context. He used over 50 sources to paint a detailed picture of that era, referring to a few poems and the letters of the deceased.
Secondary Sources
The secondary sources used by the author were required for a more detailed portrait of that era. Since his opinion was neutral throughout the article, he did not attempt to argue with the materials. However, Faust wanted to accentuate the role religion played in peoples values. The Christian sources used by him state that the priority of patriotism over faith that some soldiers had was undesirable. The author had no intention to resolve the disagreements, for such views were not accepted then.
Conclusion
I see the article as valuable, for it provides context regarding the perception of death. It emphasized the grand role religion played in society. However, it is also used as a means of grievance due to the number of casualties and its lasting effects on the present. My opinion has not changed much, but it did give me some valuable information. It gave me a better understanding of the mindset of religious people and their values.
Bibliography
Faust, Drew. The Civil War Soldier and the Art of Dying . The Journal of Southern History, 67, no. 1 (2001): 3-38
Footnotes
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1 Faust, Drew. The Civil War Soldier and the Art of Dying . The Journal of Southern History, 67, no. 1 (2001): 3-38
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