Barbara Frietchie (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
The Poem
John Greenleaf Whittier’s patriotic ballad “Barbara Frietchie” is one of the most popular poems ever published in American literature. Whittier first heard about the incident described in the poem in Frederick, Maryland, more than a year after the fact. Historical investigations have made problematic any claim the poem might have to authenticity; Whittier freely embellished the story of a courageous ninety-year-old woman who dared to wave the Union flag from her second-story window in the face of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson as his troops marched through...
[The entire page is 1633 words long]
