Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane and the Myth of the West

Author

Amy Reece

Publication Date

7-2-2011

Abstract

This paper examines the lives and legends of two of the most iconic women of the Old West, Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane. The focus of this study is not biography, however, rather a look at how they fit into the classic myth of the West, as envisioned by Henry Nash Smith. A review of the major literature on all three topics is followed by biographical information on both women, including the evolution of their legend. The final section of the paper analyzes how Oakley and Calamity Jane fit into and embody various aspects of the myth, Oakley representing the Garden of the World, while Calamity Jane is the Desert. This study opens the way for future work in gender in the West that examines the way some women challenged the existing power structure and male domination in the West.

Level of Degree

Masters

Degree Name

History

Department Name

History

First Committee Member (Chair)

Cahill, Cathleen

Second Committee Member

Scharff, Virginia

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Recommended Citation

Reece, Amy. "Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane and the Myth of the West." (2011). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hist_etds/66