Dan 1
Sarah Dan
Brandi Hodo
English 102-061
18 February 2015
What does it take to be a Southern Gentleman?
The meaning of being a gentleman has changed over the course of time.
Historically, it was not just the action of a man, but a birthright; a gentleman was born
into the title through wealth or nobility. According to the Oxford Dictionary, to be a
gentleman in the 21st century it means to be a “chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man”
(“gentleman” np). So what is the difference in being a Southern Gentleman, and just a
gentleman? Too often, the term Southern Gentleman conjures up an image of Colonel
Sanders, which is neither wrong nor right. To be an authentic Southern Gentleman seems
like a paradox: one must be effortlessly polite, hold fast to traditions, hospitable, nicely
dressed, hard working, enjoys food, friends, laughter, and most importantly, generally
enjoys life.
The image of a Southern Gentleman now, compared to the 1800’s however, is
vastly different. The idea of the Old South is traditionally a Southern Gentleman with his
beautiful, nicely dressed wife and children who attend church every Sunday (Gros 1).
“The Southern Gentleman is tolerant, kindly, broadminded, non-puritan, moderate,
hospitable and courteous… a totally integrated personality, he is also supremely
gregarious and sees himself as rightly into an organic familial and social order that has a
sense of purpose and unity” (Singal)(Gros 30). These roles are what come to mind for
many when the words Southern Gentleman and Old South are used in the same sentence.
Dan 2
Although some Southern Gentleman today still represent and believe in these traits, these
are a “mere window-dressing” idea of the term (Gros 30). It is not required to be wealthy,
have a large family, to be overly aristocratic or non-puritan. To say that one must believe
in one thing and not another, is not honorable or courteous, as one must say a true
Southern Gentleman is; one should be allowed to have their own religious, or non-
religious opinion and belief without having their Southern title taken from them.
The term Southern Gentleman has evolved over the years. From an image of
Colonel Sanders to a young, dapper man dressed in preppy clothing: it is constantly
changing with ones own opinion. Some say it is the men you see wearing Vineyard Vines,
using sayings such as “yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir, and no sir”, the ones with a hearty
appetite and a faithful belief. Others believe it’s the ones who are born and bred in the
