Rodman the Keeper by Constance Fenimore Woolson
"Rodman the Keeper" by Constance Fenimore Woolson is a poignant exploration of the lingering tensions and personal struggles in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The story follows John Rodman, a former Union Army officer who takes on the role of caretaker for a cemetery housing the remains of fourteen thousand Union soldiers in the South. As Rodman immerses himself in his duties, he becomes acutely aware of the deep-seated animosity that local southerners harbor towards both him and the cemetery, which symbolize an unwanted occupation.
Despite his initial hopes for recovery from the traumas of war, Rodman finds himself navigating the complexities of regional resentment while developing a reluctant respect for the local people, particularly a sick Confederate soldier named Ward De Rosset and his fiancée, Bettina Ward. The narrative highlights Rodman's attempts to bridge cultural divides, even as he faces rejection and the burdens of historical hatred. The interactions between Rodman and Bettina illustrate a mix of attraction and conflict, ultimately underscoring the difficulty of reconciling past grievances. Woolson's work invites readers to reflect on the broader themes of memory, loss, and the possibility of understanding in a fractured society.
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Rodman the Keeper by Constance Fenimore Woolson
First published: 1877
Type of plot: Regional
Time of work: Not long after the American Civil War
Locale: Probably Andersonville, Georgia
Principal Characters:
John Rodman , a Union Army veteran and keeper of a national cemeteryWard De Rosset , a former Confederate soldierBettina Ward , his intended bridePomp , an old former slave, still loyal to De Rosset
The Story
John Rodman, a Union Army veteran who takes care of a large cemetery in which fourteen thousand Union soldiers are buried, comes to grasp the depth of animosity felt by southerners against their conquerors, both living and dead. He understands that although the legacy of hatred may in time diminish, the aftermath of war can be as destructive as war itself.
Having taken a poorly paid job in what was formerly enemy country, Rodman hopes to recover mentally and physically from the experiences he endured during the war. The mild southern climate will restore his body, he thinks, while the mechanical work of groundskeeping, record keeping, and administering in such a quiet place will restore his tortured mind. Additionally, he hopes to repay his fallen comrades for their sacrifice to a cause in which his faith has never faltered.
In short order, he learns that those living nearby want no part of him or the cemetery. They regard both as symbols of an unwanted occupation. However, as an open-minded man, he attempts to acclimate to his surroundings, to find admirable traits in his poverty-stricken neighbors whom he admires for their soldierly qualities and their single-minded devotion to a way of life as he tries to adjust to a climate very different from his native New Hampshire.
One hot day, in search of a cold spring, he finds a great house in total disrepair in which lives Ward De Rosset, a sick former Confederate soldier now being taken care of by Pomp, a former slave. Although hungry and wracked with pain, De Rosset is reluctant to accept the slightest favor from a Yankee. However, the extremity of his situation brings him to the tiny cottage that goes with Rodman's position. Although Rodman has no sympathy for the Confederate cause, he cannot witness a fellow soldier in such distress and attempts to nurse him for about a week until a woman arrives.
Bettina Ward, haughty and unforgiving, but somehow more seductive and intimidating than her northern sisters, rejects Rodman's hospitality, insisting she will pay for any care given to her fiancé. His patience tried, Rodman replies in kind, demanding thirty dollars, knowing Bettina cannot pay the enormous sum and showing that a hardheaded New Englander is every bit a match for a spirited southerner.
Despite the frost between these two young people, an obvious attraction exists; Bettina at one point goes so far as to comment on Rodman's racially correct "flaxen hair." When De Rosset dies, she determines to leave the area to make an uncertain living teaching in Tennessee. She has come to a grudging respect for the former Yankee officer who nursed her intended. However, when he asks her to be the first to sign the cemetery's guest register, she refuses, though she takes his hand in gratitude before she leaves.
In a final scene, Rodman encounters a Down Easter who intends to tear down the old house in which De Rosset had lived but will sell him its climbing vines for twenty-five cents. Perhaps this commercial spirit and get-up-and-go is as good a remedy as any to help drive out old ghosts.