Realism Project: Gospel Songs

During the Civil War Era, approximately 1861 to 1865, a literary period called the Realism Literary Period became very popular. There are many speeches,works of art, poems, novels, and even songs that can be classified as realism works of literature. Some of these songs that can be classified as part of the realism literary period are gospel songs. These are songs, commonly sung during this time period, that were mainly sung by African American slaves. This was their escape hatch, so to speak, from slavery. And because of their predicament, the topics of their songs were often about escaping to heaven and being freed from their present oppression. Three of the more famous gospel songs are "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Go Down, Moses," and "Keep Your Hand on the Plow." All of these songs have characteristics of realism, mainly in what they talk about, not necessarily in structure.

"I looked over Jordan and what did I see,
Coming for to carry me home?
A band of angels coming after me,
Coming for to carry me home.
...
I'm sometimes up, I'm sometimes down,
Coming for to carry me home,
But still my sould feels heavenly bound;
Coming for to carry me home.
...
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home." ("Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," 346)

This song deals with religion, and how by their faith, one day, they will be saved and go to heaven. In these songs they not only put their own emotions into it--the want of being rescued and the hope of being saved--but they also used Biblical facts in their songs, showing signs of realism. This same concept is present in the other songs--the use of Biblical instances to convey their emotions, and applying the Biblical situation to their own lives.

"When Israel was in Egypt's land,
Let my people go;
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go.
...
Go down, Moses,
'Way down in Egypt's land;
Tell ole Pharaoh
Let my people go." ("Go Down, Moses," 347)

In this song, they use figurative writing to portray their own predicament, something common to realism. Also, in a deeper sense, the fact that Moses, one of the people, was to lead them out of oppression, represents the common hero, which is a characteristic of realism. The use of this Biblical fact in their song shows the realistic characteristics of the writing.

"Hold on, hold on,
Keep your hand on the plow,
Hold on.
...
Paul and Silas bound in jail,
Had nobody for to go their bail,
Keep your hand on the plow,
Hold on." ("Keep your Hand on the Plow," 348)

In this song, the people use agriculture and Biblical references to represent their lives, and to give hope to others. Plowing was something that slaves would have to do on the plantations. In the song, they used this from their lives to figuratively mean perseverance. The use of all of this in the songs puts these gospel songs in the realism time period.

Works Cited

"Go Down, Moses." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg 347.

"Keep Your Hand on the Plow." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg 348.

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg 346.