The Deadwood Dick Library: Calamity Jane: The Heroine of Whoop-up

Background on Calamity Jane The character, Calamity Jane, may have been based on a real woman in history Martha Jane Cannary Probably born around 1852 Commonly known for her unusual sense of style and masculine attributes “Sharp-shooting, whiskey swilling, and cross-dressing ways” (Biography 1) Had many wild adventures-known as the female hero or “heroine” of her time Broke gender barriers Allegedly had a relationship with the well-known Western legend: Wild Bill Hickok Although she had a rough exterior, many claimed she had a softer side Possible marriage and children

Role of Gender in Calamity Jane Imagery and Figurative Language: Focus on appearance, especially with the women throughout the dime novel “She was a possessor of a form both graceful and womanly, and a face that was particularly handsome and attractive” (Wheeler 3) “You look too much like a girl to be a boy” (Wheeler 7) Repetition of “dare-devil” and “wild”

Men and Women in Calamity Jane Hero vs. Heroine Calamity Jane vs. Sandy “I have been your protector so far-I’ll see you safe through” (Wheeler 19) “Calamity, my dear girl, how can I ever repay you for your heroic effort in my behalf?” (Wheeler 27) Ending-Confirming and Defying Gender Norms Marriage of Sandy and Edna Jennie Forest remains Calamity Jane and is the heroine of the story

Works Cited Picture Slide 3: http://www.historynet.com/the-calamities-of-calamity-jane.htm Picture Slide 1: http://dimenovels.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/dimenovels%3A22037#page/1/mode/1up Sources: N.A. “Calamity Jane Biography.” Biography.com, A&E Television Networks, Feb. 12 2015, http://www.biography.com/people/calamity-jane-9234950 Wheeler, Edward. “Deadwood Dick on Deck; Or Calamity Jane, The Heroine of Whoop-up.” The Deadwood Dick Library, New York 21 June 1899: 4-41. NIU University Library. Web. 2 Apr 2017. http://dimenovels.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/dimenovels%3A22037#page//mode/1up Russell, Ona. “What's in a Name Anyway?: The Calamity of Calamity Jane.” American Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, 1994, pp. 21–38., www.jstor.org/stable/40642685.