Scarlett O'Hara (full name Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler) is the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell's only novel, Gone with the Wind, and in the later film of the same name. Scarlett is also the main character in the 1991 book Scarlett, a sequel to Gone with the Wind that was written by Alexandra Ripley, and in the 1994 television mini-series based on the book.
Scarlett is a pretty, coquettish Southern belle who grows up on the Georgia plantation of Tara in the years before the American Civil War. Scarlett is described as being 16 years old at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, which would put her approximate birthdate at about 1845. Selfish, shrewd and vain, Scarlett inherits the strong will of her Irish father Gerald, but also desires to please her well-bred, genteel French American mother Ellen, from a good Savannah family. Scarlett loves Ashley Wilkes, her aristocratic neighbor, but when his engagement to meek and mild-mannered Melanie Hamilton is announced, she marries Melanie's brother Charles out of spite. Her new husband dies early in the war, and Tara falls into the marauding hands of the Yankees. In the face of hardship, the spoiled Scarlett uncharacteristically shoulders the troubles of her family and friends, and eventually the not-so-grieving widow marries her sister's beau, Frank Kennedy, in order to get funds to restore her beloved home. Repeatedly, she challenges the prescribed women's roles of her time, as a result, she becomes very disliked by the people of Atlanta. Scarlett's ongoing internal conflict between her feelings for the Southern gentleman Ashley and her attraction to the sardonic, opportunistic Rhett Butler—who becomes her third husband—embodies the general position of The South in the Civil War era.
Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley is controversial to fans. Scarlett grows up over the course of the book, and while this is appealing and believable to some readers, others claim it cheapens the original novel and film and compromises her character. Either way, Scarlett was a runaway best-seller after its publication in 1991.
In the 1939 film version of Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O'Hara is similar to the character in the original novel, but there are some noticeable differences. In the book, Scarlett gives birth to three children: Wade Hampton Hamilton, Ella Lorena Kennedy, and Eugenia Victoria "Bonnie Blue" Butler. In the film version, only Bonnie Blue is mentioned. (In the novel Scarlett, Scarlett O'Hara gives birth to another daughter by Rhett, Katie Colum "Cat" O'Hara Butler.)
While the studio and the public agreed that the part of Rhett Butler should go to Clark Gable (except for Clark Gable himself), casting for the role of Scarlett was a little harder. The search for an actress to play Scarlett in the film version of the novel famously drew the biggest names in the history of cinema - "The Scarlett Letters" as it was affectionately called - such as Bette Davis (who was cast in the similarly themed movie "Jezebel" when she failed to land the role of Scarlett), Katharine Hepburn who went so far as demanding an appointment with David O. Selznick and saying "I am Scarlett O'Hara! The role is practically written for me". David replied rather bluntly "I can't imagine Rhett Butler chasing you for ten years."Jean Arthur, and Lucille Ball were also considered. Susan
Hayward was "discovered" when she tested for the part, and the career of Lana Turner developed quickly after her screen test. Joan Bennett was widely considered to be the most likely choice until she was supplanted by Paulette Goddard. However, failure to produce a marriage license between her and Charlie Chaplin lost her the part.
Principal photography on the film began with the role still not cast. The scene depicting the burning of Atlanta was being filmed when producer David O. Selznick's brother arrived on the set with two visitors—British actor Laurence Olivier and his then girlfriend, novice actress Vivien Leigh. Myron Selznick announced he had found his brother's Scarlett, and with one look at Leigh, David knew he was right. Leigh was cast—despite public protest that the role was too "American" for an English actress—and Leigh eventually won an Academy Award for her performance.
Part of Scarlett's enduring charm for women is her feminism, though recent critics have pointed out that many events in the novel are degrading to women. There is Rhett's ravishing of Scarlett (after which Scarlett is shown to have enjoyed herself immensely), Scarlett's apparent need of a man to be happy (whether it's Ashley Wilkes or Rhett Butler), and Melanie's sweet but submissive character (who is much adored by everyone).
On the other hand, there have been many defenses for this. First of all, Melanie is not offensive to women, she is simply a more traditional character. Many believe the 'rape scene' quickly becomes consensual (this theory is backed by the novel Scarlett, although it was not written by Mitchell). And again, Scarlett is an individual character, and her need for a man should not be interpreted as universal.
Scarlett is by far the most developed character in Gone with the Wind. She stands out because she is strong and saves her family but is incredibly selfish and petty at the same time. She challenges nineteenth-century society's gender roles repeatedly, running a store and two lumber mills at one point. Scarlett is in some ways the least stereotypically feminine of women (in other ways the most), and the more traditional Melanie Wilkes is in many ways her foil. But Scarlett survives the war, several marriages, the birth of children, and even a miscarriage. Melanie, on the other hand, struggles with fragile health and a shy nature. Without Melanie Wilkes, Scarlett might simply be seen as harsh and "over the top," but beside Melanie, Scarlett presents a fresher, deeper female characterization; she lives a complicated life during a difficult period of history.
Some of Scarlett's lines from Gone with the Wind, like "Fiddle-dee-dee!," "Tomorrow is another day," "Great balls of fire!" and "I'll never go hungry again!", have become modern catchphrases.
Rhett Butler is the handsome, dashing fictional hero of Gone with the Wind written by American author, Margaret Mitchell. The novel introduces him as the problem-solving pragmatist who is sure that the South cannot win a protracted war with the North. His opinions, expressed in the parlor of a Southern gentleman's household, are not viewed
favorably by the Southerners and as a result, he is even challenged to a duel. Rhett gracefully takes a bow with the famous lines "I seem to have ruined everybody's brandy and cigars and dreams of victory and war."
In the beginning of the novel, we first meet Rhett at the barbeque at the Twelve Oaks Plantation, the home of Ashley Wilkes and India Wilkes. The novel describes Rhett as "a visitor from Charleston;" a black sheep, he was kicked out of West Point and because of his true rebelious nature, he is not accepted by any family with repute in the whole of Charleston, and perhaps all of South Carolina. When Scarlett O'Hara, who was at the Twelve Oaks party where Rhett was introduced, hears of this, she is shocked and intrigued at the same time. Rhett's enthrallment with Scarlett begins when he overhears her declaration of love for Ashley in the library while the rest of the "proper" girls are taking a nap in the late afternoon to prepare for the dance that would take place later that evening. He recognizes that she's willful and spirited, and also that they're alike in many ways, including their disgust with the impending, and later ongoing, war with the Yankees.
They meet again when Scarlett has already lost her first husband, Melanie's brother, Charles Hamilton, while she's staying with Melanie and her Aunt Pittypat in Atlanta during the war. Rhett, the dashing blockade runner, shocks the entire charity ball that was being thrown to raise money for the confederate troops, by asking to dance with Scarlett, who is now a widow, something that was unspeakable in the Antebellum south. Once a woman's husband passed away, she wasn't permitted to do a great many things.
Rhett seemingly ruins Scarlett's reputation after this very public display of frivolity and Scarlett's father, Gerald O'Hara comes to speak to Rhett and to take Scarlett back to Tara. However, Rhett, the blackguard he is, gets Gerald intoxicated and he and Rhett come to terms, so to speak. Gerald returns to Tara and Scarlett remains in Atlanta, along with her newborn son.
When Scarlett flees Atlanta, Rhett joins the confederate soldiers for their one last stand against Sherman. Scarlett couldn't understand why Rhett chose to ally himself at the moment when the confederate cause had failed.
After a great many months, Scarlett returns to Atlanta, this time to solicit money from Rhett to save Tara from being stolen out from under her, only to learn from Aunt Pitty that he was in military jail, imprisoned by the Yankees for stealing the confederate gold. Scarlett comes waltzing in, supposedly horrified that Rhett's life was in danger, all the while maneuvering him to give her money for the plantation. When Rhett sees through her ploy, he laughs in her face, in which case Scarlett flees, only to be confronted by Belle, a prostitue who enjoyed keeping company with Rhett. Disgusted with how low she's sunk, she's on her way back to Aunt Pittypat's when she meets Frank Kennedy, her sister Sue Ellen's beau. Learning that Frank has done very well for himself, she plys him with affection and finally secures a marriage proposal, to which she accepts, thereby securing Tara's future indefinitely.
Months later, Scarlett is shocked when she sees Rhett Butler while she's running Frank's store, free from the Yankees and amused that she has rushed into yet another marriage with a man that she doesn't love, much less the fact that she stole him right out from under her sister's nose.
After Frank Kennedy is killed during a Ku Klux Klan raid on the shanty town after Scarlett is attacked, Rhett saves Ashley Wilkes' and Dr. Meade's life, whom were both active members of the KKK by alibiing him to the Yankee captain, a man whom he's played cards with on several occasions.
While Scarlett is torn with guilt of causing the death of her second husband, Rhett appears and offers a marriage proposal, promising to give her everything. Scarlett accepts for the money while Rhett secretly hopes that Scarlett will eventually return the love he's had since the day he saw her at Twelve Oaks.
In the course of the novel, Rhett becomes increasingly enamored with the survivalist instincts of Scarlett O'Hara in the chaos surrounding the war.
Like Thomas Sutpen and Charles Bon from Absalom, Absalom!, Rhett decides to join in the Southern cause, but unlike his fellow Confederate, Ashley Wilkes, Rhett is not spiritually paralyzed by the South's loss.
Rhett takes leave of Scarlett after rescuing her and Melanie Wilkes from the burning of Atlanta, expressing his desire to fight alongside the South and its lost cause. Scarlett cannot comprehend Rhett's sudden decision to fight, which underscores her total rejection of the Southern chivalric ideal.
Scarlett takes her burdens on alone, and it hurts Rhett that she won't just lay them at his feet as he would carry them for her. Rhett discovers that though she has married again, Scarlett still harbors her infatuation for the gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes, Melanie's husband.
Later, when Frank Kennedy dies during a Ku Klux Klan controversy and Scarlett is guilt-ridden and intoxicated, Rhett propositions her into marrying him. Scarlett accepts his proposal for his money; Rhett realizes this, but accepts it as he understands her opportunistic nature. But her continuing affection for Ashley Wilkes becomes a problem for the couple. When their daughter Bonnie falls off a pony and dies, the tragedy causes a rift between the two which is impossible to bridge.
But Rhett is not the type of man to wait forever and twelve years to most people is an eon. He leaves because he knows that this is what he has to do. He has to get away from Scarlett. Her confession of love is something that startles him but is also something that he half expects. He knows that Scarlett could never be happy with Ashley and when she discovers that, he does not want to be around when she throws her obsession onto him.
When he finally gets Scarlett's love, he is not happy and leaves with his famous parthian shaft that has since been immortalized: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." The frankly was added in the movie - in the book, the line merely reads, "My dear, I don't give a damn."
In a sequel called Scarlett, written by Alexandra Ripley, Scarlett finally succeeds in getting Rhett back