Banjo Patterson Influence On Australian Identity

Writers such as Lawson, Gilmore who began to use the term mate and others in their poetry, which they became famous legends. The bush legend, Banjo Paterson, had an influence when it came to Australian literature because he had been acknowledged for the use of the terms identity and nationalism, which were thought to be romanticized because he wanted to connect the city people to the rural people. The poems and songs that he had written were used in many different forms of literature which had been acknowledge. Therefore, what role did Banjo Paterson have when it came to nationalism and identity, how were they represented in his work?.

To begin with, the role that Banjo Paterson had written in his poems was to use them to romanticize about

the idea of identity and nationalism which was used connected this country. These poems were then firmly interconnected to the minds of the Australian people's ways of thinking at the time. So then I would argue that they had been connected to the creations that he wrote. He had created two landmark poems such as “The Man from Snowy River “ and “Clancy of the overflow” which were to be part of his legacy to signify the legend of the bush which he was known for. Consequently, the poems and songs had been formed and used as part of the identity which had been used as a connection to the culture of this country, but according to R.Ward (1958), who argued that is was the national myth that the country had(1958). Then role that banjo had was to gain the respect of the city folks and country folk so that it would bring them together so that they could be a country.

Then what Paterson wrote about wouldn’t fit the description of many Australians at that time of the first colonist arrived in Australia.

Moreover, then the very thought of a non-Australian fitting that description was then viewed as being very unthinkable in terms of the Australian identity. Secondly, the identity and nationalism idea that Banjo Paterson wanted, was used to create one idea that could be known under the nationalism banner in literature. However, on the other hand, according to R.Ward (1958), argued that the characteristic of the typical Australian society had been forged from the nineteenth century frontier which involved the wars such as the Gallipoli landing that had occurred, which the idea of mateship was first used by Paterson to connect the soldiers together as comrades (1958). Furthermore, R. Ward (1958) also then had argued that the legend of the bush had also been shaped by the many debates that had been happening in other countries such as Europe.(1958). It the idea of mateship that Australia had been shaped by the cultural disposition that had occurred within the nationalism of the country’s history itself.

It could then be argued that the idea of Nationalism and also identity had been very important to the person had an affection to the people of the outback because of the rugged outlook and the comradeship that the people had despite the hardships that were present in the outback. Consequently, according to Heseltine,(1994), who argued, that Paterson’s

poetry such as “The Man From Snowy River” described the typical Australian admiration for the physical powers, as well as loyalty to make a mate and not be frequently contempt for the law or any kind of authority(1994 p.343).

Then, on the other hand, the poetry and songs that he had written, were then becoming old-fashioned or even had been lost to the print world in newspapers such as the bulletin because of the literature that had been produced in the early days of settlement in terms of Australian literature. Moreover then, the poems and songs had been very significant at first because they were first produced as a collection of poems and songs that were selected to be used as a symbol of the identity that was associated with the rural areas, which could be seen as being commercial.in today's society.
It could then be then seen that there had been many writers that have written about the legend of the bush since the country was colonized as well. These included were writers such as Lawson and Gilmore also wrote about the legend of the bush and others terms in their poetry, which also made them became famous for being legends of our identity that also connected to the bush and also many of the cities, moreover, the idea had been connected to the bush because of the poetry that he wrote which is because he wanted to give the bush a voice.

So then when it comes to the influences which had been acknowledged since the country had been colonized and the settlers first came to this country, the legend had been written about in many forms of literature, particularly that of poetry and song, which there have been many writers that have written about it since the country was colonized. However, consequently, there were writers such as Lawson, Paterson who began to use the term mate and others terms in their poetry in which also then became famous for being one of the legends of our identity that was connected to the bush.

Furthermore, when it comes to the identity that Banjo wanted to create, was one that could be known under the nationalist banner, which was because according to R.Ward (1958), who argued that the characteristic of the typical Australian had been then forged on the nineteenth century frontier and then included mateship (1958). Then furthermore, R. Ward (1958) also then argued that the legend that had been shaped by the debates that had been happening in countries such as Europe and Australia that have been shaped by the cultural disposition that had been occurring within the national hood itself.

Consequently, I would then also argue that there have been many writers that have also written about the legend of the bush since the country was colonized such.the history of Australia has been written about in literature particularly poetry and song for decades. there have been many writers that have written about the legend but Paterson was the only who had begun to use the term such as mateship and others in his poetry to show his thought surrounding the ideas. Then, on the other hand, I would then argue that Paterson may then have viewed as being the last piece in the puzzle that has been connected to the whites’ racist hearts, when Federation of Australia occurred which could have been to the White Australia Policy in the foreground and it would be years before another non-British would ever step on Australian soils.Then, on the other hand, it was Paterson songs that he used that was becoming old-fashioned or even lost to the print world because of the literature that was being produced in the early days of settlement.

Banjo Paterson whose Old bush songs had been very significant at first because they had first produced as being a collection. There have been many writers that have written about it since the country was colonized. However, there were writers such as Lawson, Paterson who began to use the term mate and others terms in their poetry in which also then became famous for being one of the legends of our identity that was connected to the bush.

Then furthermore when it comes to the identity that banjo wanted person was one that could be known under the nationalist banner, was because according to R.Ward (1958), who argued that the characteristic of the typical Australian had been then forged on the nineteenth-century frontier and then included mateship (1958).Then, on the other hand, it was then some of Paterson's old songs that he used that were becoming old-fashioned or even lost to the print world because of the literature that was being produced in the early days of settlement.

But then it was Banjo Paterson whose Old bush songs that had been very significant at first because they were first produced as being a collection of poems that have been produced to reflect the meaning of what it is like to have the Australian

identity

In conclusion, it can be viewed that in today’s society, what Banjo Paterson had written was, in fact, the reason why he was the real legend of the bush, who had a real connection to country because of his poetry and song had been written, he had been very heavily engaging the city and country people that would finally connect as on and have a history that is about the bush that he used when referring to the connection between the city people and country people tog

Reference List

Davison.G.(2012): Rethinking the Australian Legend, Australian Legend, Australian Historical Studies 43:3 429- 451

Heseltine, H. P.: "Banjo Paterson: A Poet Nearly Anonymous": Meanjin, No. 4, 1964. Hooper.

Semmler, Clement: "Banjo Paterson and the Nineties": Southerly: Spriner, 1964.

Ward.R (1958): The Australian Legend Melbourne Oxford Press 1958.

Waterhouse. (2000):Australian Legends: Representations of the Bush, 1813-1913 Australian Historical Studies 31:115, 205-221.