Cultural+Impact+of+Elysian+Fields

The Elysian Fields is a conception of the afterlife that has continually evolved. To understand the full cultural meaning of the Elysian Fields one must take into consideration where it originated. Nonetheless, according to a famous author Homer The Elysian Fields are, “Located on the western edge of the Earth by the stream of Okeanos or the Island of the blessed and according to the poet Pindar, deriving from Greek mythology. He describes it as having shady parks, with resident indulging their athletic and musical pastimes” (Elysian Fields Avenue 1). The Greek version of Elysian Fields does not actually appear in the novel of A Streetcar Named Desire, but rather a street called Elysian Fields Avenue which plays a large part in location. This street maintains a large cultural influence in the city of New Orleans. The street itself courses south to north from the Lower Mississippi River to the lake of Pontchartrain. The avenue also intersects through several interstates and finally follows along a railroad that carried both products and passengers. This street provided a passageway for incomers, on goers, production, expansion both economically, socially, and allowed for cultural development as a whole. As the avenue continued to grow it has transformed into a grand vibrant thoroughfare. This avenue itself contains and has the ability to present the rich history of New Orleans. According to The Times-Picayune "Along the avenue one is able to view the cities birth among plantations and wharves, past sturdy old Creole cottages and shotgun houses, and into the modern suburban-style neighborhoods near the lake" (Greater New Orleans 1). The street itself is a walking timeline that placed from the 1800's to present day plays a composition of history and shaped how the culture functions over the past 200 years.

Works Cited

"Elysian Fields Avenue." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Feb. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. "Greater New Orleans." The Times-Picayune. N.p., 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.