Rossella O’Hara: An Indestructible Woman

The premiere of Gone with the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939) was a historical and cultural event. At a time when television was in its infancy, cinema was conquering the people. If we add to this a very expensive production, a familiar face like that of Clark Gable, the incomparable costumes of Rossella O’Hara and a promotion never seen in her day, the result can only have been extraordinary.

It was so successful that even parades, dances and a whole host of other events were organized in the city of Atlanta to celebrate the release of the film. The state of Georgia joined in the festivities and the day of the premiere, December 15, 1939, was declared a statewide holiday. Thus, Gone with the Wind began to build a myth that would lead to a total of 10 Oscars! In short, a cinematic event never seen before and unrepeatable. It only came out in Europe about ten years later, but its success was equally overwhelming.

Although the film remains a classic and its impact has been studied from various perspectives, the values ​​it conveys are completely outdated. The totally stereotyped image of black characters, slavery and the values ​​of the era do not have the same impact today. However, Gone with the Wind is not just a 1939 film, but a film set in the 19th century.

But if there is a character who, from my point of view, deserves to be redeemed and who is definitely timeless, it can only be the exceptional Rossella O’Hara played by Vivien Leigh. One of the most celebrated female characters in the history of cinema. How can we forget her splendid draped dress? How can we forget his inordinate love for Ashley Wilkes and the relationship with Rhett Butler?

Neither heroine nor girl in danger

The size of the film and its length of almost 4 hours allow us to witness the evolution of an unprecedented character. Rossella O’Hara is presented as a vain and selfish young woman, aware of her beauty and her ability to get what she wants. She has led a comfortable life, but she is not happy with the role that society has assigned her.

Both in the novel of the same name and in the film, Rossella breaks all the molds of her time. She is not submissive, she does not allow herself to be manipulated by men and does not want to live in their shadow. She is not a heroine, because her values ​​are far from what the morality of the time imposed, she is self-centered and very selfish; but neither is she a “damsel in distress” looking for a man to save her. In the face of adversity, Rossella O’Hara is a strong woman, determined and capable of supporting her family.

She is an irreverent woman; not even mourning can extinguish his desires and his desire to have fun. When there was still no talk of feminism, when women were relegated to the house, Rossella O’Hara proved that she could do everything, that nothing would stop her and that no man was superior to her.

She is neither nice nor attractive, much less does she want to be; on the contrary, he is arrogant, irreverent and very independent. Not even war can defeat it.

Rossella’s intentions are selfish, we meet her in love (almost obsessed) with Ashley Wilkes, the man who will marry her cousin Melania instead. Melania is the opposite of Rossella, she is naive, sweet and angelic, so much so that sometimes we would like to wake her up from that wonderful dream in which she seems to live.

She does not believe in evil and fails to see that Rossella, in reality, has no compassion for anyone and is very concerned about ruining her marriage. The relationship with Melania will remain a constant throughout the film.

In parallel, another love triangle will begin to be created due to the intrusion of Rhett Butler. Rossella is attracted to the impossible, and falls in love with Ashley, while Butler, a businessman of dubious morality, will be fascinated by the undisciplined young woman. However, war will break out in their lives destroying the peace of Rossella and her family.

Faced with danger, she is the one who takes the reins, who manages to bring her beloved Tara back to life, the family plantation. Without Rossella, most of the characters accompanying her would not have survived.

Marriage after marriage, she remains a widow, which would have been devastating for a woman of her time, but Rossella is nonconformist and always manages to get by. Become a business woman in a world dominated by men and, like the phoenix, rise from her ashes multiple times.

Rossella O’Hara: an alternative model of woman

Yes, Rossella O’Hara is different, she is a woman who stands out in her time (both fictional and real). Cinema has offered us an infinite number of tame, obedient women who follow the example of what a woman “should be”.

Women devoted to their children and husbands who seem to have no greater aspirations in life. On the contrary, the protagonist of Gone with the Wind stands as the true queen of her story where men and the rest of the stories whirl around her.

Rossella is far from being a good mother and a good wife. His marriages and virtually all of his actions are driven by self-interest. Rossella O’Hara has to adapt, as best she can, to a world dominated by men. Rhett Butler is an opportunist, and this is no mystery to Ross, but if he’s an opportunist, then she can be too. It is possible to make an analysis of this character starting from the ambition that guides his actions although his complexity is infinitely greater.

Sometimes, we see how compassionate, protective, and how you dare to ‘put your pants on’ around the house to make important decisions. Melania, on the other hand, despite her naivety, is quite intellectual, but above all kind. She will always be grateful to Rossella for helping her survive and for reviving a family legacy that seemed destined to disappear.

The young and flirtatious Rossella who was introduced to us at the beginning seems to have vanished, in the midst of tattered clothes she feeds on a land that seems doomed. She manages to survive those around her and faces any adversity. Nothing can stop it, not even poverty. If she can’t have a proper dress to visit Rhett Butler and get what she wants, then she’ll improvise a dress with curtains.

Throughout the film, we see her descend from the top to the depths of hell, yet she never allows anything, absolutely nothing, to knock her down. Her arrogance and ambition may show absolute coldness, but, after all, the blows that have been inflicted on her have been devastating. Rossella O’Hara wears armor that will always protect her but will keep her at a distance. Only Melania’s death will make her connect with reality, with the pain she may have caused and, finally, she will know the value of kindness and love.

Rossella O’Hara is undoubtedly one of those characters who last over time, who are timeless and who, even today, are still relevant today. He is a really interesting character, who deserves a more detailed and in-depth analysis. It allows us to see a constant evolution from adolescent happiness to the maturity of a woman who has suffered but never let herself be crushed.

We can adore it, even hate it, but there is no doubt about its great emotional impact. Indomitable, proud, beautiful, flirtatious … but, above all, a fighter, a true survivor impossible to defeat.