“Washington, D.C. was intended to be more than a city; it was imagined
to be a symbol of the utopian possibilities available both to the newly founded
nation and to the nation’s cities.” (Farrar, 39) The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
consists of a number of monuments, memorials, statues, gardens, etc. that commemorate
important figures, events, militaristic contributions, etc. that were important
to the history of the United States of America.
I will be analyzing the structure of the Lincoln Memorial and how this
commemorative building expresses “power,” which is then used to construct the
ideas of an American identity. The Lincoln Memorial was constructed as a
tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and his fight to preserve his nation
during the Civil War.
Lincoln Memorial. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2010/09/22/pay-your-taxes-but-trust-in-christ/lincoln-memorial/.
Daniel Chester French Sculpture of Abraham Lincoln Inside the Lincoln Memorial. http://www.earthinpictures.com/world/usa/washington%2C_d.c./daniel_chester_french_sculpture_of_abraham_lincoln_inside_the_lincoln_memorial.html.
The
rectangular structure is 7 feet wide and 44 feet high with Doric columns that
stretch across the perimeter of the structure. The building mimics the same design
aesthetics as a Greek temple. The statue of Lincoln within the structure is 19
feet tall and is illuminated at night. The mass of the structure and its
illumination draws attention to the importance of the structure to American
history. The simple, straightforward style of Doric columns was typically associated
with maleness according to ancient Greeks, which was meant to represent male
strength, power, and order. Doric columns were also typically used in temples
for principle deities. Therefore, by replicating the Lincoln Memorial in the
style of a Greek temple, it wants to make connections between the hierarchical qualities
of Abraham Lincoln and Greek deities. In Building
the Body Politic: Power and Urban Space in Washington, D.C., Margaret
Farrar stated that “power also functions symbolically, by communicating
narratives of social hierarchy and cohesion.” (Farrar, 38) During Lincoln’s presidency, his
involvement in the civil war, through the planning of war efforts, was executed
in hope of ending the war. He was dedicated in creating a balanced and equal
society where racial discrimination would be dissolved. “[A] city’s symbolic
spaces can become alternately sites of pride, patriotism, community, shame,
fear, or isolation.” Therefore, the commemorative building was meant to signify
a dedication to peace, equality and unity in America.
Abraham Lincoln Memorial. http://washingtonvirtualtrip.wikispaces.com/Abraham+Lincoln+Memorial.
Sources:
Cooper, Rachel. Lincoln Memorial - Washington, DC. 2013, http://dc.about.com/od/monuments/p/LincolnMemorial.htm.
Farrar, Margaret E. Building the Body Politic: Power and Urban Space in Washington, D.C. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2008.
