Scarlett O'Hara
Protagonist of 'Gone with the Wind,' iconic literary and film character
Scarlett O'Hara is the central character of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel 'Gone with the Wind' and its 1939 film adaptation, one of cinema's most beloved and controversial works. Born into Georgia plantation aristocracy, Scarlett is portrayed as a complex, flawed protagonist—ambitious, manipulative, yet undeniably determined to survive and thrive despite the devastation of the Civil War. Her character challenges traditional feminine conventions of her era, displaying business acumen, sexual agency, and ruthless pragmatism that scandalized and fascinated audiences. Played memorably by Vivien Leigh in the legendary film, Scarlett's journey from privileged debutante to hardened survivor became iconic in American popular culture. Her famous line, 'I'll go home, and I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day,' encapsulates her indomitable spirit. The character remains culturally significant while also representing problematic aspects of Lost Cause mythology and the romanticization of the antebellum South.
Fictional Character
American
1845
Gone with the Wind
Thinking about the name
Scarlett
French origin
“The anglicized form of the French color name scarlet, meaning a vivid red, intensified by the double 't' spelling. Scarlett conjures passion, boldness, and Southern belle elegance, immortalized by Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, one of literature's most memorable characters.”