Gone With the Wind Part 4

The Character of Melanie

Gone With the Wind both the book and the film have a somewhat large cast of characters.  This week for Gone With the Wind Wednesday we will cover two major characters.  Melanie Hamilton and Ashley Wilkes.




Melanie Hamilton was played by Olivia de Haviland in the film adaptation.  In the book and the film she has been described by Scarlett as "mealy mouthed", "who won't open her mouth except to say yes or no."  However, Melanie has a quiet strength that might sometimes go overlooked.  When she is introduced she is a quiet girl from Atlanta.  She is Ashley's cousin.  "Wilkes's always marry their cousins" according to another character.






                                                                                                                                                        
Ashley Wilkes was played by Leslie Howard in the film adaptation.  Ashley is Scarlett's childhood and longtime love or rather crush.  He is from the plantation down the road from Tara called Twelve Oaks.  He is a slow and steady character, part of the old guard of the South.  This means he loved the South the way it was before the Civil War started and changed his homeland.

The Character of Ashley Wilkes

  

Olivia de Haviland as:

                                                                   Leslie Howard as:

           A clip about Ashley and Melanie: