Scarlett O'Hara

About

Katie Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and has become one of the most iconic characters in American literature. She was portrayed by Vivien Leigh in the acclaimed 1939 film adaptation of the novel. O'Hara's character has continued to capture audiences across multiple mediums and generations. She appeared as the main character in the 1970 musical Scarlett and served as the central figure in the 1991 book Scarlett, a sequel written by Alexandra Ripley that was later adapted into a television mini-series in 1994. During the early stages of writing the original novel, Mitchell initially considered naming her heroine "Pansy" before ultimately deciding on "Scarlett" just before publication. PBS has recognized O'Hara as quite possibly the most famous female character in American history.