History Main / TheSavageSouth

''You're going to DIE!"''\\
-- '''Music/GunsNRoses''', ''[[EpicRiff Welcome to the Jungle]]''

** ''{{Deliverance}}''

** ''TheTexasChainSawMassacre1974''

* The southern lands in Robert E. Howard's ''ConanTheBarbarian'' series. Most of the lands are savage in various degrees, but the lands south of Stygia are more so, especially the Black Kingdoms.

* Two of the southern-most regions in ''TheElderScrolls'' series are Elseweyr and Black Marsh. Elseweyr is a massive desert with some tropical jungles at the borders, home to CatFolk who have a not-undeserved reputation for stealing everything that isn't well-guarded. Black Marsh (aka Argonia) is exactly that, full of diseases, poisonous life forms, sentient trees, and the only native inhabitants are disease-resistant LizardFolk who can breathe underwater. Goodness knows how it was able to be conquered and added to TheEmpire in the first place, because when ''demons from hell'' began invading the world, the Black Marsh was the only place where they retreated in terror.

If you thought the [[GrimUpNorth north was bad]], you have not [[ItGotWorse seen the south]]. Down there everyone is crude, their language indecipherable and their mannerisms are barbaric. The land is inhospitable jungle full of wild beasts, barren desert, or nasty swamps full of crocodiles (sometimes it has all of the above). Also, don't go swimming: there are sharks, or worse.

* Stranglethorn Vale zone in ''WorldOfWarcraft'', a wild, savage jungle full of [[EverythingTryingToKillYou dangerous predators]], [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy trolls]], and pirates.

* Two of the southern-most regions in ''TheElderScrolls'' series are Elseweyr and the Black Marsh. Elseweyr is a massive desert with some tropical jungles at the borders, home to cat people who have a not-undeserved reputation for stealing everything that isn't well-guarded. The Black Marsh (aka Argonia) is exactly that, full of diseases, poisonous life forms, sentient trees, and the only native inhabitants are disease-resistant LizardFolk who can breathe underwater. Goodness knows how it was able to be conquered and added to the Empire in the first place, because when ''demons from hell'' began invading the world, the Black Marsh was the only place where they retreated in terror.

** In UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} itself this trope tends to be applied to the ''North'' as opposed to the temperate (and heavily populated) southern half of the continent. Heck, just go to the UsefulNotes page on Australia to see it in action.

** In Australia itself this trope tends to be applied to the ''North'' as opposed to the temperate (and heavily populated) southern half of the continent. Heck, just go to the UsefulNotes page on Australia to see it in action.

->''You know where you are?''\\

''You're going to DIE!''\\
-- '''[[Music/GunsNRoses Guns N' Roses]]''', ''[[EpicRiff Welcome to the Jungle]]''

* {{Community}} has a joke in it referring to Thailand as China's Mexico.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''{{BIONICLE}}'': the southern edge of the Matoran Universe are said to be so dangerous that not even Makuta go there.

** ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre''

A Supertrope of the DeepSouth and SouthOfTheBorder, sister trope to GrimUpNorth.

** Harad is a generic name that the Gondorians have to all southern areas of the world, but there is at least one technologically and socially advanced kingdom there, albeit one under Sauron's thumb. The Far Harad is implied to be a genuinely savage environment.

* Cannibal {{Exploitation Film}}s were very popular in Grindhouses all over the USA during the 70's and 80's. The whole point of these films is showing how "savage" South America is. CannibalHolocaust is one of the most famous.

** {{Creepshow2}} (Chief Wooden Head)
** {{Deliverance}}
** FromDuskTillDawn (Mexican border)
** TheHillsHaveEyes
** Houseof1000Corpses and it's sequel, TheDevilsRejects
** TheLostBoys
** Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre
** TwoThousandManiacs and its 2001 remake, ''Maniacs''

* {{Aristotle}} argued that the peoples to the south of Greece, while intelligent, were lazy and lacked spirit, in contrast to those to the [[GrimUpNorth north]], who were spirited, but unintelligent. That's why, he thought, Greece was the only "civilized" place around, and everyone else were barbarians.

** TheTexasChainsawMassacre

** Harad is a generic name that the Gondorians have to all southern areas of the world, but there is at least one technologically and socially advanced kingdom there, albeit one under Sauron's thumb. The Far Harad is implied to be a genuinely savage environment.

Possible TruthInTelevision: until recent times, areas near the equator were seen by many Europeans and Americans as not only unpleasantly hot but also arid or sopping wet and full of dangerous large animals like panthers and lions. If the heat or animals did not kill you, the diseases borne by biting flies or mosquitoes would. Modern advances in dealing with disease and wild animals have resulted in a more "friendly" outlook on these places as the risks are more easily managed.

* Aristotle argued that the peoples to the south of Greece, while intelligent, were lazy and lacked spirit, in contrast to those to the [[GrimUpNorth north]], who were spirited, but unintelligent. That's why, he thought, Greece was the only "civilized" place around, and everyone else were barbarians.

If you thought the [[GrimUpNorth north was bad]], you have not [[ItGotWorse seen the south]]. Down there everyone is crude, their language indecipherable and their mannerisms are barbaric. The land is inhospitable jungle full of wild beasts, barren desert, or nasty swamps full of crocodiles. Also, don't go swimming: there are sharks.

* In LegendOfTheFiveRings, the Crab Clan who occupy Rokugan's Southernmost Provinces are considered by most Samurai to be crude and Vulgar. This is justified however by the fact that, for nearly their entire history they have been at war with the Shadowlands just south of them. Which are an even better example since the are literally hell on Earth

The Savage South is when a southern area is seen as more barbaric than its northern counterpart. This shows up frequently in westerns, fantasy settings, horror films, and many other works and takes many forms. In milder versions the area is just unpleasant with rude, poorly groomed people. At it's worst the people want to kill ([[FateWorseThanDeath or worse]]) any outsiders and the land itself is portrayed a nightmare realm waiting to kill unlucky travelers.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]