The Code of Honor in the Old South
Reviews in American History, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Mar., 1984), pp. 24-30
  1. honor as immortalizing valor, particularly in the character of revenge against familial and community enemies;
  2. opinion of others as an indispensable part of  personal identity and gauge of self-worth;
  3. physical appearance and ferocity of will as signs of inner merit;
  4. defense of male integrity and mingled fear and love of woman; and finally,
  5. reliance upon oath-taking as a bond in lieu of family obligations and allegiances.
(Southern Honor: Ethics and Behavior in the Old South by Bertram Wyatt-Brown p. 34)