THE MYTH OF THE NOBLE/GOOD SAVAGE Painting of a representation of the noble/good savage by George Catlin ⋆The noble savage is a common romanticized stereotype of various indigenous peoples. The visual trappings and associations change depending on the culture, but the underlying idea is constant: The noble savage is portrayed as ignorant and simple-minded but simultaneously uncorrupted by any of the moral failings of modern civilization and possessing an innate wisdom and connection to nature . A literary stock character who embodies the concept of outsider, indigene,wild human, an "other" who has not been "corrupted" by civilization, who symbolizes humanity's innate goodness. Thus, there is often a paradoxical quality to the way the stereotype is presented neoclassical history painting , depicting an idealized Native American — in one way, the life of the n