A Historical View of 'Englishness'
Being a History major, my perception of what it means to be English differs slightly from the average student. I have grown up reading books and watching documentaries on the kings and queens of England, and the history of this fascinating country. My courses in school focus on learning the significance and importance of past events and how they have impacted the world we live in today. For me, being English means having a complex ancestry that is not easily explained. Being English means social structure and tradition. Being English means remembering the past so we can understand the present and the future.
I have taken courses spanning from the making of England in the medieval era all the way through Victorian England and up to the victory of the Allies in World War II. Seeing the rise of nationalism, and later jingoism, shows the changes this country has gone through to get to the present day. Even before the idea of nationalism took hold in society, however, the idea of Englishness, of having certain characteristics and traits which connected one to a group of people, had importance in society. Being English was considered very important even in medieval England and continued to grow throughout the early modern period. Being English in those times meant having a place in society and a connection to a community. This shows the societal importance placed on being English at the time, and what exactly was expected to be considered English.
My perception of Englishness is ingrained in the rich history of England’s past. It is based on early conquest and the constant change control and invasion of new ethnic groups that would all combine to make up the country of England. It is based on the kings and queens that would go on to rule England, and it is the power struggle present between England’s Parliament and her rulers during the age of absolutism. However, as much as Englishness is connected to the elite of society, I also see Englishness as the everyday lives led by commoners. Englishness is a part of the food people ate, the church they attended, and the fashions of the day.
For me, being English is so based on the past, mainly because what I know about England is her history. However, in a way this shows my perception of the country as only historical. Modern England is much different than what I know from the past. For example, at the Alumni event I talked with an alumni who studied abroad in Ohio but is from England. I asked if he knew about Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians since she is one of my favorite historical figures. Not surprisingly, he knew nothing about her. This shows that while my perception of England as a historical entity is fascinating and exciting, the idea of Englishness at this point in time may be drastically different than Englishness in the past. I am excited to explore and England as it is in the modern day and discover what it means to be English today as well as enjoy the vast history of the past.
Being a History major, my perception of what it means to be English differs slightly from the average student. I have grown up reading books and watching documentaries on the kings and queens of England, and the history of this fascinating country. My courses in school focus on learning the significance and importance of past events and how they have impacted the world we live in today. For me, being English means having a complex ancestry that is not easily explained. Being English means social structure and tradition. Being English means remembering the past so we can understand the present and the future.
I have taken courses spanning from the making of England in the medieval era all the way through Victorian England and up to the victory of the Allies in World War II. Seeing the rise of nationalism, and later jingoism, shows the changes this country has gone through to get to the present day. Even before the idea of nationalism took hold in society, however, the idea of Englishness, of having certain characteristics and traits which connected one to a group of people, had importance in society. Being English was considered very important even in medieval England and continued to grow throughout the early modern period. Being English in those times meant having a place in society and a connection to a community. This shows the societal importance placed on being English at the time, and what exactly was expected to be considered English.
My perception of Englishness is ingrained in the rich history of England’s past. It is based on early conquest and the constant change control and invasion of new ethnic groups that would all combine to make up the country of England. It is based on the kings and queens that would go on to rule England, and it is the power struggle present between England’s Parliament and her rulers during the age of absolutism. However, as much as Englishness is connected to the elite of society, I also see Englishness as the everyday lives led by commoners. Englishness is a part of the food people ate, the church they attended, and the fashions of the day.
For me, being English is so based on the past, mainly because what I know about England is her history. However, in a way this shows my perception of the country as only historical. Modern England is much different than what I know from the past. For example, at the Alumni event I talked with an alumni who studied abroad in Ohio but is from England. I asked if he knew about Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians since she is one of my favorite historical figures. Not surprisingly, he knew nothing about her. This shows that while my perception of England as a historical entity is fascinating and exciting, the idea of Englishness at this point in time may be drastically different than Englishness in the past. I am excited to explore and experience England as it is in the modern day and discover what it means to be English today as well as enjoy the vast history of the past.
