The Britons society and culture did not give a striking impression as to my expectations. The presence of a monarchical system of governance does not mean that the country in itself is the place where everybody wants to visit. They have done too much and are in the limelight for undertaking considerable efforts in the global challenges, but does that mean that they do not have an intriguing past? My views change from the first impression I had of it to the current opinion, I have which is as a result of the movies, books and scholarly materials I have read about the country. The impression of the country was of the “Old” perspective in terms of the empire, the accent, the fish and mark and the Queen.
My first impression of Britain is “Old”, the empire, the accent, the fish and chip and the Queen. Everything I learn from the books and the films is keep saying how great British were; how they were the greatest empire in the world. So I just think British only live in the past. However, I began to understand that the British are not simply “old” they are “classic.” The ‘old’ picture of Britain can be illustrated by looking at the intriguing and enlightening film, “The Remains of the Day,” where we see the director, James Ivory, sets the movie in a historical concept, where servants used to gather around their master.
In the film, people gather around Lord Darlington where they have a flashback of the old members of the purported "Cliveden set." These were righteous and in some situations the fascist-leaning, meticulously stupid English Tories. Also, these people existed decades before Munich and the division of Czechoslovakia in 1938, where they worked hard to house Hitler and to reserve England's stable social hierarchies.
With relevance to other aspects and features to be analyzed, the film illustrates an enthralling, almost documentary-like series showing how such great houses of the monarchies used to operate. In addition, we see how dozens of guests used to be accommodated, how intricate foods were prepared, how the servants’ maintained order among themselves in the hierarchies in which they served.
I acknowledge and develop a shift from an old perspective to a classical view, by considering the film, “The Queen.” The aspect of the classic transformation can be explained when being acted by Sylvia Syms; where the director Frears affirms, ‘the Queen is in sighted in her at 90 years and above, but she is still tart and intelligent. Also, in the last minute preparations for burial, the palace is in need of a protocol strategy for the funeral. There is no much time such that at the Queen mother’s funeral arrangement has to be rented and adjusted”. Syms shows a complete reaction where she hears that celebrities will replace all of her guard of honor all servicemen! This is such a classic way to send off the corpse in such a time!
‘The Queen,' a British film, could have been presented as a piece scandal narrative of celebrity rumor. Instead, it develops to emerge as a fascinating tale of two perceptions of a similar event; I think a classic illustration, in tall drama, of how publicity has challenged the plot. The story is based in quiet acts of proper behavior and guarded speech, "The Queen" offers a conventional presentation of the soothing story of contrasting passions of Elizabeth's cold resolution to keep the royal family isolated and apart from the external interference from people who once to be royals but are no longer are not. Therefore, we can envision that the British society, its culture, and people, though lived in the past, incorporate these things into their culture and live in a classic manner.
The other thing comes up to my mind when I think about British people is Arrogance. “Sun never sets.” My first understanding of it when I first heard this sentence is how large the old British Empire was, and how they think they are the greatest in the world. But now I understand it, not only represent how vast and vigorous British was but also show how proud that British people are for their country. It is who their “pride” in their hurt. This act of arrogance and pride is well depicted in the movie, ‘Pride’.
Warchus asserts that “It is in 1984-85 that there is a UK miners’ strike, where an unlikely supporter was in support for the miners. Steered by Mark Ashton, the London chapter of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) began to collect funds to aid the union staffs”. Mark and his friends hold buckets for the collection, where some people donate, as other people spit at Mark and his friend. Mark sways his friends to endure because the only persons, the homophobic British newspapers abused than gay societies are the miners.
A classical aspect of the Britons can be seen in the film, “Remains of the Day,” Warchus includes pictures that show a great number of formal dinners, fancy clothes and rich interior beautification of the houses. Ivory beautifully made, though on a less elegant and expensive scale. I can see from the movie four British country houses, which were regarded as places for summoning Darlington Hall. This was a magnificent estate that classically signifies an all but gone way of lifestyle. The film cannot focus on the details of service to the way it is explained in the book, and slightly more comic might have been used to detail it. However, the relevant nature of the job is clearly illustrated.
Inside each of aspects of life in the British societal culture, I realize that “Pride” gets a path to surprise and touch a person. According to Austen, “Some of the aspects develop in a discreet manner than one a person could anticipate. However, we see that these people's culture is never entirely unstrapped from the harsh realities of pride and arrogance (126)”. The shift is confined in the corridors of being proud and arrogant. They are laced in, sometimes at the bounds and sometimes in the heart of the action. I think that the 80’s era of paranoia and deception regarding AIDS troubles the developments, as does the risk of arrogance and pride in a hostile environ.
In addition, the film offers a number of likely elements of “Pride,” some of which, actually did take place. I could view the “Pits and Perverts” concert clue approaching (and not just as a result of a practical event that happened). I could easily guess that one of the mining town persons will publicize himself as being a lesbian. The consequence of Gethin’s visitation to the lady who was not hospitable to him is never in distrust as has been depicted by some scholars in the past.
The greatest challenge to LGSM’s charitable struggles draws a hard distinction of standard-issue foul play. It is only through humility that a person can dance with quick abandon and apply his or her abilities to assist some straight people in scooping a few ladies. Apparently, some of the heavy old mining town people fall prey to unapologetically partying at a lesbian pub and staring erotic magazines.
In conclusion, I can say that the British society, together with the people culture and practice from has gone through shifts that have also created varied perceptions. This is from ‘old’ as explained by the film remains of the ‘Remains of the Day’ to a ‘classic’ era, as seen in ‘The Queens.' The names of the movies in itself are symbolic of the particular time. Arrogance and pride are the elements in the society which vastly still sticks to its meaning through time.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Chicago: Plain Label Books, 2008. Print.
Pride. Dir. Mathew Warchus. Perf. Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considime, George MacKay, Inelda Stauton Bill Nighy. 2014. CD.
Remains of the Day. Dir. James Ivory. Perf. Emma Thompson, John Haycraft Anthony Hopkins. 1993. CD.
The Queen. Dir. Stephen Frears. Perf. Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Paul Barret, Hellen McCrory Hellen Mirren. 2006. CD.
