Medieval last names for guardians11/9/2023 However, following Dorothea’s engagement to Mr. In their respective courtships, they each formally address one another. Causabon, Miss Brooke, Sir James Chettam and Miss Celia Brooke. An example of this appears in the first several chapters of the novel in the interactions between Mr. In regards to how young men and women were expected to address one another. A reason for this may be that they, in fact, never actually become friends they are acquaintances who must interact at times but do not share a high regard for one another. Lydgate.’ However, Following this meeting and several others, the two women never refer to each other by their first names, which contradicts the typical practice of most women during this time. Thus in Chapter 43 when Dorothea and Rosamond meet for the first time, they refer to each other as ‘Mrs. An example of this appears in Chapter 18 when the board of the newly built hospital meet to discuss Lydgate’s position this, however is only one example of many throughout the novel.Īs a contrast to how men of the time interacted, women would normally formally address one another only upon initial acquaintance. The interaction between male characters in the novel is consistently characterized by a reference of last names. The deference paid between two siblings is also noted in Eliot’s novel and can be seen as early as Chapter 1 when the oldest Brooke sister is referred to as “Miss Brooke” and the younger sister is most often referred to as “Miss Celia.” This tradition continues throughout the novel until “Miss Brooke” is married to Mr. This is an example of the informality attached to children of a certain age. Two of the younger Garth children, Letty and Ben, are referred to by Fred by their first name’s only. In Chapter 24, we are able to observe how children are addressed during a scene including the Garth family and Fred Vincy. In addition to these rules, single young men and women were expected to address one another in a certain manner the rules dictating that prior to an engagement, they were not allowed to address one another by their first name (Mitchell, 150).Įliot shows us instances in which each of these rules are perpetuated by characters in her novel. In contrast to the never-ending formalities between men, for young ladies and women, interactions would initially be marked by formal communication with the use of “Miss” when addressing one another, but once a friendship was made, the formality would disappear and they would interact with each other on a first-name basis. For example, men of the upper class always referred to each other by their surnames, never dropping the formality of such interaction. Outside of the family, there were rules for addressing others between men, women and both men and women. Sally Mitchell, the author of Daily Life in Victorian England, explains, “The eldest sister in a family with several daughters was called, for example, ‘Miss Bowen.’ Younger sisters were called ‘Miss’ with both first name and surname: ‘Miss Anne Bowen” (149-150). Within a family of multiple children, there were rules regarding the addressing of each sibling. Among family members, only children were to be addressed by their first name until they reached young adulthood at which point their permission would be required. For instance, when addressing another person of a higher class, surnames and titles were always used as a sign of respect. Rules of etiquette during the Victorian age often varied depending on the social class and gender of an individual. These ideas concerning social etiquette, the “Victorian Family,” and courtship were exalted and romanticized during the Victorian Age and can be seen in the novel Middlemarch. Within the family, Victorian values such as chastity and modesty were also gaining importance rules for social behavior regarding courtship and marriage were strict and rarely deviated from. Prior to the Victorian age, building relationships within the family was not deemed important by society, but with improvements in the economic structure, an opportunity for individuals within families to develop closer relationships with one another came. The idea of the nuclear family was increasingly exalted. Books detailing the customs and behavior of the aristocracy were published so that the middle class was able to learn and practice the intricacies associated with the etiquette of the upper class. Social etiquette was becoming increasingly important to all social classes. During the Victorian Age, changes in family and social rituals were taking place.
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