Basden1

ZariBasden
ERWC
Mrs.Porraz
14February2014
VictorianEraAnnotatedBibliography
""TheHouseofMourning""
VictorianMourning
.VictorianaMagazine,n.d.Web.14Feb.2015.
<http://www.victoriana.com/VictorianPeriod/mourning.htm>.
Familymembersofthedeceasedattemptedtoimitatelifewiththebody.Theywere
dressedinnewattirewithflowersstrewnacrosstheface.Friendsoftherelativeswere
expectedtowatchthebodyforadurationofthreetofourdaysandattendtoanyneeds
forthebody.Also,theywereusuallyvolunteeredtoremainwiththefamilythroughout
thedaysbeforethefuneral.Acrapetiedwithribbonwasplacedonthedoorordoor
knob.Itwasaindicationtovisitorsthatadeathoccurredandrefrainedfromringing
thedoor.Awhitecrapewithwhiteribbonwascustomaryforachildoryoungperson,
whileablackcrapeandribbonwasappropriatefortheaged.Oncethedeathbecame
known,friendsofferedservices,whichwasusuallysavedforclosefriends.These
friendswereexpectedtomakearrangementsfortheburial,receivecalls,consultwith
individualsinterestedinthedetailswhile,visitsofcondolencewerenotmadeuntil
afterthefuneral.Beforeanyonecouldarrivetothefuneral,aninvitationwasneeded.
Thesewereengravedonsmallnotepaper,andwasasufficientinvitation.Nonetheless,
anannouncementofaprivatefuneralwasalsoexpected,ifnecessary.Itassertedthat
onlyfew,nearfriendswouldbeaccompanying,andanyoneelseshouldnotintrude.If

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afuneralwasheldatthehouse,thefamilydidnotviewthebodyafterguestsarrived.
Rather,theysatnearthecasketinorderofkinship.However,ifcapable,thefamily
couldalsobeplacedinanadjoiningroom.Astonotexpressgriefamongothers.The
guestswereallowedtoviewthebodyonlyaftertheserviceconcluded.However,ifthe
funeralwasheldatachurch,thecasketwasnotallowedopen.Theservicecontained
sixtoeightpallbearers,whomwereimmediatefriendsofthedeceasedandclosein
gae.Theywereexpectedtocarrythecoffinfromthehousetothehearse/carriage,and
thentothegrave.Theywereprovidedwithblackglovesandablackcrapeformthe
armwhenattendinganelderlyperson,orwhiteglovesandawhitecrapeforthe
arm.Thus,acarriagewiththeclergymanandpallbearerscamefirst,thenthehearse,
andthecarriageofthemournersinorderofkinship.Theministerprecedesthecoffin
attheburial,whiletheundertakedirectsallthedetails.
Mourninggarmentswereexpectedtobeblack,whilemourningperiodsdepended
onthesexandrelationshipwiththedeceased,Asuddentransitionfrommuringto
glaringcolorswasnotappropriate.Agradualtransformationwasonlyaccepted.
Furthermore,apersonindeepmourningdidnotgointosociety,receiveorpayvisits.
Also,theywerenotfoundatplacesofamusementsinceayearofseclusionwas
demandedofamourner.Blackborderedcardswereusedassocialcorrespondencefor
anindividualinmourninguntilitended.While,memorialcardsweresenttofriends
announcingadeath.

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"VictorianEtiquetteforFunerals."
VictorianEtiquetteforFunerals
.VictorianaMagazine,n.d.
Web.14Feb.2015.<http://www.victoriana.com/library/harpers/funeral.html>.
Whenmournersareexpectedtoreenterinsocietyandendtheirseclusion,itis
necessaryfortheindividualtosendlettersandcards.Thisisaninvitationthattheyare
readytobevisitedandreceivecalls,andvisit.Nonetheless,beforethattimeends,the
mournershouldnotbeseenatweddings,theaters,etc:suchbehaviorisinappropriateand
disrespectful.Itisanappearanceoflackforrespecttothememoryofthedead.Therefore,
especiallyawidower,notcomplyingwiththeproperetiquetteshouldnotberespectedin
society,unlesstheypayrespecttothedeceasedwhichincludeswearingmourning
garments.Widowsareexpectedtomourneighteenmonthswiththeappropriatedress.For
thefirstsixmonths,thedressshouldbecrapecloth,entirelywithcollars,cuffs,andveil.
Thecrapeisthenremovedafterthesixmonths,andtheveilisexchangedforalighterone
attwelvemonths.Thecolorsshouldbeblack,butasthemourningperiodsend,agreyor
purplecanbeworn.Mourningforafatherormothershouldlastoneyearandthe
mourningforasiblingorgrandparentshouldalsobeayearorshorter.Themourningfora
childshouldlastninemonths,withmourninglessdeepthanahusbands.However,itis
uptofriendsorrelativestoenablethemotherwhentoridofthemourninggarments.Also,
themourningforaunts,uncles,orcousinsconsistedathreemonthsinwhichthefamily
shouldnotbeseengoingout.
Condolenceletterswereexpectedtobeshortandsimple.Thelettershouldbewrittenon
blackedgedpaper,andexpresssympathyandrespectforthefamilyofthedeceased.
Relativeswereexpectedtomournsimilartothedeathofadeceasedhusbandofafamily

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member,aswellasmenofrelativestothelostofafamilymember'swife.Amonthafter
thedeath,friendswereexpectedtoleavecardsforthesurvivors.Thecardsarecarefully
preserved,andareacknowledgedoncethemournerreturnstosociety.
Furthermore,thecoffinsappearancewasmoresimplethanformerly.Itwasplainonthe
outside,nothingbutablackcloth,silverplatef0rthename,andsilverhandles.Afew
flowerswereplacedinthedeceasedhands,orasimplewreath.