Why did Victorians have parlors and what did they use them for? I hate to say they were lovably naive–but then so are we, when we think that humanity can improve itself. Wait, you say, is this going to be some morbid essay on the depravity of man? I don’t think so, so let me finish. The Victorians were on to something when they romanticized the family and it’s civilizing tendencies. They kept a parlor table and on it there were books and little bits of nature and postcards depicting amazing geography and gloriously built ancient ruins . . .but there you have it. Ruins. It happens, doesn’t it? The Gilded Age people I know and love, fell into a trap that we all fall into–if I may be so presumptuous to include the reader–we begin seeing beauty and we take hold of it–a smooth stone, a fern branch, a gemstone. We feel a little tug of awe in our hearts and wonder how did this beauty happen? We place it on the parlor table or the curio shelf we bought in college from Ikea. As children we see the beauty of creation and for the rest of our lives we run after it. The trap is thinking that we can create the perfection we see around us. Improvement is a crazy word when taken too far. The Victorians were perfectionists (and so am I). Have you ever noticed that perfectionist bosses can be demanding and vicious? Most of the “Robber Barons” grew up in poverty. So who do we hate–the rich or the poor if a Carnegie or a Gould was actually both? Which progressive ideal of the late Gilded Age has done away with poverty or suffering? If it wasn’t for the titans of industry there would be no Metropolitan Museum of Art–free to everyone (okay, some people could care less about Manet–but it was the idea of improving the masses that led to the museums). JP Morgan was a hopeless romantic behind his nose. What am I saying here? Only that everyone throughout time has been flawed and messy (which I happen to love despite it all). I’m all for improving oneself with a good book or rightfully protesting the underground sex slave trade, but even after all of these centuries of “progress” we still have a very difficult time loving our flawed neighbors. I wonder why that is?
A great book for your reading pleasure: The Victorian Homefront: American Thought and Culture 1860-1880 by Louise L. Stevenson
Author Adrienne Morris 
5 responses to “Nothing New Under the Sun . . . and a book for your parlor”
I have to say I think we (i.e. modern humanity) are on a faulty pedestal when we look at yesteryear and label it backward and congratulate ourselves on our progress. So we have the coolest most amazing technology that ever graced the sci-fi shelf of any book-store but have we progressed much? You can probably tell I don’t think so 😉
Sure, we understand a lot more about not rejecting our fellow human because of sex, colour or class but how much of it does the average person understand? What was that Anthony Horowitz said recently about some of the the internet being ‘foul, disgusting and cruel’? I think we in the twenty-first century should stay pretty quiet about our progress and give the Victorians an even break.
Just saying.
I also think they had the right idea in their love of beauty, they weren’t afraid of being bowled over by it or being a little crazy about it. We’re living on the greatest creation of the known universe and it should knock our socks off.
Oh, and on the subject of praising the beautiful, Ikea curio shelves definitely count. 🙂
LikeLike
I agree with you completely. In all ages I think we can fall under the spell of self-worship. I adore the Victorians because they celebrated beauty. Now as a culture it seems to me we celebrate the ugly and depraved. Of course this is an over-generalization. Some people create works of great beauty and I think underneath it all most people really crave beauty and meaning so I have hope and love for humanity, I just don’t think we’re quite big enough to fix all of the wrongs by ourselves. Pride before the fall and all of that. On the rare occasions where I actually attain humility, I realize I don’t know anything. 🙂
LikeLike
Hey, here’s to our ignorance! I’m always putting my foot in my mouth, and am happy to revise my opinions – so long as the other person can persuade me 😉 I actually have a lot of hope for humanity, most people are essentially good and want beauty in their lives, it’s the few that worry me…
Great post, btw, forgot to mention that!
LikeLike
You are too kind. Thanks! And , yes, there are a few very scary people out there. My brother thinks they’re the one’s who’ve been bred with aliens/demons, but that’s for another day.
LikeLike
Ha! Let’s hope he never gets into a conversation with my mum 🙂
LikeLike