Victorian etiquette was less about politeness and more about survival
In short: In an era of rapid industrial upheaval, the elite used rigid social codes to maintain power. This video explores how manners functioned as a sophisticated system of surveillance and control.
Dr. Amy Boyington decodes the 'invisible architecture' of Victorian society, where etiquette served as a survival strategy for shifting class lines. For women specifically, social credit acted as their primary currency, governed by strict manuals that dictated everything from dinner party precision to the mandatory performance of mourning.
The video examines how objects like calling cards and fans were used as encrypted languages. By stripping away the surface aesthetics, Boyington reveals how these 'weaponized manners' created a gilded cage of social surveillance and gendered power dynamics.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Beyond the Fan: The Secret Codes of Victorian Etiquette!
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