In this paper I would like to demonstrate the historical antecedents of the cultural change Britain went through in the nineteenth century as it finds its expression in the construction of a new type of urban institution: the music hall. I will scrutinize the drives that brought in its emergence as a mass entertainment industry by presenting the economic and social factors that prepared the necessary background. By relating the innovations that reshaped the Victorian population, I will try to illustrate the ground upon which this new institution was built. By giving an account of the responses from different sections of the society, I will try to establish the music hall as a product of the new urban population. After delivering a brief history of its evolution I will try to portray the great success it attained. Finally, I will analyse one of the popular entertainment forms it offered in order to understand the values it represented and how it reflected and shaped the cultural trends.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1. Understanding the New Cultural Trend: Growth of Consumerism
- 2. Innovations that Contributed to the Development of New Leisure
- 3. The Social Foundations of the New Leisure: An Urban Demand
- 4. A Brief History of the Music Hall as an Entertainment Industry
- 5. The Role of the Halls in Reflecting and Shaping the Social Identities
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay investigates the emergence of the Victorian music hall as a popular mass entertainment industry, analyzing its development as a product of the urban consumer society. It explores the historical antecedents of this cultural transformation in nineteenth-century Britain, examining the economic and social factors that contributed to its emergence.
- The growth of consumerism as a cultural trend
- The role of innovations in the development of new leisure activities
- The social foundations of the new leisure and the emergence of an urban demand
- The history of the music hall as an entertainment industry
- The music hall's reflection and shaping of social identities
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the context by discussing the revolutionary changes in nineteenth-century British society, particularly the rise of consumerism fueled by the Industrial Revolution. It highlights the shift from an agrarian to an industrialized society and the increasing importance of urban centers.
Chapter 1 explores the growth of consumerism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, highlighting the "consumer boom" and the widespread adoption of conspicuous consumption as a means of displaying wealth and status. The chapter emphasizes the impact of consumerism on leisure activities.
Chapter 2 examines the innovations that contributed to the development of new leisure activities, focusing on the Industrial Revolution and its impact on urban development. The chapter discusses the growth of industries, the rise of new towns, and the increasing efficiency and technological advances that transformed the economy and society.
Chapter 3 delves into the social foundations of the new leisure, exploring the emergence of an urban demand for entertainment and leisure activities. It examines how the changing demographics and social structures created a need for new forms of entertainment.
Chapter 4 provides a brief history of the music hall as an entertainment industry, tracing its evolution from its origins to its widespread popularity. It explores the factors that contributed to its success and its role in shaping the leisure landscape.
Chapter 5 examines the role of music halls in reflecting and shaping social identities. It explores how these venues provided a platform for various forms of popular entertainment that resonated with the values and interests of different social groups.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this text include: consumerism, Industrial Revolution, urban development, leisure, entertainment industry, Victorian society, music hall, social identities, popular culture, and cultural transformation.
- Citation du texte
- Serda Brauns (Auteur), 2007, Cultural Transformation in the Consumer Society, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/172539
