On the 1st of May in 1851, the opening of the Great Exhibition marked the beginning of the creation of a corporal British identity which was drafted through dissociation from other foreign stereotypes. Although Prince Albert, head of the organising Royal Commission, wanted the Great Exhibition to create international family-like ties among the exhibiting states, it stressed the differences between those nations and supported rising nationalism instead.
The very fact that the Royal Commission structured the exhibition into the United Kingdom, its colonies and foreign countries, revealed its focus on British instead of global achievements. However, as well as the exhibition’s location, the manner in which it was presented is also of great significance, since it demonstrated superiority.
Table of Contents
Note: This work contains no formal Table of Contents in the provided source text. The following hierarchy reflects the logical structure of the content.
1. Introduction: The Creation of a National Identity through ‘Otherness’
2. India at the Great Exhibition: Stereotypes and Colonial Justification
3. Orientalism and the Definition of British Culture
4. National Pride, Moral Duty, and Corporate Identity
5. Industry, Manufacturing, and the Global Hierarchy
6. Rivalry and Economic Strategy: The American Department
7. Visualization of ‘Otherness’: Caricature and Identity
8. Conclusion: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition
Research Objectives & Core Themes
This essay explores how the representation of "otherness" and foreign cultures at the Great Exhibition of 1851 was instrumental in constructing a unified British national identity and asserting imperial superiority during the Victorian era.
- The role of the Indian department in shaping British self-perception.
- The use of orientalist stereotypes to justify colonialism and demonstrate cultural superiority.
- The impact of industrial displays on the economic and social morale of the British public.
- The relationship between the exhibition's spatial layout and the visualization of a global imperial hierarchy.
Excerpt from the Book
How the display of ‘otherness’ at the Great Exhibition in 1851 created a national identity in Britain
On the 1st of May in 1851, the opening of the Great Exhibition marked the beginning of the creation of a corporal British identity which was drafted through dissociation from other foreign stereotypes. Although Prince Albert, head of the organising Royal Commission, wanted the Great Exhibition to create international family-like ties among the exhibiting states, it stressed the differences between those nations and supported rising nationalism instead. The very fact that the Royal Commission structured the exhibition into the United Kingdom, its colonies and foreign countries, revealed its focus on British instead of global achievements.
However, as well as the exhibition’s location, the manner in which it was presented is also of great significance, since it demonstrated superiority. In particular, the display of ‘otherness’ contributed to this emerging British identity as it contrasted Britain as more civilized, progressive and thus superior to other states. This essay will examine how the notion of ‘otherness’ and thus the image of superiority is linked to the creation of a British identity. It will focus on India’s representation at the Great Exhibition since this image of the ‘other’ was massively used in the Indian department – although India was placed within the British sector and in the very centre of the exhibition. While the visitors were astonished by the oriental glamour, those displayed stereotypes created not only a sense of pride among the British over their conquests but also evoked the idea of Britain being more civilised than India. Finally, this contrasting of cultures and values created a consensus of what it meant to be British and thus let visiting Britons identify with that.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The Creation of a National Identity through ‘Otherness’: Establishes the essay's thesis that the exhibition functioned as a tool for defining British identity by contrasting it with foreign stereotypes.
2. India at the Great Exhibition: Stereotypes and Colonial Justification: Analyzes how the East India Company utilized exoticized displays of India to justify colonial control and imply British superiority.
3. Orientalism and the Definition of British Culture: Examines how the perception of Indian "savagery" helped define Britain as the sophisticated, civilized center of the world.
4. National Pride, Moral Duty, and Corporate Identity: Discusses how the exhibition fostered a sense of moral obligation to "civilize" colonies, thereby uniting the British public under a common imperial purpose.
5. Industry, Manufacturing, and the Global Hierarchy: Details how the display of mass production and industrial might served to prove Britain's economic and technological dominance.
6. Rivalry and Economic Strategy: The American Department: Explores the political motivations behind the physical placement of the American exhibition and the British reaction to its domestic contents.
7. Visualization of ‘Otherness’: Caricature and Identity: Reviews contemporary caricatures, such as those by John Tenniel, to show how satirical representations solidified the boundaries between the "civilized" British and the "exotic" other.
8. Conclusion: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition: Summarizes the argument that the exhibition successfully created a common sense of belonging and a corporate British identity through the lens of imperial superiority.
Keywords
Great Exhibition, 1851, British Identity, Orientalism, Colonialism, Imperialism, National Pride, Otherness, East India Company, Crystal Palace, Industry, Cultural Superiority, Globalization, Victorian Britain, Nationalism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work examines how the Great Exhibition of 1851 acted as a platform for constructing a cohesive British national identity through the systematic display of foreign cultures and the promotion of imperial superiority.
What are the central themes discussed?
Key themes include the impact of Orientalism, the justification of colonial actions, the role of industrial progress in defining modernism, and the political use of spatial design within the exhibition halls.
What is the central research question?
The paper explores how the notion of "otherness" and the exhibition of foreign items were linked to the creation and reinforcement of a British national identity.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs historical analysis, relying on primary sources such as contemporary guides, official catalogues, satiric magazines like 'Punch', and secondary literature on imperial history and Orientalism.
What does the main body cover?
It covers the specific representation of India, the comparative display of American and British industry, the moral justifications for imperialism, and the visual language used to marginalize other nations.
How would you characterize this work with keywords?
The work is characterized by terms such as British Identity, Orientalism, Colonialism, Imperialism, and the Great Exhibition.
Why was India placed in the center of the exhibition?
India was placed in the center to highlight its significance as a British possession and to assert British dominance over the subcontinent, despite the complexities of its colonial status at the time.
What role did the magazine 'Punch' play in the exhibition's narrative?
‘Punch’ served as a contemporary outlet for satire that reinforced British prejudices, mocked foreign behaviors, and helped confirm the public’s belief in Britain's superiority.
How did the layout of the exhibition contribute to its impact?
The layout created a global hierarchy by placing Britain and its colonies at the core and other nations on the periphery, visually reinforcing the idea that Britain was the world's hub.
- Citation du texte
- Tamina Grasme (Auteur), 2018, The display of 'otherness' at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and the national identity in Britain, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/500067
