Lesson Plan 2
Dandyism
A - Historical background:
1760 -1820 - Most troubled period in British history. The American colonies proclaim their independence.
1820 - 30 - George Iv. Period of industrial unrest.
1830 - 1837 William IV, Financial crash, economic depression.
1837 - 1901 Age of Queen Victoria.
1861 - Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s husband)dies Retreat of Queen Victoria from publiclife.
B - Achievements during the l9th century:
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1. Balance between agriculture and industry.
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2. The 1832 Reform Bill is introduced.
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3. 1840-41 - The China ports are open to foreign trade and Hong Kong becomes British.
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4. The Great Exhibition in 1851 shows that England has become “the workshop of the world”.
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5. Employers and Workmen act (1875) allows masters and men to be on the same level. Trade unions are allowed to picket.
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6. The Public Health Act (1875) created a public health authority in every region.
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7. Purchase of the Suez Canal.
- Literary Movements
1800-1822 Romanticism: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats and Byron.1843-1873 History: Lord Macaulay, Thomas Carlyle.1850 - Pre-Raphaelite movement: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Morris.
Classroom activities:
A - Review of the l9th century in England with discussion of the historical events, the most important figures of the time and the social achievements of that century.
B - The students will read about the exponents of Dandysm.
Suggestions:
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The students will be divided into groups and will discuss:
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1 - Importance of fashion, yesterday and today.
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2 - Can social events influence the costume of a century?
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3 - Can costume influence the behavior of a person?
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4 - Can an individual be judged in a different way according to the way he/she dresses. When, and where?
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5 - What are the direct and indirect elements that constitute fashion?
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6 - Is, in your opinion, fashion more important today or was more important yesterday?
This set of questions can be followed by a more personal line of questions which could be: a real personal interview on fashion, individual taste, money spent on clothing etc.