Civiltà inglese:

CIVILTÀ 
INGLESE
Appunti di Monica Zappaterra
Università degli Studi di Pavia
Facoltà: Studi Umanistici
Corso di Laurea in Lingue e Culture Moderne
Esame: Civiltà Inglese
Docente: Annachiara Cozzi
A.A. 2022/2023
Tesi
online
A P P U N T I
TesionlineCorso di Ci viltà Inlg ese
INTRO - T he B ritish e mpir e
Co n cep t o f En g lish n ess: linked with its imperial past.
Huge empire, at the beginning of 20th century, reached its peak (25% of the land, and 25%
of the world's total population under England).
How did England do it? How did it im pact the English?
The UK had colonies in Canada, Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, and islands in the
Pacific ocean.
Impact on English. It deeply shaped the idea of English nationality, idea of themselves.
not only for those born in the colonies, but also others stayed at home (in terms of food,
space…). In order to understand the sense of the self, the encounter with the other is
essential (contrast).
Map o f th e empire (1886).
● It was made for the colonial exhibition (a sort of expo of the empire; a parade of
England's conquests). UK: placed at the center of the world geographically, the most
important power in the world. World’s standard at this period: London.
● “F reedom , fraternity , federation” = peaceful coexistence within the empire. It had a
peaceful aim, to bring together all different sorts of people and lands, all united under
the motherland (which was actually far from reality; propaganda).
The English felt to have a moral duty, an aim to civilize and save other people of the world.
The Empire is morally good and useful (= the justification they gave for themselves). Actually
they're after economic power (reason for founding empire).
● Imp erial fan tasy: animals, fauna, plants,
- India (elephant), Australia (kangaroos)
- Bottom center: woman (embodiment of Britannia) sitting on the top of the
world and Atlas holding the world upon his head.
● Celebratory, but also some secrets about this map: it was designed by Walter grain
(?), leader of socialist movement, so he didn’t receive public credit for this map (it
would suggest a strange idea). So, as revenge, he inserted details in the map
ex. at the top right: red caps (high symbolic meaning). Symbol of freedom, worn by freed
slaves, and then widely used as an anticolonial icon.
Empire has always been controversial:
- wealth, power, economic opportunity
1- slavery, exploitation of people, resources
HIST OR Y of the Empire
How did Britain m anage to conquer a quarter of the world?
Thanks to a co mb in atio n o f facto rs:
- small islan d, it needed space to expand, to breathe, cannot expand on continent, it
has only sea around it
- obsessive fear o f in vasio n (it was invaded by France in the Middle Ages); it turned
into aggressiveness, conquer first.
- being lonely, isolated also perks: surrounded by the sea, g reat seamen, able to go
round the world
- p o litical u n ity: more or less stable government since 17th century (king, parlament,
constitution), it slightly changes, but the basic structure of the nation remains the
same. If you’re stable in the internal affairs, you can focus on foreign affairs.
Couples of important events.
● Bill o f Rig h ts (1689): forces the king to consult the Parliament when he wants to
make decisions (raise army, taxes…) = co n stitu tio n al mo n arch y.
● Act o f Settlemen t (1701): exclude catholics from the throne
(= these events brought the political stability)
Other two characteristics.
● Britain has a stro n g sen se o f n atio n al id en tity, (based on cohesion inside and
conquer outside); aggressive national ideology.
● Co mmercial vivacity (industrial revolution starts in the UK, but also before that,
there’s always been a certain liveliness in commerce; being small, need space for
market, for their products)
Steps.
➢ It starts in the 16th century: first over sea settlements (under queen Elizabeth I).
She’s the first to enterprise the idea to finance oversea expeditions (economic
reasons). Then in the 17th century the expansion accelerated and settlements were
established in North America and in the West Indies.
- 1st settlement: North America, Jamestown colony,
- Then: Virginia, also West Indies
➢ Wars: UK succeeds in getting imp parts
T reaty o f Utrech t, at the end of the W ar o f Sp an ish Su ccessio n;
UK got:
- M in o rca an d G ib raltar, which secures UK’s control of commerce in the
Mediterranean
2- monopoly of slave trad e from America to Africa (huge business, wealth,
riches)
➢ Seven Y ears W ar (1756-1763): very first world war in history.
England vs France, but it’s a war fought also in the colonies (i.e. Canada and India).
After the end of this war: France no longer competitor of England (it gained Canada and
India from France; now it’s the most important colonizer and power).
How does it fonction?
Exch an g e between motherland and colonies.
- on one hand: the motherland takes raw materials from the colonies
- on the other hand: the colonies conduct all their trade by means of English ships and
they function as markets for manufactured goods, for products of the motherland's
industries (= unequal exchange).
● The British Empire really surged, but there’s a setback: American w ar o f
In d ep en d en ce (1776-1783). It was a shock for England, some of the first
vulnerabilities are exposed; therefore they turned their attention to the East, focusing
on Asia.
● 1st settlements in Au stralia (“discovered” earlier, but 1st settlement in 1788)
● Acquisition of the Cap e o f G o o d Ho p e: essential, allows them to go to Asia without
paying taxes to anyone
● Early 19th cen tu ry: factors combined accelerate the process
- in d u strial revo lu tio n, wide market for its products
- Pax b ritan n ica: century of relative peace between i Europe and in the world
Napoleonic wars and WWI (huge expansion in economy in Asia and Africa)
● En d o f th e 19th cen tu ry: largest expansion of the Empire ever.
● Ab o litio n ist camp aig n o f slavery: symbol, man praying “am I not a m an and a
brother?” Slavery was abolished by GB in 1834: first country to do it.
● Po o r law: people are encouraged to go to the colonies (giving them money), mass
emigration to the colonies. Since not everyone could find a job in the UK, they sent
them colonies, giving them provisions to assist them.
● F irst O p iu m W ar: Ch in a became part of the u n o fficial / in fo rmal emp ire (just
economic interest, some settlements there, but not officially part of empire;
independent country, but still a puppet in hands of England)
● In d ia: became part of the o fficial emp ire (1858), passed under direct control of the
crown, governed by UK.
● Distinction. W h ite co lo n ies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand: massive emigration of
English people) and all o th er co lo n ies (treated very differently).
3- 1847-1867: colonies became more or less independent, with their
constitutions (acquired the status of d o min io n s; power on their internal and
external affairs, still recognize the queen, but more independent).
● 1860s-1870s: Disco very o f g o ld an d d iamo n d s in South Africa changes things:
economical revolution, immigrants and investment on an unprecedented scale
(scramble for Africa, european powers, fight to obtain many resources).
● Su ez Can al (1869): opened, and constitutes a shorter route for Asia. It was
dangerous to travel by land, more than traveling by sea (even though pirates); it
marks an important step.
● 1884: Co n feren ce o f Berlin . European nations met to split Africa (key factor, creates
problems of borders, arbitrarily decided). Most of Africa (South and East) to Britain.
Britain is at its highest point after all these possessions of Africa; things can just go
down now.
● An g lo -Bo er w ar: English and settlers in South Africa (guerilla, internment camps,
epidemics, killing of women and children). Brutal and shocking methods, reported by
newspaper, telegraph, so public opinion saw what actually happened. The empire
began to be discredited a bit. Public perception changed, not celebratory anymore,
not so popular.
● Compromise: T h e Co mmo n w ealth o f Natio n s is established
Distinction between white colonies and other ones: it regarded only the dominions, the other
colonies stayed colonies. Countries of the Commonwealth have just co mmercial
relatio n sh ip s with the motherland, they recognize the Queen as the head of the State.
● Until after W W II
The UK emerged as a winner, but is in debt to the US (empire has a cost too high, so it has
to dismiss it at the end); it’s not convenient anymore. The English are very practical people;
the empire costs a lot, it causes more trouble than gain, so they dismiss it, with the pretense
of giving freedom to the colonies.
● 1947: India the first one to become independent (partition of india-Pakistan)
● 1950s-60s: gradual independence of african and west indies colonies
● Also immigration from the former colonies: citizenship extended to all people from the
former empire (come to UK to work, reason of ethnicity spread in the UK)
● 1997: the final colony became independent : Ho n k Ko n g, small base actually
belonged to the empire. It marks th e en d o f th e emp ire.
W hat rem ains today of the em pire?
The Commonwealth, “a voluntary association of 36 independent and equal countries"
(based on: d evelo p men t, d emo cracy and p eace). Controversial: still reminds of the empire
(but now many countries can join, even if not related to the empire).
4W here? Africa, Caribbean and Americas, Pacific, Asia, Europe
Why India?
➢ It was considered the most important colony (“the jewel of the crown”, Disraeli), it
gave the UK prestige;
➢ a new title was created specifically for queen Victoria “Empress of India” (1876);
➢ Indian economy indispensable, military contribution to the maintenance of the rest of
the empire
➢ 1st to be freed: they owed it for its contribution
Also the most Intense experience
- the climate in India: harmful for the British, it causes physical damages, it corrupts
the skin, makes the skin sallow (it causes disease, lost of appetite, of energy…);
staying in India is like a challenge for the British.
- also risk of mo ral d ecay; if you stay in oriental country too long, you will be
corrupted, your moral sense will suffer; to learn this concept (o rien talism = a series
of stereotypes that connect the East with despotism, corruption, decadence,
sexuality…; by E.W.Said).
In European mind: India was a land of riches, but also moral decay, sexuality; if you stay
there too long, you become tainted; it was important not to stay there too long.
In fact India never became a settler colony; they went there as generals, in the army, also
their family went with them, but after finishing their period of working, they returned home.
Economical interest.
16th -17th cen tu ry: vague idea of what India actually was. It took a very long journey, by
land it was dangerous, seen as a far away, magical land.
First European country to colonize India: the Po rtu g u ese. Then also the Dutch, the
French…
1488: Diaz first reached the Cape of Good Hope. Followed by V asco d e G ama (who
actually reached India, Calcutta); first contacts with India, thanks to Portuguese (at first for
trade and then for the spread of christianity through missionaries, by Spain especially; most
info about it, collected by missionaries).
However, still L in g u istic an d Cu ltu ral b arriers: diabolical superstition (Hinduism), difficult to
interact with natives, info and contact still vague.
F ash io n fo r O rien t at the time.
- The East = general, vague entity.
- The Orient = opulence and unreality, riches but, also of magic and deceit.
5(Literary accounts, fashion, forniture, knick-knacks, theater pieces with orientalising
themes…).
Turning point: in 1600, East Ind ia Co mpany was established (1st contact of British
with India).
They established a purely commercial enterprise, through this company, gaining the
monopoly of trade in the East (thanks to the Ro yal Ch arter, during the reign of Elizabeth I);
from now on, the company will control relations between UK and all countries at the East of
the Cape of Good Hope.
T he first treaties.
Things start to change. There was no political interference, but a strong competition (other
European countries, mainly the Portuguese, the Dutch) for territorial control, to secure
economic interest. So they started to conquer territories not to control them, but to secure
their economic interests.
Dip lo matic missio n (1615): Sir Thomas Roe was sent by the King to visit the Mughal
Emperor and the 1st treaty was signed. Company established some trad in g p o sts in India,
first settlements (fortified, where merchants could live, and factories, ports, to carry on the
commerce); ex. Bombay, Madras, Calcutta.
India was seen as the lan d o f w ealth, of natural resources for huge economic gain, where
you could go to seek fo rtu n e and go home, adventure. No idea of political control yet. Even
chaplates, churches, missionaries practice commerce (of cotton, silk, indigo, dye, tea…),
because it was so fruitful and easy, there was a lot of gain.
Real political expansion: 18th century.
There was no master plan of expansion, but it was a gradual process, not directed by the
British government, but it was an initiative of the East India Company; private enterprise.
How did they gain control of such huge territory?
No major wars, but through a more subtle way; with corruption, bribery, pattern of infiltrating,
slow but relenting, p attern o f co ercio n an d treaty.
Situation in INDIA.
Beginning of 18th century: M u g h al emp ire, slowly falling to pieces, not a strong unique
empire anymore, divided into many states, at war with each other, (unstable political
situation). All Europeans, take advantage of the situation (also French, Dutch, Portuguese).
How?
6Princes of states at war needed troops and cash (money and army) and the British had both.
Company hired at exorbitant prices the tro o p s to different Indian rulers in exchange for
some p o w er in th eir states. A treaty, to give influence to the English, a special treatment
(they start to gain more and more power). Gradually the Company annexed land and
infiltrated the princely states.
Not all states fell under influence of British (some of them wanted to remain independent),
but they had to sign unequal treaties: agreed to su rren d er so me o f th eir au th o rities in
exch an g e fo r th e Co mp an y’ s p ro tectio n (in case of a war happening, they were afraid
they may be attacked; so they signed these treaties with the British; give them taxes for
having protection).
In th e 19th cen tu ry, all India was under the control of the UK.
Actually one war was fought in India, even if not in a traditional way; it was fought with
corruption and bribery, during the Seven Y ears W ar: on the continent, in Europe, but also in
the colonies (European conflict, but fought also overseas). 1763: T reaty o f Paris, UK
emerged as the dominant European power in India.
Key figure: Ro b ert Clive.
During the 7 years war: there’s a change of Indian rulers in Bengal (in the area of the East;
with Calcutta being the largest city), the richest part of the country.
1756: ruler of the state died and the next n aw ab decided not to comply with the English and
requested cash gifts (a fee) from the European and wanted them to disarm (the Dutch
accepted, but the English didn’t). A conflict started: the ruler marched against the British,
conquered the English settlement and locked the English soldiers in the Black Ho le (all of
them died of hunger, thirst; a shock for the community). When the news reached the rest of
the country: a p u n ish men t exp ed itio n was sent against the Indian ruler.
The leader of this expedition was Ro b ert Clive (not a soldier, a politician, far from being a
brilliant student; he had been expelled from school, but he was very clever, ambitious; at 18
years old he was sent out to Madras to serve in the company). At this time he was governor
of a small settlement in Madras, and he was the designated leader of the expedition to
Calcutta, to enact the English revenge. Brave strateg ist. How did he fight?
The nawab in Beghal was not so popular even among his own people, manywanted to
depose him; so Clive made a secret arrangement with Jafar (a general of the indian army,
the nawab’s commander in chief): if Jafar let the nawab army lose, then Clive would make
him the next nawab.
The b attle o f Plassey takes place: everything was already decided, so they did not really
fight. Jafar led a large portion of the army away from the battlefield, so the nawab's army
was defeated. The English won (basically by bribing the opposition), the nawab fled, but he
was soon caught and executed and Jafar became the new ruler (even though he was
actually just a puppet in the hand of Clive, that was the one who claimed the real power
there). Calcutta boomed,becoming the East India Company’s “Capital”.
7This indicates the b eg in n in g o f British In d ia: officially the English political control in India
started and Clive was remembered throughout history as the hero, the commander that
conquered Bengal.
Moreover Clive was taken through the treasury and he was told he could take everything he
wanted (gained a huge fortune and shared it with the company’s committee, army and navy,
with his friends, who gained new administrative positions; by now corruption is widespread in
the Company).
He resigned from his post and return to Eng with immense fortune, the richest man in the
country. He came home to UK, but not good reputation, he was seen as the embodiment of
everything that was bad and corrupted in the company. He sought his p o litical p o sitio n and
so cial p restig e; he was not a nobleman, he had poor origins; so he wanted to be admitted
into the aristocracy, into the good society. He even sought all statu s symb o ls o f
aristo cracy: he bought a huge country estate from the Dutch for millions pounds (for “th e
seaso n”, part of the year dedicated to social entertainment); also built a town house in
London. He even hired an architect to decorate his house, because he wanted to be seen as
an important man.
The figure of the NABOB .
He became the so-called Nab o b (englisation of “nawab”, from the Muslim title for the
governor of a district): applied to the East India Company’s men, who made fortune in India
and then came back rich and with social aspiration. (Fever for the East).
They were a b len d between Eastern (India) and West (English) notions of how a ruling body
should look and behave. So he was the perfect example of nabob (it was a figure that made
its appearance in magazines, plays, figures of fun, satire).
W hat did he do to achieve his social am bitions?
- had a lot of servants, more than nobleman actually had
- started hunting (fox hunt especially)
- collected art (no museums at the time), if you had a private art collection, you were
seen as a very imp person. Collecting art requires money and education and taste,
and a Nabob has money, but not taste whatsoever.
Most aristocrats collect art during T h e G ran d T o u r (for young men, a journey to undertake
after school; they studied Latin and Greek and classic art; it was an opportunity for them to
see with their eyes what they had studied). They went especially to France, Italy, Greece,
Turkey…) and it was only for the aristocracy (then, in the 19th century, also for the
middle-class). They used to bring home something from their travels, because it brought
prestige, it was to show off their learning mostly.
Clive was not a nobleman, so he did not go to a Grand Tour. How did he m ake up for that?
He hired some experts and bought a huge collection overnight, with which he decorated his
house (not for pleasure, but to cultivate his aristocratic persona, to show that he’s a refined
man).
8Portrait of him, commissioned to his cousin in 1764: represented as an English nobleman. In
the background representation of Jafar.
He didn’t manage to enter the good society. He was seen as an embodiment of everything
that was to blame in the East India Company (symbol of the public discontent with the
company).
T he T rial. He has to undergo a trial. A parliamentary committee was appointed to
investigate the Company’s doings in India. He was accused of abusing of his position in the
company for his personal gain. He famously said that he actually had been moderated. He
succeeded in defending himself, did not go to prison, but the so-called Reg u latio n act
(1773) was introduced: 1st attempt of the Crown to extend the control on the company,
which was nationalized partially.
Clive, after that, traveled to Italy, but suffered from depression, his health deteriorated and he
finally killed himself. No chance to rehabilitate his public image. Bad health, trait of the
nabob; if you stay in India too long health issues (actually it was due to his alcohol, drinking,
huge consumption of meat…).
Image: nabob lying on a carpet as the oriental fashion was (it was thought to be
inappropriate), nabobs always acquired Indian habits and costumes, at the time seen as
offensive, (ex. smoking “narguilé”, opium was often added to it; another trait of the nabob).
They were seen as the embodiment of all flaws of the East.
Image: nabob throwing up money (so rich)
Embodiment of indolence, arrogance, greed: seen with hostility. accused of introducing
oriental corruption in English economical life, in the morality of the West (they were
dangerous, because they had been corrupted by the East).
Q u o tatio n b y T h o mas M acau tly. Nabobs, men “sprung from obscurity… they acquired
great wealth… they exhibited it insolently… they spent it extravagantly”: Nabobs are usually
of low origins (if you were noble, it wasn't necessary to undergo all that). Also they had the
pretension of being accepted because they’re rich.
THE PLAY.
T he Nab ob by Samuel Foote (1772)
Play, protagonist is evidently modeled after Clive. He’s called Sir M atth ew M ite (=
parassite), which says a lot about the personality of the nabob. He lends money to an
aristocratic man, Sir John Oldham (names always evocative (fight between old world
aristocracy and new wealth nabob).
PLOT .
1st ACT.
9Set at the O ld h am’s house. Matthew lent money to him, so now he’s in debt, but he can’t
pay him back, he’s in trouble.
A letter arrives from the nabob: he’ll drop his debt in exchange for the hand of Oldham’s
daughter in marriage (he wants to be part of an aristocratic family), aspires of entering
nobility, part of his social ambition. Oriental intrusion into nobility, contamination from the
East (he's not happy about it, Mite is a vulgar man).
The Nabob wants to go back to India and wants to take his new wife and her sister too, so
she can marry other nabobs. Oldham has no desire to “sell” his daughter to this man; but he
has to choose between debtors' prison or letting his daughter marry this terrible man.
Oldham tells his brother T h o mas about his problem (he’s a merchant, second born, so he
dedicated himself to trade), and he says he’ll take care of it, he’ll convince the nabob to find
another solution (Oldham’s wife however despises Thomas because of his low social
condition).
At Mite’s home.
We see just his servants Jan u s (doorman) and Co n serve; they’re not particularly polite
(servants were thought to take on features of their master), so they’re very rude, they treat
T h o mas in a very bad way and make him wait at the door, even though they took a tip in the
meantime. A woman, M rs M atch ’em (amorous agent) is welcomed with great honors and
admitted into the house, while he’s left outside waiting.
2nd ACT .
We meet the Nabob; he’s having a lesson of gaming (he wants to enter the upper-class, to
learn how to gamble, to gain more, from other noblemen).
Meanwhile M rs Cro cu s, a flower seller, enters and he treats her very badly, he gets angry
with her, who was encharged of making a bouquet of flowers for him, but she shows him a
flower that makes seem his complexion yellow (he’s so superficial; but also it’s shown the
prejudice of the time, according to which your skin would become sallow, being too long in
India).
Quotation: “Y ou know m y comple xion h as be e n tinge d by th e E as t, and y ou bring me a b laz e of
y e llow , th at gi ve s me th e jaundice ”
Mite discusses with Mrs Match’em marriage prospects; she’s afraid of losing her job, when
he says he wants to get married. She procures him prostitutes (she doesn-t only help him
find a wife); however he tells her not to worry, because even though he’ll get married, he’ll
keep needing her services. He wants a wife to complete his situation, his house, to
“decorate” the other edge of the table (as if she was a fourniture in the house).
Quotation: “only w ante d a wif e to comple te m y e s tab lis h me nt; jus t to ador n th e e nd of m y tab le ”.
He also wants to start a business in London, a “seraglio” (h arem); she tells him it wouldn’t
work in England (they’re not allowed to confine women against their will).
10He wants to buy an estate, but the owner, who’s an aristocrat, doesn't want to sell it,
because it was owned for many generations by his family (however the nabob wants it at
whatever price, because he’s been obsessed with it since he was a child).
He offers the owner four times the value of the estate just to get it (ruthless). Obtain things
with the appearance of being legal.
Quotation:“ Rich e s to a man w h o knows h ow to e mplo y th e m, ar e as us e ful in E ng land as in any
par t of th e E as t. Th e r e th e y g ain us th os e e nds in s pite and de fiance of law , w h ich , unde r a pr ope r
age nt, may h e r e be obtaine d unde r th e pr e te nce and colour of law. ”
3rd ACT.
At the An tiq u arian so ciety = satire of “cultural societies”.
A list of British acquisitions is read. Mite offers gifts to society from his travels, but they’re just
knits-gnats, shallow things.
Then he meets an old school-fellow of his and we understand his low origins; he was not a
clever student, he was quite stupid, and acquired his wealth just because of his skills and
corruption; actually sent to the East because he got into some trouble at home. Mite
pretends not to recognise his school-fellow (hypocrisy), he dismisses his origins, and wants
to be a different person.
Final scene.
At O ld h am-s h o u se. Mite can’t believe family refuses to make him marry their daughter; he
gets angry and threatens them with his lawyer Mr. Rapine (threatens them with prison).
Sophy, the daughter in question, witnessing the possible ruin of her family, decides to
sacrifice herself and accepts the marriage proposal.
Turning point: Thomas appears and offers to pay the sum due to the nabob, saving the
situation (acting as a d eu s ex mach in a = a character in classical plays who always saves
the situation; the final plot twist).
Sophy will marry her cousin who she really loves. So the honest British wealth wins over the
Eastern wealth (it’s better than the nabob’s).
Analysis
Aristocrats were very often in debts with the nabob, because they did not have actual cash,
but more properties.
Exp lan atio n o f co lo n izatio n .
1st part, positive: Colonization as an innocent thing, just some commerce, not harm to them.
2nd part, negative: uncivil, they exploit the people and their lands
11(civil vs uncivil)
Tartars or Turks: meant in an offensive way, they don’t deserve anything else.
Ironic comment: “just the reverse; it is they have caught the T artars in us”. Very modern
comment (18th century), also controversial; period when the empire was still celebrated,
British people have the duty to spread civilization in the world; this short comment tells us a
lot.
The arrival of Sir Mite in the An tiq u arian so ciety (society that actually existed in
London that collected precious objects from the past in order to preserve them; since
there were no public museums at the time).
Sir Mite wants to be a part, a member of this society, in order to cultivate his aristocratic
persona, to enter upper class circles (he has to show himself as a patron of the art).
How does he do that?
He gives presents to the society. In order to enter the upper class society, he buys estates,
leads the typical English life, wants to marry the daughter of an aristocratic family, he has
many servants, he learns how to gamble, he shows off his learning (he’s actually from low
classes, so he just fakes it). He even traveled to Italy, to make up for the Grand Tour that he
didn’t do, he bought some supposedly valuable objects and he brought them back to the UK,
and now he’s presenting these objects to the society in order to be admitted.
Mite enters, preceded by four Blacks (slaves) and each of them is carrying a gift. Along with
the valuable objects he also brought back slaves from India (danger of oriental intrusion into
society). The first black is carrying a large book, the second one a green chamberpot, the
third one some lava from the mountain Vesuvius, the fourth one a box. Now these gifts are
presented to the members of the society.
1st g ift. Illeg ib le man u scrip t.
It’s illegible, so what’ s the value of it? These gifts are meaningless, just for the pleasure of
accumulating (members of society praise him, don’t understand that these are just useless,
invaluable things; satire of cultural society of the time, just for the love of appearances).
English trait = hate for catholics, while protestant are good; saved it from the Pope, giving
himself a lot of importance
2n d g ift. Ch amb er-p o t.
However he presents it as a sarcophagus of Marc Anthony’s coachman. Even if it was true,
what’ s the point of that? = again the pleasure for accumulating things with no value at all.
3rd g ift. L ava fro m th e V esiu vu m.
12He wants to spread volcanoes in England (very stupid thing).
He announces he made a d isco very .
More than patriotism, even fanaticism (he’s excessively proud of being English; a feature of
the nabob); his pride for his rise.
Then introduces the discovery he made. It resembles / he gives the appearance of a
scientific research (the series of questions and the prospected answers). Then he says what
he found out (answers to the questions). Whittington existed, he was Mayor of London, then
the third question was about the cat, so he explains what a cat is. These are just obvious
things, that even a child knows, but he has to explain it (quite ironic).
- W h at co u ld Pu ss’ s cap tu re amo u n t?: quale può essere il loro bottino, il loro uso? /
Ci si può arricchire con un gatto? Cosa si può ricavare da un gatto
- No tan n er can cu rry th e skin o f a mo u se: nessun conciatore di pelle può strigliare
la pelle di un topo (anche se il gatto prende i topi, non li puoi vendere per farne
pellicce)
- No family make a meal o f meat: nessuna famiglia può ricavarne un pasto di carne
(da un gatto), non si possono mangiare i gatti
Basically, there was a document that says that there was a certain Whittington who held his
fortune to a cat and he wants to research that.
The discovery.
He built a vessel, which was agile and light, so he aptly christened it “Cat”. So “Cat” is the
name of the ship Whittington used to commerce on the coasts; it’s from there that he gained
his fortune (the coasting, failing, coal-carrying cat, not the whiskered cat).
The source of this merchant's wealth is not an animal, but a type of vessel he invented;
something that anyone could imagine. However all members of the society praise him,
applaud him for the extraordinary discovery.
The members of the Society declare Mite to be skilled in arts an d arms
= he stayed in India, he fought there, he’s skilled in arms, but now according to the society,
he’s proven to be worthy, to deserve to be praised by the city, he showed off his learning.
These people are compliant with him, with his desire to enter high society. They’re not so
stupid not to understand that these gifts are simply knick-knacks or that Mite’s discovery is
not really a discovery. But they’re compliant with him, because he has a lot of money, so he
could finance, and provide support for the society. It says a lot about the hypocrisy of these
societies.
He manages to enter some circles of the upper class; people always flatter him for his
money, but he doesn’t succeed in entering for good in high society. Mixed ending: happy
ending for Oldham, but nabob bitter ending.
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