On the paucity of the english national symbols

Résumé du document

Jeremy Paxman in his book entitled ?The English: A Portrait of a People', reveals a fact that appears to be nonsense. He says that the proud English people do not have strong national symbols. Worse, they have rejected the few existing patriotic ones, such as the Tudor rose, St George's Cross or the "Land of Glory" anthem. How can we explain this paradox? After the presentation of the few English national symbols, our attempt to understand this paucity will lead us to another problematic observation. We realize that the Englishmen have claimed as "national" the symbols invented by the British. In a historic context, the reinforcement of the invented UK identity and a similarity-distinction perspective reveals some aspects of the English character. It emerges as a population wedged between its strong patriotic neighbors and touches upon its special relationship with the Unites States of America.

Extraits

[...] It is interesting to observe that English teams are astonishingly missing these kinds of symbols. An attempt to explain the paucity of English national symbols Trying to explain the "paucity of national symbols" leads us to study the way that the British identity has been shaped. The incorporation of Wales into the English state took place such a long time ago (in 1542) that the Welsh identity and the English one are really close together. The union passed in 1707, between the English state and the Scottish one formed the Kingdom of Great Britain. [...]

[...] The Tudor rose, an half-red-half-white rose, can be seen on the badge of the England national rugby union team. The Tudor Rose Coat of arms of England : three lions and Tudor roses The author specifies that England does not have an official designated national anthem : "The English team must mouth along with the British national anthem" called "God Save The Queen" [Paxman 1999 : 9]. However, other songs are sometimes used, including "Land of Hope and Glory" (used as England's anthem in the Commonwealth Games), "Jerusalem", "Rule, Britannia", and Vow to Thee, My Country." Of these, only Jerusalem specifically mentions England. [...]

[...] We will see in a last point how the devolution context can explain the strengthening of English national celebrations. The few and rejected English national symbols Jeremy Paxman rightly noticed that England can be characterised by a "paucity of national symbols" (line 27). Three main symbols passed the time. First of all, the author talked about the England's national day (line which is linked with Saint George, famous as a dragon-slayer, who is also the patron saint of England. The English flag, a red cross on a white background, commonly called the Saint George's Cross, was adopted after the Crusades. [...]

[...] This paucity contrasts with the abundant neighboring countries symbols. Paxman writes that "there are over 500 Scottish songs" and that they are "widely known" [Paxman 1999 : 20]. The really spread Irish symbol, the shamrock, is known all over the world and on St Patrick's day, you can drink a Guiness in almost each big city on the planet. The Irish Shamrock English national symbols are not only rare and unknown, they are also rejected by the Englishmen. For example, "scarcely anyone sports a rose on St George's day" [Paxman 1999 : 4 33]. [...]

[...] Effectively, the new British identity was a remodelled English identity. UK history : Wales was annexed by England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542, which incorporated Wales into the English state. In 1707 England formed a union with Scotland by the passage of the Acts of Union 1707 in both the Scottish and English parliaments, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. This was replaced again by the Act of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, although most of Ireland broke away from the Union in 1922 to form the Irish Free State and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland We can think to another explanation to the paucity of English national symbols. [...]