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HANDBOOK
for teachers
The Great Britain Show
The contents of this handbook
can be freely copied for use
by teachers or students.
ARCADIA PRODUCTIONS sas
via Vespri Siciliani 16/4
20146 Milano
tel 02 4231459 fax 02 700419101
www.arcadia.info
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THE GREAT BRITAIN SHOW
SYNOPSIS
Neil Niceman fa allontanare i tecnici fino all’inizio della trasmissione:
See you all in a couple of hours.
Quindi vede il pubblico.
I didn’t think anyone was here.
Dice a loro il suo nome:
Neil Niceman! Like The Pink Panther! Mickey Mouse!
Quindi si rende conto che il pubblico è italiano.
Funny, I though Italians were always late.
Dice a loro che il suo vero nome è Neil Goodman, che cambiò quando
divenne un presentatore televisivo.
It’s the same thing I suppose: “good” man, “nice” man. But Neil
Niceman sounds netter.
Dimostra al pubblico le luci, il suono e le immagini di uno studio televisivo,
ma dicendo a loro che:
More than all these things we need people.
Per fare un programma ci vogliono sceneggiature, registi, presentatori e
ospiti,
And there are the people who watch the programme: you, the
audience.
Dice a loro che si deve anche usare la propria immaginazione, e chiede al
pubblico di immaginare:
Imagine that I am a school boy, sitting in my classroom, answering
questions by my school teacher.
THE CLASSROOM
Neil Niceman si trasforma in Neil Goodman, cioè lui stesso all’età di quattordici anni.
Neil non riesce a superare gli esami. Un altro alunno, Henry si unisce a lui.
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Quindi il loro insegnante chiede:
What must you do to pass examinations? Work hard.
L’insegnante dice a Neil:
You don’t work hard enough.
Dopo di che egli pone agli alunni alcune domande. Neil non sa come rispondere, mentre Henry scrive le corrette risposte sulla lavagna:
What is the name of Britain’s Queen? Elizabeth
In which country can you hear the sound of bagpipes? Scotland
What is the name of England’s national drink? Tea
THE TELEVISION AND THE BOOK
Neil arriva a casa e apre il suo libro di testo “British History” per studiare,
ma dice:
This book is too thick and too boring!
Ad ogni modo ha paura per ciò che gli potrebbe succedere se non superasse gli esami. I suoi genitori dicono che non potrà mai trovare un buon
lavoro; il suo insegnante dice che dovrà ripetere l’anno scolastico. Accende
la televisione. L’Annunciatrice dice:
BBC programmes continue with the first of a new series: “The Great
Britain Show”.
Ha in mano il libro “British History”. Neil dice:
That’s my book!
L’Annunciatrice lo butta fuori dallo schermo:
I don’t like books anyway.
Il Libro cade vicino a Neil; ora pare grande come lui.
You must respect books.
L’Annunciatrice esce dallo schermo:
Books are for school.
Il Libro replica:
No, books are for everywhere, always.
Neil commenta:
But you don’t even have any pictures.
Book: Always pictures… Don’t you kids have any imagination?
Il Libro e l’Annunciatrice escono. Neil dice:
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Now what am I going to do?
Il Libro e l’Annunciatrice gli rispondano fuori campo:
Use your imagination!
L’immaginazione di Neil comincia a mettersi in moto, e immagina cosa sarà
il suo futuro…
THE GREAT BRITAIN SHOW
Con grande ironia una voce fuori campo introduce il programma televisivo
“The Great Britain Show”:
Why is Britain great? When did it become great? Is it still great?... Of
course it is!
Neil (ora di cognome “Niceman”) informa il pubblico in studio:
During the next couple of hours our reporters will take us all over
Britain.
E di:
Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
Quindi introduce il primo ospite.
A big applause for… Charlie Chaplin!
CHARLIE CHAPLIN
Chaplin interpreta una scena da un suo film comico.
PUBLICITY
La pubblicità è per il tè. La forma usata per presentarlo è quella dello scioglilingua:
In just two ticks it’s time to taste the tea - In un attimo è tempo di
degustare il tè.
THE QUEEN ON TV
Neil quindi introduce la Regina Elisabetta, la quale ordina a Neil di inginocchiarsi. Segue una confusione perchè “Neil” e “kneel” sono pronunciati
nello stesso modo. Ella dice:
When I say “kneel” you must kneel down.
Neil si inginocchia e la Regina Io nomina cavaliere. Lui le dice che non è là
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per questo motivo
You’re here to be interviewed.
La Regina accetta di essere intervistata per la prima volta nella sua vita.
Mentre si siedono si ode l’inno nazionale inglese. La Regina ‘pesta’ il piede
di Neil per farlo alzare, e gli spiega:
When you hear the National Anthem you must stand up.
Neil pone la sua prima domanda:
Let’s talk about your family…
La Regina rifiuta. E’ troppo imbarazzante per Lei dopo i vari scandali. Gli
suggerisce invece che potrebbero parlare dei suoi cani. Appaiono i suoi
cani e cominciano ad abbaiare perchè vogliono uscire per i loro bisogni! La
Regina dice:
You’ve kept me talking for too long.
ed esce senza rispondere nemmeno ad una domanda! Neil rapidamente si
sposta sul prossimo argomento e dice:
Britain and Italy – a long way apart or close together? I’m not talking
about kilometres or miles, but culture and customs.
E introduce John Bull dalla Gran Bretagna e Mario Rossi dall’Italia.
BRITAIN AND ITALY – John Bull and Mario Rossi
Vediamo Mario Rossi,
A typical Italian man.
e il tipico uomo inglese John Bull. La voce fuori campo ci dà delle informazioni:
The typical British man is 1.77 metres tall and weighs 80 kilos. He has
light coloured hair and light coloured eyes, and will live to be 76 years
old.
Quindi le informazioni diventano una serie di stereotipi:
The typical Italian man drives a Ferrari. The typical British man drives
a Rolls Royce.
Prima il Britannico, e quindi l’Italiano, corrompono la voce fuori campo per
insultarsi reciprocamente:
The typical Italian man can’t read.
The typical British man doesn’t have a car.
Quindi i due uomini cominciano a insultarsi direttamente:
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Italians smell!
The British are ugly!
Infine scoprono che hanno qualcosa in comune… il football.
INTERVAL
NEIL’S NIGHTMARE
Neil sogna di aver risposto nell’ordine sbagliato a tutte le domande dell’esame. La sua televisione parla, e gli dice:
Stop being so negative.
E continua:
I think you’ll pass your exam. But first you must get to sleep.
Annuncia la prossima parte di “The Great Britain Show”.
FREDDIE AND MR SHAKESPEARE
Freddie Mercury sta cantando una delle sue famose canzoni. La musica è
interrotta e appare William Shakespeare con in mano un cavo elettrico che
dà a Freddie e dice:
It looks as though that horrible music has stopped.
Shakespeare trova difficile capire Freddie:
Things have changed so much in four hundred years.
Specialmente alcuni dei vocaboli moderni:
Internet. Email. Work-out. etc.
Freddie riprende la sua canzone.
THE MACDONALD BROTHERS
Nella successiva parte del programma incontriamo Jimmy MacDonald che
comincia a leggere un famoso poema scozzese di Robbie Burns:
My love is like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June.
(Il mio amore è come una rossa, rossa rosa, che è appena fiorita in
giugno.)
Ma è continuamente interrotto. E’ il fratello Angus che ha bevuto troppo
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whisky. Jimmy annuncia che:
My brother Angus and I will dance a traditional Scottish jig.
Durante la danza Jimmy spinge fuori dal palcoscenico suo fratello minore e
mentre è fuori Jimmy prende l’enorme bottiglia di whisky che Angus aveva
nascosto, e la tracanna!
PUBLICITY
Durante la pubblicità Angus rientra e trova la sua bottiglia vuota. Ha in
mano una grande trappola per toppi che al posto del formaggio ha una
piccola bottiglia di whisky. La lascia su una sedia per intrappolare la mano
del fratello.
Now I’ll wait to catch Jimmy red-handed.
E dice:
This will teach him not to steal my whisky.
Invece di suo fratello, entra Dame Britannia, con indosso un costume ispirato alla bandiera britannica. Porta con se un vassoio con teiera e tazza.
Angus la ferma all’ultimo momento mentre sta per sedersi sulla trappola
per topi; le ruba la tazza da tè e glielo beve. Britannia si arrabbia:
That’s my tea!
Britannia lo butta fuori perché è cominciata la musica per la sua canzone:
lei è il prossimo ospite del programma.
DAME BRITANNIA E DAME ITALIA
Apre il suo ombrello e canta “Singin’ in the Rain” Poco dopo appare Dame
Italia con un costume simile alla bandiera italiana. Ha con sè un ombrellino
da sole e canta ‘O sole mio”. Britannia dice:
Excuse me, this is my song.
Italia dice che è venuta ‘to rescue” lo spettacolo perché:
The audience was getting depressed with all this talk of rain.
Loro duellano usando gli ombrelli come spade. Il vestito di Britannia si
rovina,
You’ve ruined my dress!
Sapendo che non capisce l’italiano, Italia le dice che la parola equivalente
in italiano per descrivere un vestito di questo stile è “schifezza”. Italia aggiunge che il suo vestito invece è disegnato da Dolce & Gabbana. Britannia
è sbalordita:
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Don’t tell me it took two people to design that!
Italia le raccomanda di non essere scortese nei confronti dei suoi amici. Britannia indica il vestito di Italia e dice:
Only your enemies would give you that to wear!
La scena prosegue con insulti pieni di doppi sensi e giochi di parole, il tutto
nello stile della pantomima britannica.
Italia: I happen to be a top model.
Britannia (guardando i larghi fianchi di Dame Italia): Well you’re
certainly not a bottom model!
Dopo di che, Italia, certamente non divertita da ciò, dice:
I’ll show you something funny.
Italia mette uno specchio davanti alla faccia di Britannia. Lo specchio si
rompe, Britannia piange:
I know I’m not attractive!
Italia la rassicura dicendole:
Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.
E le dimostra cosa fare per essere attraente sulle note di Mambo Italiano.
THE TELEVISION AND THE BOOK
Il Libro ha trovato il programma divertente,
All that music and dancing was great fun. But I feel like William
Shakespeare…
E spiega al pubblico,
I feel out of date. Perhaps I need to be rewritten.
L’Annunciatrice pensa che possa essere eccitante:
Just think, a nice new design, colour pictures and a glamorous cover.
E aggiunge:
Perhaps Neil will find you more interesting then.
Il Libro si è dimenticato di Neil e dei suoi esami, ma l’Annunciatrice pensa
che Neil ne abbia viste abbastanza per superarli!
THE CLASSROOM
L’insegnante rifà le stesse domande di prima. Ma questa volta Neil risponde a tutte in modo corretto. L’insegnante dice:
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Congratulations Neil. Full marks. Well done.
THE END
Neil racconta al pubblico che ha continuato gli studi:
I wasn’t brilliant, but I worked hard and I was ok.
Immaginava il suo futuro:
I dreamt about becoming a school teacher.
Ma con il tempo è cambiato, così come i suoi sogni.
And then my name changed too: little Neil Goodman became Neil
Niceman.
Gli annunci del programma scorrono sullo schermo; il programma sta per
iniziare. Neil si deve cambiare. Dice,
Wow, these last two hours have passed quickly.
E “The Great Britain Show” ha inizio…
Tutti i personaggi del programma appaiono e l’ultimo, il Libro, adesso ha
illustrazioni a colori.
THE UNITED KINGDOM
FACT FILE
“What’s in a name?” wrote Shakespeare. But what is the difference between Britain, the
United Kingdom and England? Here are a few definitions to sort out the confusion...
THE UNITED KINGDOM
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political union of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is not a federation but a unitary state, and
its inhabitants elect members to represent them in a parliament that meets in London.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, however, retain a degree of autonomy in running
some of their own affairs.
GREAT BRITAIN
Technically, Great Britain is one of the two main islands that make up the British Isles. By
this definition it includes the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales. Popularly, Great
Britain is the shortened name for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland. This includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
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THE BRITISH ISLES
The British Isles lie off the north-western coast of continental Europe. They include two
main islands, Great Britain and Ireland; The Isle of Man; the Hebrides; the Orkney Islands; the Shetland Islands; and many smaller islands off their coasts. Home of four peoples the English, Scots, Welsh, and Irish they are divided into two independent nations,
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.
THE COMMONWEALTH
The largest, richest, and most powerful empire in the world’s history was the British
Empire. At its zenith, Great Britain ruled broad lands on every continent and islands in
every ocean. It was a common saying that the sun never set on Britain’s dominions.
As one after another of these lands have become independent states, they have joined
together in the Commonwealth. It too spans the globe. The territory of its member states
covers almost a quarter of the land surface of the Earth and contains nearly a fourth of
its people. It comprises peoples of every race and many religions and includes some of
the oldest as well as some of the youngest civilizations.
The Commonwealth is a free, voluntary association of sovereign states, together with
dependencies for which certain states are responsible. The sovereign member states
are free and equal partners with Great Britain in the association. When a dependency
achieves full sovereignty, it may decide whether or not to be a member. A member may
elect to leave the Commonwealth. Few states have left.
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Geographically the most widespread language on Earth is English and it is second only
to Mandarin Chinese in the number of people who speak it. English is the national language of the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It is one of
the two national languages of Canada. It is an official or semi-official language in many
former and present British possessions such as South Africa, India, and Hong Kong.
There are an estimated 750,000 words in the English language. Nearly half of these are
of Germanic (or Teutonic) origin, and nearly half come from the Romance Languages
(languages of Latin origin such as French, Spanish, and Italian or Latin itself).
Members of the diplomatic corps in most lands have some knowledge of English. English
has long been the language of commerce, and it is becoming the language of international relations as well. Knowledge of English is vital for computer programming, surfing
the internet, and in most technical fields.
Recently in Italy, English teaching has been introduced in the elementary schools, following the examples of the Scandinavian countries, Germany and so on, where children
grow up almost bi-lingual. Language teaching in Britain remains poor because most
people expect to be understood in their native language which, of course, is the case.
However the recent boom in foreign travel has convinced businessmen and tourists than
even an English speaker can find a foreign language useful.
VARIETIES OF ENGLISH
The British writer George Bernard Shaw once remarked that “England and America are
two countries separated by the same language.” This humorous statement is a simple
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way of noting that the English language is not the same everywhere it is spoken. It is a
living, evolving language that attains distinctive qualities in different environments. An
American tourist in London, in search of public transportation, takes the ‘underground’
rather than a ‘subway’. In a hotel the tourist takes the ‘lift’ up to his room, not an ‘elevator’.
BRITISH ENGLISH
What might be called the Standard English of Britain is the speech of the educated people who live in London and the south-eastern part of England. But this is only one of the
regional dialects that has, over the centuries, achieved more extensive use than others.
AMERICAN ENGLISH
In spite of the standardizing effects of radio and television, there are still a number of
dialect regions across the United States. Significant contributions have been made to the
creation of new dialects by black Americans and Hispanics.
THE SCOTTISH LANGUAGE
The Scottish language is a dialect of the English language, spoken in the Lowlands
of Scotland. It is also called Lallans or Lowland Scots. In the Highlands and offshore
islands of Scotland a separate language, Scottish Gaelic, is spoken.
BRITISH CULTURE
The British are proud of their cultural heritage. They have a rich literary and artistic
tradition, which has influenced the development of English-speaking cultures around
the world. London is a world centre for the theatre, music, and opera, and many English
actors, playwrights, composers, performing musicians, dancers, writers, sculptors, and
painters are internationally famous.
THEATRE
Theatre is a word with a magic ring. It calls up a bright and exciting picture. It may be
of people in holiday spirit streaming down the aisles of the playhouse. It may be of the
wonders hidden behind the folds of the front curtain. Or it may portray the hushed and
eager audience, waiting for the house lights to dim. Theatre magic also works its spell
on the other side of the curtain, behind the footlights. Anyone who has ever been a part
of this world knows the thrills of life backstage. No one can forget the excitement that
mounts steadily until the moment when the stage manager finally signals, ‘Curtain going
up!” There are many different kinds of theatre performances. Circus, carnival, night club,
fair, vaudeville, musical comedy, ballet, modem dance, opera, and operetta are all forms
of theatre. Motion pictures, television, and radio present all these forms.
MIME AND PANTOMIME
To tell a story effectively without words is a difficult task. One performer who excels in
this type of storytelling is the mime. Mime, or pantomime, is the art of narration and
expression through body movement. To the Romans the word mime referred to simply
performed, comic plays, while pantomime had serious themes and employed masks to
identify characters. Today the words mime and pantomime are virtually interchangeable.
Mime took the form of slapstick humour in the Italian commedia dell’arte performances.
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This is preserved in England as the pantomimes which are put on in most large towns
every Christmas. As in commedia dell’arte there are recognized characters and situations, the most famous being that a young woman plays the hero (usually a prince)
and one or two men play the ‘dames’, outrageous caricatures usually with exaggerated
costumes, voices and movements (for example the two step-sisters or ugly sisters in
Cinderella).
CHARLIE CHAPLIN
Put together one coat that is too small, baggy pants, oversize shoes, and a funny moustache. Top it off with a derby hat. Add a silly walk and what do you get? The result is “the
tramp,” the most famous character created by the English comedian and film producer
Sir Charles Chaplin.
He was born in London in 1889. His parents were music hall performers, and he first
appeared on the stage in a dance act at age 8. In 1913 the American film producer Mack
Sennett saw him in a show and asked him to move to California to make movies. While
making his second movie, ‘Kid Auto Races at Venice’, released in 1914, Chaplin put
together his famous costume for the tramp. He developed this foolish, mischievous, yet
lovable little man through successive films, creating a character audiences laughed al yet
sympathized with at the same time.
Chaplin’s tramp appeared in such films as ‘The Kid’ (1921), ‘The Gold Rush’ (1925), ‘City
Lights’ (1931), and ‘Modem Times’ (1936). Chaplin also produced other films that combined comedy with social commentary and fine technical craftsmanship. During World
War II Chaplin made ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940), which made fun of German dictator
Adolf Hitler.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, and died in Switzerland on 25th December 1977.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
The poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest English writer of all time began
his career around 1590. By the time of his death in 1616, William Shakespeare left the
world a legacy of literature that would bring him literary immortality. Since then, his work
has dominated the study and performance of drama in the English language.
Most of what we know about Shakespeare’s life has been pieced together from official documents, such as birth records and marriage announcements. He was born in
Stratford-upon-Avon England in 1564 to a family that was relatively poor, despite his father being alderman and mayor of Stratford for a time. He was married at age 18 to Anne
Hathaway, and they had three children together. By 1592 he was in London working as
an actor and playwright.
Shakespeare wrote 36 plays, plus some equally celebrated verses. He also wrote 154
sonnets, works that redefined this poetic form. It is estimated that he added 1,700 words
to the English language, usually by making verbs from nouns, nouns from verbs, or by
putting words together in a new way (like ‘bedroom’, for example).
His works continue to be performed, adapted, and celebrated in theatres throughout the
world.
BRITISH ROCK MUSIC
The leading rock music experimenters were the Beatles. Under their influence rock and
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roll became more commonly known as rock music. The quartet of musicians from Liverpool sang songs written mainly by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Their infectious
music and witty lyrics made them two of the finest 2Oth-century songwriters.
Very quickly other English rock bands became popular internationally. The Who played
loud music that featured guitar screeches, smashed instruments on-stage in their
concerts. Another English band, Cream, featured Eric Clapton’s impressions of blues
guitarists. The most popular songs of the Rolling Stones, unlike the Beatles’ music, were
complaining and angry. The Rolling Stones were also great concert performers. SkiIl,
precision, energy, and the on-stage antics of lead singer Mick Jagger were the distinctive
features of the Rolling Stones’ concerts.
Other British bands have included Queen, Take That and more recently Oasis. Elton
John is one of the best-known and best-selling solo artists and was the first Western rock
singer to perform in U.S.S.R. Other solo singers include Annie Lennox, David Bowie and
Sting.
Punk rock began in England in the 1970s. It’s main feature were the despairing lyrics,
violent condemnations of the dishonesty of the British ruling class. Punk also made a
sleazy fashion statement torn clothes and garishly coloured hair, with razor blades and
safety pins for decoration. New wave music emerged in the 1980s as an outgrowth of
punk rock that was less violent.
Freddie Mercury and Queen
One of the most famous and successful British bands was Queen, and its lead singer
Freddie Mercury excited audiences with his theatricality on stage and in life. Even after
his early death the sales of Queen’s records recorded in the 1970s and 80s remain
healthy.
THE MUSIC IN THE GREAT BRITAIN SHOW
The Great Britain Show makes much use of music for dancing, illustrating the characters, or as background. Below are some of the more important pieces of music used
during the show.
RULE BRITANNIA
Rule Britannia is a British patriotic hymn written in 1740 by James Thomson (1700-48)
with music by Thomas Arne (1710-78). It is often used in military parades or other official
occasions. It is used most famously during the Last Nights of the Proms at the Royal
Albert Hall in London. The Proms is a music festival run by the BBC where tickets are
sold at low prices for standing places which are nearest to the stage. The Last Night is a
mix of patriotic and traditional music.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM: GOD SAVE THE KING
No melody in the world is sung more often than ‘God Save the King’. For Great Britain
and the British nations of the Commonwealth the song has long been a national anthem.
Many other nations sing their own words to the melody.
When Londoners first heard the song, in 1745, it was like a prayer in time of danger.
Bonnie Prince Charlie had landed in Scotland and was invading England. On September
28, in the Drury Lane Theatre, the curtain rose again after the play, ‘The Alchemist’, had
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ended. On the stage was the entire cast, singing “God save great George, our King”.
SILENT FILM MUSIC
Charlie Chaplin wrote wonderful melodies which were used to score his silent films. The
music used for the Chaplin scene in “The Great Britain Show” was all written by him,
mostly taken from his classic film “City Lights”.
TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH MUSIC
The Scotsmen dance to the music of the bagpipes. The bagpipe is one of the oldest
instruments and many of the well known melodies are handed down through the years
and the composers of these pieces have been long since forgotten.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
One of the most successful MGM musical films was “Singin’ in the Rain” which was released in 1952. The title song is ever linked to the image of Gene Kelly with his umbrella,
swinging round a lamp post as a stern policemen looks on. The song was not written
for the film however; it was a hit song in 1929 written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb
Brown, and was used not only in the film which used the name of the song as its title, but
also in Stanley Kubrick’s film A Clockwork Orange.
ROYALTY AND TRADITION
The ongoing saga of the British Royals has kept the world media busy for many years.
But the fascination with the Royal Family, their liaisons and eccentricities, has been the
subject for gossip and speculation for centuries!
The longest-reigning monarchs in English history have been women: Elizabeth I in the
l6th century, Victoria in the l9th, and Elizabeth II in the 2Oth. At the age of 25, Elizabeth II
became queen through a quirk of history. Her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936, and
his brother became king as George VI. Elizabeth was the older daughter of George VI.
When George died in 1952, she succeeded him. Her coronation at Westminster Abbey
was on June 2, 1953.
The heir to the throne, Charles, Prince of Wales, born in 1948, is in much the same position as Victoria’s eldest son Edward, who did not become king until he was 60.
KNIGHTHOOD
The most significant military figure of the feudal system of the European Middle Ages
was the knight. He was a mounted warrior dressed in a suit of armour. During the Middle
Ages, several orders of knighthood were founded. The orders that were formed during
the Crusades had a religious origin. There were also a number of purely secular orders
of knights founded by various monarchs in Europe. Some of these orders have persisted
into the 2Oth century; membership is bestowed upon citizens who have made outstanding contributions to society in the arts, sciences, politics and the military.
SYMBOLS OF BRITAIN
For many years Britannia and John Bull have represented the spirit of Great Britain. The
image of Britannia was created by the Romans. A coin of Hadrian (C. AD 122) carries on
its obverse the first personification of Britain: Britannia, with spear and shield, seated on
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a rock resembling the general outline of the island.
John Bull, the personification of England and its people, in much the same way as Uncle
Sam symbolizes the United States, was devised in 1712 in a satire entitled ‘The History
of John Bull’. Later satirists perpetuated the caricature, until it was refined in the late l9th
century by Punch magazine cartoonists.
Towards the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, when ‘Britain ruled the waves”, Britannia and
John Bull together with the flag (the Union Jack) were used on products ranging from
cigarettes to soap to proclaim they were British made. During the world wars similar
bouts of patriotism made the use of these symbols popular again, and Britannia today is
found on the back of the 50p piece.
STEREOTYPES
The British are famous for bowler hats and umbrellas, queuing, lack of dress sense, and
bad weather and food; the Italians wear Armani, produce bad pop music, eat pasta and
pizza, are tanned and like the good life even if they use Machiavellian means of achieving it. Stereotypes that are proposed in the media are usually based on a certain truth,
but we know that often these facts are out of date: there is more smog in Florence than
in London, and for every institutionalised bowler hat there is a punk haircut!
Here are some British-Italian comparisons:
FOOD AND DRINK
Tea
The tea break is a common feature of the day in many parts of the world. In all of Asia,
Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, tea is a more popular drink than coffee. In
many of the countries once part of the British Empire, afternoon tea is as much of a tradition as it is in Britain itself.
The British custom of afternoon tea was originated in about 1840 by the duchess of
Bedford. Today in hotels and tea houses from London to Vancouver, to Hong Kong and
Singapore, afternoon tea is a daily rite.
Pasta
The means by which pasta was introduced into Europe remains uncertain. For many
years people claimed that pasta was brought to Europe by the explorer Marco Polo when
he returned from the Orient in 1295. However, in the ruins of Pompeii, which date back to
Roman times, archaeologists have uncovered what appear to be pasta-making devices.
In addition, macaroni is mentioned in writings from as early as 1200 long before Marco
Polo’s journeys.
There are more than 400 different pasta shapes and sizes.
Beer
The most popular drink in the world after tea is beer, an alcoholic beverage made from
grain by a brewing method that involves fermentation, a chemical process converting
starch to alcohol. The origin of the word beer is obscure; it may come from the Hebrew
word for grain (based on the root bre), the Saxon word for barley (bere), or the Latin
bibere (meaning “to drink”).
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Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in England and Ireland, accounting for more
than three quarters of the total alcohol consumed. This marked preference is also seen
in countries influenced by the British such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Wine
Each of Italy’s 20 regions is a wine-producing area. The most familiar Italian wine outside
Italy is probably Chianti. Good wine, said Shakespeare, is a good familiar creature if it
be well used. It has been used for at least 4,500 years. Egyptian records dating from
2500 BC refer to the use of grapes for wine making. Centuries later the role of wine for
sacramental use in Christian churches helped maintain the industry after the fall of the
Roman Empire.
DRESS
Bowler Hat
The bowler is a low-crowned, stiff-brimmed felt hat, designed by William Bowler, an English hatter, in 1850. It replaced the top hat in fashion.
Umbrella
The umbrella was held by bearers in ancient times to protect important persons and
became a mark of distinction for pope and clergy in Italy in the late 16th century. The
umbrella became common throughout Europe in the l8th century. Parasols, used for
shading women’s faces from sun, were part of fashionable outdoor attire in the l8th and
the l9th centuries. It started to be carried for personal use by people in the West in the
mid-l9th century.
Fashion: John Richmond (born 1960)
The English fashion designer John Richmond was born in 1960, and is known for his
unconventional designs. He worked in the Richmond–Cornejo partnership from 1984
to 1987, creating upscale leather jackets and separates. In 1987 he developed his own
fashion label. Richmond continued to experiment with leather, producing jackets with
tattoo-printed sleeves and jackets covered with graffiti. Richmond staged his first solo
show in 1991.
Fashion: Giorgio Armani (born 1934)
The Italian fashion designer Giorgio Arrnani was born in Piacenza, and is largely responsible for making Milan into a major world centre of fashion. He became the menswear
buyer for La Rinascente in Milan in the mid-1950s. From 1961-70 he worked for Nino
Cerruti as a designer of men’s clothing, and in 1970 became an independent designer.
He founded his own company in 1975 and mass production of his styles began in 1980.
He designed the wardrobe for Richard Gere in film ‘American Gigolo’ in 1980. He creates
about 30 collections each year.
CLIMATE
Great Britain
England has a rainy and temperate climate: mild winters and cool summers. Scotland is
cool, rainy and windy, though winds from the southwest make the climate warmer than
it would otherwise be so far north. The autumn and winter are the wettest seasons, and
the west coast receives the most rainfall. Wales, influenced by mountains and nearness
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to the sea, has mild winters and cool summers; though the higher mountain regions can
have cold winters with heavy snow.
Italy
Most of Italy has a Mediterranean type of climate, which has cool, rainy winters and hot,
dry summers. Winter temperatures along and near the coasts of southern Italy seldom
drop to freezing in winter, and summer temperatures often reach 32°C or higher. Winter
is the rainy season, when streambeds that remain empty during much of the year fill to
overflowing and flash floods are common. Summers are dry, and certain crops must be
irrigated throughout much of the peninsula. The climate of northern Italy differs greatly
from that of the south. Winters tend to be cold, with heavy snowfall in the Alps, much rain
and also fog. Summers are not as hot and summer rains aid farming.
Smog
In many places smoke from factories and cars combines with naturally occurring fog
to form smog. For centuries, London has been subjected to the danger of smog, long
recognized as a potential cause of death, especially for elderly persons and those with
respiratory ailments. Air pollution in London originally resulted from large-scale use of
heating fuels. The London smog is now a thing of the past.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Although the metric system of weights and measures is used in Britain, most people continue to use the Imperial system that grew up in the United Kingdom. It grew haphazardly
from units chosen for the convenience of their sizes. Units of length were initially based
on human dimensions and those of mass and volume on what people ate and drank.
The terms “pound” and “ounce” are derived from Latin, as these units were introduced
into the British Isles during the Roman occupation.
Probably the earliest standard of length was the Saxon girth, the circumference of the
body. In 1101 Henry I decreed that this should equal the length of his arm. This was the
basis of the yard, which was subdivided into 3 feet, each of 12 inches. An inch was the
length of three barleycorns, “round and dry”.
In Britain the metric system gradually started to take over from the imperial units after
World War II.
In Britain Fahrenheit is still used to communicate the temperature in weather forecasts,
petrol is still bought in gallons, and distances are measured in miles.
SCOTLAND
The northern part of the island of Great Britain is Scotland. Rugged uplands separate
it from England to the south. Within this border country the Scots fought many wars to
keep their independence. In 1707 Scotland joined with England. The Scots, however,
remain a distinct people, and they have a long history different from that of England. In
1997 they voted to have their own separate parliament.
Scotland is a land of romance. It contains ruins of many ancient castles and abbeys, and
there is a haunting beauty in its windswept mountains, long deep valleys, and ribbon
lakes called lochs. Loch Ness is a Scottish lake, 37 km long, and said to be inhabited by
an aquatic monster. Frequent sightings have been claimed by passers-by in the 2Oth
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century. In early days the rugged land led to the separation of the Highlanders into small
groups called clans. All the people of a clan had the same surname, which often began
with Mac such as MacDonald or MacLeod. The clansmen wore kilts (short, pleated
skirts) which are suitable for climbing the rough hills. Each clan had its own colourful pattern called a tartan for weaving cloth. Today the kilt is a national costume, proudly worn
for special occasions.
ROBBIE BURNS
Scotland’s greatest poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), wrote in Scots, the English dialect
of the country he loved so deeply, and his work still arouses strong patriotic feeling in the
Scottish people. His romantic self is expressed in his love songs such as ‘A Red, Red
Rose’. Other songs include ‘Auld Lang Syne’ which is traditionally sung at midnight on
New Year’s Eve.
BAGPIPES
The bagpipe is one of the oldest reed instruments. A tube, which has as many as eight
finger holes and is fitted with a reed, is inserted into an airtight bag that holds the instrument’s supply of wind. Early instruments had bags made of the skins of small animals,
such as goats or sheep, or of the stomach of a larger animal.
Bagpipes were known to the civilizations of ancient Greece, Rome, and Persia, and
throughout history virtually every country fashioned its own version of the instrument.
TELEVISION & PUBLICITY
Since the 1940s television has become the window on the world for much of industrialized society. Anything the eye can see may be brought to television screens.
TELEVISION
What comes through the window, however, does not always please everyone and the
content and quality of television programme are always being criticised. But if television
has persisted in offering mindless entertainment, it has also frequently rewarded viewers
with outstanding presentations in drama, documentary, and the arts.
PUBLICITY
This medium carries more national advertising than any other in Italy. In many countries, Britain, Sweden and Denmark, for example the state-owned television accepts no
advertising.
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ARCADIA PRODUCTIONS sas
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