Unfortunately,
death is an inevitable part of life, therefore something that needs to be
discussed. On March 18th the class took a trip to the Brompton Road
Cemetery. This cemetery is the resting place for thousands of people and is
open to the public daily. I think the fact that is it open to the public, and
not just the families of those buried there is a really important aspect. A lot
of cemeteries in the world are open to the public, but it is rare that you see
people walking home from work or from school in a cemetery. People seemed to be
unfazed by the fact that they were walking around in a place that has thousands
of tombstones. In addition, I find it interesting that the cemetery lays in the
middle of a popular residential neighborhood. When I think of a cemetery, I usually
think of huge sprawling fields in a more rural part of an area.
At
the surface, I did not think much about having a school trip to a cemetery, but
when I really think about it, that is definitely a strange concept. If I had no
understanding of the Victorian era and the outlook on death during that time
period, I would think I was intruding on someone else’s property or maybe find
it strange that the cemetery was a bustling place. After reading Christina Rossetti’s
“Song,” I now have a better understanding as to why this cemetery has turned
into something similar to a public park. The poem starts with the lines, “When
I am dead, my dearest, sing no sad songs for me.” This epitomizes the idea that
Victorians see death as more of a celebration of life rather than a somber
time. Rossetti did not want her family to be saddened by her passing, so if remembering
her was too painful, she would have preferred to be forgotten instead. After
reading this, I was surprised by her lack of worry or concern toward her own
death. This directly contrasts with modern day sentiments toward death. I find
that most people would want to be remembered in a positive light and have that
be celebrated, even if those natural sad thoughts accompany that.
Other
ways that Victorians celebrated the lives of those who have passed away was
through death masks and jewelry. Although there were not death masks or jewelry
at the cemetery, there was a tombstone that had Chelsea F.C. memorabilia and
other tombstones that had flowers. All those items were in memory of a life
that seemed to be celebrated immensely. In relation to Rossetti’s and Victorians
outlook on death, I think they would find comfort in the fact that these lives
were being remembered in a more joyous way.
In
all, death is something that happens to everyone, and I think the way a loved
one’s life is remembered is crucial. Being surrounded by thousands of
tombstones should have been more saddening, but instead I focused on all of my
other surroundings: little kids scootering home from school, middle-aged men and
women commuting home from work, couples walking their dogs, and even a man mediating
on a bench. In many other cemeteries it is hard to focus on things other than
the tombstones because they are not usually a place where people come to spend
their afternoon for leisure. Death is a part of everyday life and I think the
fact that is it not an unmentionable subject means a lot.
http://www.victorianweb.org/art/parks/brompton/2.html
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