Culture of the United Kingdom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts, on the last night with some traditional patriotic music of the United Kingdom.[1][2]

View north up Regent Street, London, on 25 April 2011, with Union Flags hung to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

The Battle of Trafalgar is an oil painting executed in 1822, by J. M. W. Turner (c.1775–1851). The experience of military, political and economic power from the rise of the British Empire led to a very specific drive in artistic technique, taste and sensibility in the United Kingdom.[3]

The culture of the United Kingdom is the pattern of human activity and symbolism associated with the United Kingdom and its people. It is informed by the UK's history as a developed island country, liberal democracy and major power, its predominantly Christian religious life, and its composition of four countries—England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales—each of which has distinct customs, cultures and symbolism. The wider culture of Europe has also influenced British culture, and Humanism, Protestantism and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture.

British literature, music, cinema, art, theatre, media, television, philosophy and architecture are influential and respected across the world. The United Kingdom is also prominent in science and technology. Sport is an important part of British culture; numerous sports originated in the country, including the national game, football. The UK has been described as a "cultural superpower",[4][5] and London has been described as a world cultural capital.[6][7][8][9]

The Industrial Revolution, with its origins in the UK, had a profound effect on the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the world. As a result of the British Empire, significant British influence can be observed in the language, culture and institutions of a geographically wide assortment of countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa and the United States. These states are sometimes collectively known as the Anglosphere, and are among Britain's closest allies.[10][11] In turn the empire also influenced British culture, particularly British cuisine.[12]

As a result of the history of the formation of the United Kingdom, the cultures of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are diverse and have varying degrees of overlap and distinctiveness. Important parts of British folklore include Robin Hood, the Arthurian myth and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Contents [hide]

1 Language

2 The Arts

2.1 Literature

2.2 Theatre

2.3 Music

2.4 Cinema

2.5 Broadcasting

2.6 Visual arts

2.7 Architecture

2.8 Performing arts

3 Folklore

4 Museums, libraries, and galleries

4.1 Heritage administration

4.2 Museums and galleries

4.3 Libraries

5 Science and technology

6 Religion

7 Politics

8 Cuisine

9 Sport

10 Education

10.1 England

10.2 Northern Ireland

10.3 Scotland

10.4 Wales

10.5 Outdoor education

11 Sociological issues

11.1 Housing

11.2 Living arrangements

12 Pets

13 National costume and dress

13.1 Fashion

14 Floral emblems

15 Greeting cards

16 Anglophilia

17 Naming conventions

18 See also

19 Notes

20 References

21 External links

[edit]Language

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1362