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Dinner Guests In The 1800s

592 Words3 Pages

Ideas about social gatherings and manners have changed tremendously over the years. This is because society and its acceptance of different standards varies over time. During the 1800s, dinner guests were treated solely off of their social status. During the 1900s, there was a shift towards maintaining the importance of everyone's roles in the household (anyone from hostess to butler) when hosting a dinner. Over time, social status among guests became less important, and well-planned preparation for all guests became more important. This proves that ideas about social gatherings and manners have changed tremendously over the years. Firstly, during the 1800s, dinner guests were treated solely off of their social status. This is because people during the time period viewed it to be impolite if the principal guest wasn't treated the best. "Take care, if you are not the principal guest, not to offer your hand to the handsomest, for it is a great impoliteness." Social status was greatly respected and followed by people during the 1800s. If any of these social rules were broken, your …show more content…

This is because the treatment of guests and the preparation of the whole dinner was viewed as most important during the time period. "She knows without looking that one of the chauffeurs is on the sidewalk; that footmen are in the hall; that her own maid is in the ladies’ dressing-room, and the valet in that of the gentlemen; and that her butler is just outside the door near which she is standing." As dinner preparation gained value, all the servants and the house owners responsibility grew tremendously. Everyone in the house had to work on their specific areas of expertise in order for all the guests to enjoy the dinner. This proves that ideas about social gatherings and manners have changed tremendously over the

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