Widow's Weeds and Weeping Veils: Mourning Rituals in 19th Century America

During the 19th century, death shadowed daily life. A high infant mortality rate, poor sanitation, risk during childbirth, poisons, ignorance, and war kept 19th-century Americans busy practicing the ritual of mourning. The Victorian era in both Europe and America saw these rituals elevated to an art form expressing not only grief, but also religious feeling, social obligation, and even mourning fashion. Complete with period illustrations, Widow's Weeds and Weeping Veils explores how Victorians viewed death and dying as a result of the profound historical events of their time. This concise, informative work is ideal for students of Victorian-era culture and Civil War enthusiasts.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Wakes and Funerals
The Cemetery
The Undertaker
Caskets and Coffins
The Good Death and the Art of Dying
Morbid Desire
Post Mortem Photography
Spiritualism and the Afterlife
An Uncivil Civil War
Mourning Art
Mourning Jewelry
Mourning Clothing
Men in Mourning
Children in Mourning
Stages of Mourning
The Etiquette of Mourning
The Songs of Sorrow
The Vacant Chair and Young Willie Grout
Epitaphs
Funeral Recipes
Gravestone Symbolism
The Tear Catcher
Mourning Collectibles
Victorian Charm Strings
End of an Era
Endnotes
Bibliography